Are Mormons Christian?

Mormons worship God the Father and Jesus Christ. In this sense, Mormons are Christian because they worship Christ. However, most conservative Christians find this notion objectionable because the Mormon conception of both God and Christ is markedly different from what could be considered traditional Christianity.

Evangelical Christians generally maintain that God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit are three beings in one; forming the Trinity. Modern Mormons believe that God, Christ and the Holy Spirit are three separate and distinct beings; also forming a Trinity or Godhead. Additionally, Mormons maintain that God and Christ have physical bodies of flesh and blood while the Holy Spirit is a being without physical form. Generally, Evangelical Christians would like Mormons to be labeled as non-Christian because they do not accept their view of the Trinity.

Frankly, I think the whole discussion is silly and an exercise in semantic gymnastics. Implicitly, Evangelicals are attempting to take ownership of the world Christian and include or exclude certain groups based on their own theological conceptions. Some Mormons on the other hand, want desperately to be labeled Christian in an attempt to make the Church appear more mainstream and less marginal.

I worry that by desperately wanting to be labeled as Christian, both Mormons and Mormonism generally are surrendering what makes Mormon culture and theology distinctive and unique. The word Mormon carries its own strength and meaning. Most reasonable and informed people view Mormons and hence, Mormonism as a positive source of social capital which contributes positively to society-at-large.
Evangelicals will never accept Mormonism as Christian but frankly; who cares? So, in answer to the question: Are Mormons Christian? the answer must be it depends on who you ask.