Changes

==Beliefs==

==Beliefs==

The Mormons teach that God used to be a man on another planet, that he became a god by following the laws and ordinances of the god on that planet and then came to this world with his wife (who became a goddess), and that they produce a spirit offspring in heaven.  These spirit offspring, which includes Jesus, Satan, and mankind, are all brothers and sisters born in the "preexistence". The preexistence spirits come down and inhabit babies at the time of birth and their memories of the preexistence are lost at the time.  Furthermore, faithful Mormons, who pay a full 10% tithe of their income to the Mormon church and go through a Mormon temple, have the potential of becoming gods of their own planets and are then able to start the procedure over again.

Latter-day Saints (Mormons) believe in Christ, and they strive to follow his example.  They testify of Christ and their Church bears his name. From the organization of the LDS Church in 1830, the Church's doctrine focused on Jesus Christ. Joseph Smith, Jr. wrote in 1842 to Chicago Democrat editor John Wentworth a statement of Church beliefs. The first of these 13 doctrinal declarations, later called the Articles of Faith, stated the following:<blockquote>“We believe in God the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost."<ref>[http://www.lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b12f9d18fae655bb69095bd3e44916a0/?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=4ebe76e6ffe0c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1] The Marvelous Foundation of Our Faith] from the October 2002 General Conference</ref></blockquote>

==Mormons' relationship to Christianity==

The LDS website states: <blockquote>"We believe in the Jesus of the New Testament, and we believe what the New Testament teaches about Him. We do believe things about Jesus that other Christians do not believe, but that is because we know, through revelation, things about Jesus that others do not know."<ref>[http://www.mormon.org/question/faq/category/answer/0,9777,1601-1-56-16,00.html Is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints a Christian church?] As answered on the LDS Church's website</ref></blockquote>

There are, however, significant difference between Mormonism and mainstream Protestant denominations. The [[United Methodist Church]] has stated that the Mormon faith has "some radically differing doctrine on such matters of belief as the nature and being of [[God]]; the nature, origin, and purpose of [[Jesus Christ]]; and the nature and way of [[salvation]]."<ref>http://www.apologeticsindex.org/news/an200513.html#21</ref> The [[Lutheran Missouri Synod|Lutheran Church&mdash;Missouri Synod]] goes further, stating that it, "together with the vast majority of Christian denominations in the United States, does not regard the Mormon church as a Christian church."<ref>http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=2239</ref>, while the [[Southern Baptist Convention]] states that the Mormon religion is "not consistent with biblical Christianity."<ref>http://www.onenewsnow.com/2007/02/southern_baptist_convention_wa.php</ref> Beliefnet.com details a number of differences between the Mormon faith and traditional Christianity.<ref>http://www.beliefnet.com/features/mormonism.html</ref>

The four standard works of the Church are:

*The King James Version of the Bible - both the Old and New Testaments

*The Book of Mormon - Another Testament of Jesus Christ

*Doctrine and Covenants - Modern-day revelation as received by the Prophet Joseph Smith and other modern-day prophets

*Pearl of Great Price - Selection of translations, revelations and narrations from the Prophet Joseph Smith.

President [[Gordon B. Hinckley]] said the following about the [[Book of Mormon]] in an October, 2002 [[General Conference]] address entitled "The Marvelous Foundation of Our Faith": <blockquote>"This remarkable book stands as a testimonial to the living reality of the Son of God. The Bible declares that 'in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established' (Matt. 18:16). The Bible, the testament of the Old World, is one witness. The Book of Mormon, the testament of the New World, is another witness.</blockquote><blockquote>I cannot understand why the Christian world does not accept this book. I would think they would be looking for anything and everything that would establish without question the reality and the divinity of the Savior of the world."<ref>[http://www.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=e74c4d4297602110VgnVCM100000176f620aRCRD] Mormons Reflect Christianity in Lifestyle] as stated in the April, 2007 newsroom article at lds.org</ref></blockquote>

President [[Gordon B. Hinckley]] said the following about the [[Book of Mormon]] in an October, 2002 [[General Conference]] address entitled "The Marvelous Foundation of Our Faith": <blockquote>"This remarkable book stands as a testimonial to the living reality of the Son of God. The Bible declares that 'in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established' (Matt. 18:16). The Bible, the testament of the Old World, is one witness. The Book of Mormon, the testament of the New World, is another witness.</blockquote><blockquote>I cannot understand why the Christian world does not accept this book. I would think they would be looking for anything and everything that would establish without question the reality and the divinity of the Savior of the world."<ref>[http://www.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=e74c4d4297602110VgnVCM100000176f620aRCRD] Mormons Reflect Christianity in Lifestyle] as stated in the April, 2007 newsroom article at lds.org</ref></blockquote>

The LDS website states: <blockquote>"We believe in the Jesus of the New Testament, and we believe what the New Testament teaches about Him. We do believe things about Jesus that other Christians do not believe, but that is because we know, through revelation, things about Jesus that others do not know."<ref>[http://www.mormon.org/question/faq/category/answer/0,9777,1601-1-56-16,00.html Is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints a Christian church?] As answered on the LDS Church's website</ref></blockquote>

Members of the [[Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] believe that on May 15, 1829 A.D., the resurrected [[John the Baptist]] appeared to [[Joseph Smith|Joseph Smith, Jr.]] and [[Oliver Cowdery]] and conferred upon them the [[Aaronic Priesthood]], which includes the authority to baptize.<ref>[http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/13 Doctrine and Covenants 13]</ref>

==Wards==

==Wards==

The entire church meets twice a year (in April and October) to hear messages from the Prophet and President of the church, his two counselors, members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and other Church leaders. The members listen to modern-day revelation from these church leaders.

The entire church meets twice a year (in April and October) to hear messages from the Prophet and President of the church, his two counselors, members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and other Church leaders. The members listen to modern-day revelation from these church leaders.

The four standard works of the Church are:

*The King James Version of the Bible - both the Old and New Testaments

 

*The Book of Mormon - Another Testament of Jesus Christ

*Doctrine and Covenants - Modern-day revelation as received by the Prophet Joseph Smith and other modern-day prophets

 

*Pearl of Great Price - Selection of translations, revelations and narrations from the Prophet Joseph Smith.

 

Mormons are Christians who accept [[The Book of Mormon]] in addition to the [[King James Bible]]. The Book of Mormon includes an account of ancient peoples living in the Americas from long before, and until centuries after Christ's mortal ministry on Earth. According to the [[The Book of Mormon]], Jesus Christ appeared in the Americas after his resurrection, healing the sick, blessing the children, and teaching the people. According to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,

 

 

There are, however, significant difference between Mormonism and mainstream Protestant denominations. The [[United Methodist Church]] has stated that the Mormon faith has "some radically differing doctrine on such matters of belief as the nature and being of [[God]]; the nature, origin, and purpose of [[Jesus Christ]]; and the nature and way of [[salvation]]."<ref>http://www.apologeticsindex.org/news/an200513.html#21</ref> The [[Lutheran Missouri Synod|Lutheran Church&mdash;Missouri Synod]] goes further, stating that it, "together with the vast majority of Christian denominations in the United States, does not regard the Mormon church as a Christian church."<ref>http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=2239</ref>, while the [[Southern Baptist Convention]] states that the Mormon religion is "not consistent with biblical Christianity."<ref>http://www.onenewsnow.com/2007/02/southern_baptist_convention_wa.php</ref> Beliefnet.com details a number of differences between the Mormon faith and traditional Christianity.<ref>http://www.beliefnet.com/features/mormonism.html</ref>

==Polygamy==

===Polygamy===

Early ill will towards Mormons was sparked in part by its early practice of [[polygamy]], which was sanctioned from 1840 until 1890. Even though it was officially discontinued in 1890, Mormonism and polygamy continue to be associated in the popular mind.

Early ill will towards Mormons was sparked in part by its early practice of [[polygamy]], which was sanctioned from 1840 until 1890. Even though it was officially discontinued in 1890, Mormonism and polygamy continue to be associated in the popular mind.

==External Links==

==External Links==

===Non-Mormon===

===Mormon===

 

===Anti-Mormon===

*[http://jesusnotjoseph.com JesusNotJoseph]

*[http://jesusnotjoseph.com JesusNotJoseph]

*[http://www.mrm.org Mormonism Research Ministry]

*[http://www.mrm.org Mormonism Research Ministry]

*[http://www.evangelicalbible.com/jw.htm#LDS The Mormon Church & the Nature of God]

*[http://www.evangelicalbible.com/jw.htm#LDS The Mormon Church & the Nature of God]

[[Category:LDS Church]]

[[Category:LDS Church]]