What is a Mormon?

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TheExorcist said:
As for Mormons being frustrated and confused I just don’t think that’s true for most of the active TBM population. They go about their lives, perform their callings, etc not thinking much about these issues. A lot of then consider challenges to the church to be rubbish and not worth looking at. I have seen this time and time again in the wards I’ve been a member of. They think they are the true church and not much can deter them from this belief.
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That was the way it was when I was LDS. Thanks, Exorcist.
 
Serap said:
Please enlighten me. I am ignorant at this time.

Please explain your fundamental beliefs.
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The best place to learn about the fundamental beliefs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is mormon.org. “Our Values” and “Our Faith” are good beginnings.

Here are a few fundamentals that I believe are important to my faith:

-We believe in Jesus Christ as the divine Son of God, our Savior, and that it is only through His atoning sacrifice that we can receive eternal life. We believe that He is at the head of our Church.

-We believe that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are separate Persons/Beings (we use these terms interchangeably), and that both the Father and the Son are embodied.

-We believe that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a restoration of the ancient Church that we read about in the Bible. We believe that there was an apostasy, or falling away, anciently, and that God restored His Church in the 1800s through the prophet Joseph Smith.

-We believe that there are apostles and prophets today just as there were anciently.

-We believe that we all lived with God in Heaven before we were born on the earth. We call this the “pre-mortal life”.

-In addition to our regular meetinghouses/chapels, we also have temples, where we believe that we can enter into sacred covenants with God, where we can unite families together for eternity, and where we can offer the blessings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to our ancestors that may not have had the opportunity to hear and accept or reject the Gospel in this life. We also believe that God’s presence is found in the temples in a special way, and that temples are a place of revelation.

-We believe that eternal life is not only living in God’s presence for eternity, but also becoming like Him, becoming gods. We believe that this is possible through accepting the atonement of Jesus Christ through faith in Christ, repentance of our sins, being baptized, receiving the Holy Ghost, being eternally married to our spouse, and making sacred covenants with God in the temple in a ceremony called the “endowment”, and enduring to the end (by following the commandments of Christ and always repenting of ours sins).

-We believe in scriptures in addition to the Bible, such as the Book of Mormon, which we believe was written by ancient prophets in the Americas and revealed in the latter-days.

Hope that was helpful!
 
Marie5890 said:
No longer believed in the most basic of Mormon foundational beliefs. IE No longer believe Joseph Smith was a prophet, or that the Book of Mormon was inspired sacred scriptures, the need for temples and the idea of having to be “sealed under priesthood authority” in order to be a family forever. That present day leadership were “prophets, seers and revelators”…(and I had the opportunity of when I lived in Provo of knowing now Elder Jeff Holland, member of the Quorum of 12 Apostles and his lovely wife Pat. Absolutely lovely people. 👍 )

So I left. Sent in my resignation of membership etc. It was simple. No hassles, no harassment.
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so they have 12 apostles? I saw this on their website also. how does one become an apostle?
 
Marie5890 said:
You are welcome. 🙂

I have no regrets for ever having been Mormon. And I have very fond memories of that part of my spiritual journey. 🙂
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That’s great! Yes, I always enjoy seeing your posts, as even though you of course believe the LDS Church is false, you still post in a respectful manner. I wish all ex-[insert any religion] were like you!
 
BYUChemAlum said:
That’s great! Yes, I always enjoy seeing your posts, as even though you of course believe the LDS Church is false, you still post in a respectful manner. I wish all ex-[insert any religion] were like you!
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Yeah she’s very charitable and should set the example!

All religions believe that they have the whole truth, so we need to respect that of all religions. I am embarrassed by what some fellow Catholics write on CAF!!! :eek:
 
BYUChemAlum said:
That’s great! Yes, I always enjoy seeing your posts, as even though you of course believe the LDS Church is false, you still post in a respectful manner. I wish all ex-[insert any religion] were like you!
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Thank you, BYUChem.
Yes, even though I believe the LDS church is false, I do also know that Mormons are authentic in their love and belief in Christ. Because I was even when I was LDS.

Read my signature by Bishop Fulton Sheen. His words are how I feel about those who love Our Lord. 👍
 
Serap said:
so they have 12 apostles? I saw this on their website also. how does one become an apostle?
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They do. I dont remember the scripture off the top of my head but upon the death of an apostle, as with the death of Judas, another is called to fill his place, again, as in the death of Judas
 
How do they pick the apostles?

so these men believe that they are apostles chosen by Christ?
 
Serap said:
Yeah she’s very charitable and should set the example!
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Thanks Serap; Mormons are good people and sincere in the love of God and belief in Christ.

I have said and will always say, you find a Mormon who is sincere in trying to keep their covanents, you find someone whose is trustworthy and dependable.

No one religion has corner market on love and devotion to Our Lord. I respect anyone who seeks to be an authentic and credible disciple of Our Lord. 🙂
 
Serap said:
How do they pick the apostles?

so these men believe that they are apostles chosen by Christ?
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Im a bit fuzzy here since it has been a long time and am sure BYUChem will correct me, but the rest of the LDS apostles meet and chose another.

Yes they believe they are chosen by Christ thru the inspiration of the spirit. Again they go back to the scripture I made reference too upon the death of Judas.
 
Marie5890 said:
Im a bit fuzzy here since it has been a long time and am sure BYUChem will correct me, but the rest of the LDS apostles meet and chose another.

Yes they believe they are chosen by Christ thru the inspiration of the spirit. Again they go back to the scripture I made reference too upon the death of Judas.
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I’m betting that’s the process. How long have you been out of the church?
 
Jerusha said:
That is probably what made the transition especially easy for you.
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I had left the church in '91, still living in Provo. Left UT in '96.

I didn’t find that 5 year span difficult. I know that is not the case for many, but for me, it really wasnt hard.
 
Sociologists of religion consider any religious group or person based in the church started by Joseph Smith Jr. on April 6, 1830 as “Mormons.” In terms of groups, this includes, but is not limited to:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The Community of Christ (Formerly known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Members of this church tend to eshew the term “Mormon”)

The “Remnant” RLDS groups (who rejected reorganization into the Community of Christ)

FLDS, Apostolic United Brethren (they have nothing in common with the Church of the Brethren) and other polygamous groups that trace back to Joseph Smith Jr.

Strangites

Bickertonites

Church of Christ (Temple Lot)
 
I had left the church in '91, still living in Provo. Left UT in '96.
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Were you quiet about you unbelief in that transition time? Seems like they are more tolerant of simple “inactives” who may still be believing, but are assumed to prefer coffee, alcohol, and a g’free life.
 
Marie5890 said:
Thanks Serap; Mormons are good people and sincere in the love of God and belief in Christ.

I have said and will always say, you find a Mormon who is sincere in trying to keep their covanents, you find someone whose is trustworthy and dependable.

No one religion has corner market on love and devotion to Our Lord. I respect anyone who seeks to be an authentic and credible disciple of Our Lord. 🙂
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Me too. I feel the same way you do about other religious people even if they are not Christian. Many Jewish people are also very sincere and work to please God.
 
are Mormons judgemental if they know you are leaving their faith? Why would it be hard for an ex-Mormon to continue living in UT?
 
Jerusha said:
Were you quiet about you unbelief in that transition time? Seems like they are more tolerant of simple “inactives” who may still be believing, but are assumed to prefer coffee, alcohol, and a g’free life.
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Was I quiet? Well I didn’t become a loud anti-Mormon if that is what you mean, but yea, people knew I no longer believed. And the fact I stopped wearing the temple garment was very clear to them.

But I didn’t become disrespectful to those around me, and they in turn were not disrespectful to me.

I didn’t diss their belief and they didn’t try to get me back into the church.
 
Marie5890 said:
Was I quiet? Well I didn’t become a loud anti-Mormon if that is what you mean, but yea, people knew I no longer believed. And the fact I stopped wearing the temple garment was very clear to them.

But I didn’t become disrespectful to those around me, and they in turn were not disrespectful to me.

I didn’t diss their belief and they didn’t try to get me back into the church.
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What’s the temple garment? When do they wear it?
 
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