Basic Beliefs Archive
Mormons believe that true followers of Christ are counted as “saints”–those who have followed Him into baptism by immersion through His priesthood power as held by ordained members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and who continue in the path of righteousness. Members of Christ’s Church established when he was on the earth are the early saints, and members of His Church today are referred to as “Latter-day Saints.” Many of all faiths live a Christ-like life and are saintly and good. The literal term, “saint,” however in our theology is reserved for the above.
Mormons do not beatify (call blessed in a formal sense) or canonize (declare a higher state of sainthood) anyone who is a member of the Church. Nor do we pray through or to others who have passed through this life and entered the spirit world, awaiting the resurrection. While we, like Catholics, do believe that those who have... Read the rest of this entry »
On February 4, Dallin H. Oaks, an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a former state Supreme Court justice spoke at Chapman University School of Law on religious freedom and it’s constitutional history and importance. The Mormon apostle focused on why the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom is important to the future of the United States and on the dangers of religious relativism.
The speech, which received a standing ovation, focused on four main points, that were summarized in this way near the end of his talk:
Religious teachings and religious organizations are valuable and important to our free society and therefore deserving of their special protection.
Religious freedom undergirds the origin and existence of this country and is the dominating civil liberty.
The guarantee of free exercise of religion is weakening in its effects and in public esteem.
This weakening is attributable to the ascendancy of moral... Read the rest of this entry »
Did you know that almost a billion people don’t have access to clean water? This extremely serious problem leads to dangerous health conditions for the people in the affected areas. Since 2002, the Mormons have been reduced the number of people without access to clean water by about seven million through clean water projects in 5,000 communities. Bringing in clean water reduces the threat of cholera, diarrhea, and typhoid. Depending on the needs of the area, the projects include digging wells, creating water storage, building delivery systems, or developing ways to purify existing water.
One way the church’s programs differ from many others is that one goal is self-sufficiency. Some charities go into an area, create projects, and do all the work themselves. Then they have to stay forever to keep it running. The Mormons know that if they can get a project running and then leave, they can do far more work and they can also create self-sufficiency and... Read the rest of this entry »
This year, Mormon Sunday School classes for adults and teens and the Senior Primary children who are ages eight to twelve are studying the New Testament. All Primary children—those ages 3 to 11, will have a sharing time (a time when a number of classes meet together to be taught by their leaders) focusing on the truthfulness of scripture.
The Sunday School classes and senior Primary are on a four year rotation system. Each year they study one book of scripture—Old Testament, New Testament, Book of Mormon and Church History/Doctrine and Covenants (a book of modern revelation). The Senior Primary, the teens, and the adults study the same book of scripture at the same pace but at their own level. This allows families to come together after church and during the week to discuss what they’ve learned and lets parents reinforce those teachings.
Younger children, ages four to seven, are on a two year rotation, covering two books of scripture in one year,... Read the rest of this entry »
Mormon leaders recently signed an interfaith document reaffirming a commitment to traditional marriage. The document was signed by leaders from the following faiths: Anglican, Baptist, Catholic, Evangelical, Jewish, Lutheran, Mormon, Orthodox, Pentecostal and Sikh.
The statement reminds readers that marriage is not just a religious principle, but a principle that is critical to all of society, since it is the natural foundation for families and is the best way to provide a stable upbringing for children.
“As religious leaders across different faith communities, we join together and affirm our shared commitment to promote and protect marriage as the union of one man and one woman. We honor the unique love between husbands and wives; the indispensible place of fathers and mothers; and the corresponding rights and dignity of all children.” Read the rest of this entry »
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Mormon beliefs sometimes get confused with the beliefs and practices of other religions. One such belief concerns the celebration of Christmas. Mormons tend to be very passionate Christmas celebrators, with many Mormon congregations hosting nativity festivals or free sing-alongs of Handel’s Messiah each year.
While Santa makes an appearance in some Mormon homes, the focus is always on the meaning of Christmas. Christmas is considered a sacred holiday and Mormon families are encouraged to simplify the secular portions of it in order to make more room for the spiritual elements of the Christmas celebration.
Mormons believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ and celebrate His birth as a pivotal moment in eternal life. The Book of Mormon, which Mormons consider a companion book to the Bible, says, “And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know... Read the rest of this entry »
From time to time an old Mormon “prophecy” known as the White Horse Prophecy, surfaces. Despite the fact that Mormon leaders have denounced it as not having been issued by Joseph Smith, some members and non-members continue to circulate it, sometimes trying to apply it to a specific political leader or commentator.
The legend is that Joseph Smith uses a horse analogy, with different colors or shades of horses representing various groups of people. The white horse, naturally, was assigned the role of the good people. In the prophecy the White Horse, often defined as the priesthood or a specific priesthood holder, would rush in to save the United States from attack or to save the Constitution. The White Horse is said to establish a safe haven in the far west where Mormons will be able to go to escape war and destruction. The Mormons in this sanctuary will be wealthy while the rest of the nation disintegrates. This destruction will be caused by an attack... Read the rest of this entry »
In the October 2010 General Conference, a semi-annual world-wide meeting for Mormons, Boyd K. Packer gave a talk which generated some controversy. It has been widely reported as a talk on homosexuality, but was in reality a talk on a proclamation on families issued by the Mormons a number of years ago. In this talk, he also addressed pornography, honoring marriage vows, and chastity. He focused on the ability of people to choose repentance and then to succeed in their sincere efforts to repent and their ability to be forgiven for past sins.
In order to understand why the controversy is misguided, one must understand some important principles concerning how the Mormon Church operates. Elder Packer is an apostle. The president of the Church and the prophet are roles both filled by Thomas S. Monson. President Monson is assisted by two counselors. He and the counselors form the First Presidency of the Church. Next is the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, of... Read the rest of this entry »
A soft-launch of the newly revised LDS.org is available for preview at NewLDS.org. Not all features are working, but you can easily see what will soon be available for you to use. It is a far more personalized and interactive site than the previous version.
To use the personalized features, you will need to register. You’ll only be asked for a username and password, and if you are LDS (Mormon) for your membership record number. The membership number allows you to access the few parts open only to members—membership lists for your own ward or stake (similar to congregations and dioceses) and to information specifically for people in certain callings or programs. Although you must register, you will not be contacted by missionaries or other church members. In the years I’ve been registered, I’ve never even received an email from them. It simply allows them to provide you with private access to any personalized materials you create and to ensure... Read the rest of this entry »
The Tabernacle, home of the famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir, was host to a Constitution Day celebration on 17 September 2010. The keynote speaker was Elder Dallin H. Oaks, an apostle for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. However, he was speaking that day not as a religious leader but as an expert on constitutional law. Elder Oaks helped to revise the Illinois state constitution, worked as a law professor, and served as a state supreme court justice prior to becoming a Mormon apostle.
Elder Oaks addressed the world-wide importance of the Constitution of the United States, which has been used as a model for constitutions world-wide. He pointed out that when we weaken our own constitution, we also weaken the foundations of other nations as well, for this reason.
He cautioned listeners not to use the constitution as a weapon to end debate, but as a tool to begin it. “A public policy or a proposed law that is unwise is not necessarily unconstitutional.... Read the rest of this entry »
