What Do Mormons Believe
Mormons share many of the same beliefs as mainstream Christians, but there are a few notable differences. Mormons declare 13 Articles of Faith that provide insight into the beliefs of their religion, these include belief in God and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. They believe that mankind can be saved through belief in Christ, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
Mormons believe the Bible in so far as it is translated correctly, to be the Word of God. They believe the Book of Mormon to also be the word of God. Mormons also believe that the ten tribes of Israel will be gathered and restored in the Americas, where Christ will personally reign and paradise will be restored.
Mormons have some unique beliefs about the human body as well. Mormons see the body and the soul as intertwined, as the body is the house for the soul, the upkeep and maintenance of the body are important in LDS belief. This is why Mormons as a general rule place great importance on exercise and also have some well-known dietary restrictions. Mormons are forbidden from drinking coffee, tea, or alcohol.
Until recently, Mormons were also advised to avoid the consumption of caffeine in beverages such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi. Recently, these restrictions regarding soda have been relaxed, but it is still fair to say that many Mormons are more health-conscious than most people.
Criticism Of Response To Internal Dissent
The Ostlings say that the LDS Church retaliates against members that publish information that undermines church policies, citing excommunications of scientist Simon Southerton and biographer Fawn M. Brodie. They further state that the church suppresses intellectual freedom, citing the 1993 excommunication of the , including gay LDS historian D. Michael Quinn, and author Lavina Fielding Anderson. The Ostlings write that Anderson was the first to reveal the LDS Church keeps files on Mormon scholars, documenting questionable activities, and the Ostlings state that No other sizable religion in America monitors its followers in this way.
The American Association of University Professors, since 1998, has put LDS Church-owned Brigham Young University along with twenty-six other universities on its censured list of universities that do not allow tenured professors sufficient freedom in teaching and research.
Richard Abanes lists the following as church members excommunicated or censured for views unacceptable to the church hierarchy:
- Anthropologist David Knowlton
Do Mormons Believe In Birth Control
Both birth control and abortion are prohibited in Mormonism due to the religions central premise, which holds that heaven is populated with millions of souls that are waiting for their chance to inhabit a physical body.Prenatal care is given a high emphasis since the female body is believed to be the tabernacle of the spirit and the dwelling of Gods spirit offspring.As a result, prenatal care is extremely important.
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Church Has Been Committed To The First Amendment Principle Of Religious Freedom
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, LDS Church or LDS, has always been committed to the principle of religious freedom.
This commitment is found in one of their books of scripture called Doctrine and Covenants: We believe that religion is instituted of God and that men are amenable to him, and him only, for the exercise of it, unless their religious opinions prompt them to infringe on the rights of others…that the civil magistrate should restrain crime, but never control conscience should punish guilt, but never suppress the freedom of the soul .
The eleventh Article of Faith states, We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.
The LDS Church recognizes the necessity of government for holding people accountable for their actions and promoting the good and safety of society. The twelfth Article of Faith affirms the duty of citizens to obey the rule of law. Indeed, Mormons believe that God had a hand in the development of the U.S. Constitution.
Although the Mormons believe in religious freedom and the divine origin of the Constitution, they fared poorly early on in their relations with the government and fellow citizens.
What Is Forbidden In Mormonism
Tobacco, alcoholic beverages, tea and coffee, as well as illegal narcotics Everything on this list, with the exception of illegal substances, is expressly forbidden by the Word of Wisdom.The prophets have made it quite plain that narcotics, with the exception of those used for medicinal purposes, are forbidden.Caffeine-containing soft drinks are another beverage that Mormons are severely forbidden from consuming.
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They Believe Innocent Children Are Without Sin
One interesting teaching in The Book of Mormon is that innocent children are without sin. While many churches believe in original sin meaning that Adam and Eves sin makes children unclean even though the children did not make the choice to partake of the fruit.
Toward the end of the Book of Mormon, Moroni said Little children are alive in Christ, even from the foundation of the world How many children have died without baptism! Wherefore, if little children could not be saved without baptism, these must have gone to an endless hell.
This teaches that we are all subject to the fall of Adam and Eve. Because of their choice, we can all die and do not live in a perfect Garden of Eden. However, their sin is their own. Children are not born evil because of someone elses choice. Instead, children are alive in Christ and are not responsible for their sins until they reach the age of accountability .
Thus, children are not baptized in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints until they are at least 8 years of age.
Myth : Mormons Worship Joseph Smith
Without Joseph Smith, there would be no The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and for faithful Mormons, Smith was a prophet on par with Moses. But that doesn’t mean that Mormons “worship” him, Bowman says.
The history of the Mormon church begins this way: In 1820, when Smith was a 14-year-old farm boy in upstate New York, he retreated to a forest grove to ask God a pressing question: Which was the right church for him to join? To Smith’s shock and amazement, his prayer was answered by two angelic figures, who identified themselves as God the Father and Jesus Christ.
During this miraculous visitation, known as the First Vision, Smith was told not to join any existing church, but that the true Church of Jesus Christ would be restored through him. After receiving and translating the Book of Mormon, which describes Jesus Christ’s ministry to the ancient people of the Americas, Smith was conferred with important priesthood authority that had been lost after the death of the apostles.
Smith was the first prophet of what Mormons believe is Jesus Christ’s true restored church, which is organized like the ancient church with prophets and apostles. Brigham Young was the second prophet of the restored church and the line of prophets has remained unbroken through today. The current prophet is Russell M. Nelson.
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What Is The Role Of God In Latter
It is an apt description of God, who is kind and righteous, smart beyond measure, and powerful beyond compare.Members of the Church believe that the Godhead, often known as the Trinity, is comprised of God the Father, God the Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints holds the belief that God is embodied, despite the fact that His body is faultless and exalted.Does the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe in the Trinity?
God The Father Jesus Christ And The Holy Ghost
In LDS Church teachings, God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit are referred to as the “Godhead“. According to LDS scripture, the Godhead has the following attributes:
- They are three separate and distinct beings.
- They are collectively “one God”, meaning that they are united in spirit, mind, and purpose. According to LDS theology, Jesus is “one” with the Father in the same way as he asked his disciples to be “one” with him and each other.
- Jesus and the Father have physical “bodies of flesh and bone”, while the Holy Spirit does not, though the Holy Spirit has a “spirit body”.
- God the Father is understood to be the literal father of the spirits of humanity, as well as the literal father of both the spirit and physical body of Jesus.
The church’s view of the Godhead breaks with Nicene Creed tradition and believes it returns to the teachings taught by Jesus. It does not accept the creed’s definition of Trinity that the three are “consubstantial” nor the Athanasian Creed‘s statement that they are “incomprehensible”, arguing that the LDS view is self-evident in the Bible that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are separate personsâthree divine beings as illustrated in Jesus’ farewell prayer, his baptism at the hands of John, his transfiguration, and the .
God the Father
Jesus Christ
Holy Ghost
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Do Mormons Believe In Cremation
Mormon beliefs about the physical body are related to LDS beliefs about cremation. LDS Elder James E. Talmage, stated in 1913, It is peculiar to the theology of the Latter-day Saints that we regard the body as an essential part of the soul. Read your dictionaries, the lexicons, and encyclopedias, and you will find that nowhere, outside of The Church of Jesus Christ, is the solemn and eternal truth taught that the soul of man is the body and the spirit combined.
Because of these beliefs, LDS members are generally advised to avoid cremation unless it is required by law. When possible, they should be buried in the earth and allow natural processes to occur. That said, the Mormon faith does not prohibit cremation, it simply discourages it, and cremation is not seen as a hindrance to the ultimate resurrection of the body. Mormons who have been cremated can still receive a Mormon funeral service as well.
The LDS cremation policy was clarified in a 1991 issue of the LDS churchs Ensign Magazine, Where there is no overriding reason to cremate, traditional burial is still the preferred method of handling our dead. In the end, however, we should remember that the resurrection will take place by the power of God, who created the heavens and the earth. Ultimately, whether a persons body was buried at sea, destroyed in combat or an accident, intentionally cremated or buried in a grave, the person will be resurrected.
Further information can be found on the official church websites:
Things Mormons Wish Non
The fast-growing The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints claims more than 16 million members worldwide, yet remains one of the least-understood religions on the planet. Even though the Church outlawed polygamy more than a century ago, many people still think Mormons can have more than one wife. And a lot of folks still confuse Mormons with Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Amish.
To help set the record straight about Mormon beliefs and practice, we spoke with Matthew Bowman, the chair of Mormon Studies at Claremont Graduate University and the author of “The Mormon People: The Making of an American Faith.”
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Restoration Of The Church Of Jesus Christ
While Jesus Christ was on the earth, He established His Church. Following His death and the deaths of His Apostles, some of the precious truths He taught and His sacred authority were lost for a time.11 This time period is known as the Great Apostasy.
In the spring of 1820, a young man named Joseph Smith prayed to God with great concern for the salvation of his own soul and to know which church he should join. God and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph12 and began to prepare him to bring back the precious truths and the sacred authority that had been lost from the Church Jesus Christ formed while on the earth. Under the Lords direction, Joseph Smith organized The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 6, 1830.
Through the power of God, Joseph Smith translated an ancient record written by prophets who lived on the American continents and taught and testified of Jesus Christ.13 This ancient record is called the Book of Mormon and stands alongside the Bible as another testament that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of mankind.
The Church Was Persecuted For Their Religious Beliefs
LDS beliefs were often at odds with the established religions of the day. First in New York, then Ohio, and finally Missouri, citizens and local governments violently persecuted Mormons, primarily for their religious beliefs, but also because of perceptions that the church was directed in a dictatorial fashion and that some of its tenets were illegal.
In 1838, the governor of Missouri issued an order for them to be driven from the state or exterminated. They then settled in Nauvoo, Illinois, but within a few years once again faced violent persecution, which led to the death of Joseph Smith at the hands of a mob who stormed a prison where he was being held.
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Summary Of Mormon Beliefs
At the core of a Mormons testimony is faith in God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost, and Joseph Smiths restoration of the true church on earth. A basic belief in these truths is the foundation of a testimony of the Mormon Church. Mormons believe and strive to follow the Ten Commandments and the Articles of Faith, which outline more basic Mormon beliefs. Because members of the Mormon Church believe in a modern day prophet, they are open to revelation from the Lord to change or expand the Church. Membership in the Mormon Church influences every aspect of the lives of its members. Mormons follow The Word of Wisdom, a commandment that forbids drinking alcohol, coffee, tea, or using tobacco or illegal drugs. The law of tithing was later given to the people. Mormons believe in dressing modesty. Mormons refrain from recreating or shopping on Sundays in order to keep the Sabbath Day Holy. Living the Mormon lifestyle is easy when one has a true and strong testimony of the fundamental beliefs of the true and revealed gospel. Living these commandments brings joy and stability, freedom, and safety to followers of Christ.
Helpful resources:
Mormon Beliefs About The Purpose Of Life
For Latter-day Saints, mortal existence is seen in the context of a great sweep of history, from a pre-earth life where the spirits of all mankind lived with Heavenly Father to a future life in His presence where continued growth, learning and improving will take place. Life on earth is regarded as a temporary state in which men and women are tried and tested and where they gain experiences obtainable nowhere else. God knew humans would make mistakes, so He provided a Savior, Jesus Christ, who would take upon Himself the sins of the world. To members of the Church, physical death on earth is not an end but the beginning of the next step in Gods plan for His children. Mormonism 101:FAQ, Mormon news.
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Activity Rates And Disaffiliation
The LDS Church does not release official statistics on church activity, but it is likely that only approximately 40 percent of its recorded membership in the United States and 30 percent worldwide regularly attend weekly Sunday worship services. A statistical analysis of the 2014 Pew Religious Landscape Survey assessed that “about one-third of those with a Latter-day Saint background” outright “left the Church”, identifying as disaffiliated. Activity rates vary with age, and disengagement occurs most frequently between age 16 and 25. Young single adults are more likely to become inactive than their married counterparts, and overall, women tend to be more active than men.
Church humanitarian aid includes organizing food security, clean water, mobility, and healthcare initiatives, operating thrift stores, maintaining a service project website, and directly funding or partnering with other organizations. The value of all donations from the church in 2021 was $906 million.
How Do Members Practise Their Faith
There are two main types of ordinances performed in the church. Those necessary for exaltation , also called saving ordinances. These include:
- Conferral of the Melchizedek priesthood
- Temple endowment
There are also ordinances for guidance and comfort, including:
- Naming and blessing of children
- Administering to the sick
- Various types of blessings
- The dedication of graves
Temple endowment and marriage are the most significant ordinances, necessary for eternal life. Endowment is an initiation ceremony in which members make pledges called covenants affirming those made in baptism. The ceremony is preceded with washing and anointing, and afterwards, members receive their white temple undergarments.
Temple marriage is a ritual that seals in heaven relationships formed on earth, principally a man and a woman in marriage, all children born and unborn, and any they adopt, for eternity.
Proxy ordinances can also be performed on behalf of members dead ancestors, thus offering them the chance of salvation and the opportunity to be sealed in the family unit in the spirit world. The church provides genealogy services for this reason but also for the public.
Sunday is the Sabbath day for the church and members attend the sacrament meeting. Baptised members receive bread and water in remembrance of the Last Supper. Sunday services take place in churches, not temples. The services and churches are open to the public temples are not.
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