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Mormonism is complex and considered a cult. It was invented by a man named Joseph Smith. It is basically a very corrupt version of the Holy Bible.
There are bad apples in all the barrels. Generally speaking Mormons hold to biblical moral values and are easy to live around (I live in Utah and live among them - I am not mormon). They do believe that Joseph Smith was a prophet ... this is why the book of Morman is added to their teachings.
Parts of it are directly taken from the Bible (about 30% of Isaiah is quoted directly in the BoM), so much of it's actual teachings are similar things to the Bible - just told in a different way. Broadly it tells the story of people that allegedly lived in North America, about a tribe/family that came from Israel, and Christ coming to America.
The actual theological teachings in the BoM are not really that different from mainstream Christianity. Most of the distinctive LDS/Mormon theology comes from teachings outside of the BoM. LDS hold the Bible, BoM, Book of Abraham, and Doctrines and Covenants to be scripture. Most of the distinctive teachings in the LDS church come from the D&C, prophesy from the Prophet (the head of the LDS church) and not directly from the BoM.
Broadly, yes. They tend to live a "clean" lifestyle and have a traditional family life. Most of the dietary and living distinctives that LDS follow comes from the D&C.
On these forums the "line" is the Nicene Creed and Trinitarian Christianity - outside that is defined as non-Christian for the purposes of the forum, but we have to draw that line somewhere. We/I don't presume to know if Christ considers them "saved" or not, that is for him. Personally, I do consider them as "saved", but again I am also not the person here or in eternity that makes that decision.
I agree. Mormons don't accept the Nicene Creed. Mormon ideas about the person of Jesus are very strange, which is what I meant by writing that "I would be slow to say that they are not saved." Only God knows their hearts. I was mostly just agreeing with your post #8. I studied Mormonism many years ago and have great respect for them, but strongly disagree with their teachings.
Like some other religions, one would have to know when faith in Christ turns into faith in an organized church. One realizes, through the grace of God, that they are in need of salvation and look for a solution. Sometimes, they take the wrong path.
Maybe they are right? How could I find out... are they the narrow way?
Indeed. Archeological evidence shows no such culture could have existed in the Americas when the events in the BoM supposedly took place. Native North Americans were much more primitive than than the cultures described in the book. They didn't have any metal craft at all back then. Not until Europeans introduced it to them way after the events in the BoM. But of course Smith didn't know anything about that.
