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[[File:Birmingham temple.jpg|right|Birmingham temple]]

[[File:Birmingham temple.jpg|right|Birmingham temple]]

'''The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints''',<ref>[http://www.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=ca07ae4af9c7e010VgnVCM1000004e94610aRCRD Style Guide& - The Name of the Church] LDS.org</ref> known as the '''LDS Church''' or, more colloquially, the '''Mormon Church''', is the largest denomination originating from the Latter-Day Saint movement founded by [[Joseph Smith]]. Its members are colloquially referred to as "Mormons." As of 2015, the Church reports over 15.3 million members worldwide.<ref>[http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/2014-statistical-report-for-2015-april-general-conference "2014 Statistical Report for 2015 April General Conference"], ''Mormon Newsroom'', April 4, 2015.</ref><ref>[http://www.adherents.com/largecom/com_lds.html Geographic statistics]</ref>

'''The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints''',<ref>[http://www.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=ca07ae4af9c7e010VgnVCM1000004e94610aRCRD Style Guide& - The Name of the Church] LDS.org</ref> known as the '''LDS Church''' or, more colloquially, the '''Mormon Church''', is the largest denomination originating from the Latter-Day Saint movement founded by [[Joseph Smith]]. Its members are colloquially referred to as "Mormons." As of 2015, the Church reports over 15.3 million members worldwide.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/2014-statistical-report-for-2015-april-general-conference|title="2014 Statistical Report for 2015 April General Conference"|publisher=''Mormon Newsroom''|date=April 4, 2015|accessdate=March 9, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.adherents.com/largecom/com_lds.html|title=Geographic statistics|accessdate=March 9, 2020}}</ref>

Originally an American religion, most of its members are outside of the [[United States]] now, and church leaders are pro-[[immigration]] and [[globalism|globalist]]. Church leaders are coordinating a smear campaign against President [[Donald Trump]], which has been perpetrated by [[Jeff Flake]], [[Mitt Romney]], [[Harry Reid]], and [[Jon Huntsman]].<ref>The first three (Flake, Romney and Reid) have repeatedly attacked President Trump in a personal, offensive manner; the fourth, Huntsman, reportedly authored an anonymous criticism of Trump in the ''[[The New York Times]]'' [https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/09/new-york-times-op-ed-anonymous-writer-trump.html].</ref>

Originally an American religion, most of its members are outside of the [[United States]] now, and church leaders are pro-[[immigration]] and [[globalism|globalist]]. Church leaders are coordinating a smear campaign against President [[Donald Trump]], which has been perpetrated by [[Jeff Flake]], [[Mitt Romney]], [[Harry Reid]], and [[Jon Huntsman]].<ref>{{cite web|title=The first three (Flake, Romney and Reid) have repeatedly attacked President Trump in a personal, offensive manner; the fourth, Huntsman, reportedly authored an anonymous criticism of Trump in the ''[[The New York Times]]''|url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/09/new-york-times-op-ed-anonymous-writer-trump.html|acessdate=March 9, 2020}}</ref>

Though traditionally associated with [[conservative]] values, the Mormon Church is increasingly [[liberal]] on social issues such as the [[homosexual agenda]] and [[transgenderism]], and [[Utah]] has not passed strong [[pro-life]] laws like the [[Heartbeat Bill]]. The Utah legislature considers and sometimes enacts social legislation that conservative states would not pass, such as considering a ban on [[conversion therapy]] in 2019.<ref>https://www.thedailybeast.com/utah-might-pass-a-ban-on-lgbt-conversion-therapy</ref> This seems to make the false equivalence between the people of Utah and the LDS Church. While Utah is becoming more liberal, that may be because Utah is experiencing an influx of non-LDS immigrants, and not because the LDS Church is liberalizing.

Though traditionally associated with [[conservative]] values, the Mormon Church is increasingly [[liberal]] on social issues such as the [[homosexual agenda]] and [[transgenderism]], and [[Utah]] has not passed strong [[pro-life]] laws like the [[Heartbeat Bill]]. The Utah legislature considers and sometimes enacts social legislation that conservative states would not pass, such as considering a ban on [[conversion therapy]] in 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/utah-might-pass-a-ban-on-lgbt-conversion-therapy|accessdate=March 9, 2020}}</ref> This seems to make the false equivalence between the people of Utah and the LDS Church. While Utah is becoming more liberal, that may be because Utah is experiencing an influx of non-LDS immigrants, and not because the LDS Church is liberalizing.

== Overview ==

== Overview ==

Church members follow a law of health known as the [[Word of Wisdom]] that promotes healthy eating as well as avoiding tobacco, alcohol, coffee, tea, and illegal drugs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://scriptures.lds.org/dc/89 The Word of Wisdom|title=Scriptures.lds.org|accessdate=March 9, 2020}}</ref>

Church members follow a law of health known as the [[Word of Wisdom]] that promotes healthy eating as well as avoiding tobacco, alcohol, coffee, tea, and illegal drugs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://scriptures.lds.org/dc/89 The Word of Wisdom|title=Scriptures.lds.org|accessdate=March 9, 2020}}</ref>

The U.S religious landscape survey published in February 2008 shows that [[Mormon]]s have the largest families closely followed by Muslims.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/02/25/america/25usreligion.php U.S religious landscape survey|acessdate=March 9, 2020}}</ref>

The U.S religious landscape survey published in February 2008 shows that [[Mormon]]s have the largest families closely followed by Muslims.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/02/25/america/25usreligion.php U.S religious landscape survey|accessdate=March 9, 2020}}</ref>

In 2018, it was declared that the church would no longer use shortened names such as "Mormon" or "LDS church" to identify themselves.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.christianpost.com/news/mormons-latter-day-saints-claiming-only-true-church-new-name-guidelines-al-mohler.html|title=Mormons Claiming to Be the Only True Church With New Name Guidelines, Al Mohler Says|date=August 21, 2018|accessdate=March 9, 2020|publisher=[[The Christian Post]]|author=Michael Gryboski}}</ref>

In 2018, it was declared that the church would no longer use shortened names such as "Mormon" or "LDS church" to identify themselves.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.christianpost.com/news/mormons-latter-day-saints-claiming-only-true-church-new-name-guidelines-al-mohler.html|title=Mormons Claiming to Be the Only True Church With New Name Guidelines, Al Mohler Says|date=August 21, 2018|accessdate=March 9, 2020|publisher=[[The Christian Post]]|author=Michael Gryboski}}</ref>

== Mormons' relationship to Christianity ==

== Mormons' relationship to Christianity ==

According to the [[Lutheran Missouri Synod]], "The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod, together with the vast majority of Christian denominations in the United States, does not regard the Mormon church as a Christian church."<ref>http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=2239</ref> In addition, the [[Southern Baptist Convention]] states that the Mormon religion is "not consistent with biblical Christianity."<ref>https://www.onenewsnow.com/2007/02/southern_baptist_convention_wa.php</ref> The [[United Methodist Church]] has stated that the Morman faith has "some radically differing doctrine on such matters of belief as the nature and being of [[God]]; the nature, origin, and purpose of [[Jesus Christ]]; and the nature and way of [[salvation]]."<ref>http://www.apologeticsindex.org/news/an200513.html#21</ref> According to Beliefnet.com there are a number of differences between the Mormon faith and traditional Christianity.<ref>http://www.beliefnet.com/features/mormonism.html</ref> Dr. James White, a Christian pastor, has stated that Mormonism is more different from Christianity than Islam because, he states, Mormonism is [[Polytheism|polytheistic]], while Islam is monotheistic, and whether a religion is monotheistic or polytheistic is the basic element to a religion, according to White. He went on to say that part of the reason that Mormonism was, he felt, often mistaken for Christianity was his perception that Mormonism uses the same words Christians use, but it gives them completely different meanings.<ref>http://www.reformationtheology.com/2007/02/mormonism_v_christianity_a_quo.php</ref> The Roman Catholic Church does not accept Mormon baptisms as Christian baptisms.<ref>http://www.christiancentury.org/article/2012-01/are-mormons-christian-its-complicated</ref>

According to the [[Lutheran Missouri Synod]], "The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod, together with the vast majority of Christian denominations in the United States, does not regard the Mormon church as a Christian church."<ref>http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=2239</ref> In addition, the [[Southern Baptist Convention]] states that the Mormon religion is "not consistent with biblical Christianity."<ref>https://www.onenewsnow.com/2007/02/southern_baptist_convention_wa.php</ref> The [[United Methodist Church]] has stated that the Morman faith has "some radically differing doctrine on such matters of belief as the nature and being of [[God]]; the nature, origin, and purpose of [[Jesus Christ]]; and the nature and way of [[salvation]]."<ref>http://www.apologeticsindex.org/news/an200513.html#21</ref> According to Beliefnet.com there are a number of differences between the Mormon faith and traditional Christianity.<ref>http://www.beliefnet.com/features/mormonism.html</ref> Dr. James White, a Christian pastor, has stated that Mormonism is more different from Christianity than Islam because, he states, Mormonism is [[Polytheism|polytheistic]], while Islam is monotheistic, and whether a religion is monotheistic or polytheistic is the basic element to a religion, according to White. He went on to say that part of the reason that Mormonism was, he felt, often mistaken for Christianity was his perception that Mormonism uses the same words Christians use, but it gives them completely different meanings.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.reformationtheology.com/2007/02/mormonism_v_christianity_a_quo.php|accessdate=March 9, 2020}}</ref> The Roman Catholic Church does not accept Mormon baptisms as Christian baptisms.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.christiancentury.org/article/2012-01/are-mormons-christian-its-complicated|accessdate=March 9, 2020}}</ref>

=== Theologian Stephen Robinson: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints - Henotheism and not polytheism ===

=== Theologian Stephen Robinson: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints - Henotheism and not polytheism ===