by Delisa Hargrove | Jun 19, 2013 | About Mormons
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often inadvertently called the Mormon Church, has opponents who derisively refer to The Church of Jesus Christ as a cult. Latter-day Saints (Mormons) do not consider The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints a cult or source of brainwashings, intimidation, or black magic often associated with cults.
Mormon Cult
Dictionary.com defines cult as:
- a particular system of religious worship, especially with reference to its rites and ceremonies.
- an instance of great veneration of a person, ideal, or thing, especially as manifested by a body of admirers: the physical fitness cult.
- the object of such devotion.
- a group or sect bound together by veneration of the same thing, person, ideal, etc.
- Sociology. a group having a sacred ideology and a set of rites centering around their sacred symbols.
- a religion or sect considered to be false, unorthodox, or extremist, with members often living outside of conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often inadvertently called the Mormon Church, has opponents who derisively refer to The Church of Jesus Christ as a cult. Though not correct definitions of cult, typically the term conotes images of brainwashings and participation through intimidation on one end of the spectrum and black magic on the other end of the spectrum, but most especially being in the thrall of a charismatic leader. Latter-day Saints (Mormons) know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not a cult.
What Do Mormons Believe?
Truly Mormons are “a group or sect bound together by veneration of the same thing, person, ideal, etc.” The Church of Jesus Christ’s 1st Article of Faith states, “We believe in God the Eternal Father and in His Son Jesus Christ and in the Holy Ghost” (1st Article of Faith). Members of the Church hold the Prophet Joseph Smith in high regard, but they do not worship him.
Mormonism is “a particular system of religious worship, especially with reference to its rites and ceremonies.” Every tenet and doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ reflects the mission and atoning sacrifice of the Savior Jesus Christ. The Savior revealed commandments, covenants (a two way promise of an obligation fulfilled by man and a promised blessing by God), and ordinances (ritual acts, like baptism, that teach literally and metaphorically of man’s journey back to God’s presence). (more…)
by megan | May 29, 2013 | About Mormons
For centuries people have been striving to follow Christ, ever since His mortal ministry on earth. Even before He came to earth, prophets testified of Him, and people believed in Him. Since His death and the death of His apostles, people all across the world identify themselves as Christian: someone who believes in Jesus Christ and follows His teachings.
Mormons Are Christians
As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sometimes mistakenly called the Mormon Church, I am also a Christian, the same as members of other Christian faiths such as Baptists or Methodists or Lutherans. I believe in Jesus Christ and strive to follow His teachings. Elder Robert D. Hales, an apostle and leader of The Church of Jesus Christ, explains what it means to be a Christian:
A Christian has faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, that He is the literal Son of God, sent by His Father to suffer for our sins in the supreme act of love we know as the Atonement. A Christian believes that through the grace of God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, we can repent, forgive others, keep the commandments, and inherit eternal life. The word Christian denotes taking upon us the name of Christ (“Being a More Christian Christian,” Ensign November 2012). (more…)
by megan | May 7, 2013 | Mormon Beliefs: Christian Values
Center. Anchor. Foundation. These terms describe the Savior and where He fits in my testimony, and in the testimony of other Latter-day Saints, sometimes referred to as Mormons. As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Jesus Christ is the center of my beliefs, everything our faith, and the Church, is rightly called after His name.
Prophets’ Words About Christ
The Bible clearly testifies of Christ, recording His earthly ministry and Atonement for all mankind. In Paul’s letter to the Hebrews, he instructs the church members to look “unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus Christ is the one who authored the Plan of Salvation, as well as the one who completed the Atonement. His doctrine of repentance and baptism is at the center of our faith. (See 3 Nephi 11:32).
In The Book of Mormon, a book of scripture written by ancient prophets on the American continent, Nephi, one of the authors, describes his and his family’s religion: “And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ” (2 Nephi 25:26). Nephi lived 600 years before Jesus was born, yet he and his family had faith in Christ. Throughout the Book of Mormon, other prophets do exactly what Nephi describes, rejoicing in and testifying of our Savior Jesus Christ. (more…)
by byustudent | Apr 11, 2013 | About Mormons
As school comes to an end, I really feel like the messages that I continue to learn through my study of the Book of Mormon become stronger and stronger. I can tell that the Lord wants me to prepare for what life has ahead of me.
This week, I was pondering the question, “Why does the Book of Mormon contain so much war and fighting?” Specifically, I wanted to know how do these stories of battle apply to us. It was this thinking that brought me to an answer found in Ether 8. In verse 26, Moroni (whom after studying so much I have found to be a great writer and very influential on me) states,”… am commanded to write these things that evil may be done away, and that the time may come that Satan may have no power upon the hearts of the children of men…” Once again, Moroni makes no doubt in his words. He has been commanded by the Lord to tell us about these wars for our own recognition of evil. The Lord wants us to be able to know the difference between right and wrong and this is one way in which he can reinforce it. (more…)
by byustudent | Apr 9, 2013 | Mormon Reflections
BYU Students Share Letters & Reflections on Scripture
BYU (Brigham Young University) is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often mistakenly called the “Mormon Church.” As part of their undergraduate coursework, BYU students take multiple semesters of spiritually uplifting, stimulating religion classes.
In this series (see below), students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the Book of Mormon in the form of letters to someone they know. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures.
In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to speak to all of us of the relevance, power and beauty of the Book of Mormon, a second witness of Jesus Christ and complement to the Bible. The Book of Mormon includes the religious history of a group of Israelites who settled in ancient America. (The names they use are those of prophets who taught the Book of Mormon peoples to look forward to the coming of Christ—Nephi, Lehi, Alma, Helaman, and other unfamiliar names. We hope those names will become more familiar to you as you read their inspiring words and feel the relevance and divinity of their messages through these letters.) (more…)
