There was a time, not long ago, when having someone question the authenticity of my claim to be a Christian (because of my membership in the LDS Church) would send me into an outraged, offended, angry fit. I see similar things happen to other people so I post this here in the hope that it'll be useful to somebody.
I started to examine what was really happening inside. Why was I outraged? Was I feeling insulted on behalf of the Church? Was I feeling like the ones questioning my belief could be right? Why did I react so strongly?
The answer was that I felt that I deserved better. I felt like I was entitled to have my assertion that I am a Christian taken seriously, and honored by everybody. Know what that is? That's ego. I felt entitled to that because it's a courtesy I generally pay to others. If a Jehovah's Witness calls himself a Christian, then fine. He's a Christian. I know some people question that but I don't, and I expected the same courtesy returned.
But as nice as that would have been, the simple fact is that I was being arrogant in assuming I deserved that from anybody. Plenty of people have been truly persecuted by others over their belief and here I was, whining because somebody said to me "you're not a real Christian." or "Your Church teaches heresy."
People have been imprisoned, killed, tortured and exiled for believing in things that were considered false doctrine by those around them. Am I better than they? Of course not.
And let's be honest... The only one whose judgement matters at all when it comes to the state of my spirit is Jesus Christ Himself. What others think matters not at all.
So now if someone says to me "You Mormons aren't real Christians!" I just shrug. Let them say that. People have a right to be wrong. I know what's in my heart, and I know the voice of my Creator. I know to Whom I pray, and I know Who my Savior is. That's Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, who died on a cross for my sins and the sins of the world. The one, the only.
I care not who disagrees with that.
