33% of all Republicans think that Mormonism is not Christian.
Only 1/5th of white Republicans who are Catholic or mainline Protestant think Mormonism is not Christian.
However, most white Republicans who are evangelical Christians - 53% - think Mormonism is not Christian.
Since Mormons are strongly Republican, including the leading Republican contender for president of the United States, this conflict within the Republican party could be a problem of religious amity.
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Most of the discussions I have seen on this seem to miss the point. The question that obtains is: Is Mormonism in FACT a branch/denomination of Christianity? To my knowledge, through much of its history the LDS faith has sought to distinguish itself from the "established" Christian church; theologically and doctrinally it defines itself outside of even the broadest understanding of the nature of Christ, the Trinity, the authority of Scripture, etc. So whether a Mormon is a Christian is a matter of demonstrable definition, not feeling or judgment as such. The feelings and judgements about Mormons are layered on top of the fact, let alone the question of whether a profession of Christianity should be a litmus test for office in America...
Agreed. The LDS Church has recently been trying to present itself as a Christian church, much more so than in the past.
http://gruntledcenter.blogspot.com/2007/12/mormons-are-fine-people-but-not.html
It all boils down to the defintion of the word "Christian". The LDS church advocates a very broad definition (believing in Jesus Christ as the divine son of God and personal savior to the world) while those critical of the church advocate a more narrow definition. The reason this debate will likely never end is because, to my knowledge, there is no organization that has the authority to define the word once and for all to decide the matter.
But on to the broader point, as a member of the LDS church who is also not a Republican, I've always personally found it amusing that most of my fellow church members are so strongly Republican when polls show that there are FAR more anti-Mormons in the Republican party than the Democratic party (mostly the Evangelicals). And many LDS members have a special loathing for the Democratic party even as, in general, the Democratic rank and file are more willing to accept that the LDS is a Christian and "mainstream" church.
But then, the political priorities of the GOP and LDS church are arguably more in line on some of the bigger "moral" issues than the Democratic party. But this is a relatively recent development (30-40 years or so). Politics indeed makes for strange bedfellows at times...
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