Social Events And Gatherings
Additional meetings are also held at the meetinghouse. Church officers may conduct leadership meetings or host training sessions and classes. The ward or branch community may schedule social activities at the meetinghouse, including dances, dinners, holiday parties and musical presentations. The church’s Young Men and Young Women organizations meet at the meetinghouse once a week, where the youth participate in activities. At the start of 2020, the church implemented a new initiative for children and youth worldwide, which replaced all other church youth programs.
In LDS theology, a temple is considered to be a holy building, dedicated as a “House of the Lord” and held as more sacred than a typical meetinghouse or chapel. In temples, church members participate in ceremonies that are considered the most sacred in the church, including marriage, and an endowment ceremony that includes a washing and anointing, receiving a temple garment, and making covenants with God. Baptisms for the dead are performed in the temples as well.
In order to perform ordinances in temples on behalf of deceased family members, the church emphasizes genealogical research, and encourages its lay members to participate in genealogy.It operates FamilySearch, the largest genealogical organization in the world.
Being Mormon During A Mormon Moment
Many Mormons say that the way their religion is portrayed in television and movies hurts societys image of Mormons in general. Far fewer say their image is helped by the portrayal of Mormons in entertainment media.
But Mormons are less negative in their assessment of the news medias treatment of Mormonism. About half of those surveyed say that coverage of Mormons and Mormonism by American news organizations is generally fair, though a significant minority says news coverage of Mormonism is unfair.
The survey also finds that despite the large number of Mormons who feel that Mormons are misunderstood and discriminated against, the overwhelming majority are satisfied in their own lives and content with their communities. Nearly nine-in-ten Mormons say they are satisfied with the way things are going in their own life more than say the same among the general public . And 92% of Mormons rate their communities as excellent or good places to live. Mormons are more positive about their communities than is the public as a whole, among whom 81% rate their communities as excellent or good places to live. Community satisfaction is higher among Mormons who reside in the western part of the U.S. than among those living elsewhere, and it is especially high among Mormons who reside in Utah .
Homosexuality And The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter
| LGBT Mormon topics |
|---|
All homosexual or same-sex sexual activity is forbidden by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in its law of chastity, and the church teaches that God does not approve of same-sex marriage. Adherents who participate in same-sex sexual behavior may face church discipline. Members of the church who experience homosexual attractions, including those who self-identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual remain in good standing in the church if they abstain from same-sex marriage and all sexual relations outside an opposite-sex marriage, but all, including those participating in same-sex activity and relationships, are allowed to attend weekly church worship services. However, in order to receive church ordinances such as baptism, and to enter church temples, adherents are required to abstain from same-sex relations or any sexual activity outside a legal marriage between one man and one woman. Additionally, in the churchs plan of salvation noncelibate gay and lesbian individuals will not be allowed in the top tier of heaven to receive exaltation unless they repent, and a heterosexual marriage is a requirement for exaltation. The churchs policies and treatment of LGBT people has long been a source of controversy both within and outside the church. They have also been a significant cause of disagreement and disaffection by members.
Don’t Miss: How Much Caffeine In Diet Snapple Peach Tea
Home What Do Mormons Really Believe
The term Mormonism denotes a religious group currently headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, who call themselves the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But since the foundation of Mormonism, there have been at least 400 splinter groups of the LDS church that began with the founder, Joseph Smith. Mormons believe that God, through Joseph Smith, restored the teachings of the church after hundreds of years of apostasy.
If you speak with a Mormon about their religion, it is very likely they will try to focus on the similarities between their theology and our own. They will say things like Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and may even say we are saved by grace. They have an entire vocabulary that sounds nearly identical to our own.
It isnt until you dig a bit deeper into how they define their terms that the dissimilarities become more apparent. They call their deity God, but hes as different from the one true God of Christianity as your mother is from my own, despite the fact we may each call ours Mom.
So that brings us to the ultimate question, what are these restored truths that make the Mormon church distinct fromand thus ultimately not just a subsection oforthodox Christian teaching?
Cosmology And Plan Of Salvation
The Mormon cosmology and plan of salvation include the doctrines of a pre-mortal life, an earthly mortal existence, three degrees of heaven, and exaltation.
According to these doctrines, every human spirit is a spiritual child of a Heavenly Father, and each has the potential to continue to learn, grow, and progress in the eternities, eventually achieving eternal life, which is to become one with God in the same way that Jesus Christ is one with the Father, thus allowing the children of God to become divine beings – that is, gods – themselves. This view on the doctrine of theosis is also referred to as becoming a “joint-heir with Christ”. The process by which this is accomplished is called exaltation, a doctrine which includes the reunification of the mortal family after the resurrection and the ability to have spirit children in the afterlife and inherit a portion of God’s kingdom. To obtain this state of godhood, the church teaches that one must have faith in Jesus Christ, repent of his or her sins, strive to keep the commandments faithfully, and participate in a sequence of ceremonial covenants called ordinances, which include baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, the endowment, and celestial marriage.
Recommended Reading: Does Green Tea And Lemon Help You Lose Weight
Cain And Abel Were Also Brothers And Yet No Bible Reader Believes That They Are Spiritual Equals Or Equally Admirable
However, critics do not provide the context for the idea that Christ and Lucifer were brothers. Cain and Abel were also brothers, and yet no Bible reader believes that they are spiritual equals or equally admirable. In a similar way, Latter-day Saints do not believe that Jesus and Satan are equals. The scriptures clearly teach the superiority of Jesus over the devil and that Michael and Lucifer and their followers fought against each other to uphold the plan of the Father and the Son.
Finally, while it is true that all mortals share a spiritual parent with Jesus , we now have a different, more important relationship with Jesus. All of God’s children, save Jesus, have sinned and come short of the glory of God . In sinning, they abandon and betray their divine heritage and inheritance. Only through Jesus can any mortal return home to God the Father. This return becomes possible when a sinner is born again, and adopted by Christ, who becomes the spiritual father to those whom He redeems.
Critics also ignore the Biblical references that imply that Satan is one of the “sons of God.”
The Mormon Vs Christian Church
Christianity
Christians believe that all true Christians make up the true church. Theologians often refer to this reality as the universal or invisible church. It is what Paul referred to in 1 Corinthians 1:2: together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Further, Christians believe that the local church is a group of true Christians who have voluntarily covenanted together to worship God as a church .
Mormonism
Since the very beginning, the Mormons have rejected all other churches outside of the Mormon church. At various times Mormon leaders and teachers have referred to the Christian church as the church of the devil or the church of abomination .
Today, seldom is that sort of directness apparent in Mormon publications. However, historically and canonically , this is how the Christian church is viewed.
Life After Death
Christianity
Christians believe that there is life after physical death for everyone. When those who are saved by faith in Christ die, they depart to be with Christ . They will all eventually dwell with God in the New Heaven and New Earth. Those who perish in their sin will suffer eternal punishment, away from the presence of God .
Mormonism
Those who do attain to eternal life are eligible for eternal progression, the process over time of becoming gods. Just as God the Father progressed to become God, so they themselves will eventually attain deity.
Mormonism
Dont Miss: How To Make Iced Coffee With Almond Milk
You May Like: Is Hot Or Cold Green Tea Better For Weight Loss
Ideology Partisanship And Economic Views
Mormons tend to be quite conservative in their political leanings and in their views on social and moral issues. Two-thirds call themselves conservatives, and three-quarters of Mormon registered voters are Republican or lean toward the Republican Party. These ideological and partisan leanings are reflected in their views of President Barack Obama, whose favorability rating among Mormon voters is half of what it is among voters in the public as a whole.
Mormons express highly positive views of GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney . Romney is viewed favorably by 86% of all Mormon voters and 94% of Mormons who are Republican or lean Republican. But even among Mormon Democrats and Democratic-leaning registered voters, 62% rate Romney favorably. In fact, Romneys favorability rating is about as high among Mormon Democrats as it is among Republicans in the general population .
Two other prominent Mormon political leaders are viewed less favorably than Romney. Half of Mormon voters express a favorable view of Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman Jr., while 24% express an unfavorable view and 26% have no opinion. Huntsman is viewed more favorably by registered voters in Utah, where 70% offer a favorable assessment and only 4% are unable to offer an opinion about him. Less than a quarter of Mormon voters have a favorable view of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat 51% of Mormon voters have an unfavorable opinion of Reid while 27% express no opinion about him.
Lucifer Is A Name Which Designates The Pre
One critical website claims, “Another error in the King James Version is the introduction of the name Lucifer into the English translation of Isaiah 14:12, a name with occurs nowhere else in the Bible.”
In LDS theology, “Lucifer” is a name which designates the pre-mortal Satan, prior to his rebellion against God. Because of Isaiah’s use of the term, it has a long history in that role in western Christianity.
The use of Satan/Lucifer in the endowment is not surprisingthe endowment is a symbolic ritual drama designed to teach important spiritual truths. It does not matter what Satan’s “pre-fall” name really was. Names like “Jehovah” and “Jesus Christ” are Hebrew and Greek respectively: yet, Hebrew and Greek are not likely the language of the pre-mortal world either. The names are used because they quickly and accurately transmit meaning to western Christians.
John Milton, in Paradise Lost used the term in the same waybecause its use would be familiar and instantly recognizable to his Christian audience. He knew that it was an allusion, but used it because it was a well-known symbol:
Citie and proud seate
Of LUCIFER, so by allusion calld,
Of that bright Starr to SATAN paragond. – Paradise Lost, Bk IX.
Recommended Reading: Where Can I Find Valerian Root Tea
Why Are Mormons Called Saints
by Terrie Lynn Bittner | Jan 30, 2013 | Mormon Beliefs: Christian Values |
The actual name of the church Mormons belong to is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Although outsiders most often use the term Mormon to refer to the members, Mormons themselves usually shorten the name of the church to LDS and say that they are LDSLatter-day Saints. Some people find that offensive because they view the term the way Catholics and members of some other churches use it. For these people, the term is reserved for a very small number of holy people.
Mormons use the term because it is the one used in the New Testament. New Testament followers of Jesus did not call themselves Christians. That term is used just three times, and always in a context that suggests it was used by outsiders to refer to them, in the same way it was outsiders who first referred to the Latter-day Saints as Mormons. Eventually, Mormons accepted the name and even used it themselves for the name of their world famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir. However, they ask that it be used only to refer to the people, not to the Church itself. Christians, likewise, eventually took the name of Christian onto themselves as a way to identify themselves as followers of Christ. However, it was not the name they originally chose.
32 And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda.
Additional Resource
Polygamy Cases Raised First Amendment Questions
Congressional pressure continued in ensuing years in the form of additional anti-polygamy laws. In 1882, the Edmunds Act imposed fines and prison sentences for practicing polygamists. In 1887, the Edmunds-Tucker Act voided the churchs incorporation, and the federal government seized its assets.
These statutes provided the Supreme Court with its first opportunity to interpret the First Amendments free exercise clause. In Reynolds v. United States , the Court distinguished between religious beliefs and religious conduct. Although the free exercise clause protects religious belief, it extends less protection to religious conduct. Davis v. Beason and Late Corporation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints v. United States further limited the practice of polygamy and confirmed the disincorporation of the Church.
Also Check: What Is The Best Cleansing Tea
What Are The Differences Betweenthe Rlds And Lds Faiths
Both faiths recognize Joseph Smith, Jr. as founder. However, whenJoseph Jr. was killed in 1844, the church found itself in a stateof confusion and disorganization for several years. Thus, a numberof factions developed. One group moved west to the Great SaltLake Valley under the direction of Brigham Young. Thisgroup is now known as the Mormons. Other members believed thatJoseph Smith, Jr. had designated his eldest son, Joseph III, tobe his successor as president/prophet of the church. This groupremained in the midwest and became known as the “Reorganization.”The Reorganized CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints wasofficially organized on April 6, 1860, at Amboy, Illinois, underthe leadership of Joseph Smith III. Since 1920, the church hasbeen headquartered in Independence, Missouri.
Are Mormons And Latter Day Saints The Same
- ,
- Copied to Clipboard
From time to time Mormons are asked to clarify what the correct name of their church is, and how to appropriately refer to a member of their religion.
Mormon Helping Hands Participate in Project Twin Streams
The correct name of the church to which Mormons belong is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
While most members of the Church do not mind being called Mormons, a more formal way to refer to a person who belongs to the faith is a Latter-day Saint, or a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The nickname Mormon came about because of one of the Churchs sacred texts, The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ.
Book of Mormon
Latter-day Saints look to The Bible, The Book of Mormon, The Doctine and Covenants and The Pearl of Great Price as scripture.
On some occasions media professionals and others refer to The Mormon Church, or The Church of Latter-day Saints, or The LDS Church.
While these names are not offensive to members of the Church, it is appreciated when the full and correct name of the Church is used. This is because Latter-day Saints are devoted followers of Jesus Christ and having His name included in the name of the Church is important to them.
Read more about media style for journalists reporting on the Church or any of its members.
Watch a video of Latter-day Saint leader, Elder M. Russell Ballard, talking about the significance of the name of the Church.
Read Also: What Is The Benefit Of Matcha Tea
Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter
Laurel and Hyrum Ence tour the Mormon Church History Museum, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015, in Salt Lake City. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints renovated history museum features a small and surprising display about an uncomfortable part of the faiths history that for generations has been glossed over: polygamy. Some of the Supreme Court’s first cases on the free exercise of religion clause involved the church challenging laws against polygamy.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose followers used to be known as Mormons, has helped to shape the relationship between government and religion through the interpretation of the First Amendments establishment and free exercise clauses. As of August 2018, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints President Russell M. Nelson asked that the terms LDS and Mormons no longer be used when referencing the Church