In case you haven’t noticed by now, I’ve been a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormon is not the official name of the church, but it’s the one most people are familiar with) since 2007. Yep, I’m a Mormon! Woohoo!
In honor of the release of the awesome new movie Meet the Mormons this weekend, I’m teaming up with some other fabulous bloggers to tell our unique stories about what the church means to us. While I always love telling the story of my conversion, I thought today I would do something a little bit different and talk about some of the weird things people have heard about us and why they should no longer prevent you from thinking we’re cool. =)
1. We Don’t Think You’re Going to Hell
It’s true, we do believe that our church is the only one that has the whole truth. Most churches do. Otherwise what’s the point of organizing a church at all, am I right? But unlike many other churches, we don’t think that means that everyone who doesn’t believe the things we do is going to Hell.
This is one of my very favorite elements of the LDS church, actually. Our view of heaven is one of the most inclusive, merciful concepts of the afterlife I’ve ever come across. To learn why, read this. It’s the most complete breakdown of our views on heaven that I was able to find.
2. We Don’t Practice Polygamy
The following is taken from Mormon.org and says it better than I could:
President Gordon B. Hinckley, prior president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints made the following statement in 1998 about the Church’s position on plural marriage:
“This Church has nothing whatever to do with those practicing polygamy. They are not members of this Church…. If any of our members are found to be practicing plural marriage, they are excommunicated, the most serious penalty the Church can impose. Not only are those so involved in direct violation of the civil law, they are in violation of the law of this Church.”
At various times, the Lord has commanded His people to practice plural marriage. For example, He gave this command to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, and Solomon (Doctrine and Covenants 132:1). At other times the Lord has given other instructions. In the Book of Mormon, the Lord told the prophet Jacob “for there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife: and concubines he shall have none… for if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things (Jacob 2:27-30).
In this dispensation, the Lord commanded some of the early Saints to practice plural marriage. The Prophet Joseph Smith and those closest to him, including Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball, were challenged by this command, but they obeyed it. In 1890, President Wilford Woodruff received a revelation that the leaders of the Church should cease teaching the practice of plural marriage (Official Declaration 1).
The Lord’s law of marriage is monogamy unless he commands otherwise to help establish the House of Israel (see Encyclopedia of Mormonism Vol. 3, pp. 1091-1095).
Want to learn more about this subject? Read what other church members are saying about it.
3. We Don’t Hate Gay People
Find this and other free #ldsconf images at brittanybullen.com. There are LOTS more!
I won’t lie to you, our church is firm about gender as it relates to marriage. Most bible-based churches are. But no church I would ever go to could ever condone cruel or hateful behavior toward any individual or group!
I have nothing but love for the LGBT individuals I know and have known, and I know for a fact that the vast majority of my peers in the church feel the same way.
The following was taken from a recent talk given by one of our church leaders about standing firm in our convictions while simultaneously showing love to those who do not share them. It was directed at the youth of the church, but can easily be extended to all of us.
Read the rest of the other points on Brittany’s Blog here
I only see 3 but those 3 are really good
Follow the link at the end of the post to http://brittanybullen.com/blog/meet-this-mormon/ for all 9 reasons 🙂
I was recently in a mini-conversation with a gay man who was commenting on David Archuleta, the LDS church, and the new “Meet The Mormons” movie. Although our Church’s, and my own beliefs were challenged, and some might say even attacked, I believe I remained calm and Christ-like. He wanted to know why ‘we’ can’t just let ‘them’ have their ‘rights’, and why our church got involved in Prop. 8 in California. I said “Just as you have the right to take part in the political process to further your beliefs, so does the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints”. I agree with the article, just because we don’t believe in gay marriage, doesn’t give us the right to be mean, cruel or hateful. One of my best friends at work is gay, and although I disagree with her choice, I am caring and compassionate every chance I get. That’s what Jesus would have us do.
If your church wants to get involved in politics of this nation, it should lose its tax-exempt status. I hold this belief for all churches, not just the LDS.
Actually — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints did not participate as a church in the political movement behind Prop8. True, that movement was greatly composed of members from our church, but it also had members from other churches, and they were individuals exercising their civil rights. Things got a little confusing when opponents to Prop8 took out their frustration by defacing LDS chapels in CA in retaliation against LDS members who participated in the movement. The media didn’t help either by constantly mentioning the Church as a backer for this movement.
The message from our leadership has always been the same: we remain firm on our beliefs regarding marriage, but we should not practice (nor tolerate) any harassment or hateful behavior against no-one, member of our church or not — we are under the commandment to love all, just like Jesus Christ taught.
“Her choice” ? When did you choose to become straight?
I think he is referring to her choice to practice homosexuality. How anyone feels is definitely not a choice. How they act is. We DO NOT believe it’s wrong to be homosexual, but we affirm God’s command that sexual relations be only between a husband and wife.
What you said doesn’t sound any better.. So if someone is born homosexual, they have to be alone for their whole life, or pretend to be interested in the opposite sex and basically force themselves into a relationship just to not be alone? I’m really happy for you not having to be born homosexual in such a society, but seriously, which of those options would you chose if being straight was a ‘sin’? Or would you still love just the same knowing that your ‘God’ loves you just as you are or else why would he make you like that?
Also what kind of pathetic ‘God’ has nothing better to do than say who can and who can’t love each other ? And finally, marriage is not and has never been religious as much as religious people claim it to be, it is society’s way of showing commitment to each other, and how two people are viewed by the government.
Just because people in politics have their own beliefs doesn’t mean it should be allowed to help make laws (even though they try), is the same way that having a priest at a wedding doesn’t have any affect on the actual marriage.
Just stupid, I wish people would stop making up religions to excuse their views on things and enforce their views on other things.
is mormanism the real way to get to heaven? Like can i be saved even if I did some bad stuff.. Like rea bad.
Hi Gerard, Latter-Day Saints, aka Mormons, have a very helpful website for questions like this. Here’s a link to what Repentance is: https://www.lds.org/topics/repentance?lang=eng
If you have more questions you can talk to some local missionaries whenever you’d like 🙂 here’s the link to find them 🙂
http://www.mormon.org/missionaries
Lol
Seriously? Polygamy is still practiced in the Mormon temple. Prop H8? (Or have you forgotten?)
You would have to be extremely ignorant to say that members of the lds church still practice Polygamy. And as for Prop 8 – many members of the LGBT community have come out and said that they’ll do everything they can to DESTROY marriage. Our religion is very centered around marriage and eternal families. They’re trying to destroy what we believe in,essentially. You’re allowed to have extreme groups that support gay marriage but we aren’t allowed to support Prop 8? Oh okay, that makes so much sense.Not.
I stand right there with Jessa. There’s not one single polygamist in my ward or Temple. Why do you say this? While I’m on these sensitive subjects, I have and love gay friends and DISAGREE with their lifestyle. The Church of Jesus Christ gives me and who ever else wants it a safe, non-drama filled structure for a wonderful family and family life. I will support prop 8 till the cows come home.