by Lisa M. | Aug 26, 2013 | Mormon Beliefs: Christian Values
The digital age gives new meaning to the phrase “power to the people.” No longer do people have to wait for the nightly newscast or the newspaper to find information. All of this is available any time, day or night, through the Internet—on smart phones, handheld devices and computers. And no longer are the news media the only source of information. Anyone who has access to the Internet has a voice to broadcast his or her beliefs and opinions in picture, video and the written word. Knowledge is power, and so is the ability to disseminate it. And the power is in the hands of the people.
For members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—sometimes inadvertently called the Mormon Church—this is presenting both opportunities and challenges. The opportunities to share the gospel online are vast. The challenges arise in how to handle misinformation and outright lies—and sometimes in trying to figure out which information is true, which is misleading and which is just plain false. This has led to what some people are calling “shaken faith syndrome,” where faithful members of The Church of Jesus Christ are voicing doubts after reading something online. The problem and the answer are the same: more knowledge. The difference lies in where you seek it. (more…)
by Lisa M. | May 23, 2013 | Mormons in the News
Delegates from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—sometimes inadvertently called the Mormon Church—encouraged participants to find common ground with those of different cultures and religions during a recent worldwide conference on religious and cultural dialogue in Skopje, Macedonia. “We are all the children of God. We are all brothers and sisters,” said Manfred Schütze, the head of the 4-member delegation from The Church of Jesus Christ. [1]
The gathering—sponsored by the government of the Republic of Macedonia and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)—brought together government officials, religious representatives and scholars. The world conference, which takes place every three years, focused on three topics: pluralistic societies and religious tolerance, living together by respecting diversity, and the contribution of media to the interreligious and intercultural dialogue. [1]
In addition, delegates from The Church of Jesus Christ emphasized the importance of freedom of worship and fair and accurate news reporting on religion at the World Conference on Dialogue Among Religions and Civilizations. Representatives from The Church of Jesus Christ were active participants at the 2010 and 2007 gatherings as well. [1] (more…)
by Lisa M. | May 20, 2013 | About Mormons
Utah’s percentage of babies who are born to unwed mothers ranks lowest in the nation—just 14.7 percent, according to recent census estimates. In 2011, 35.7 percent of U.S. babies were born to unwed moms—continuing a trend that began in the 1940s. But as for Utah, “situation normal,” said Pam Perlich, a University of Utah research economist. “The biggest driver here is Mormon culture, for sure.” [1]
President Gordon B. Hinckley, the late president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sometimes inadvertently called the Mormon Church, said:
We believe in chastity before marriage and total fidelity after marriage. That sums it up. That is the way to happiness in living. That is the way to satisfaction. It brings peace to the heart and peace to the home. [2] (more…)
by Lisa M. | May 17, 2013 | About Mormons
Utah is emerging as a leader in school-language initiatives, building “one of the largest and most ambitious programs in the nation.” Given that the state passed an English-only law in 2000 and routinely ranks at the bottom nationally on education spending, Utah may seem an unlikely champion for the cause. But the state’s drive has its beginnings in a tradition of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sometimes inadvertently called the Mormon Church and headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. “From the beginnings of Utah, it’s been part of our culture, the missionary effort of going out and living in foreign lands,” said Gov. Gary R. Herbert. [1]
For generations, members of The Church of Jesus Christ have embarked on proselytizing missions, and many have learned a foreign language so that “every man shall hear the fulness of the gospel in his own tongue, and in his own language” (Doctrine & Covenants 90:11—the Doctrine and Covenants is a book of modern revelations).
Educators and parents say the program is about academic development and preparing students for the global job market—not preparing Latter-day Saint students for future missionary service. “Yet they said Utah’s immigrant communities and the overseas peregrinations of its large Mormon population make it fertile ground to teach foreign languages.” [1] (more…)
by Lisa M. | May 10, 2013 | Meet Some Mormons
Valerie Hudson Cassler is a feminist—and “as a feminist, I remain a steadfast member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” sometimes inadvertently called the Mormon Church. Hudson Cassler, who converted to The Church of Jesus Christ from Roman Catholicism, writes, “How remarkable and in some senses ironic it still seems to me to have experienced ‘women’s lib’ by conversion to Mormonism!”
Men and Women are Equal Before God
Hudson Cassler shares what she believes are “the main points of doctrine that make Mormonism the most feminist of all the Christianities.”
“The Restored Gospel teaches that the term ‘God’ means an exalted woman and an exalted man married in the new and everlasting covenant (Doctrine and Covenants 132:19-20—the Doctrine and Covenants is a book of modern revelation). We are taught that there is no God without men and women loving each other as equals. …” (more…)
