The Mainstreaming of Mormonism

Mitt Romney's candidacy has helped push forward the mainstreaming of Mormonism, which is something that the cult has been aiming for since Mormon leaders voiced their support for Promise Keepers in the 1990s. 1997 witnessed the publication of How Wide the Divide: A Mormon & an Evangelical in Conversation and former President Jimmy Carter stating at a national press conference that Mormons are Christians and should not be the targets of “proselytizing.”  In 1998, AOG pastor Dean Jackson sent “a former declaration of repentance for prejudice against members of the Church of Latter Day Saints” to Mormon leaders in Provo, Utah. In 1999, Mormons were invited to participate in the annual March for Jesus in Salt Lake City. In 2001, Standing Together Ministries was founded by “evangelical” preacher Greg Johnson with the goal of furthering “dialogue between evangelical Christians and Latter-day Saints.” In 2004, evangelical leaders such as Ravi Zacharias, Fuller Seminary president Richard Mouw, Biola University professor Craig Hazen, and CCM artist Michael Card joined “Latter Day Saints” in an “Evening of Friendship” in the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City. (See Way of Life’s Advanced Bible Studies Series course Defense of the Faith for documentation of the previous facts.) In May 2012, CNN Belief Blog published a report on the growing influence of Mormons in Washington D.C., stating that “the nation’s capital has become a Mormon stronghold, with Latter-day Saints playing a big and growing role in the Washington establishment.” The growth of Mormonism in the nation’s capitol was described as “an absolute explosion.” In late October 2012, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) removed a longstanding reference to Mormonism as a cult from its web site after Billy and Franklin Graham met with Mitt Romney. We have long said that it is inconsistent and hypocritical to affiliate with the Roman Catholic Church while rejecting Mormonism, as both have a false gospel and a false christ. The mainstreaming of Mormonism is further evidence that the one-world church continues to gather stream.

(Friday Church News Notes, November 2, 2012, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143)

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