Posted on 10/31/2014 7:49:55 PM PDT by Colofornian
...FOR FAITHFUL LATTER-DAY SAINTS, the temple endowment ceremony is one of the most...powerful ordinances received in mortality. One authoritative source called it the temporal stepping stone which all people must pass to achieve exaltation with God the Father and Jesus Christ...1 ... 1 Gospel Essentials, rev. ed., sunday school manual (Salt Lake City: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), 1979, 247.
[SNIP]
Another element of literalism disappeared in 1927 when kissing over the altar during vicarious sealings for the dead was abolished.129
Probably the greatest twentieth-century catalyst to increase the number of vicarious endowments was Heber J. Grant's emphasis on temple work. Endowments performed per member during Grant's administration increased substantially. From 1898 to 1912, vicarious endowments averaged .11 endowments per member per year. From 1912 to 1930, the average increased to .38. The decade of 1930-40 saw the annual average again jump to .62. ...this average dropped to .34 by 1945 and remained there through the end of 1950.
...members of the church's computer planning committee realized during the late 1950s and early 1960s, that, given the estimated 70 billion people who had been born on the earth, all LDS adults working in temples eight hours a day, seven days a week wouldn't be able to keep up with the world population growth, much less complete ordinance work for deceased ancestors. This concern has apparently not disappeared. 149 ... 149 See Church News 20 July 1986, 16.
[SNIP}
The 1970s saw a renewed emphasis on temple work. During the latter part of the decade, many stakes were issued endowment quotas by their temples. While less emphasis is now placed on quotas, expectations remain high. For example, active recommend holders living close to a temple usually are expected to average one endowment per month...
(Excerpt) Read more at dialoguejournal.com ...
The author is Mormon; the publication is Mormon -- though one more open to discussing oft-considered more "skittish" issues to church leadership.
From the article: The 1970s saw a renewed emphasis on temple work. During the latter part of the decade, many stakes were issued endowment quotas by their temples. While less emphasis is now placed on quotas, expectations remain high. For example, active recommend holders living close to a temple usually are expected to average one endowment per month...
Endowment quotas? (Can you say legalism?)
But...I guess ya gotta understand the crunching-the-numbers reality of a so-called "fair" system of "salvation":
From the article: ...members of the church's computer planning committee realized during the late 1950s and early 1960s, that, given the estimated 70 billion people who had been born on the earth, all LDS adults working in temples eight hours a day, seven days a week wouldn't be able to keep up with the world population growth, much less complete ordinance work for deceased ancestors. This concern has apparently not disappeared. 149 ... 149 See Church News 20 July 1986, 16.
Colofornian
Are you a Christian...or just anti-Mormon?
I’ve never seen a post by you trying to build faith in Jesus Christ ..... only your attempts to tear it down.
...FOR FAITHFUL LATTER-DAY SAINTS, the temple endowment ceremony is one of the most...powerful ordinances received in mortality. One authoritative source called it the temporal stepping stone which all people must pass to achieve exaltation with God the Father and Jesus Christ...1 ... 1 Gospel Essentials, rev. ed., sunday school manual (Salt Lake City: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), 1979, 247.
At first glance, "exaltation" just sounds like another word for reaching glory -- to be with Jesus and Heavenly Father.
But don't be fooled as to how The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints uses this term. As a matter of fact, as the chart quotations below show, "exaltation" is simply a Mormon byword for becoming a fellow god!!!
Chart excerpt from: THE TOP TEN MOST SURPRISING 'MORMON TEACHINGS' ABOUT MORMON HEAVEN and AFTER-LIFE [Vanity]
RANK |
SURPRISING MORMON AFTERLIFE BELIEF |
EXPLANATION/SOURCE |
| 5. | "Eternal life" is redefined to be an exclusive term that applies to temple Mormons ONLY! "Eternal life" is thus reserved for legalistically abiding Mormons ONLY. "Eternal life" does NOT = ALL living forever with Heavenly Father; 'tis ONLY applies for those who EARN exaltation...and "exaltation" is a Mormon by-word for becoming a god! Hence, to the Mormon, resurrection alone does not = eternal life. | Yes, Mormons believe that just about all people become immortal due to the resurrection. But "eternal life" is ONLY for those who live in the presence of Heavenly Father -- and become "gods" themselves (what Mormons call "exaltation"...To Mormons, "exaltation" and "eternal life" are interchangeable terms...but "eternal life" and heaven-as-a-residence for non-Mormons are not interchangeable terms..."eternal life" is ONLY for Mormons! * ”Eternal life is a term which always means ‘exaltation,’ when used in the Scriptures (John 3:15; Romans 6:23; 1 John 1:2; 2 Nephi 2:28; D&C 5:22; 18:8; 131:5; 138:51; Moses 1:39).” (David R. Ridges, Mormon Beliefs and Doctrines Made Easier, p. 88) Sub-title: “WHAT IS EXALTATION? Exaltation is eternal life, the kind of life that God lives.” (Older 1970s version, p. 289) * ”Exaltation is a synonym for eternal life. Exaltation comes only to those who inherit the highest degree within the celestial kingdom…it consists in the continuation of the family unit throughout eternity; it is the type of life that is lived by our Heavenly Father.” (Daniel H. Ludlow, A Companion to Your Study of the Doctrines and Covenants, 2:85) * “Exaltation is eternal life, the kind of life God lives. He lives in great glory. He is perfect. He possesses all knowledge, and all wisdom. He is the Father of spirit children. He is a creator. We can become like our Heavenly Father. This is exaltation.” (Gospel Principles, 1997, p. 302) * “Eternal life…In fact…means exaltation. He who receives the greatest portion of eternal life becomes a God.” (Milton R. Hunter, an LDS Seventy, The Gospel Through the Ages, p. 11) * ”Exaltation means godhood, creatorship. ‘As man now is, God once was; as God now is, man may be” (The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, p. 53) * “Exaltation is the greatest of all the gifts and attainments possible. It is available only in the highest degree of the Celestial Kingdom and is reserved for members of the Church of the Firstborn. This exalted status, called eternal life, is available to be received by a man and a wife. It means not only living in God’s presence, but receiving power to do as God does, including the power to bear children after the resurrection.” (Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 2:479 Quote for resurrection alone not = 'eternal life': * “…resurrection alone does not qualify us for eternal life in the presence of God…we need His grace to purify and perfect us ‘after all we can do’ (2 Nephi 25:23).” (Truth to the Faith: A Gospel Reference, Intellectual Reserve, 2004, p. 77) |
It’s about anti-Mormon theology not about anti-Mormon people. When Mormonism denigrates Christianity then we as Christians have the obligation to speak out. Mormons on the other hand attack Christians personally as being anti-Mormon rather than debating how wrong Mormonism is because they have no answers.
Well stated.
“I’ve never seen a post by you trying to build faith in Jesus Christ”
Before you build a building, you have to lay a foundation.
Before you lay a foundation, you have to clear away trash.
So how does Mormonism denigrate Christianity? I am a Mormon, and believe that he is the Son of God the Eternal Father in Heaven, that he obeyed his Father’s will and died on the cross so that I and all mankind may be saved.
I’m sorry if this belief denigrates your Christianity. On many occasions Christ through the Holy Ghost has spoken to my heart and let me know that my faith in him is acceptable to him.
I’m sorry that it is not acceptable to you, but I care more about my Savior Jesus Christ’s opinion than yours.
Exposes false "Christianity" cults in great detail.
IF, as you say, Mormonism = Christianity...THEN I am posting "faith-building" "Christian" stuff regularly.
Let's reverse this for a moment.
What if I saw a Mormon who regularly posted threads written by "traditional" (Evangelical) Christians and representative Protestant Christians?
What if this same Mormon quoted both contemporary Christian leaders & well thought of 19th century Mormon leaders in his comments in posting these articles? (And he cited over the years THOUSANDS of quotations from Christian leaders)
Would I regularly criticize him for it -- as you do me?
Oh sure, I might regularly dialogue with him...if I thought he was misinterpreting something.
But hey...if Christians are issuing "faith-building" stuff by the truckload in their publications...and a Mormon was posting a hefty chunk of it -- adding to the "circulation" of what's been printed by these leaders & others...I'd say "Praise God!" I'd encourage him to keep it up! I'd conclude: "This person is doing something that -- as you pointed out -- we fellow traditional Christians could be doing more of! They are filling a vital vacancy!"
Tell us Teppe? Why aren't you "happy" with what Mormons write about?
If it's "Christian faith building" stuff Mormons write about -- Why aren't you praising this effort for posting their stuff?
Could it possibly be indicative that you are conveying that all this "Mormon stuff" should be kept under a lid? If so, why?
You want to start to posting representative Christian leaders' stuff...what they've written about?
Be my guest. Go for it. You'll wind up helping the Christian cause!
I declare to all that I believe with all my heart that Jesus Christ is the redeemer of mankind, that He is the only begotten Son of Almighty God.
I assure all who can hear my voice that the only way to true happiness is through faith in God, repentance and reliance on the teachings and atoning blood of Jesus Christ.
To follow Jesus you must first try to emulate his thoughts, actions, beliefs....while we all will fall short ... it will bring us his peace and fill our souls with the Holy Ghost.
I invite all of my fellow men to seek the joy that I have found in the love of my Savior, Jesus Christ.
Procon, Dr Martin’s is pretty much a joke. I’ve read his stuff and it’s basically laughable in it’s amateurish nature and deciept. The guy doesn’t have a clue .....I basically put him in the same category as Coloforian!
God Bless you, but you are wrong in your beliefs, that is my opinion.
Free Republic is a great sounding board for everyone.
I am wrong in my beliefs that Jesus Christ is the redeemer of mankind?
Or that I believe that Constantine/the Catholic Church got it wrong and that Jesus Christ is the Son of Almighty God instead of the third leg of a god with a three-way personality disorder?
Christ said that you will no a prophet by their fruits.
The LDS (Mormons) people excel in every comparison of righteousness to any other Christian people.
There are is no other Christian Church that has greater fruits of righteousness than Latter Day Saints of the Church of Jesus Christ (Mormons).
The best article ever written on Mormonism. A pre-eminent Lutheran scholar who converted to Catholicism and founded the renowned journal “ First Things” Its a long read but a read well worth every minute. This is not a read for lazy FReeper readers.
http://www.firstthings.com/article/2000/03/is-mormonism-christian
Thankyou Steelfish, I will attempt to read this article once I get a chance; however, the best article on the LDS Church is the Book of Mormon. A true miracle! How an uneducated 20 year old in upstate NY who could scarcly write his name dictated to scribes a 500 page book in one draft without a single revision is unparalleled in the history of the world.
Furthermore, as Mesoamerican archeology is blossoming it is becoming ever so much more parallel with the narrative of the Book of Mormon.
Jesus Christ did indeed visit the American Continent and they were the “other Sheep which are not of this fold” which Jesus Christ spoke of. Scholars have searched in vain for a fulfillment of this prophecy of Jesus Christ while most Christian ignore it as a “mystery”.
This is a non-pejorative article of great objective scholarship. Even if you disagree, it separates the curtain into delving fact from fiction.
>So how does Mormonism denigrate Christianity
Mormonism calls Christian denominations an abomination to God, calls our Bible so full of errors that it is false.
Something shared with Muhammed and Islam calling our Christian bible so full of errors that he needed to replace it. J. Smith tried to rewrite the KJV, but died unexpectedly before he was finished.
Died from gun shot, being pursued by out of control townspeople, J. Smith tried to shoot himself out of that situation. But died, and this is what Mormons have elevated to a status of martyr. There are no Christian martrys outside of Mormonism who use this definition of martyrdom. For us, it is voluntarily or willingly giving up your life for the faith or another.
Luke 23:9 Jesus said: “ If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me”
This is why many of us wear the symbol of the cross, which mormons do not!... and even criticize the idea.
However our Bible we have thousand of thousand of copies that have been copied over and over from antiquity and they all agree by 98%, differing only in very small ways. When people moved, they made copies of their sacred texts and took them with them.
What do we have of the Book of Mormon which presumably existed as the first true Bible in North America, presumably as the religion spread and people moved, copies were made. None now exist! That is substantial evidence of a Book of Mormon never existing until J. Smith made it so.
OTOH, my faith, Catholicism, sees other Christian denominations as our brothers in so much as they have truth.
Catholicism sees itself as the fullness of truth, but other Christian denominations as having lesser truth, but still Christian and our brothers.
Being Christian is roughly defined by most within the circle of Christianity as having a valid baptism following Matthew 28:19
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”
(1)In other words, baptising in the name of the Father, Son, Holy Spirit ,
(2_)with the right intention and a proper understanding of God/Christ and Christianity.
Having a proper understanding of God the Father , Jesus and Holy Spirit in a trinitarian formula. That understanding of God would be one of that he was pre-existant, nothing was before God and he created the earth/universe from nothing(didn’t require preexisting matter).....
Mormonism is not within the circle of historic Christianity.
It fails on (2) and in so many other areas of historic Christianity.
We, us Christians don’t view Mormons as Christian, but some strange sect who has unfailing belief in a person of high disrepute whom you follow as a prophet. Mormons have good values, and are good people, but they are following a psuedo Christianity. One needs to only look at the official record of how the “Book of Abraham” came about supposedly through translations of Joseph Smith.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Abraham
http://www.mormonthink.com/book-of-abraham-issues.htm
A considerate reading of the facts by anyone not invested with faith in Joseph Smith creates a reading/understanding of a complete charlatan.
You say you are mormon but it would seem you have not looked at your own religion with a discerning eye nor comparitively compared it to either Protestantism, Bible Christianity, etc. You perhaps are steeped in Mormonism but little else.
The first Bishops of the early Church wrote from appx. 100AD to 300AD, if you read what these first bishops of the Church wrote, remember all of them were martyred, these were times of heavy persecution, unlike seen at any other time. During times of heavy persecution and matrydom, religion doesnt morph and change. During periods of martyrdom/persecution, people perservere and pass on the faith. These first Bishops and their writings are collectively known as “The Early Church Fathers”.
If you were to actually read the “Early Church Fathers” you wouldnt find Mormonism but you would find Christianity that coincides with our Christian Bible. Concepts of God, Heaven and Hell not coinciding with the book of Mormon.
Its easy enough to say well after the last Apostle the Christian religion went to sh*t, and changed. However, the historical writings dont tell us that. There are no writings bemoaning the vast changes in Christianity. Further there are no historians from that time telling us so. But there are writings from that time from Bishops and others who were associated with the church writing on the faith. People of old were not country bumpkins! They wrote things, they carried on traditions, they loved God.
“I declare to all that I believe with all my heart that Jesus Christ is the redeemer of mankind, that He is the only begotten Son of Almighty God.”
Which Jesus Christ are you referring to??
The Eternal Christ, ALWAYS God, never created...
or the mormonic Christ who was created as a spirit, came to earth to get a body and later became a god - one of at least 4 earth Gods and one of millions or billions or trillions of gods?
It means nothing to claim to believe when the object believed in is false.
Which teppe?
Dear teppe,
you wrote this: “Furthermore, as Mesoamerican archeology is blossoming it is becoming ever so much more parallel with the narrative of the Book of Mormon.”
Wow, are you wrong on that!
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