This weekend is General Conference for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often called the Mormons. "Mormons" is discouraged because of the claims by some evangelicals that member of the The Church of Jesus Christ of LDS are not Christians because we don't subscribe to some doctrines which were adopted by councils several centuries after the disappearance of the Apostles. Indeed, we don't, but I strikes me as odd that such critics, who also claim that revelation ceased with the apostles, should arrogate to themselves the right to decide who are Christians and who aren't, and then base that determination, not on scripture, but on the traditions inherited from the Catholic Church.

In fact. we proclaim that the original church ceased to be Christ's well before the various councils were convened. They are evidence that church doctrines were no longer provided by revelation as they had been during the Apostolic Period and had become the domain of philosophers and theologians, that this falling away was predicted by the apostles themselves, and that the church and the authority by which it was led have been restored in modern times.

The Church is led by modern apostles, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelves. The presiding officer among them is the President whom we sustain as the Lord's prophet, although we sustain all apostles as "prophets, seers and revelators."

Gordon B. Hinckley has spoken several times during the conference, including comments on the Iraq War. His remarks will probably appear in transcript within a few days, but they can be downloaded as a soundfile through here. His remarks are thoughtful and sensitive, but they support the idea that the gospel is not anti-war, but supports wars to defend famillies and freedom. This will no doubt lead to new charges that we LDS are not true Christians, but we've heard that before and are not worried.