Relationship With Mainstream Christianity
Mormonism categorizes itself within , and nearly all Mormons self-identify as . For some who define Christianity within the doctrines of , and , the , and , Mormonism’s differences place it outside the umbrella of Christianity.
Since its beginnings, the faith has proclaimed itself to be Christ’s Church with its original authority, structure and power maintaining that existing denominations believed in incorrect doctrines and were not acknowledged by God as his church and kingdom. Though the religion quickly gained a large following of Christian seekers, in the 1830s, many American Christians came to view the church’s early doctrines and practices as politically and culturally , as well as doctrinally heretical, abominable, and condemnable. This discord led to a series of sometimes-deadly conflicts between Mormons and others who saw themselves as orthodox Christians. Although such violence declined during the twentieth century, the religion’s unique doctrinal views and practices still generate criticism, sometimes vehemently so. This gives rise to efforts by Mormons and opposing types of Christians to proselytize each other.
Mormons believe in Jesus Christ as the literal and , as a conclusion of a , and subsequent . However, Latter-day Saints reject the ecumenical creeds and the definition of the . Mormons hold the view that the prophesied both the from the teachings of Christ and his apostles as well as the of all things prior to the second coming of Christ.
The Challenge Of Social Media
The powerful impact of the internet is a blessing and a challenge, unique to our time.
In a world of social media and information superhighways, one personâs voice can be multiplied exponentially. That voice, whether true or false, whether fair or prejudicial, whether kind or cruel, moves instantly across the world.
Social media posts of thoughtfulness and goodness are often quietly under the radar, while words of contempt and anger are frequently thundering in our ears, whether with political philosophy, people in the news, or opinions on the pandemic. No one or no subject, including the Savior and His restored gospel, is immune from this social phenomenon of polarized voices.
Mormon No More: Faithful Reflect On Churchs Move To Scrap A Moniker
For the Latter-day Saints faithful, a shift away from a longtime name has meant lighthearted screw-ups, logistical complications and reflections on identity.
A statue of the angel Moroni sits atop the Salt Lake Temple in Salt Lake City. Leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have said that adherents should no longer call themselves Mormons or even use the shorthand L.D.S.Credit…Rick Bowmer/Associated Press
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After finally getting her twin babies to fall asleep in Rexburg, Idaho, Kristine Anderson described herself as a stereotypical, Mormon stay-at-home mom.
Then she sighed loudly, annoyed that a lifetime habit had slipped out.
Ugh, she said. I just said the word Mormon again. I apologize.
Last August, leaders of her faith announced a game-changing divine revelation. Russell M. Nelson, the churchs president, said that God had impressed upon my mind the importance of the name he has revealed for his church. Church members should no longer call themselves Mormons, or even use the shorthand L.D.S., the church announced.
The word Mormon has been with the church from the beginning. It comes from the Book of Mormon, the churchs signature text , which adherents believe was recorded on gold plates by the prophet Mormon and his son, Moroni.
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Iv Gaddy’s Amended Complaint
Gaddy filed her Amended Complaint on May 18, 2020. Although it is longer and more detailed than her original Complaint, many of the claims, theories, and allegations in the Amended Complaint are duplicative of her prior pleading. Gaddy again brings claims against the Church for common law fraud, fraudulent concealment, fraudulent inducement, civil RICO ), and intentional infliction of emotional distress. These claims continue to rely on alleged misrepresentations concerning the First Vision, the Book of Mormon, and the Book of Abraham.
Dkt. 37 .
See id.
See, e.g. , id.¶¶ 130â31, 133.
But the Amended Complaint contains a handful of differences, including new factual allegations to support her common law fraud claim. Gaddy now alleges the Church also misleads members about its history with polygamy and about certain locations of events described in the Book of Mormon. Specifically, Gaddy alleges the Church historically taught members that certain events in the Book of Mormon happened on Hill Cumorah in upstate New York. Recently, however, the Church has stated it does not take a position on the specific geographic locations of Book of Mormon events. Gaddy also alleges the Church previously taught members the prophet Joseph Smith had only one wife. Gaddy alleges Smith had multiple wives.
Id.¶ 132.
Id.¶ 134.
Id.¶ 140.
See, e.g. , id.¶¶ 2, 3, 141.
See id.¶¶ 150â66, 192â98,
See, e.g. , id.¶¶ 2, 5, 6, 79, 200.
Id.¶ 6.
Id.¶ 79.
Id. at ¶ 5.
Id. at ¶ 79.
Their Missionaries Are Unpaid
Most people will be familiar with Mormon missionaries. They show up at your door, nicely dressed, clean-cut, smiling, and ready to talk about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints but only if you’re open to the conversation. If you’re not, hey, that’s okay too. As with most door-to-door pilgrims, Mormon missionaries are lumped into the same pile as salespeople and canvassers. However, unlike those salespeople and some canvassers, the Mormon missionaries are completely unpaid, according to Mormonism Research Ministry. In fact, not only are they not paid for this time, but they don’t even have their travels paid for. Everything is fund-raised by the missionary’s family.
The Mormons have a firm belief in an unpaid clergy, according to the Mormonism Research Ministry, and some even go so far as to say that paid clergy is proof of a division from the origins of the Christian faith. They believe that ministry should be voluntary, which certainly aligns more with the ministry in the Bible itself. Of course, higher positions in the Mormon church are paid, to accommodate a life solely dedicated to the faith. Nonetheless, remember this fact the next time you get a knock at your door from Mormon missionaries they gain nothing from being there, other than just really wanting to talk to you about their faith.
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Doctrinal Reforms And Influences
In 1927, the Church implemented its “Good Neighbor policy“, whereby it removed any suggestion in church literature, sermons, and ordinances that its members should seek vengeance on US citizens or governments, particularly for the assassinations of its founder Joseph Smith and his brother, Hyrum. The Church also reformed temple ordinance around this time.
Beginning soon after the turn of the 20th century, four influential Latter-day Saint scholars began to systematize, modernize, and codify Mormon doctrine: B. H. Roberts, James E. Talmage, John A. Widtsoe, and Joseph Fielding Smith. In 1921, the church called chemistry professor John A. Widtsoe as an apostle. Widtsoe’s writings, particularly Rational theology and Joseph Smith as Scientist, reflected the optimistic faith in science and technology that was pervasive at the time in American life. According to Widtsoe, all Mormon theology could be reconciled within a rational, positivist framework.
Reaction to evolution
Soon after the 1909 statement, Joseph F. Smith professed in an editorial that “the church itself has no philosophy about the modus operandi employed by the Lord in His creation of the world.” Juvenile Instructor, 46 , 208-209 .
Some also cite an additional editorial that enumerates various possibilities for creation including the idea that Adam and Eve:
Reacting to pluralism
They Are Growing Big Time
Some may think of Mormonism as a small, niche religion based solely in Utah, and nowhere else this may well have been the case in the past, but their numbers have been on the rise in recent years. The kind of rise where even a slower year still sees them growing more than the average religion. Take Protestant Christianity, for instance, which is losing followers at a significant rate: In the U.S. alone, the percentage of Protestant Christians dropped from 51% in 2009 to 43% a decade later, via the Pew Research Center.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, however, continues to grow. According to the Mormonism Research Ministry, Mormons had their slowest year in recent times in 2020, due largely to the pandemic and the subsequent inability of missionaries to get to doors safely. But even in their worst year in modern history, they still baptized 98,627 members, which equates to 0.6% growth overall. While it’s not as much as the Mormon church had been growing before, Mormons still represent 1.6% of the U.S. population, according to the Pew Research Center. Sure, that doesn’t sound like much, but consider that followers of Judaism are only at 1.9% and Muslims are at 0.9%, so this isn’t a bad showing for a religion that is not even 200 years old. While conversions have been slowing over the past couple of decades, there are still over 16 million total Mormons. That number falls short of where they may like to be, but they are still growing.
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Duties And Expectations Of Church Members
For members of the church, the greatest commandment is to love God with all their heart and the second is to love others as they love themselves. All other commandments are considered appendages to these great commandments /Matthew#22:37-40″ rel=”nofollow”> Matt 22:37-40). Members are encouraged to pray several times a day, to perform good works, and to read scriptures daily.
Members are expected to donate their time, money, and talents to the church, and those who have participated in the endowment ceremony make an oath to donate all that they have, if required of them, to the Lord. To be in good standing and to enter the church’s temples, church members are asked to tithe their income to the church, which is officially interpreted as 10 percent of annual income. In addition, members are invited to donate monthly charitable “fast offerings” , which are used to help the poor and needy in the community members are also encouraged to make other humanitarian donations through the church.
Church members are permitted to think or believe freely on any issue, but are discouraged from publicly criticizing local leaders or general authorities repeated public criticism of the church or its leaders may subject a person to church discipline for apostasy. The church maintains a Strengthening Church Members Committee which monitors members’ publications and refers critical material to local authorities for possible disciplinary action.
Brigham Young’s Early Theocratic Leadership
Following the death of Joseph Smith, Brigham Young stated that the Church should be led by the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles #Conference_of_August_8,_1844″ rel=”nofollow”> Succession Crisis). Later, after the migration to Utah had begun, Brigham Young was sustained as a member of the First Presidency on December 25, 1847, , and then as President of the Church on October 8, 1848. .
One of the reasons the Saints had chosen the Great Basin as a settling place was that the area was at the time outside the territorial borders of the United States, which Young had blamed for failing to protect Mormons from political opposition from the states of Missouri and Illinois. However, in the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Mexico ceded the area to the United States. As a result, Brigham Young sent emissaries to Washington, D.C. with a proposal to create a vast State of Deseret, of which Young would naturally be the first governor. Instead, Congress created the much smaller Utah Territory in 1850, and Young was appointed governor in 1851. Because of his religious position, Young exercised much more practical control over the affairs of Mormon and non-Mormon settlers than a typical territorial governor of the time.
For most of the 19th century, the LDS Church maintained an ecclesiastical court system parallel to federal courts, and required Mormons to use the system exclusively for civil matters, or face church discipline.
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The Importance Of Agency
Two important principles guide our desire to be peacemakers.
First, our Heavenly Father has given each individual his or her moral agency, with the ability to choose oneâs own path.10 This agency is one of the greatest gifts of God.
Second, with this agency, our Heavenly Father allowed for âopposition in all things.â11 We âtaste the bitter, that may know to prize the good.â12 Opposition should not surprise us. We learn to distinguish good from evil.
We rejoice in the blessing of agency, understanding that there will be many who do not believe what we believe. In fact, few in the latter days will choose to make their faith in Jesus Christ central to all they think and do.13
Because of social media platforms, one voice of disbelief can appear to be a multitude of negative voices,14 but even if it is a multitude of voices, we choose the path of peacemakers.
The Plan Of Salvation
The term Plan of Salvation is used to describe how the gospel of Jesus Christ is designed to bring about the immortality and eternal life of humankind. It includes the Creation, the Fall, and the Atonement, along with all God-given laws, ordinances, and doctrines. Members believe that after this life is the Resurrection and Judgment.
The gift of immortality is also believed to be freely given to all because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and his subsequent Resurrection, although salvation from sin is conditional. Entrance to the highest Heavenly Kingdom, the “Celestial Kingdom,” is only granted to those who accept Jesus through baptism into the church by its priesthood authority, follow Church doctrine, and live righteous lives. Faith alone, or faith without works is not considered sufficient to attain exaltation.
Kingdoms
According to the Church, the Celestial Kingdom is where the righteous will live with God and their families. This kingdom includes multiple degrees of glory, the highest of which is exaltation. Those who have had the ordinances of eternal marriage, which is performed in temples, and baptism may be exalted if they are found worthy by God. Accountable individuals must be baptized and repent to gain entrance to the Celestial Kingdom Latter-day Saints profess that all children who die before the age of accountability automatically inherit a celestial glory.
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Legal Trouble And Leadership Struggles
Polygamy is illegal in all 50 states of the United States as well as Canada and Mexico. Attempts to overturn the illegality based on right of religious freedom have been unsuccessful. In 2003, the church received increased attention from the state of Utah when police officer Rodney Holm, a member of the church, was convicted of unlawful sexual conduct with a 16- or 17-year-old and one count of bigamy for his marriage to and impregnation of plural wife Ruth Stubbs. The conviction was the first legal action against a member of the FLDS Church since the Short Creek raid.
On January 10, 2004, Dan Barlow and about 20 other men were excommunicated from the church and stripped of their wives and children , and the right to live in the town. The same day two teenage girls reportedly fled the towns with the aid of activist Flora Jessop, who advocates plural wives’ escape from polygamy. The two girls, Fawn Broadbent and Fawn Holm, soon found themselves in a highly publicized dispute over their freedom and custody. After the allegations against their parents were proven false, Flora helped them flee state custody together on February 15, and they ended up in Salt Lake City at Fawn Holm’s brother Carl’s house.
In October 2004, Flora Jessop reported that David Allred purchased a 60-acre parcel of land near Mancos, Colorado, about the same time he bought the Schleicher County property. Allred told authorities the parcel was to be used as a hunting retreat.
Historical Names Of The Church
The LDS Church traces its founding to April 6, 1830, when Smith and five other men formally established the Church of Christ. The church was known by this name from 1830 to 1834.
In the 1830s, the fact that a number of U.S. churches, including some Congregational churches and Restoration Movement churches, also used the name “Church of Christ” caused a considerable degree of confusion. In May 1834, the church adopted a resolution that the church would be known thereafter as “The Church of the Latter Day Saints”. At various times the church was also referred to as “The Church of Jesus Christ”, “The Church of God”, and “The Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints”.
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Restorationism And Prophetic Leadership
The LDS Church teaches that, subsequent to the death of Jesus and his original apostles, his church, along with the authority to act in Jesus Christ’s name and the church’s attendant spiritual gifts, were lost, due to a combination of external persecutions and internal heresies. The restorationas represented by the church began by Joseph Smithrefers to a return of the authentic priesthood power, spiritual gifts, ordinances, living prophets and revelation of the primitive Church of Christ. This restoration is associated with a number of events which are understood to have been necessary to re-establish the early Christian church found in the New Testament, and to prepare the earth for the Second Coming of Jesus. In particular, Latter-day Saints believe that angels appeared to Joseph Smith and a limited number of his associates, and bestowed various priesthood authorities on them.