The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (henceforth referred to as the LDS church, LDS, or Mormon) and the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) are two highly controversial religions within their respective spheres of influence. While both religions claim to be the true church of Jesus Christ, both also draw ire from outsiders who assert that either church is, at best, ‘non-Christian’ and at worst a full blown cult. Despite geographical differences, theological differences, and nearly a century between their birth, these two restorationist traditions have evolved to share a number of striking similarities beyond their shared controversial nature, from methods of proselytizing to government influence in their primary locales and beyond. This essay aims to not only investigate the similarities between these specific religions, …show more content…
The LDS church was the first of the two traditions to rise, established in the early 19th century during the Second Great Awakening. The Second Great Awakening was an explosive period of social and religious reform and restoration, caused at least in part by the erosion of social relationships caused by the Market Revolution as well as shifting theologies. The Calvinist doctrine of predestination gave way to the idea that one’s actions and beliefs impacted their salvation. The Second Great Awakening turned a youthful America into a hotbed of new religious movements, ideas, and figures, which drew the curiosity of a young boy in Rochester, New York named Joseph Smith. Joseph Smith was born near the beginning of the Second Great Awakening on December 23, 1805 to a large and poor
...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.
This event changed the role of American religion during the early nineteenth century. Non-traditional religions such as Mormonism resulted from this religious revival movement as well. The religious revivals that emphasized individual choice of humans over predestination of God continuously shook New England Calvinism. The “cult of Matthias” was unlike any other religious groups during the time period.
113 Encyclopedia Britanica. Chicago, IL. Chicago, 1965. Bitton, Davis & Beecher, Maureen U. New Views of Mormon History. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1987.
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.
A handsome boy kneels down for prayer beside a tree in his father’s orchard. It is a nice sunny spring day with the warm rays of the radiant sun gently kissing the boy’s face. “God, give me a sign,” he pleads to his heavenly father. He is only 14, yet religion fascinates him. Confused by what Christian faith to believe in, he was not sure whether he wanted to become a Baptist like his parents, or a Methodist, which church’s teachings appealed more to him. A slight cool breeze passes through his chestnut colored hair. In a moment he finds himself paralyzed, unable to move, at the mercy of some evil force. A shadowy mist surrounds him. The boy is afraid and does the only thing he could think of: he prayed, “God save me!” Immediately a pillar of light descends over his head like a crown of gold. A strange calmness overcomes the boy, and the shadows around him recede. To the boy, who questioned God’s existence, this was a sure sign that his heavenly father was still there. That boy was Joseph Smith, who had just experienced the first of a series of visions that he would receive throughout his faithful life. Soon after his first vision, he received another in which he the angel Moroni visited him, who presented him with a map. Smith traveled to a nearby hill where he found several golden tablets, etched with mysterious characters of ancient languages long forgotten. Smith was ordered by the angel to translate the plates into what is now known as the Book of Mormon (from which the Mormons gained their name), the cornerstone of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, or simply abbreviated as the LDS Church. (Millet 6-8).
The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, commonly known as the FLDS Church, was officially formed in 1990 by Warren Jeffs. Ho...
The Death of Joseph Smith as a Turning Point in the History of the Mormons
Terry Tempest Williams is fully aware that she is contradicting the church when she writes “women have no outward authority,” yet she still chooses to take part in a ritual of healing that can only be performed by the men. Williams, however, does so in privacy and in the “secrecy of the sisterhood.” The word secrecy hints at the idea of doing something which is not accepted and against certain beliefs of today’s church. She was born and raised in a home of devout Mormons who follow the traditional beliefs of their faith. She acknowledges that the Mormon Church places great importance on obedience. In college she began to question her faith and today would not consider herself an “orthodox Mormon,” although Mormonism still has an impact in her life and work. In her writing, Williams continually contradicts the values of the Mormons.
With the advancements in the study of social sciences, there has been a somewhat parallel growth of cults which though have their foundations in the original Bible and the Christian teachings, yet one may observe that the majority of the present day cults not only deny the essential doctrines, they openly emphasize and present their own personal reinterpretations of the biblical scriptures. The following paper will present two such cases, those of Christian Science and the Mormons, and strive to present some of the comparative elements, their beliefs, customs, religious ceremonies and leadership aspects.
This mass enterprise is reviewed through five traditions in the early nineteenth century: the Christian movement, the Methodists, the Baptists, the black churches, and the Mormons. Hatch explains that these major American movements were led by young men who shared “an ethic of unrelenting toil, a passion for expansion, a hostility to orthodox belief and style, a zeal for religious reconstruction, and a systematic plan to realize their ideals” (4). These leaders changed the scope of American Christianity by orientating toward democratic or populist ideals. Their movements offered both individual potential and collective aspiration, which were ideas ready to be grasped by the young and booming population. These early leaders had a vision of a faith that disregarded social standing, and taught all to think, interpret, and organize their faith for themselves. It was a faith of “religious populism, reflecting the passions of ordinary people and the charisma of democratic movement-builders” (5).
Worldwide, there are 14.1 million Mormons with 28, 660 congregations based in over 176 countries (“LDS Statistics and . . .). Despite this large amount of people, little is known about the LDS religion. As seen in recent events, people believe that Mormons are not Christians. However, Mormons are Christian based on their church’s name, scriptures, and teachings.
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.
Cults are dangerous institutions that have existed for many years, corrupting and reforming the minds of innocent people into believing outrageous doctrines that eventually result in disaster. Horrifying cases involving men such as Charles Manson, Jim Jones and David Koresh have bewildered people and raise the question: how could individuals be easily susceptible to the teachings of these men, so influenced that masses go as far as to commit the unthinkable? Individuals who are in a vulnerable position in search for an identity are attracted to cults because they offer a sense of belonging. In addition, isolation from society contributes to the functioning of a cult for it creates an atmosphere where submissiveness and obedience runs high. These two factors seem to hold true for one of the most notorious cults currently established in the United States and Canada. The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints or, FLDS, is an international polygamist sect that incorporates belonging and isolation along with a dangerous mentality that have resulted in the abuse of women and children in the name of God.
The church is a hierarchy that is lead by the priesthood. In order to receive the priesthood, one must be male. In The Proclamation, it says about men “By divine design fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families” (lds.org). The word preside means to have authority over something, in this case the family. Since the church is a similitude of the family, almost all the leaders are men. The only general leadership positions held by women are in the individual youth and children organization, and Relief Society, the leading women’s organization in the church. When The Proclamation talks about mothers its say “Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children” (lds.org).To many, this is a negative claim and sits as a point of opposition from feminist groups. Till this day, the gender roles of men and women continue to be debated in the Mormons church, and society.
“History of Fundamentalist Mormons.” Wheat & Tares. Wheat and Tares, 2011. Web. 19 Dec. 2011. .