Mormonism for Dummies Pdf
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Mormonism for dummies pdf Continue Religious Tradition of the Latter-day Saint Movement This article is about the Mormon religion. For the largest and most famous branch of Mormonism, see The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For people known as Mormons, see Mormons. For the general religious movement, see Mormonism of the Book of Mormon for other purposes, the prevailing religious tradition of the Latter-day Movement of the Restoration of Christianity, started by Joseph Smith in Western New York in the 1820s and 1930s. The word Mormon originally comes from the Book of Mormon, a religious text published by Smith, which he said he translated from gold plates with divine help. The book describes itself as a chronicle of america's early Native Americans and their relationship with God. Based on the title of the book, Smith's first followers were more widely known as Mormons, and their faith in Mormonism. The term was originally considered pejorative, but Mormons no longer consider it to be (although they usually prefer other terms such as Latter-Day Saint or LDS). After Smith was killed by a mob awaiting trial in 1844, most Mormons followed Brigham Young on his journey west to the area that became the territory of the state, calling itself the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Other sects include Mormon fundamentalism, which seeks to support practices and doctrines such as polygamy, and other small independent denominations. The second largest denomination of Latter-day Saints, the Christ Community (formerly the reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), does not call itself Mormon, but follows the trinitarian Christian theology of restorers and considers itself a Restorer in terms of Latter-day Saint doctrine. Mormonism has common beliefs with the rest of the Latter-day Saint movement, including the use and belief in the Bible, as well as in other religious texts, including the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenant. It also accepts the pearl of the Great Price as part of its biblical canon, and has a history of teaching eternal marriage, eternal progress and polygamy (polygamy), although the LDS Church officially abandoned the practice of polygamy in 1890. Cultural Mormonism, a lifestyle promoted by Mormon institutions, includes cultural Mormons who identify with culture, but not necessarily with theology. A Brief History See also: A History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stained glass showing Joseph Smith's first vision. Mormonism originated in the 1820s in western New York during a period of religious unrest known as the Second Great Awakening. After praying about which denomination he should join, Joseph Smith Jr. said he received the vision in the spring of 1820. It's called First Vision, said that God The Father and His Son Jesus Christ had come to him and instructed him to join any of the existing churches because they were all wrong. In the 1820s, Smith reported several angelic visits, and was eventually told that God would use it to restore a true Christian church, and that the Book of Mormon would be a means of establishing the right teaching for the restored church. Smith, Oliver Cowdery and other early followers began baptizing converts in 1829. It was formally organized in 1830 as the Church of Christ. Smith was seen by his followers as a modern prophet. Joseph Smith said that the Book of Mormon had been translated from writing on gold plates in reformed Egyptian, translated with the help of the stones of Urim and Tummm and Promer. Both special glasses and the stone of the proper were sometimes called Urim and Tummm. He said that the angel first showed him the location of the slabs in 1823, buried in a nearby hill, but he was not allowed to take the plates until 1827. Smith began dictating the text of the Book of Mormon in the fall of 1827 until the summer of 1828, when 116 pages were lost. The translation began again in April 1829 and ended in June 1829, saying that he translated it with the gift and power of God. Oliver Cowdery acted as a scribe for most translations. After the translation was completed, Smith said the plates had been returned to the angel. During Smith's alleged possession, very few people were allowed to witness the plates. The book described itself as a chronicle of the early Israeli diaspora, integrating with America's pre-existing indigenous peoples, written by a people called the Nefis. According to the Book of Mormon, Lehi's family left Jerusalem at the urging of God around 600 BC, and then sailed to America around 589 BC Nephi described as descendants of Nephi, the fourth son of the prophet Lehi. The Nephis are portrayed as having faith in Christ hundreds of years before he was born. The historical accuracy and credibility of the Book of Mormon has been and remains hotly contested. No archaeological, linguistic or other evidence of the use of Egyptian writing in ancient America has been found. To avoid confrontation with New Yorkers, members moved to Kirtland, Ohio, and hoped to establish a permanent New Jerusalem or city of Sion in Jackson County, Missouri. However, they were expelled from Jackson County in 1833 and fled to other parts of Missouri in 1838. Violence between Missourians and church members led to the Missouri governor issuing an extermination order again forcing the church to move. Displaced Mormons fled to Illinois, in a small town called Commerce. The church bought the city, renamed it Nauvoo, and lived with a degree of peace and for several years. However, tensions between Mormons and nonmonmons escalated again, and in 1844 Smith was killed by a mob, leading to a succession crisis. The largest group of Mormons (LDS Church) accepted Brigham Young as the new Prophet/Leader and emigrated to what became the territory of the state. There, the church began an open practice of polygamy, a form of polygamy that Smith established in Navu. Polygamy became the most sensational characteristic of faith in the 19th century, but strong opposition from the U.S. Congress threatened the church's existence as a law institution. In addition, polygamy is also a major reason for opposition to Mormonism in Idaho and Arizona. In the 1890 Manifesto, church president Wilford Woodruff declared the official end of polygamy. Due to the formal abolition of polygamy in 1890, several small groups of Mormons broke with the LDS Church, forming several denominations of Mormon fundamentalism. Meanwhile, the LDS Church has become a supporter of monogamy and patriotism, expanded its representative-international activities with an energetic missionary program and has grown to more than 16 million people. The church is becoming part of the American and international mainstream. However, she consciously and intentionally preserves her identity as peculiar people, believing that their unique relationship with God helps save them from worldly (not spiritual influences). The Theology Nature of God's main article: God in Mormonism, like most other Christian groups, Mormonism teaches that there are Father, Son and Holy Spirit, but unlike the trinitarian faith, the LDS Church teaches that they are separate and separate beings with the Father and Son, perfecting the physical bodies and the Holy Spirit having only the body of the spirit. Although these three beings are physically different, in Mormon theology they are one in thoughts, actions, and goals and are commonly referred to collectively as Godhead. In addition, Mormonism teaches that God the Father is literally the father of the spirits of all the men and women that existed before their mortal existence. The LDS Church also believes that the Heavenly Mother exists. It is also believed that all men, like God's children, can become sublime by inheriting all that God has as joint heirs to Christ, and become like God. Lorenzo Snow says, As a man now God once was: as God is now, man can be. Restoring the image of Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery receiving priesthood authority from the main article of John the Baptist: Restoration (Latter-day Saints) Mormonism describes itself as falling into world Christianity, but as a separately restored dispensation; he describes himself as the only true form of Christian since the Great Apostasy, which began shortly after the ascension of Jesus Christ. According to Mormons, this apostasy was associated with the flogging of pure, original Christian doctrine with Greek and other philosophy, and followers divided into different ideological groups. In addition, Mormons claim that the martyrdom of the Apostles led to the loss of the priesthood's authority to govern the Church and its ordinances. Mormons believe that God re-founded the early Christian Church, as was the case in the New Testament through Joseph Smith. In particular, Mormons believe that angels such as Peter, Iakia, John, and John the Baptist have appeared to Joseph Smith and others and have given them various priesthood organs. Mormons thus believe that their Church is the only true and living church because divine power was restored through Smith. In addition, Mormons believe that Smith and his rightful successors are modern prophets who receive revelation from God to lead the church. They claim that other religions have a part of the truth and are guided by the light of Christ. The main article on cosmology: Smith's cosmology of Mormon cosmology is based mainly on Smith's later revelations and sermons, but especially in the Book of Abraham, the Book of Moses, and the discourse of King Follett. Mormon cosmology represents a unique view of God and the universe and attaches great importance to the human agency.