by Terrie Lynn Bittner | Dec 8, 2012 | Do Mormons Celebrate Holidays?
A new Gallop poll shows seven in ten Americans consider themselves very or moderately religious. Mormons are the most religious of any other religion, which has been backed up by a myriad of other studies. Forty percent of those people consider themselves very religious, attending church regularly and considering religion an important part of their lives. More people are choosing not to identify with a specific religion.
The study notes that older Americans are more religious than younger Americans, with eighty-year-olds being the most religious and twenty-three-year-olds the least religious. Women are the most religious at any age, and this is true in most other countries as well. There are also differences in race (blacks are the most religious race), geographical location (southerners are more religious than northerners), and income levels (the wealthy are less religious, but attend church as often as those with less money).
As Christmas approaches, this statistic becomes particularly meaningful. Although many get caught up in the rush of Christmas shopping, parties, and other secular aspects of the holiday, those who have faith in Jesus Christ also take time out to remember the Savior’s birth, which is the actual reason for the holiday. (more…)
by Terrie Lynn Bittner | Nov 26, 2012 | Mormons in the News
A recent interfaith discussion held in Lubbock, Texas recently helped students better understand four faiths. Represented on the panel were Mormons (a nickname for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), Baptists, Jews, and Muslims. Each spoke on basic principles of their faith or about famous members of their faith.
Mormons have long held that the best way to dispel prejudice against any group of people is to provide information and personal contact. Studies have shown that people who know practicing, believing Mormons are less likely to hold negative views of the religion or to practice discrimination. When people receive authentic information on Mormon beliefs, rather than the gossip often spread by people who are not qualified to speak on the faith, they generally realize that many Mormon beliefs are not as different from the beliefs of other Christians as they thought and for those beliefs that are different, they are more likely to understand the appeal or even the reason for the beliefs. (more…)
by Terrie Lynn Bittner | Aug 21, 2012 | About Mormons, Mormon Beliefs: Christian Values
Religion, while making use of the intellect, is not primarily an intellectual pursuit. While it is interesting to study the science or history behind a given spiritual topic, this isn’t, ultimately, what gives us a testimony of its truthfulness. A person can know all the facts there are to know about prayer and still not have a testimony that prayer works.
In order to gain a testimony of a specific doctrine, and ultimately of the church that teaches it, we have to have spiritual experiences with that doctrine. A person who is considering becoming a Mormon is taught to first make certain God wants him to join the church. This involves the process of gaining a testimony. The missionaries who teach the investigator (a person learning about Mormonism) will present facts about the church and will teach the member how to learn more. They will teach him how to gain a testimony—but they can’t give him a testimony. That is an entirely personal responsibility.
Spiritual experiences help people gain a testimony and they also serve to strengthen a testimony previously gained. They have another purpose as well, one that ensures a successful mortal life. (more…)
by brady | Feb 13, 2012 | About Mormons, Mormon Beliefs: Christian Values
By Jan Mayer, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . As a “Mormon woman,” Jan is a graduate of BYU and mother of five children. She has written for numerous publications, including The Denver Post, The Villager and NorthStar.
It must have been strange to see me–a 10- year old girl– kneeling on a lawn next to a busy street. It was on the long walk home from school that I wondered if I could talk to Heavenly Father at any time, like my Sunday School Teacher said. Although I had prayed many times at home and at meetings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it had never felt this personal before.
On that day, I told Heavenly Father that I was embarrassed to kneel out in the open, that I wasn’t sure what to say. Then, seeking for some purpose, I prayed to get home safely…feeling dumb because of course, I would get home safely…it was only a few blocks and I’d been safe every other day. (more…)
by Karen | Aug 8, 2011 | About Mormons, Mormon Beliefs: Christian Values, Mormon Reflections
By Scott A. Robinson, Scott Robinson grew up on a farm in Idaho and now resides in Charleston, South Carolina with his wife and three children.
I live in a place where the land is dotted with white steeples, where there are morning traffic jams six days per week, and where family matters most.
Here, the shared values of Christianity are still relevant to public policy. Sunday is generally a day set apart. Church members are very strong, struggling members are given extraordinary opportunities to learn and grow, and they do!
Where I live, my family, fellow congregants, and I have served together with our brothers and sisters of other Christian denominations, at activities organized by the other denominations in the true spirit of Christ.
I have open discussions about religion within the large corporate office where I work. (more…)
