Mormons: We're misunderstood

Ask Mark Briscoe, leader of the Howell ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the greatest misconception about the church, and he doesn't have to think very long or hard.

"Sometimes people would say that we're not Christians," he said. "We definitely are. We believe in Jesus Christ."

An Idaho native, Briscoe has been a Mormon his whole life, and said it is painful to have others think that his church is somehow outside the boundaries of Christianity. He said he was a high school student when he first heard the accusation.

"It was a little bit unsettling," he said. "From my earliest memories, we talked about Jesus Christ." In fact, members of the church believe that Jesus' teachings were changed and weakened soon after the apostles died, and that this "apostasy," or falling away from the truth, led to the withdrawal of the true church from the earth.

Mormons believe that was reversed when Joseph Smith, regarded as a prophet, was visited by God and Jesus in a vision in 1820. That's when Smith was chosen to restore the true church to the world, according to LDS doctrine. Smith translated the Book of Mormon, the sacred text of the Latter Day Saints, which is based on the Bible.

The religion has received increased attention as Mitt Romney's prominence as a presidential candidate has risen. As happened with John F. Kennedy, the first Catholic president, some political observers have questioned whether Romney's Mormonism will hurt his electability, or his conduct as president if he's eventually elected.

Jan Shipps, an expert in the LDS church, a professor emeritus of history and religious studies at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, and a Methodist, said that concern is overhyped.

She said that, unlike Catholicism, in which a politician can be denied communion for votes in support of abortion rights, for example, the Mormon church does not directly influence its members who happen to be politicians.

A local bishop can exclude a church member from the temple, but that's about it, Shipps said.

"They don't have any official way to control their members, except to say that they can go into or cannot go into the temple," Shipps said.

"I just don't think it's a big deal, but a lot of people think it is because the president of the church is also understood to be a prophet," she said. "But the likelihood that the president of the church would have a revelation that the president has to do this or has to do that is less than zero."

Briscoe agreed with Shipps' assessment that any influence the church would have over members would be at the local level. But even that would not include anything political.

"We never say we're for one candidate or the other," he said. "Our view is that's not proper."

There is some evidence, however, that Romney is getting a lot of support from Mormons — 13 percent of the money he's raised so far, or $2.37 million, has come from the state of Utah, home of the church's headquarters.

Local ties, global reach Briscoe's title is "Bishop," analogous to a pastor, but he doesn't receive a salary from the church. That goes for all other leaders as well. Briscoe works as a powertrain engineer for Ford Motor Co. in Livonia.

The LDS church on West Grand River Avenue in Howell has 400 members; holds services every Sunday; and has youth activities during the week.

One of the hallmarks of the church is the cooperation and support between members.

Members go in groups of two to visit each other on the weekends for "Home Teaching" sessions, in which they talk about spirituality and life in general, he said.

"Part of it is to see if people need help with anything," he said. "The goal is that nobody feels they don't have someone to call."

The visiting is separated by gender, with males visiting males and females visiting females.

Mormon services are not the raucous or musical affairs that other denominations celebrate.

A typical service starts with the sacrament, a hymn and a prayer. Then, church members who Briscoe has spoken with beforehand give talks of about 10 minutes long on a given subject.

Non-Mormons, however, don't often get the chance to witness these services. The church has a reputation for secrecy, but Shipps said it's not just for the sake of exclusion.

"A better way to say it is what goes on in the temple is sacred and therefore private, rather than secret," she said. "All temples are closed to anyone except those who the bishop recommends."

Outreach also is an important part of the Mormon philosophy. Most men do two years of missionary work when they're around 19 years old, and unmarried women do 18 months. One of Briscoe's own sons is in Brazil right now as a missionary.

College age is an ideal time to go abroad as a missionary because it exposes one to the world, yet still gives a person time to start a family. And family, Briscoe said, is a foundational piece of the Mormon church.

"We do believe in families," he said. "We believe a man and a woman should get married and raise a family, so we encourage that."

Briscoe himself was a missionary in Spain: "I learned probably as much from that experience as I did from college."

Mormons also are aware of opportunities to tell friends and other social acquaintances about Mormonism, Briscoe said, and how to approach people is a subject of conversation in the church.

"As life goes on, you get into discussions about your beliefs," he said. "We feel like what we have is so important ... we really feel deeply that what we believe is the truth."

The church has been fairly successful in bringing more people in. There are about 6 million members of the LDS church in United States, and more than that abroad, Shipps said.

Not universally embraced Many of the church's practices have prompted criticism from other religions. Polygamy, the practice of husbands having more than one wife, may be the most enduring stereotype of Mormons. But it hasn't been practiced since 1890 by the church, and is strictly prohibited.

The LDS past practice of baptizing Jewish Holocaust victims after their death drew fierce opposition from Jewish leaders as well.

Shipps said it was done to give non-Mormons the choice in the afterlife of becoming Mormon. That's also why there's such an emphasis in the church on genealogy — so that all one's relatives can be identified and baptized, she said.

Also, black people were denied membership until 1978, when the president of the church at the time had a revelation that they should be included.

Now, Shipps said, the LDS church has made strong inroads into nonwhite areas such as Japan, South Korea and Africa.

"There may be as many people worshipping on Sunday in Spanish-speaking areas than English-speaking," she said.

Theologically, Mormonism is viewed suspiciously by some as well. The Southern Baptist Convention, for example, puts the LDS church in the category of "Cults, Sects and New Religious Movements."

Shipps said the thing that sets Mormonism apart — and ironically draws the ire of both Christians and Jews — is the belief that the church is re-gathering the twelve tribes of Israel.

"It's a very complex and interesting and powerful theology, but for those looking at it from the outside, it seems somewhat strange because it has, in addition to Christian claims, claims to be the restoration of Israel," Shipps said.

Another notable Mormon belief is that the church president is a prophet, and receives the word of God.

"We believe God does talk to man," Briscoe said. "He chooses one prophet at a time."

Regardless of the negativity and criticism they may run into, he said, most Mormons aren't swayed.

"When people say things, we're still confident and confident in what we know to be right," he said.

Smith translated the Book of Mormon, the sacred text of the Latter Day Saints, which is based on the Bible.

Not quite. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has several "sacred texts" - or scriptures, as we call them. They include the Old Testament, the New Testament, the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, the Doctrine & Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. The Book of Mormon is not based upon the Bible, but is a companion Testament bearing witness of Jesus Christ and detailing more of his ministry on the Earth.

Members go in groups of two to visit each other on the weekends for "Home Teaching" sessions, in which they talk about spirituality and life in general, he said. "Part of it is to see if people need help with anything," he said. "The goal is that nobody feels they don't have someone to call." The visiting is separated by gender, with males visiting males and females visiting females.

Not true. "Home Teachers" are Priesthood holders who monthly visit everyone - from entire families to single members. "Visiting Teachers" are women from the Relief Society who provide monthly visits to the women in the Church.

A typical service starts with the sacrament, a hymn and a prayer. Then, church members who Briscoe has spoken with beforehand give talks of about 10 minutes long on a given subject. Non-Mormons, however, don't often get the chance to witness these services.

Not true. These services are held in our Chapels and Stake Centers (which is a just a larger chapel). Each of those buildings, directly under the name of the Church, are the words "Visitors Welcome". Any visitor is instantly welcomed to attend almost every meeting held in the chapel there - especially Sacrament Meeting. The author of this article has confused regular worship services in our Chapels with the ordinances performed in our Temples.

The LDS past practice of baptizing Jewish Holocaust victims after their death drew fierce opposition from Jewish leaders as well.

We perform proxy baptisms in our Temples for every person who has died, no matter their race, religion, nation of origin, etc. The names are submitted by people who have those names in their ancestry. Proxy baptisms did not target Jewish Holocaust victims. Anyone who does not believe in the Church or the efficacy of the proxy baptisms performed by the Church shouldn't then complain about them being performed since, therefore, in that person's opinion, they are meaningless.

Also, black people were denied membership until 1978, when the president of the church at the time had a revelation that they should be included.

Absolutely untrue. Blacks were not denied membership.

Theologically, Mormonism is viewed suspiciously by some as well. The Southern Baptist Convention, for example, puts the LDS church in the category of "Cults, Sects and New Religious Movements."

The Romans felt the same way about Christ and His Apostles. I seem to recall crucifying was involved at some point.

Mr. Meisler's research could have been performed a little better. This article has more innacuracies than most I read about the Church. Although, he did steer clear of obvious bias and tried to be fair.

LDS doctrine does not subscribe to traditional creedal trinitarianism. That is, the LDS do not believe the extra-biblical doctrines which surround many Christians’ ideas about God, such as expressed by the Nicene Creed. Specifically, the LDS do not accept the proposition that God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit are different manifestations of the same Being.

Rather, LDS doctrine teaches that God the Father is personally and numerically distinct from Jesus Christ, His Only Begotten Son. The Father is understood to be the literal father of His spirit children.

LDS believe that Jesus Christ’s role is central to our Heavenly Father’s plan. Christ is unique in several respects from all other spirit children of God:

Jesus was and is perfect
Jesus is God; the other spirit children of the Father were not (See John 1:1-2, Hebrews 1:6, 1 Nephi 11:16–26, D&C 76:13).
Jesus is the Creator (See John 1:3, Hebrews 1:1–6, Mosiah 3:3, Helaman 14:12, Moses 2:1).
Jesus obeyed the Father in all things (See 3 Nephi 11:11).
Jesus was chosen and foreordained to be the Redeemer (See Isaiah 43:11, Mosiah 13:28–34, 3 Nephi 9:15, Moses 4:2).
Jesus is the Mediator between God and humanity (See John 14:6, 1 Timothy 2:5, Hebrews 8:5, 2 Nephi 2:28, D&C 76:69).
Jesus was “the Only Begotten”—only He, of all God’s children, had a physical inheritance in His body from God the Father. All other mortals have two mortal parents, and Satan and his followers never receive physical bodies at all. (See John 1:14, John 3:16, John 14:3, Jacob 4:11, Alma 12:33–34).
God the Father also had many other spirit children, created in His image and that of His Only Begotten. These children include all humans born on the earth. Some of God’s children rebelled against Him, and contested the choice of Jesus as Savior. (See D&C 76:25–27). The leader of these children was Lucifer, or Satan. Those spirit children of God who followed Satan in his rebellion against Christ are sometimes referred to as “demons,” or “devils.” (See Moses 4:1–4, Abraham 3:24–28).

Thus, it is technically true to say that Jesus and Satan are “brothers,” in the sense that both have the same spiritual parent, God the Father.

However, critics do not provide the context for this doctrine. Cain and Abel were also brothers, and yet no Bible reader believes that they are spiritual equals or equally admirable.

Finally, while it is true that all mortals share a spiritual parent with Jesus (and Satan, and every other spiritual child of God), we now have a different, more important relationship with Jesus. All of God’s children, save Jesus, have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). In sinning, they abandon and betray their divine heritage and inheritance. Only through Jesus can any mortal return home to God the Father. This return becomes possible when a sinner is born again, and adopted by Christ, who becomes the spiritual father to those whom He redeems. (See Romans 8:14–39.)

Elder M. Russell Ballard cautioned members of the Church:

We occasionally hear some members refer to Jesus as our Elder Brother, which is a true concept based on our understanding of the premortal life with our Father in Heaven. But like many points of gospel doctrine, that simple truth doesn’t go far enough in terms of describing the Savior’s role in our present lives and His great position as a member of the Godhead. Thus, some non-LDS Christians are uncomfortable with what they perceive as a secondary role for Christ in our theology. They feel that we view Jesus as a spiritual peer. They believe that we view Christ as an implementor for God, if you will, but that we don’t view Him as God to us and to all mankind, which, of course, is counter to biblical testimony about Christ’s divinity…
Now we can understand why some Latter-day Saints have tended to focus on Christ’s Sonship as opposed to His Godhood. As members of earthly families, we can relate to Him as a child, as a Son, and as a Brother because we know how that feels. We can personalize that relationship because we ourselves are children, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters. For some it may be more difficult to relate to Him as a God. And so in an attempt to draw closer to Christ and to cultivate warm and personal feelings toward Him, some tend to humanize Him, sometimes at the expense of acknowledging His Divinity. So let us be very clear on this point: it is true that Jesus was our Elder Brother in the premortal life, but we believe that in this life it is crucial that we become “born again” as His sons and daughters in the gospel covenant.[1]
[edit]Conclusion
Jesus, Satan, and all humanity share God the Father as their spiritual sire. However, moral agency led Jesus to obey God the Father perfectly and share fully in the Father’s divine nature and power. The same agency led Satan to renounce God, fight Jesus, and doom himself to eternal damnation. The remainder of God’s children—all of us—have the choice to follow the route chosen by Satan, or the path to which Christ invites us and shows the way.

Divine parenthood gives all children of God potential; Christ maximized that potential, and Satan squandered it.

To choose the gospel of Jesus Christ and the grace that attends it will lead us home again. If we choose to follow Satan’s example, and refuse to accept the gift of God’s Only Begotten Son, our spiritual parentage cannot help us, just as it cannot help dignify or enoble Satan.

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