Miranda S's Response to "What Christians Believe"

C. S. Lewis has the most amazing view on Christianity that I have ever read.  He approaches it from a very realistic point of view and dissects Christianity with the precision of a surgeon.  If I was going to respond to him, I would like to title my response, “What Mormons Believe” and go from there. 

First, We believe that God is out Father, Jesus is his son and our Savior (the man who, according to C. S. Lewis forgave all of our sins and we accepted that) and there is a separated being called the Holy Ghost.  This “Ghost” (he’s really more of a spirit that can dwell in every man) helps us choose between right and wrong.  This is the fundamental difference between our sect of Christianity and the others.  The belief in the Trinity dominates the Christian doctrine that moves throughout the world.   These beings are separate and tangible (God and Jesus) beings that communicate with man on this earth. 

Second, We are not held accountable for Adam’s transgression but for our own foibles.  We are responsible for ourselves and the choices that we make.  It is our free will and belief in agency that make us different from those who believe in fate and prophecies. 

Third, we are saved by grace after all we can do and because of Christ’s atonement, we have the opportunities to make it to heaven, IF we do all that is required of us (which isn’t much at all if you think about it.  Mostly just following the simple commandments and believing in Christ). 

Fourth, there are principles of the Gospel and no one can gain authority unless they have been ordained by the laying on of hands.  We follow the organization of the ancient church and believe that men can speak in tongues, see visions, prophesy (it’s different than centering your life around the idea that someone is determining your destiny), interpret languages, and heal.  We believe that the Bible is correct, so far as it was translated correctly and that the Book of Mormon is the word of God (that statement made me some very unfriendly associations in high school). 

Fifth, we believe that God does not halt revelation.  Revelation is constant and has continued since the world began.  We believe that there will be a gathering of Israel when all men will be separated into their tribes and the Earth will receive it’s paradisiacal glory (the Earth is a living being, by the way). 

Sixth, while we claim to worship God without any interference, but we also extend that courtesy to others.  We believe that we are the subjects to our temporal leaders as well as our spiritual leaders.  This makes us subservient (in a gospel way) to the dictates of the government.  We believe in honesty, chastity, benevolent, doing good to all men, enduring to the end, virtue, loveliness, and praiseworthy things. 

I know that this list is not unique and if you recognize it, then I did my job.  C. S. Lewis wrote his declaration of what he believed and I have now written mine.