Rituals, Beliefs, & Symbols
Comparing Mormon with Wicca
Contrasting with The Bible
Is there one God or are there many gods? Is there God or are there gods and goddesses? What about the afterlife? What lies ahead for those who pass on from this world? Will they go through pearly gates, become a ruler of their own planet, or come back as a spirit guide to those left here on earth? Although the beliefs of the Mormon Church are comparative with other Christian religions, they also share several beliefs and rituals with those, such as Wicca, who study the art of neo-paganism.
The history of the Mormon Church goes back to 1863 when its founder, Joseph Smith, II, claimed to have a vision of the angel Moroni, who appeared to him in upper New York State and instructed him to interpret ancient writings on gold plates. The Mormon doctrine states that Jesus, after His resurrection, appeared to the Native Americans. The accounts with the Native Americans were transcribed onto the gold plates according to Moroni, the messenger. One doctrine of the Mormon Church, The Pearl of Great Price, shares a lot of the private journals of founder Joseph Smith. Founder Smith recalls, "He called me by name, and said that he was a messenger...and that his name was Moroni...," (Pearl. II:33) This is one of the main cornerstones of the Mormon doctrine. The Mormon Church had its beginnings from New York and traveled to Kirtland, Ohio, then on to Spring Hill (Independence), Missouri, and finally traveled back to Nauvoo, Illinois. It was at Nauvoo where on, Jun 27, 1844, Joseph Smith, III, his brother Hyrum Smith and friend John Taylor were ambushed at the Nauvoo-Carthage Jail. In the course of events that transpired, Joseph and Hyrum w...
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...omes and Critics at Waldorf Schools. National Post. Nov. 16, 2002
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Meyer, David J. Symbols of the Occult - What Every Latter-day Saint Should Know.
Beaver Dam, WI: Oct 2003. Disc. Nov. 2004 http://www.helpingmormons.org/occult_symbols.htm
Smith, Joseph, junior. The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. Salt Lake City, Utah: Corporation of the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1981. 1830.
Smith, Joseph, junior. The Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Salt Lake City, Utah: Corporation of the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1981. 1830.
Smith, Joseph, junior. The Pearl of Great Price. Salt Lake City, Utah: Corporation of the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1981. 1830.
...leased from prison, Mathews continued his quest for religion by seeking Joseph Smith of the Mormon society, under the alias Joshua the Jewish Minister. The two had a heated discussion of resurrection and reincarnation. On the other hand, Matthews claimed to be both God and the reincarnation of the apostle Matthias. However Matthews his meeting with Smith was unsuccessful because both prophets believed the other was of the devil. Matthews’ s religious journey albeit chaotic and aberrant now serves as subconscious guide for how new religious movements and cults in present day America.
The Oatman’s adventure began as a result of their decision to join a new sect of the Mormon faith. This particular belief, whose followers were named Brewsterites, had its roots in Kirtland, Ohio around 1836. A young boy, about ten years old, named Colin Brewster, showed promise in the eyes of Joseph Smith, the great Mormon prophet. Many had already noticed the boy’s “gift for seeing in vision distant objects not seen by the natural eye” (McGinty 40). Eventually, Brewster’s vision of a round table lead to his acceptance as “a prophet, a seer, a revelator and translator” (McGinty 31), by Joseph Smith Sr. and two other church elders, one of which was referred to as Lord.
Born in the year 37 C.E., a few years after the time of Jesus, Josephus was born Joseph ben Mattathius, in Jerusalem. He grew up in the Early Common Era, during the time the Romans occupied his Jewish homeland. His father was a priest and his mother was of royal descent.
Joseph was born on March 3, 1840, in Wallowa Valley, Oregon Territory. His formal Indian name translates to Thunder Rolling Down the Mountain, but he goes by Joseph. He was named after his father, Joseph the Elder. He was named after he was baptized. His father’s relationship with the whites was unclear. He had been one if the first Indians to convert to Christianity. He forged a new treaty that created a reservation for the Nez Perce. When gold was discovered in the territories, white people began to come onto their lands. The treaty was soon destroyed after the U.S. government began to take back millions of acres that they had promised to Joseph the Elder.
After those heartbreaking years of deaths, Simeon heard of the mormons and became very interested. He named his son Mosiah after the Book of Mormon and it’s people was born on February 19, 1837. The same day, his twin Anariah was born that day but died a few hours after birth. Betsy, who was a healthy child was born March 22,1838. At the time, Simeon’s brother James came to Simeon’s home as a missionary of the church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints. He preached them and Simeon and his wife was baptized by him on April 15,1839. But that wasn’t enough for Simeon. He wanted to see the prophet Joseph in person, and maybe even offer his services to the church. In June 1840, he set off to Nauvoo on foot which was a 500 mile trip. There he saw the prophet Joseph Smith. Simeon was set ap...
The Death of Joseph Smith as a Turning Point in the History of the Mormons
Since the mid 1800s, Mormons, or also referred to as the Latter-Day Saints, have been a thriving religion in the United States. Founded by Joseph smith in 1830, it has grown from a small group of outcasts to a significant size of nearly seven million followers. Joseph Smith was the first prophet and president of the Church of the Latter-Day Saints. After the murder of Joseph Smith in 1844, a man named Brigham Young migrated with bulk of the Mormons to Salt Lake City, Utah in 1847, where they made their home. Today, president and prophet of the current Church is Thomas S. Manson who resides in Salt Lake City, Utah. Salt Lake City is the home of the Mormon Church headquarters, much like Rome, Italy is the hub of the Roman Catholic Church. Mormons accept the basic teaching of Christianity, but like all Christian denominations, they have their own particular take on things.
They belive that Joseph Smith was called to be a prophet for the church and given the task of translating the book of mormon. The Book of Mormon is Another testament of Jesus Christ, similar to the Bible. He soon founded his own church and began converting people to his faith. Soon persecuted for their beliefs, they left New York moving first to Ohio, then Missouri, and finally Nauvoo, Illinois where they lived for five years. At that time, an anti-Mormon lynch mob found and killed Joseph and his brother Hyrum Smith. Brigham Young then became Smith's successor as the second prophet of the church, and led the Mormons away to Utah where they settled at Salt- Lake-
Actually, “Mormon” is just a nickname for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. (Another nickname is the acronym LDS) A cursory glance at the church’s full name contains Christ’s name. By the very name of their church, members state their belief in Christ.
Tobler, Douglas F., and Nelson B. Wadsworth. The History of the Mormons. New York, New York: St. Martin's Press, 1989. Print.
"Growth of the Church - LDS Newsroom." LDS News | Mormon News - Official Newsroom of the Church. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2011. .
fact a story filled with countless representations of Mormon belief about life, love, and morality.
Joseph Smith Jr. was born on December 23, 1805 in Sharon, Vermont. His father Joseph Smith Sr. and his mother Lucy Mack Smith were poor uneducated farmers. Soon after his birth, the Smith family moved to western New York, where they continued to farm near the town of Palmyra. Joseph had five brothers and three sisters. There he spent the next four years of his life just being a kid, before moving to Manchester. (Book of Mormon: Joseph Smith History Ch.1)
“History of Fundamentalist Mormons.” Wheat & Tares. Wheat and Tares, 2011. Web. 19 Dec. 2011. .
The Confessions of Saint Augustine tells of the events and life choices that Saint Augustine made through his life which eventually led him to converting to Christianity. This was not an easy or quick process for Saint Augustine, just as many members of the LDS church spend a great deal of time truly converting to the gospel. Saint Augustine’s conversion and also LDS members’ process of becoming truly converted, shares many similarities. Both involve trials, growing from those trials, an ongoing process, and a significant change. In order to understand the importance of what becoming truly converted means to a Mormon, there must be distinguishing factors between this and just being a convert to the Mormon Church.