The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the closest to the church Jesus instilled

Just as you do no want to be singled out because of people with poor character in your religion, I am just the same. Joseph Smith did establish the Mormon Church and Jesus himself said he was the last. Why would God send someone after Jesus? If he is all powerful and finally came to take upon himself all sin and release people from their sin debt, why send another supposed messenger of God? I cannot for the life of me understand how people can blindly follow a person like Joseph Smith. I do not think that God encouraged anyone to rape, kill or plunder any Mormons. Every man will succumb to sin and obviously those ruthless people were no different. God does not encourage violence towards other men. Jesus preached a gospel of peace and understanding. The people that ruthlessly attacked the Mormons may have done so in the name of God but it was for their own profit and appease. History is chalk-full of violence at the hands of "Christians" but do not under any circumstance attribute that to the true message of Jesus. The Devil promotes violence and disorder amongst everyone and I believe that he is happy when any man sins, no matter the circumstance. When "Christians" kill and mistreat anyone, even fellow Christians, it promotes violence and hate. By killing mistreating Mormons, these so-called Christians promoted hate against them and also created chaos. These are things that the Devil likes and I would say that is the work of the devil. As for baptism. Baptism must be willfully done, I think we both agree on that. What we disagree on, I think, is why it must be done? It is true that Jesus was baptized while on Earth but this was because he was still part man and as a man he had to be born again. Baptism is symbolic. When you emerge from the water, that is your second birth and you are no born again with Christ in your heart. Thus, after baptism, your sole purpose in life is to do as Christ commands. So yes, it is symbolic. It is the willful act of commencing your life with Christ. The sole point of Christianity, in its truest sense, is that we are saved through Christ word alone. If he is the one and only and only his word matters, then why even consider anyone else's "truth". The way I see it, the Mormon Church is a deceitful man's take on Christianity. By creating such a religion, he did two things. One, he has led many people who believe in Christ down a wrong path but more importantly he has created another rift between followers of Christ. If you are a true follower of Christ, then you should not consider yourself Mormon, you should shed that ideology. Your sole purpose in life should be following the word of Christ alone. Thus, you are a Christian. Do not separate yourself because of a few rituals that you believe make you more right. That has been done before and it only creates more strife for all. I do not consider myself anything but a Christian. I am not a Protestant, a Catholic, a Baptist, or any other "religion". I am a Christian. And I make mistakes and I am bound for Hell. But the only reason I have a chance at eternal life in Heaven is because I accepted Christ as the sole purpose in my life and I was reborn through him, and him alone. Not Joseph Smith, not Muhammad; Jesus. Think about that the next time you go to Church. Why do what you do? Is it to glorify Jesus, or to show how good of a Mormon or a Catholic, or a Baptist you are? That is why I cannot accept anything but the word of Jesus. And that is why I am a Christian. Maybe this debate will help you understand what that means, and possibly make things clear.