Mormon Church

Today, when people want to learn about something, they frequently turn to the Internet for information. Of course, that can be an overwhelming experience when a search engine returns thousands of places to search for that information.

A responsible researcher knows that sources are not equally reliable. Anyone can post on the Internet, and while that is a wonderful thing, it also means there are more opportunities for people to intentionally or unintentionally mislead others.

The best place to learn about a person or organization is to turn to the actual source. To learn about Christianity, we don’t go to an atheist website. We go to the Bible or to Christian websites. Our goal is to learn what Christians teach about themselves, both to other Christians or to non-Christians. Moral researchers aren’t interested in pursuing gossip. They want truth and knowing what  the members of that church really believe—not what atheists think they believe—is how you find the truth about Christianity.

The same process leads to truth about a specific Christian denomination. What does the denomination tell the outside world about themselves? What do they tell their own members? What is taught in Sunday School or in services? This gives you the most accurate look at any denomination. If no one in the church knows the doctrine, then it is not having an impact on the membership and is not what the church actually teaches.

With that in mind, here are some places you can learn about the Mormons. While there are missionaries who will be happy to visit your home and teach you, and the Mormons you know will be happy to answer your questions, you may be more comfortable studying them privately first. Then you can take what you’ve learned to real people and ask your questions.

Official Sources of Information About Mormon Beliefs:

Mormon.org: This site was created for people who are not Mormon but want to know more about it. It is an official website with basic information about the Mormons. There is also a chat room where you can talk to a missionary. It is not a place to argue or to debate, but to get information.

LDS.org: This is the official Mormon website for people who are Mormon. Most of it is public. The parts that aren’t are for specific congregations, with information about their activities, or for people who have specific church jobs and may need more training. These are open only to those who belong to that congregation or have that position. You will be able to access the same information as any Mormon who does not live in your area or who doesn’t have that job.

On this website, you can read the actual lesson manuals used to teach Sunday School and other classes. You can read both the student manual and the teacher’s manuals, if both exist. You can also read the official Mormon magazines at no cost and in entirety, including the most current editions. Find out what is said at each of the General Conferences (annual meetings broadcast publicly and internationally.) Visit the LDS Newsroom to learn the latest news, official positions on political issues, and commentary. The A to Z index lets you research specific Mormon doctrine in more detail, since this index is used by Mormons to prepare lessons and sermons, or just to learn more about their faith. You can also read the King James Bible and the Book of Mormon, as well as other LDS scripture and publication, free online. You’ll get a rather complete look at Mormon beliefs from the point of view of believing Mormons. This website is for people who are already Mormon, so you may find the vocabulary a little confusing, but the index mentioned above can help with that.

Mormon Channel: This is a radio station dedicated to Mormon programming. Most of it is aimed at current members of the Church. Some of the programs are non-denominational and include uplifting stories from people of other faiths. You can listen online.

Church History: A website for Mormons about the history of the Mormons. Learn more about Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and other aspects of the worldwide Mormon Church’s history.

Humanitarian Services: Have you ever wondered about those yellow Mormon Helping Hands vests that appear at service projects, or about the reports of Mormons working at disaster zones? This is the place to learn about the Church’s humanitarian arm. This division works on a non-denominational basis. Other funds help Mormons internally.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God: An official Mormon website dedicated to teaching what the Mormons believe about Jesus Christ. The site includes beautiful artwork, many articles by church leaders, and a selection of online multimedia materials.

Mormon Messages: An official YouTube channel with uplifting videos, some of which are non-denominational.

More Good Foundation: Ordinary people share their personal knowledge about Mormon doctrine, how they live it, and how they feel about it. If you want an unofficial but reliable source of information, this is the place to go.

Tags: about Mormons, Mormon Beliefs, Mormon beliefs about Jesus, mormon websites

This entry was posted on Monday, June 14th, 2010 at 10:27 am and is filed under Array. You can follow any responses to this entry through the http://mormonchurch.com/1657/learn-about-mormons-online/feed feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.