MORMONISM
The Mormon religion (Mormonism), whose followers are known as Mormons and Latter-day Saints (LDS), was founded less than two hundred years ago by a man named Joseph Smith, called the Mormon "Prophet". He claimed to have received a personal visit from the Angel Moroni , God the Father and Jesus Christ who told him that all churches and their creeds were an abomination. Joseph Smith then set out to "restore true Christianity" and claimed his church to be the “only true church on earth”. Mormonism contradicts, modifies, and expands on the Bible. The Mormon Bible is based on Golden Plates supposedly found by Joseph Smith on the Hill Cumorah after receiving instructions as to their location by the Angle Moroni.
Mormons have developed a strong sense of communality that stems from their doctrine and history. During the 19th century, Mormon converts tended to gather to a central geographic location, and between 1852 and 1890 a minority of Mormons openly practiced plural marriage, a form of religious polygamy. Joseph Smith, the Founder of Mormonism, had over 40 wives.
Mormons dedicate large amounts of time and resources to serving in their church, and many young Mormons choose to serve a full-time proselytizing mission. Mormons have a health code which eschews alcoholic beverages, tobacco, coffee, tea, and other addictive substances. They tend to be very family-oriented, and have strong connections across generations and with extended family, reflective of their belief that families can be sealed together beyond death. Mormons also have a strict law of chastity, requiring abstention from sexual relations outside of heterosexual marriage and fidelity within marriage.
Mormons believe that there are in fact four sources of divinely inspired words, not just one:
1) The Bible “as far as it is translated correctly”.
2) The Book of Mormon, which was “translated” by Smith and published in 1830. Smith claimed it is
the “most correct book” on earth and that a person can get closer to God by following its precepts
“than by any other book”.
3) Doctrine and Covenants, containing a collection of modern revelations regarding the “Church of
Jesus Christ as it has been restored.”
4) The Pearl of Great Price, which is considered by Mormons to “clarify” doctrines and teachings that
were lost from the Bible and adds its own information about the earth’s creation.
Mormons believe God has not always been the Supreme Being of the universe but attained that status through righteous living and persistent effort. They believe God the Father has a “body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s”. Brigham Young taught that Adam actually was God and the father of Jesus Christ—although this teaching has been abandoned by modern Mormon leaders.
Mormons believe that there are different levels or kingdoms in the afterlife: the celestial kingdom, the terrestrial kingdom, and the outer darkness. Where mankind will end up depends on what they believe and do in this life. The doctrine of eternal families is a belief that those who are faithful in life to the Church and their family will be blessed to live with God, Jesus, and their families for eternity.
Mormon leaders have taught that Jesus’ incarnation was the result of a physical relationship between God the Father and Mary. Mormons believe Jesus is a god, but that any human can also become a god. Mormonism teaches that salvation can be earned by a combination of faith and good works.
There are more than 14 million members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and none of them are a polygamist. The practice of polygamy is strictly prohibited in the Church. The general standard of marriage in the Church has always been monogamy, as indicated in the Book of Mormon. For periods in the Bible polygamy was practiced by the patriarchs Abraham and Jacob, as well as kings David and Solomon. It was again practiced by a minority of Latter-day Saints in the early years of the Church. Polygamy was officially discontinued in 1890 — 122 years ago. Those who practice polygamy today have nothing whatsoever to do with the Church.
More than 52,000 missionaries, most of whom are under the age of 25, are serving missions for the Church at any one time. Missionary work is voluntary, with most missionaries funding their own missions. They receive their assignment from Church headquarters and are sent only to countries where governments allow the Church to operate. In some parts of the world, missionaries are sent only to serve humanitarian or other specialized missions.
For a more complete explanation of the history of the founding of Mormonism see:
http://www.awarenessofnothing.com/capt-william-morgan.html
on this website.
The Mormon religion (Mormonism), whose followers are known as Mormons and Latter-day Saints (LDS), was founded less than two hundred years ago by a man named Joseph Smith, called the Mormon "Prophet". He claimed to have received a personal visit from the Angel Moroni , God the Father and Jesus Christ who told him that all churches and their creeds were an abomination. Joseph Smith then set out to "restore true Christianity" and claimed his church to be the “only true church on earth”. Mormonism contradicts, modifies, and expands on the Bible. The Mormon Bible is based on Golden Plates supposedly found by Joseph Smith on the Hill Cumorah after receiving instructions as to their location by the Angle Moroni.
Mormons have developed a strong sense of communality that stems from their doctrine and history. During the 19th century, Mormon converts tended to gather to a central geographic location, and between 1852 and 1890 a minority of Mormons openly practiced plural marriage, a form of religious polygamy. Joseph Smith, the Founder of Mormonism, had over 40 wives.
Mormons dedicate large amounts of time and resources to serving in their church, and many young Mormons choose to serve a full-time proselytizing mission. Mormons have a health code which eschews alcoholic beverages, tobacco, coffee, tea, and other addictive substances. They tend to be very family-oriented, and have strong connections across generations and with extended family, reflective of their belief that families can be sealed together beyond death. Mormons also have a strict law of chastity, requiring abstention from sexual relations outside of heterosexual marriage and fidelity within marriage.
Mormons believe that there are in fact four sources of divinely inspired words, not just one:
1) The Bible “as far as it is translated correctly”.
2) The Book of Mormon, which was “translated” by Smith and published in 1830. Smith claimed it is
the “most correct book” on earth and that a person can get closer to God by following its precepts
“than by any other book”.
3) Doctrine and Covenants, containing a collection of modern revelations regarding the “Church of
Jesus Christ as it has been restored.”
4) The Pearl of Great Price, which is considered by Mormons to “clarify” doctrines and teachings that
were lost from the Bible and adds its own information about the earth’s creation.
Mormons believe God has not always been the Supreme Being of the universe but attained that status through righteous living and persistent effort. They believe God the Father has a “body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s”. Brigham Young taught that Adam actually was God and the father of Jesus Christ—although this teaching has been abandoned by modern Mormon leaders.
Mormons believe that there are different levels or kingdoms in the afterlife: the celestial kingdom, the terrestrial kingdom, and the outer darkness. Where mankind will end up depends on what they believe and do in this life. The doctrine of eternal families is a belief that those who are faithful in life to the Church and their family will be blessed to live with God, Jesus, and their families for eternity.
Mormon leaders have taught that Jesus’ incarnation was the result of a physical relationship between God the Father and Mary. Mormons believe Jesus is a god, but that any human can also become a god. Mormonism teaches that salvation can be earned by a combination of faith and good works.
There are more than 14 million members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and none of them are a polygamist. The practice of polygamy is strictly prohibited in the Church. The general standard of marriage in the Church has always been monogamy, as indicated in the Book of Mormon. For periods in the Bible polygamy was practiced by the patriarchs Abraham and Jacob, as well as kings David and Solomon. It was again practiced by a minority of Latter-day Saints in the early years of the Church. Polygamy was officially discontinued in 1890 — 122 years ago. Those who practice polygamy today have nothing whatsoever to do with the Church.
More than 52,000 missionaries, most of whom are under the age of 25, are serving missions for the Church at any one time. Missionary work is voluntary, with most missionaries funding their own missions. They receive their assignment from Church headquarters and are sent only to countries where governments allow the Church to operate. In some parts of the world, missionaries are sent only to serve humanitarian or other specialized missions.
For a more complete explanation of the history of the founding of Mormonism see:
http://www.awarenessofnothing.com/capt-william-morgan.html
on this website.