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.
Why Dont Mormons Believe Jesus Is God
According to the accounts provided in the Bible, Mary gave birth to Jesus on earth. The birth took place in Bethlehem. He walked the planet without sinning and in complete submission to the will of God the Father for his whole life. Mormons, in contrast to Christians who attend churches that have not been restored, do not hold the belief that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Ghost.
Tithing And Other Donations
Church members are expected to donate one-tenth of their income to support the operations of the church, including construction of temples, meetinghouses, and other buildings, and other church uses. Members are also encouraged to abstain from food and drink on the first Sunday of each month for at least two consecutive meals. They donate at least the cost of the two skipped meals as a fast offering, which the church uses to assist the poor and needy and expand its humanitarian efforts.
All able LDS young men are expected to serve a two-year, full-time proselytizing mission. Missionaries do not choose where they serve or the language in which they will proselytize, and are expected to fund their missions themselves or with the aid of their families. Prospective male missionaries must be at least 18 years old and no older than 25, not yet married, have completed secondary school, and meet certain criteria for physical fitness and spiritual worthiness. Missionary service is not compulsory, nor is it required for young men to retain their church membership.
Unmarried women 19 years and older may also serve as missionaries, generally for a term of 18 months. However, the LDS Church emphasizes that women are not under the same expectation to serve as male members are, and may serve solely as a personal decision. There is no maximum age for missionary service for women.
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Events At The Organization
By later accounts, the April 6 organizational meeting was a charismatic event, in which members of the congregation had visions, prophesied, spoke in tongues, ecstatically shouted praises to the Lord, and fainted. At this meeting, the church formally ordained a lay ministry, with the priesthood offices of deacon, teacher, priest, and elder. Smith and Cowdery, according to their 1831 account, were each ordained as “an apostle of Jesus Christ, an elder of the church”. This account was edited in 1835 to state that Smith was ordained the “First Elder”, and Oliver Cowdery was ordained the “Second Elder”.
Location Of The Organization
Prior to 1834, all church publications and documents stated that the church was organized in the Smith log home in Manchester, New York. The first Smith log home was located on the Samuel Jennings property in Palmyra, just north of the town’s southern border and subsequent the Smith Manchester property. The Smiths may have constructed a second log home on their own property. Beginning in 1834, several church publications began to give the location of the organizational meeting as Fayette, at the home of Peter Whitmer Sr. The Whitmer home had been the site of many other meetings near the same time period. After 1834, several official church accounts said the meeting was in Manchester and several eyewitnesses said the event took place in Manchester.
Independent researcher H. Michael Marquardt argues that the evidence suggests the organization occurred in Manchester, and that the confusion was likely due to the effect of memory tending to conflate memories of several meetings in Manchester and Fayette years earlier. Critics suggest that the location of the organization was intentionally changed in 1834 around the same time the church’s name was changed to the “Church of the Latter Day Saints”, in order to make it seem like the new church organization was different from the “Church of Christ”, as a tactic to frustrate the church’s creditors and avoid payment of debts.
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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?
Christian Vs Mormon Practices
Christians believe that all people should strive to follow Christ’s commands and example in their everyday actions. For many, this includes obedience to the Ten Commandments of the Old Testament. Other Christian practices include acts of piety such as prayer and Bible reading. Christians assemble for communal worship on Sunday, the day of the resurrection, though other liturgical practices often occur outside this setting. Scripture readings are drawn from the Old and New Testaments, but especially the Gospels.
Mormons wear ceremonial temple garments under their daily clothes and perform baptisms for the dead, and other ordinances by proxy, in temples and doing attendant genealogical research. A dietary code called the Word of Wisdom, currently requiring abstinence from alcohol, tobacco, coffee, tea, and illegal drugs caffeinated soft drinks are left to individual discretion. Virtually all Christians hold special ceremonies or rites, often called sacraments. The Mormons call these ceremonies ordinances. The three main ordinances practices by Mormons are Baptism, Confirmation, Sacraments, Endowments and Sealings. While Mormons are expected to confess their sins directly to God as repentance, some Christians confess their sins to a priest.
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Confirmation By The Gift Of The Holy Ghost
The Holy Ghost, as mentioned before, is part of the Godhead and is a spirit that is given to every new member of the church after theyre baptized as a gift to them.
The Holy Ghost is there to influence us to do good, but we have to remain worthy to keep the holy spirit with us.
It is something that can only be around to help you make good decisions and let you know what God wants from you if you are making the effort to choose the right.
You always want the spirit with you and can tell when its not because you dont have that happy, light, good, warm feeling inside you anymore.
Thats how Mormons are able to discern between good and evil. It is truly a major blessing.
Who Are The Latter
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the full name of this organization.The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, more colloquially referred to as the LDS Church or the Mormon Church, is a nontrinitarian, Christian restorationist church.Its members believe that their church is the restoration of the first church that Jesus Christ established, and they reject the trinitarian doctrine of the Christian faith.
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The Founder Joseph Smith Jr
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was officially founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. and five associates on April 6, 1830, in Fayette, New York.
When Smith was fourteen years old, he claimed to have had a religious experience, in which both God the Father and Jesus Christ spoke to him and instructed him not to affiliate himself with any denomination. Three years later, he reported being visited again by a heavenly angel named Moroni who told him that a book written on gold plates had been buried and Smith had been charged with its protection.
Smith allegedly retrieved the gold plates in 1827 and began the process of translating their engravings. On March 26, 1830, when his dictation was complete, Smith published the work as the Book of Mormon. Shortly thereafter, on April 6, 1830, Smith also founded the first Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints church.
To avoid conflict and persecution encountered for his claims, Smith and his followers moved to Kirtland, Ohio early in 1831. Here the church’s first temple was built and some Mormons believed erroneously that Jesus’ Millennial reign had begun. However, the controversy and mob violence that had plagued Smith followed him to Kirtland and in early 1832, Joseph was dragged from his bedroom in the dead of night, tarred and feathered, and left for dead.
In February, 1844, Smith announced his candidacy for President of the United States, with Sidney Rigdon as his vice-presidential running mate.
What Do Mormons Believe About Death
Burial and funeral. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had the belief that salvation required the integrity of the body to be preserved between death and resurrection. In the midst of their trek to the west, Mormon pioneers buried their dead along the path in a manner that was described as respectful and even reverent.
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The Book Of Mormon: Another Testament Of Jesus Christ
The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ was translated by Joseph Smith, Jr. from an ancient record written on gold plates. It is a historic and doctrinal record of the ancient inhabitants of the Americas, who are the progenators of today’s Native Americans. The book reveals that native North, Central, and South Americans are descendants of two main groups one that came to Mesoamerica at the time of the Tower of Babel, and another from Israel around 600 B.C. The record is a history of two main branches of the latter group, the Nephites and Lamanites.
The plates record the significant preachings, wars, and main events of their history. The pinnacle of the record is Christ’s visitation and ministry to the Nephites following his crucifixion. The record ends after the Lamanites destroy the entire Nephite civilization hundreds of years later. The record’s namesake, Mormon, abridged the golden plates from many various records he kept. He passed them on to his son Moroni, who buried them in a hill side and revealed their location to Joseph Smith many hundreds of years later as an angel. The Book of Mormon is the main scriptural reference for Latter-day Saints, and is sometimes referred to as the “keystone” to their religion. It supplements the Bible as another testament of Jesus Christ. To learn more about the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, visit mormon.org.
Myths About Mormonism That Persist Despite Themormon Moment
SALT LAKE CITY As Americans cast their ballots and the clock ticks toward midnight in Mitt Romneys quest for the White House, this much is clear: Americans didnt know much about Romneys Mormon faith when this Mormon moment began.
Now, thousands of headlines, dozens of TV newscasts and one Tony-winning Broadway musical later, Americans still dont know much about Latter-day Saints and their beliefs.
But they know more. All those stories educated millions of observant Americans about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Still, some understandings remain misunderstandings and many views of the religion continue to be skewed, exaggerated or flat-out wrong.
Here are 12 persistent myths about Mormonism:
1. Mormons practice polygamy
The LDS church officially gave up polygamy in 1890, when then-President Wilford Woodruff issued a Manifesto advising all members not to enter into any marriage forbidden by the law of the land.
Not all Latter-day Saints complied, so then-President Joseph F. Smith issued a Second Manifesto in 1904. Since then, any member practicing or openly advocating polygamy is excommunicated.
Groups that continue plural marriage such as the breakaway Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints do so outside the 14 million-member Utah-based faith.
2. Mormons are not Christians
3. Mormons arent supposed to drink caffeinated beverages
4. Mormons dont dance
5. All Mormons live in Utah
7. All Mormons are Republicans
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Difference Between Mormons And Christians
Categorized under Religion | Difference Between Mormons and Christians
Mormons vs ChristiansMormons and Christians both believe in Jesus Christ. Though Mormons consider themselves to be Christians, they are not considered so by the Protestant and Catholic Christians. Both the Mormons and Christians share many things in common but there are also many differences between the two groups.
Mormons, as a religious group, were formed by Joseph Smith, who is regarded to have restored the church. It was in the 1820s that Mormonism developed. Official name of the Mormon church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Regarding the differences between Mormons and Christians, the former sect believes in the Book of Mormon, otherwise known as the Mormon bible as well as the Holy Bible The Pearl of great Price, and Covenants and Doctrines. Christians believe in the Holy Bible.
Regarding their belief in God, the Mormons believe in a heavenly father who has a physical body. On the other hand, Christians believe in Trinitarian God, who has no physical body. For the Christians, they have one god, the Trinity with Jesus as Messiah. Christians also believe in salvation. Mormons do not believe in the Trinity or one God. But they have three Gods The Father, Son and Holy Ghost. All the three are distinct from each other in all ways.
Summary
What Is The Position Of The Church Regarding Race Relations
The gospel of Jesus Christ is for everyone. The Book of Mormon states, Black and white, bond and free, male and female all are alike unto God . This is the Churchs official teaching.
People of all races have always been welcomed and baptized into the Church since its beginning. In fact, at the end of his life in 1844, Joseph Smith, the founding prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, opposed slavery. During this time some black males were ordained to the priesthood. At some point the Church stopped ordaining male members of African descent, although there were a few exceptions. It is not known precisely why, how or when this restriction began in the Church, but it has ended. Church leaders sought divine guidance regarding the issue and in 1978 extended the priesthood to all worthy male members. The Church immediately began ordaining members to priesthood offices wherever they attended throughout the world.
The Church unequivocally condemns racism, including any and all past racism by individuals both inside and outside the Church. In 2006, then Church president Gordon B. Hinckley declared that no man who makes disparaging remarks concerning those of another race can consider himself a true disciple of Christ. Nor can he consider himself to be in harmony with the teachings of the Church of Christ. Let us all recognize that each of us is a son or daughter of our Father in Heaven, who loves all of His children .
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How Is Lds Different From Christianity
Even though the term Christian is sometimes linked to specific creedal beliefs that the Church does not adhere to, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints use the term to emphasize their faith in the divine nature of Jesus Christ.Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe that Jesus Christ is the Redeemer of all mankind.by Intellectual Reserve, Inc.in the year 2015.
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
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