by Terrie Lynn Bittner | Feb 16, 2013 | Mormons in the News
Long after the presidential election that saw the first Mormon candidate for a major political party has ended, people are still trying to figure out what the Mormon moment really meant for Mormons and for people who have an interest in the religion. Mormon is a nickname for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The Mormon moment, as it has been called, has had several rounds, including the Winter Olympics that were held in Utah and were rescued by Mitt Romney. Romney also set off the other Mormon moment when he ran for president. From time to time, Mormons surface as a hot news topic and this isn’t going to change.
What did the last Mormon moment accomplish? A study showed most people don’t think they learned much about Mormonism during the Romney campaign. However, referrals to missionaries were strong, suggesting that although huge numbers didn’t convert, a significant number did take advantage of the opportunity to learn more and many did join the Church after studying the truth about the faith. (more…)
by Terrie Lynn Bittner | Feb 15, 2013 | Do Mormons Celebrate Holidays?
For forty days before Easter (excluding Sundays in the count), some Christians celebrate Lent in preparation for the Easter celebration. It began in the fourth century as a two-day celebration and gradually lengthened to its current forty days. Many also give up something they love during Lent and others use it to abandon a sin permanently. Some also fast during a portion of the time, abstaining from food but taking in liquids. It is a time to remember the sacrifices the Savior made by making their own sacrifices.
Although Mormons do not celebrate Lent, the basic principles of Lent are a regular aspect of Mormon life. Mormon is a nickname for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Mormons honor the atonement year-round. Easter is an important aspect of the Mormon calendar.
Each Sunday, Mormons take the Sacrament (communion) in remembrance of the atonement of Jesus Christ. As it is passed to the members, they are encouraged to think about the Savior and the sacrifices He made for us. (more…)
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 LDS—Latter-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. (more…)
by Terrie Lynn Bittner | Jan 8, 2013 | Mormons in the News
A New Zealand newspaper reports that mainstream churches in the country are struggling to maintain membership numbers while churches once labeled fringe churches are growing. There is great diversity in the types of churches that continue to grow, crowding out other more traditional faiths.
The article cites two very different religions, whose meetings are extreme opposites. City Impact Church is a mega church with pulsating lights, big screen tvs, rock music, backup singers, and a pastor who shows pictures of himself and his wife sipping alcohol on their vacation to Fiji. This church is growing rapidly in New Zealand.
At the same time, the reporter notes a worship service of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose members are sometimes nicknamed Mormons. This meeting is very quiet. The chapel fills, as does the overflow area. Entire families come dressed in their Sunday best to a simply decorated chapel and sit reverently throughout the service, which is carried out by members of the congregation. Mormons have a lay church and everyone helps. Even the prayers and the sermons are given by members ages twelve and older in turn. There are no flashing lights, no rock music, no backup singers, and no multimedia. The lighting comes from ordinary overhead lights and the music is provided by a traditional organ. Speakers use natural and quiet language to convey a spiritual message and there are no slideshows of vacations. (more…)
by Terrie Lynn Bittner | Dec 31, 2012 | Mormons in the News
Orrin Hatch has written a new book to help people understand Mormonism. It is not an official Mormon resource, so any information in it should be verified by searching LDS.org. However, it is a look at Mormonism through the eyes of an ordinary member.
Hatch, a senator from Utah, believes that while the Mitt Romney campaign drew attention to Mormonism, people still lack a basic understanding of what Mormonism is all about.
See The Mormon Moment: Did it Change Anything?
Hatch would like people to use the full name of the church instead of the nickname. The full name is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which makes clear the fundamental belief in Jesus Christ. It is inappropriate to call the church the Mormon Church. In the Book of Mormon, which Mormons use as a compliment to the Bible, contains an account of Jesus talking to a group of people he visited on the American continent after His death. They wanted to know what to name the church He was helping them organize. He told them that if a church is named after a man, it is that man’s church. Mormon was a prophet in ancient times—his story is told in the Book of Mormon. To call the church the Mormon Church would mean, according to Jesus Christ, that it was Mormon’s church, and it is not. It is the Savior’s Church, and so His name is central to the name as it is to the Church. (more…)
