Season: 13 Episode: 186
Summary:
Most Mormons are committed, moral, and dedicated people. But are they Christians? They claim to be but is that true? Eric Pement, a former Reorganized Latter Day Saint, is on the show to talk to us about his experience growing up in the RLDS organization, and why he thought he was a better Christian than you. Eric came to Christianity after he realized he wanted a personal relationship with Jesus. His story and wisdom will help you understand Mormonism and how to talk to those who think they’re Christians but deny the fundamentals of the faith.
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About Eric Pement
Eric Pement was born and raised as a 4th generation RLDS (Reorganized Latter Day Saint). The RLDS church was the 2nd largest sect of Mormonism. In his first year of college, he met a born-again Christian who witnessed to him about the Bible and salvation. Through his friend, Eric received Christ as Savior and Lord. Eventually, he learned of Walter Martin, listened to his lectures, and read The Kingdom of the Cults. Martin’s ministry inspired many Christians to pursue apologetics and cult evangelism.
In the last quarter of the 20th century, the RLDS church progressively rejected their former beliefs in Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, Apostasy, Restoration, and the “one true church” doctrine which was clearly taught in Doctrine and Covenants, section 1. I was saved just while this transition period was starting, and was concerned about why our church was denying things that they used to teach strongly. The RLDS church was being affected by neo-orthodox theology, and started denying both the Bible and the Book of Mormon as infallible or even as revelation at all. The scriptures were a fallible “record of revelation,” that may contain falsehood by the original writers. In 2001 they changed their name to the Community of Christ.)
In 1976
Eric moved into Jesus People USA, then an evangelical hippie commune. As a staff writer for Cornerstone magazine, he focused on cults, non-Christian religions, and doctrinal controversies. Over 24 years, he started a Christian Bulletin Board System, two web sites, and published a Directory of Cult Research Organizations. He joined the board of directors of Evangelical Ministries to New Religions (EMNR) in 1987, and next year the board of the Institute for Christian Apologetics (Rockford, IL). Eric was mentored by a wide range of scholars and apologists. Toward the end of his stay, the community itself became a matter of controversy and concern. He and his family moved out in 2000.
Eric has an M.Div from North Park Theological Seminary and an MBA from North Park University. He has worked for the Association of Theological Schools, Moody Bible Institute, and several technology firms. In 2006, he became a research associate for the Centers for Apologetics Research. In 2010, he and CFAR’s director traveled to Kampala, Uganda, for a week to train Christian leaders on the cults and occult. Besides Cornerstone, Eric has written for Zondervan, InterVarsity Press, Victor Books, David C. Cook, Rose Publishing, Christianity Today, Christian Research Journal, The SCP Newsletter, and Christian Herald. He contributed to Reasons For Faith (Crossway, 2007) and The Evangelical Dictionary of World Religions (Baker, 2018).
Ratio Cristi
Last year Eric was accepted as chapter director for Ratio Christi, an apologetics ministry now on over 125 college and university campuses worldwide. He is raising support to start a chapter at the University of North Florida, beginning for the Fall term. He is also the on-site coordinator of EMNR’s national cults conference to occur this August, timed to coincide with the launching of the campus ministry. Reach him at ericpement@ratiochristi.org
Question One
What was it like being raised in a Mormon household? Were you a devout and practicing Mormon
Question Two
Did you say you were a Christian?
Question Three
What is the difference between Reorganized Latter Day Saints and the original Latter Day Saints organization?
Question Four
Why do you think Mormons think they are Christians? Why do we say they are not part of the Christian religion?
Question Five
When people think of a cult, the images that come to mind might be something like sacrificing cats to Satan – or something of the sort. What is the definition of a cult and why does Mormonism classify as a cult?
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