How can a so-called "cult" preach such Christ-like messages of love and good Samaritan service to others?

Though I normally don't cut and paste, I am going to quote Paul Allen, a friend of the Mormons, though not one himself:

Paul Allen, non-member friend of the Mormons (not the same Paul Allen as the founder of Microsoft)

I have heard and seen enough!

I have lived in the West all my life. I have worked around them. They have worked for me and I for them. When I was young, I dated their daughters. When I got married they came to my wedding. Now that I have daughters of my own, some of their boys have dated my daughters. I would be privileged if one of them were to be my son-in-law.

I'm talking about the Mormons.

They are some of the most honest, hardworking people I have ever known. They are spiritual, probably more than most other so-called religious people I have encountered. They study the Bible and teach from it as much as any Christian church ever has. They serve their religion without pay in every conceivable capacity. Not one of their leaders, teachers, counselors, Bishops or music directors receive one dime for the hours of labor they put in.

The Mormons have a non-paid ministry - a fact that is not generally known. I have heard many times from the pulpits of others how evil and non-Christian they are and that they will not go to heaven. I decided recently to attend one of their services near my home to see for myself.

What a surprise!

What I heard and saw was just the opposite from what the religious ministers of the day were telling me. I found a very simple service with no fanfare. I found a people with a great sense of humor and a well-balanced spiritual side. There was no loud music. Just a simple service, with the members themselves giving the several short sermons.

They urge their youth to be morally clean and live a good life. They teach the gospel of Christ, as they understand it. The name of their church is "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints." Does that sound like a non-Christian church to you? I asked them many questions about what they teach and why. I got answers that in most cases were from the New Testament. Their ideas and doctrines did not seem too far fetched for my understanding. When I read their "Book of Mormon" I was also very surprised to find just the opposite from what I had been told I would find.

Then I went to another church's pastor to ask him some of the same questions about doctrine. To my surprise, when he found out that I was in some way investigating the Mormons, he became hostile. He referred to them as a non-Christian cult. I received what sounded to me like evil propaganda against those people. He stated bluntly that they were not Christian and that they did not fit into the Christian mold. He also told me that they don't really believe the Bible. He gave me a pile of anti-Mormon literature. He began to rant that the Mormons were not telling me the truth about what they stand for. He didn't want to hear anything good about them. At first I was surprised and then again, I wasn't. I began to wonder.

I have never known of a cult that supports the Boy Scouts of America. According to the Boy Scouts, over a third of all the Boy Scout troops in the United States are Mormon.

What cult do you know of that has a welfare system second to none in this country? They have farms, canneries and cattle ranches to help take care of the unfortunate ones who might be down and out and in need of a little help. The Mormon Church has donated millions to welfare causes around the world without a word of credit. They have donated thousands to help rebuild Baptist churches that were burned a few years ago. They have donated tons of medical supplies to countries ravaged by earthquakes.

You never see them on TV begging for money. What cult do you know that instills in its members to obey the law, pay their taxes, serve in the military if asked and be a good Christian by living high moral standards?...

They are recruited by the FBI, the State Department and every police department in the country, because they are Trustworthy. They are taught not to drink nor take drugs. They are in the Secret Service - those who protect the President...

If you have Mormons living near, you will probably find them to be your best friends and neighbors. They are Christians who try to live what they preach. They are not perfect and they are the first to admit this. I have known some of them who could not live their religion, just like many of us...

(Others) have successfully demonized them to the point that the general public has no idea what they actually believe and teach. If you really want to know the truth, go see for yourself. You also will be surprised.

Paul Allen

Santa Clarita

I wonder if any of these people who "claim" to know so much about Mormons have ever really done and sincere research on them. Can they name ANY false doctrine that they teach? And how is it that they believe that all other denominations of Christians have found Christ, yet the Mormons, who truly put Christ first as the head of their church, who are not paid to speak and teach of him, who do all manner of works in HIS name only (not worshiping or praying to other "saints"), who have HIS name in the very name of the Church as the scriptures tell us, yet they are not Christians?

How is it they feel that he is a respecter of persons? How is it they feel that GOD can no longer call prophets and apostles to do his work? He is the same then, now and forever. How is it they say that Christ could not appear to anyone whom he chooses? How is it they don't feel that He would not continue to instruct us in these times? They do not know that Mormon's probably spend more time studying the Bible than most Christians who feel it is just a Sunday affair, and only a portion of the day at that.

The Lord's people will be a peculiar people and they will be persecuted. I know these things because I did serve a full time mission for the Lord. I know these things because I inquired of the Lord myself to know that it is true. How do they never even ask HE who will give all answers?

The vast majority of the responses received to this kind of question makes me have greater understanding for GBH's comments regarding the Savior and the teachings many 'Christians' attribute to him.

Perhaps the better question is that if the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints truly knows and understands a different Jesus the Christ than the remainder of Christianity - which one is true? which one preaches a false gospel? a knee-jerk reaction according to the traditions of centuries & millennia are not the answer. The answer comes from humbly and with real intent following the instruction found in James 1:5.

If Muslims really believe their religion is an expansion of the bible, as they claim, they should obey Christ when He says "love those who hate you" and "love your enemies". Sadly, there is a lot of evidence to the contrary in that religion. It is hard to believe their Allah is the same living, one and only, God that Abraham knew. I think there are other faiths that mimic the teachings of Christ, and even revere the Prince of Peace as a wise spiritual leader, but none of them realize He was God in the flesh. Not even the Jews, nor Muslims, who believe in that same God of Abraham, recognizes that Jesus was Divine! They do not understand that the Messiah has come, fully God, although in the flesh. He is coming again. Keep the faith!

How can you call this particular religion a cult religion when it offers you nothing but the true gospel of Jesus Christ and more. You people do not realize that the mormons can offer you the true gospel of Jesus Christ and more if you are willing to sit there and listen to the missionary discussions.

Doctrines are just ideas. Nothing's certain. If Mormons want to be brothers to Christians then why would Christians not return the sentiment.

I think people miss the fruit one often.

We all see every day posts that say how kind and generous the LDS people are, then criticize our doctrines while admiring the fruit.

Oh my mistake, I thought there you was talking about the Jehovah's Witnesses but it is the Mormon's. There is a fruit tree grown in the Asian Countries that do have hairy thorns on the outside but it taste sweet like lychee's on the inside. The lesson here is there are fruits out there that do grow thorns.

Matthew 7:21-23 ~ "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I (Jesus) will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'"

If some people who drive out demons and prophesy in His name aren't really His, it's not unreasonable to believe that people who do good works and preach love like Christ did aren't His either. They have numerous beliefs that go against some of the foundations of Christianity, which is why they are referred to as a cult, or at the very least separated from real Christianity. They have a different belief system, and indeed a different goal in life (to become a God, not just like God in thought and action) than Christians do.

You mean, how can people believe crazy things and non-crazy things at the same time? Happens all the time, in all kinds of people.