[prisonchaplain]

Some of the folks here are probably aware that some of the Christian apologetics sites that are highly critical of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and of Jehovah's Witnesses, and of Oneness Pentecostals, have indeed made the Trinity "a line in the sand," demarking those who are in and those who are not. I'm willing to agree, for this thread, that apprehension of the doctrine is not a prerequisite of being part of the Church. So, indeed, what is?

What of, for example, the roughly 60% of LDS or are inactive? Same question for the many "traditional Christians," who are absent from the assembly. And, are there some church groups we would say do not qualify, and on what basis? Nearly everyone on this board can agree that there has been some apostasy in the church. How much is permissable?

Erik, your post is very clear. My questions come from my grappling with this very issue. How is it that an LDS inmate can spend three months in my chapel services and "feel the spirit," but a member of my own denomination quits coming because I would not put him on the Jewish diet as a favor to a brother? Likewise, what do I make of Christian inmates who have no problem attending Buddhist meditation (hey, Christians meditate too--I just ignore the Buddha statue)?

You ask a most appropriate question. So far, I'm not comfortable with any of the answers I've encountered:

1. Anything goes, so long as you say the sinner's prayer
2. It's my (or my group's or my pastor's) way or the highway
3. Follow our rules and use the King James Version
4. True Christians don't speak in tongues
5. No denominations--only independents allowed
6. There is one true church--come join us (and yes, more than one groups claims this)
7. Justification by faith alone, and belief in the Holy Trinity will get you in

The above are but a few examples. I harken back to mostly agreeing with the OP. True believers in the true Jesus will be truly saved and grafted into the true Church. We get in trouble if we try to narrow the definition, or put too many hard and fast explanations on what makes a true believer. Ultimately, only God knows. We get some hints in the Bible, but LDS are right when they say that the fruit of lives is probably as important as passage of a doctrine test.