Particularistic Orthodoxy: The Mormon Religion

The Mormon faith can be divided into two orthodoxies that make up the religion. These orthodoxies can be described as traditional and particularistic, traditional coinciding with the same characteristics that divide Christianity and particularistic being relative to only Mormonism. Examples of traditional orthodoxy are aspects such as: believing in life after death, that God and Jesus exist and are divine, Satan is real, the Bible is the word of God etc. Particularistic orthodoxy branches off from this in that it adds new rules upon the already existing orthodoxy, things such as the Book of Mormon is further expansion of the word of God, the president of the Mormon church is a prophet of God, and that the church of the Latter Day Saints is the only true church on earth. These are staples to the Mormon faith. Mormons are passionate about their faith and believe that spiritual commitment will

bring them closer to God. Mormons have the Five Indicators of Spiritual Commitment that help guide them through their faith. The five indicators are: that their relationship with the Lord are the most important part of their life and comes before all others, The Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit is the most prominent influence in their lives, love God with all their heart, do whatever God asks, and recognizing that religious faith provides meaning to all aspects of life.
While the indicators of spiritual commitment are a vital dimension of Mormonism, religious behavior is also another important dimension that factors into their faith.

Mormons try to incorporate religion into all the parts of life, using it to aid them in situations where they may not know what to do or how to proceed. It is important to live a faithful life because Mormon faith essentially gives meaning to life. Latter Day Saints also try to share what they have with the poor, as previously mentioned, spiritual acts of faith offers more meaning to their lives. Mormons are tasked with encouraging others to believe in Jesus, as they believe those who do not believe are misguided. Along with the idea that guidance is sought from God when dealing with important life decisions, if a Mormon isn't seeking guidance from God then there is no basis behind the advice. Mormons also believe that forgiving others should always be done. When Mormons sin they admit their transgressions to God and pray for forgiveness. Mormons frequently pray as this helps them remain spiritually close to

God.
Mormons carry a strong connection to attending church and gatherings in the community. Mormons wholeheartedly accept the doctrines of the Latter Day Saints and care wholeheartedly about the church. It is important for Mormons to always be involved in church activities as this brings them closer to both the community and God. Mormons accept all standards that the Latter Day Saints hold and believe that the Church only puts restrictions on members of the church that are of the utmost necessity to achieve salvation. Religious participation is another key doctrinal value of Mormon faith. Mormons have a plethora of religious activities they participate in at church, the community, and at home. Mormons often attend sacrament meetings in the church and participate in Relief Society as well as priesthood meetings. Tithing is an important part of the Mormon faith along with frequent family prayer. Religious discussions, Book of Mormon and scripture readings, along with moral discussions frequent the Mormon household. For Mormons it’s of the utmost importance that their children learn the Mormon faith and follow along this religious path. Religion to Mormons is the entirety of their purpose, so exploring and constantly being active makes for a more meaningful life. Having discussions and talking about faith gives Mormons a better understanding of their beliefs.