Orthodox Christians do not recognize the LDS Church as a Christian denomination because its theology diverges from historic Christian doctrine. For example, LDS teachings describe the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as distinct beings rather than one God in three persons, reject the Nicene Creed’s understanding of Christ’s divine nature, and teach that faithful believers may ultimately become divine.
According to LDS teaching, God is the Father of spirits, including Jesus and Lucifer, and all humans lived with God as spirit children before coming to earth. Earthly life is a next stage in God’s plan for his children.
RELATED: What Do Mormons Believe: Help Teens Understand LDS Teachings
Other notable differences include that the LDS Church does not believe in the doctrine of original sin. In the articles of faith on the LDS website, No. 2 says, “We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.”
The LDS church also sees the Bible as inspired but not as inerrant, while the Book of Mormon is viewed as authoritative Scripture. Article 8 says, “We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.”
Dem Saints linked to a lesson on the LDS website that included teaching on why the Fall was beneficial. The page says, “The Book of Mormon prophet Lehi explained the significance of the Fall. Study 2 Nephi 2:22–25, looking for why the Fall was a good thing.”
The many reactions to the post on Eve included people who questioned whether Dem Saints was relating the actual views of the LDS Church, as well as those who expressed that they cannot understand why anyone would believe otherwise.
“One of the biggest things to me is that I accepted the plan to come here,” one user told Dem Saints. “Being forced into a fallen world where I and those I love might burn forever……I’d prefer to be erased out of existence.”
The user was responding to another Dem Saints post that said, “I believe in a God who brought me to this world to gain a body and experience and because of Christ, almost all of humanity will achieve an exalted state.”
“I don’t believe in a God who accidentally let Eve eat the fruit, punished all of humanity for her sin and sent most to hell,” the account added.
RELATED: Kirk Cameron Takes Heat for His Annihilationist View on Hell
Numerous Christians pushed back on the LDS view of Eve. Colin J. Smothers, pastor of First Baptist Church of Maize, Kansas, and executive director of the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, said, “Satanic inspiration confirmed, then.”
“Just maybe a minor theological difference,” commented worship activist Sean Feucht.
