Protestants Opinion Of Mormons Makes My Point Clearest

[David Sklansky]

In another thread I agree that it might be plausible that God will punish atheists because he thinks their atheism is merely an excuse to defy him. In other words no atheist legitimitely disbelieves. There are ulterior motives involved. I think that is Not Ready's stance.

I go on to claim that the above does not apply to monotheists who believe in a personal God. When they disagree with, lets say Protestants, it is not due to ulterior motives but simply excusable confusion. But Protestants like Not Ready, if I understand him correctly, don't accept that claim. A slight amount of confusion is legitimate and thus excusable. Eg Catholics. But anything more isn't. Because it is again not simply confusion and ignorance but also ulterior motives.

Jews stick to their religion in the face of obvious evidence it is wrong, because they don't want to make the sacrifices Christianity demands of them. Ditto Muslims. But what about Mormons? Obviously the founders of that religion may have had ulterior motives to stray from Protestanism. And the original practitioners had a BIG possible ulterior motive. But what about now? Why don't Protestants believe the man in the street Mormon won't go to heaven if he sticks to his religion? Do they still think that it is ulterior motives that keeps these people believing in something nonsensical, or do they admit that they genuinely believe these admittedly nutty details? And if they are genuine beliefs without ulterior motives, how can Protestants think that their God/Jesus, both whom Mormon's worship and generally obey, will give them the ultimate punishment?