Mormons are Christians

As the third Article of Faith (--the Articles of Faith, written by the prophet Joseph Smith, lay out the basic beliefs of the LDS Church--) states: "We believe that through the atonement of Christ all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel." And what are these laws and ordinances? The next Article of Faith says: "We believe that the first principles and ordinances are: first, FAITH IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, second, Repentance, third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sin, fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost." As the eight Article of Faith reads: "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." So if we already have the teachings of and life story of jesus in the Bible, why have the Book of Mormon? The Book of Mormon explains (cited below) that its purpose is to clarify the gospel. Why is this clarification desirable? Doesn't the Bible set forth the gospel clearly enough? While it's true that the Bible and the Book of Mormon both contain "the fulness of the everlasting gospel" (see first paragraph of the Introduction of the Book of Mormon), the Bible is missing some important information. How did this information come to be missing? The Book of Mormon prophet Nephi (2 Nephi 13), who lived several hundred years before Christ, was shown how in a vision (words in brackets added by author): "26 And after they [the words of Christ] go forth by the hand of the twelve apostles of the Lamb [Peter, James, John, etc], from the Jews unto the Gentiles, thou seest the formation of that great and abominable church, which is most abominable above all other churches; for behold, they have taken away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away.

27 And all this have they done that they might pervert the right ways of the Lord, that they might blind the eyes and harden the hearts of the children of men.

28 Wherefore, thou seest that after the book hath gone forth through the hands of the great and abominable church, that there are many plain and precious things taken away from the book, which is the book of the Lamb of God [the Bible].

29 And after these plain and precious things were taken away it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles [Europe and other parts of the world]; and after it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles, yea, even across the many waters which thou hast seen with the Gentiles which have gone forth out of captivity [the Americas], thou seest—because of the many plain and precious things which have been taken out of the book, which were plain unto the understanding of the children of men, according to the plainness which is in the Lamb of God—because of these things which are taken away out of the gospel of the Lamb, an exceedingly great many do stumble, yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them. 40 And the angel spake unto me, saying: These last records [the Book of Mormon], which thou hast seen among the Gentiles, shall establish the truth of the first [the Bible], which are of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, and shall make known the plain and precious things which have been taken away from them; and shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all men must come unto him, or they cannot be saved." So, according to Nephi, at least two of the purposes of the Book of Mormon are to establish the truth and validity of Bible and to "make known" the plain and precious truths which purposely omitted by evil designing people. So what are "these plain and precious things"? It seems apparent that they at least partly refer to the principles and ordinances stated above: faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism by immersion, the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. Let me just clarify that the great and abominable church responsible for taking out the "plain and precious things" of the bible, or church of the devil as it is referred to, is defined elsewhere in the Book of Mormon (1 Nephi 22) as "all churches which are built up to get gain, and all those who are built up to get power over the flesh, and those who are built up to become popular in the eyes of the world, and those who seek the lusts of the flesh and the things of the world, and to do all manner of iniquity." The vast majority of our Christian brothers' and sisters' churches, let me clarify, do not fall into that category. Unfortunately, some do, or else this scripture would be unnecessary. In conclusion, mormons believe that through Jesus' atoning sacrifice all mankind may be saved, and that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the first principle of the gospel. Mormons also believe the Bible to be the word of God, and that it contains the fulness of the everlasting gospel. The Book of Mormon establishes the truth of and truths of the Bible more fully, especially Jesus' divinity as the Son of God and redeemer of the world. As the Book of Mormon teaches: "there is none other name given under heaven save it be this Jesus Christ, of which I have spoken, whereby man can be saved...And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophecy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins" (2 Nephi 25).