Posted on 01/01/2008 6:40:32 PM PST by TheDon
Mormons. Just mentioning the name can evoke images as wide-ranging as "polygamists living in the deserts of Utah" and "a traditional all-American family with strong religious values."
Both can be found in the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as it has evolved into one of America's fastest-growing religions, with more than 13 million members worldwide, including approximately 50,000 in Orange County.
In 2005, Orange County got its first temple: the Newport Beach California Temple. For Mormons, temples are very important and differ from the sites used for regular Sunday worship meetings. They are considered houses of God where ceremonies such as baptism and eternal marriages are performed. The primary function of temple rituals is to seal families together, allowing them to dwell together for eternity.
According to Mormon beliefs, the roots of their religion go back to 1827, in Palmyra, N.Y., where Joseph Smith dug up a set of golden tablets, which he translated and published as the Book of Mormon. This book is considered sacred and, along with the Old and New Testaments, guided Smith and his followers.
On the 8.8-acre Newport Beach campus, where along with the temple there is a meeting house, we met with Dr. Weatherford Clayton, 55, stake (diocese) president. An obstetrician and father of five children, he has been a Mormon "basically all my life."
Here are his edited responses to several questions.
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(Excerpt) Read more at ocregister.com ...
LDS Ping!
A little Q&A in an Orange County, CA newspaper with an LDS stake president.
I find it interesting that a faith can be promoted but a critique of that faith is actively suppressed.
Thank you
Since the temple ceremony was supposed to have been given by revelation to the Mormon prophet Joseph Smith, some members of the church are very disturbed that the current church leaders would make changes in the sacred ritual.
Although some Mormon apologists would have us believe that the changes were really very minor or were only made so the ceremony could be shortened, the evidence we present in Evolution of the Mormon Temple Ceremony clearly demonstrates that many of the changes were major and affect very important Mormon teachings.
In the 1990 version of the temple ceremony the Mormon leaders removed the "penalties" for revealing the secrets. These penalties had previously been considered "most sacred." We have always felt that these penalties were not compatible with Christian teachings and have strongly opposed them in print for over twenty years.
The evidence shows that the wording with regard to the penalties was originally very strong, but has been altered over the years. In the book, Temple Mormonism, published in 1931, p. 18, we find this information concerning the First Token of the Aaronic Priesthood:
"The left arm is here placed at the square, palm to the front, the right hand and arm raised to the neck, holding the palm downwards and thumb under the right ear.
"Adam—'We, and each of us, covenant and promise that we will not reveal any of the secrets of this, the first token of the Aaronic priesthood, with its accompanying name, sign or penalty. Should we do so, we agree that our throats be cut from ear to ear and our tongues torn out by their roots.'...
"Sign—In executing the sign of the penalty, the right hand palm down, is drawn sharply across the throat, then dropped from the square to the side."
Your "critique" soon turns to Mormon Bashing.
Most do it for the express purpose of insulting Mormons.
Just like Governor Boggs who issued the extermination order in Missouri. That was finally repealed about 10 or 15 years ago.
Probably should note your source lest someone accuse you of plagerism.
Authors of Evolution of Mormon Temple Ceremony, Jerald and Sandra Tanner.
Originally founded as Modern Microfilm Co. by Jerald and Sandra Tanner, the company was reorganized as a non-profit organization on January 1, 1983, and the name was changed to Utah Lighthouse™ Ministry.
Jerald and Sandra Tanner were raised in the LDS faith, both with a strong Mormon family history. Jerald is the great-great-grandson of John Tanner, well known for his sizeable financial contributions to Joseph Smith and the LDS church in 1835 when the church was deeply in debt. Sandra Tanner is a great-great-granddaughter of Brigham Young, the second president of the Mormon Church.
Jerald is now deceased.
I met Sandra Tannar during this past year and she has been a great inspiration of me and other former Mormons.
In other words they are a church dedicated to being critical of the LDS Church. Instead of professing their own beliefs they profess their disbelief in the LDS Church. ULM is strictly an anti-mormon website and organization.
I have communicated with Jerald Tanner via email numerous times in 2001 to 02 personally, I have never met nor communicated with Sandra. While I consider both Christians I don't believe their Utah Lighthouse Ministry to be anything of the sort.
They almost led me astray but thanks prayerfully seeking answers before making a decision I realized that the ULM was only trying to drive me from my faith in the Lord and my belief in the Church and not actually trying to "save" me.
After being denied the right to witness the "temple marriages" of my two daughters, I chose to leave the LDS Church.
Since that time, have become a Christian and learned much about the unusual religion that my one daughter and her family continue to practice.
Most people outside the LDS Church, and I dare say even many in it have no idea what actually is practiced in those temples.
It's high time to open up everyone's eyes to the "family friendly" image that Mormons are, even though most only associate it with polygamy, one but many strange practices brought to us by Joseph Smith.
Since Mormons and even Mitt Romney now claim to be "Christians too" does that make us all Mormons?
Do other Christians, after reading but one of the "ceremonies" practiced in a Mormon Temple, consider that to be Christian?
Interesting food for thought.
To add to that I should actually THANK Jerald Tanner for helping to strengthen my testimony in the LDS Church because without him I would have taken longer to actually pray and study my beliefs instead of just following along like many members do.
The majority of the “critiques” of your religion have called in to question the validity of your teachings...the same kind of critiques evangelical Christianity receives. I have been following these threads for some time, I have rarely seen any of the alleged “bashing” you claim. I think that is a straw man designed to shield you and your fellow Mormons from honest questions about LDS doctrine.
Would you find it interesting to know that your “sacred” temple ceremonies are verbatim copies of the Masonic Orders...down to, and including, the “penalties?” And they precede the Temple ceremonies by many decades.
Male family members who were Masons have long since died and I have not retained any relationship with "Eastern Star" nor any in Masonic org.
When asked about whether or not jesus and Satan were spirit brother he didnt give a straight yes or no but just danced arounf the answer...However he did say “all beings were created by God and are his spirit children.” but what does that mean???
(The bom) “contains the history of a fallen people here in the Americas and includes the account of Christ’s personal visit to the Americas after his ascension into heaven from the old world.”
No wonder the mormons reject the Nicean creed..as i remeber it goes...He ascended into Heaven ans sitteth on the right hand of God the father...nothing about leaving Heaven again and “Coming to America”
“As son of God, he inherited the powers of godhood and divinity from his father, including the capacity to live forever”
ERROR ALERT and no mention that Jesus IS God, and that He existed as the Word of God in Heaven BEFORE He was born a man...
“God re-established the original church of Christ, beginning with the appearance of our heavenly father and his son, Jesus Christ, to the boy, Joseph Smith, in 1820. Because of that restoration, God speaks to prophets on earth today just as he did in ancient times.”
The original church never needed restyoring...and God the Father and Jesus never appeared to Joseph Smith...God does not speak to the “prophets today as he did “in ancient times>>>is that pre- Old testament???
God the Holy Spirit came “upon” the prophets of the Old testament...we can be filled with the Holy spirit ourselves...no need for prophets any more...Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit John 16:7-15
“They were beings tabernacled in flesh.”
No God has no flesh God is spirit...and no man can look upon Him...
TO ALL WHO WANT TO HELP US TO BELIEVE WHAT YOU BELIEVE ABOUT CHRIST AND HOW HE GUIDES HIS PEOPLE ON EARTH.
If this thread is like most others that have anything to do with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or as we are more often called, the Mormons, it will soon be taken over by those who, for reasons of their own, choose to put down my Church, and those of us who worship with it.
We find no problem with people who really want to talk to us about converting to their religion, we spend a lot of time doing it ourselves.
What we find offensive is when people leave out part of the truth to make a half-true lie , or when some one renames something, that we find important or sacred, so it sounds like gutter talk.
I do not know how to tell the difference all the time. There are some Handles that keep showing up, and they are easy to spot. Sometimes, though, I have given a hard and not so kind response to some who honestly care for us and our salvation.
Please forgive us if we get you mixed up.
Thanks for your time,
fred
Acts 11: 26 And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
Ever since this day many heretical groups have attempted to hijack the name “Christian” for themselves. So far, for 2000 years they have failed.
To add to that I should actually THANK Jerald Tanner for helping to strengthen my testimony in the LDS Church because without him I would have taken longer to actually pray and study my beliefs instead of just following along like many members do.
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That’s a big 10-4.
I have rarely seen any of the alleged “bashing” you claim.
++++++++++++++
From the inside it looks like that.
(The bom) “contains the history of a fallen people here in the Americas and includes the account of Christ’s personal visit to the Americas after his ascension into heaven from the old world.”
No wonder the mormons reject the Nicean creed..as i remeber it goes...He ascended into Heaven ans sitteth on the right hand of God the father...nothing about leaving Heaven again and “Coming to America”
“As son of God, he inherited the powers of godhood and divinity from his father, including the capacity to live forever”
ERROR ALERT and no (and on and on and on and on)
++++++++++++++++++
These questions have often been answered, but they must be asked again and again. Repeated as if not answered, and with no reference to the answers.
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