LDS and the Cross. Hope you find this interesting

[RebeccaJ]

it’s more an opposition to Christianity in general and Catholicism specifically.

I think that sums up Mormonism in general.

 

[lax16]

Perhaps you are not aware that in LDS theology we are all spirit children of our Heavenly Father with Jesus Christ being the first born in the spirit and occasionally referred to as our “Elder Brother”. So, in LDS theology Christ is in essence a spiritual loved one.

Thanks for explaining this, gazelam.

I want to make sure I understand what you are saying here…

Are you saying that because we (humans beings and Jesus Christ) are all spirit children of God, we are all equal to one another? All human beings are equal to Jesus Christ because he is our brother? The only difference is that he is the first born?

And, because of this, the death of Aunt Millie and Jesus Christ are of equal importance?

Thanks!

 

[veilofveronica]

Thanks for explaining this, gazelam.

I want to make sure I understand what you are saying here…

Are you saying that because we (humans beings and Jesus Christ) are all spirit children of God, we are all equal to one another? All human beings are equal to Jesus Christ because he is our brother? The only difference is that he is the first born?

And, because of this, the death of Aunt Millie and Jesus Christ are of equal importance?

Thanks!

From what I was taught during my sojourn as a Mormon…

Christ is the “firstborn” of Heavenly Father, so our oldest brother, but He is far more evolved than we are and is most like God. We aren’t equal to Him…yet…but can be…and therein lies a huge rift with traditional Christian doctrine.

 

[andrewstx]

There is one event in LDS history that makes Mormon relations with the cross very clear. It is the MountIan Meadows massacre. what happened is there was a wagon train of “gentiles” crossing Utah en route to California. They never made it because they were slaughterd men women and most of the children. They were left to rot where they fell.

Later they were buried by Christians in a common grave topped by a monument topped by a Christian cross. The Mormons quickly removed the cross.

 

[mackbrislawn]

The Cross used as a divider by the LDS faithful / what would you do?

How would you answer this Mormon friend / How would you answer this as a Catholic at this table?

Recently I was at a memorial for my younger brother who died many years ago in a tragic car accident.

My sister who now has 5 children has one who is twelve years old that has been attending the Mormon Church with a family friend. My sister and her family do not attend any church and feel that it is good for him. Their background is Greek Orthodox. They do make the sign of the Cross when I have a blessing on the meal when we get together.
After the service Mathew who is a bright child came over to me and pointed at my Crucifix that I always wear. Not to my surprise he shyly started asking me a question that I was able to finish for him. He started to say in a stumbling broken kind of way.
If say. a grandmother was killed by a man with a hammer, well …well…I said; “would we hang the hammer on the wall right Mathew?”

Smiling slightly he answered yes

Right at my feet was an Orthodox etching of a cross on the tombstone. I pointed to it and said “Mathew the cross is the greatest Christian symbol of all time. Look over there, what is that. He says a cross

Look at that grave over there, do you see it? The Cross? He says yes.
Again. Mathew this is our symbol as authentic Christians.

Now I kind of left it right there as he is only 12 years old. If he asked another I would have answered.

It’s hard to know that a child you love is being taught what he is being taught about the Cross and of course first and foremost the 2000 year old Catholic Church, along with all other Christian denominations that flow from the Catholic Church. I know exactly what is taking place in his new circle. The initiation process of division.

My question is this.

Do you think I should show him this? Maybe around the dinner table this Sunday as we are celebrating a late Greek Easter in the evening. His Mormon friend will be there. He does not know that I know the inside story to all of this. I could bring it up as a question that Mathew asked me that I would love to further respond to in a sharing kind of way.

Like this:

Mathew you asked me a really cool question while at Michael’s Memorial. Really made me think. Here is a good way to look at this Mathew. Let’s take these two scriptures about the Cross and our Savior. There are so many like these two.

Lets take 1st Corinthians 1:18

…the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."

Now lets replace Cross with Hammer

…the message of the (Hammer) is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved
it is the power of God."

Does that make sense to you?

How about this great scripture Mathew regarding the Cross of Christ, our symbol of faith from
Colossians 2:14

“…having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.”

Saint Paul is speaking about our sin, how only Jesus can wipe this out for us. Let me read it again:

“…having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.”

Let me read it again using a hammer in the place of the Cross

“…having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the Hammer.”
Colossians 2:14

Can you see the Wisdom is this? Its different right?

And now his friend who is eighty years old
“But we agree on the scriptures, on the Cross. On the atonement. We just would not hang it on our walls or place it in our Church.

Now how would you respond knowing where this is all coming from and how you just presented this? How would you answer this as a Catholic at this table? Simply saying we would not hang the cross on the wall, no. It is being compared to simply a murder weapon. Then on to “We focus on His resurrection, not His death”

The Jehovah’s Witnesses use a question similar to this to try to trip up Christians who use the cross. The JW;s use an electric chair in their question instead of hammer. However, the cross for Christians is a symbol of triumph over death. Jesus died on the cross, but was then resurrected. Portraying the cross is also very scriptural, because Paul said to the Galatians, “you to whom Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.”

The question really is a simple-minded attempt to make you question what you have been taught in your Christian beliefs.

 

[exiled]

I am part of a military family and community, and this morning at Mass a couple of things dawned on me. It’s not exactly apples to apples, but perhaps it can help someone.
There are displays, mostly temporary, that show a pair of combat boots, rifle stood upright in side a boot, with a helmet capping the rifle, as a memorial to fallen soldiers.
While these items are not the instruments of their deaths (hence, not apples to apples), they are a symbol of their *sacrificial love. *

If my son, who is an Army officer, dies defending our country, I would proudly wear his ( fill in the blank) as a memorial, and I would be honored that others would remember him this way. If I could, I would visit the (for me) hallowed ground where he died.

Jesus Christ, whether you are Catholic, Christian or Mormon, died for us out of Sacrificial Love. The Cross is the symbol of His Love, not His Death. The Cross wasn’t even the instrument, the hammers and nails and spears, etc. were the instruments.

 

[Horton]

Jesus Christ, whether you are Catholic, Christian or Mormon, died for us out of Sacrificial Love. The Cross is the symbol of His Love, not His Death. The Cross wasn’t even the instrument, the hammers and nails and spears, etc. were the instruments.

The cross is the symbol of Christ’s love for all humanity. For the LDS to claim they are Christians yet deny the significance of the cross, in my opinion, just shows they lack a clear understanding of who Jesus Christ is, His role in our salvation, and have no idea what it means to be Christian.

It’s as though they would redefine Christianity to fit within their peculiar dogma.

 

[Marie5890]

Exiled, thanks for sharing your meditation on this, and in light of the sacrifices our military and their families make for the rest of us. It’s truly a beautiful meditation.

Thanks for all the sacrifices that you and your family and community do make for us. We are grateful

God’s blessings. May He protect your son, and all whom he serves with.

I am part of a military family and community, and this morning at Mass a couple of things dawned on me. It’s not exactly apples to apples, but perhaps it can help someone.
There are displays, mostly temporary, that show a pair of combat boots, rifle stood upright in side a boot, with a helmet capping the rifle, as a memorial to fallen soldiers.
While these items are not the instruments of their deaths (hence, not apples to apples), they are a symbol of their *sacrificial love. *

If my son, who is an Army officer, dies defending our country, I would proudly wear his ( fill in the blank) as a memorial, and I would be honored that others would remember him this way. If I could, I would visit the (for me) hallowed ground where he died.

Jesus Christ, whether you are Catholic, Christian or Mormon, died for us out of Sacrificial Love. The Cross is the symbol of His Love, not His Death. The Cross wasn’t even the instrument, the hammers and nails and spears, etc. were the instruments.