Mormons are Christians

===> D I C T I O N A R Y -- W A R S <=== "I am not attempting to redefine Christianity, and your specific statement that I'm "attempting to re-define Christianity using an online dictionary." is absurd." Ad hominem. I defined Christianity because you offered no definition of it. Thus you are redefining it in the context of this debate as my definition was the first one given. Thus my definition must logically be rebutted. "The dictionary defines what something is." I agree, however when the entire debate hinges on the definition a dictionary reference does not suffice. I could simply whip out a dictionary reference which defines Christianity so that it is the inequivalent of Mormonism. In fact let me do it. Christianity - a monotheistic system of beliefs and practices based on the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus as embodied in the New Testament and emphasizing the role of Jesus as savior SOURCE: http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu... Mormonism: the doctrines and practices of the Mormon Church based on the Book of Mormon) http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu... As is shown by my two definitions Christianity's definition is based upon the religious texts (Old Testament and New Testament) and Mormonism's definition is based upon the religious text(Book of Mormon). Thus as the definitions clearly aren't equivalent Mormons are not Christians. As is proven it would be completely pointless to see how many dictionary definitions we could use to prove our point. Thus using a dictionary to re-define my earlier definition is a moot purpose. ===> C H R I S T I A N S -- M U S T -- B E L I E V E -- I N -- T H E -- B I B L E <=== "On top of this I see nowhere that a Christian has to believe in the bible." I assumed that it was a given however I suppose I was wrong in doing so? A Christian must follow Christs commands. Christ says the following about the Bible. --->Christ Affirms that the Bible is God's Word <---- "Genesis 2:24 (New International Version) 24 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh." Moses is clearly the author of Genesis 2. However when Jesus quotes him in Mathew 19: 4-5 4"Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female, 5 and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh' He clearly says "the Creator...said" not Moses, not Genesis but the Creator(God). John 17: (Prayer for the apostles) 9I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 14I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17Sanctify[b] them by the truth; your word is truth. Jesus clearly states that "the word is truth" as in the Bible is the truth. ---->You are in error if you do not believe the scriptures<---- Matthew 22:29 29Jesus replied, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. SOURCE: http://www.relationalconcepts.org... ---->Jesus affirms the scriptures infallibility<---- 31Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, 32but Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?" 33"We are not stoning you for any of these," replied the Jews, "but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God." 34Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your Law, 'I have said you are gods'? 35 If he called them 'gods,' to whom the word of God came"and the Scripture cannot be broken" 36what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, 'I am God's Son'? From this scripture we learn 4 things: 1. The scripture is law. 2. The scripture is the word of God. 3. It cannot be broken. 4. It is written. ---->Logical Premise<---- Given: Jesus is God Given: Scripture = The Bible Given: If you are a Christian you believe that God's words are truth. A. You must follow God's commands. B. God said you are in error if you do not follow the scripture, the scripture is the word of God. C. Thus if you do not believe in the scripture you are in error and do not follow the word of God. D. Thus if you do not believe in scripture/the word of God you are not a Christian. ===>I M P L I C A T I O N -- O F -- B I B L I C A L -- I N N C U R A C Y <=== "Now let me offer up some of the logic that you are asking for. First off before the Bible as we know it today was put together after having been written for hundreds of years." This is not logic, but is a statement that has no logical backing or proof. The Bible (as I have shown previously) was immediately accepted as being canonical as soon as it was written. Thus, this statement fails. ===> N E W -- D E F I N I T I O N <=== "Now lets look at the actually word. C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N. Here are the 2 parts of the word. "Christ" and "ian." The Christ part refers to Jesus Christ. The second part "ian". Below is what "ian." means. (below that is the link) So putting "Christ" and "Ian" together means Of, relating to, or resembling (or) One relating to, belonging to, or resembling to Christ. My point with this is that nowhere does it talk about the bible in the definition or in the broken-down meaning of the word." I completely agree with my opponent's attempt at another more logical definition of Christianity. However it does not negate my definition in any way. My opponent advocates that a Christian is of Christ. Thus a Christian follows Christ's commands in the Bible. Such as a Mormon is of the book of Mormon. ===> I G N O R A N C E -- O F -- M Y -- D E F I N I T I O N <=== I don't know whether my opponent thinks I or the voters will forget about it if he ignores it, but I can answer for myself in saying that I will not forget about it. My opponent has again failed to offer any rebuttal to my point that ones religion relies upon a religious text and that the addition or subtraction of a religious text changes the religion. I will reiterate. The addition of the New Testament as a religious text changes Judaism to Christianity. The addition of the Quran as a religious text(authority) to the Old Testament changes Judaism to Islam. It logically follows that the addition of the book of Mormon to the Old and New Testament changes Christianity to a new religion, Mormonism. My opponent has not even so much as offered a response to this critical point. As it has not been rebutted by my opponent in any manner other than to state: "I have no idea where you got your definition of Christian", this premise that Mormonism is another religion and is not Christianity, holds water and has not been refuted. ===> C O N C L U S I O N <=== Since the premise that the addition or subtraction of a religious changes a religion has not been refuted, it has been affirmed in this debate. Since it has been affirmed, my opponent's affirmation that Mormons are Christians has been negated. I have clearly shown using simple logic how Mormonism is not Christianity. My opponent has not even offered a response and has made several erroneous claims that the Bible was not canonical until assembled, was assembled at the Council of Nicaea, and does not have to be followed by Christians.