About Mormonism

The Mormon Church, also known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS), originated in the United States in the nineteenth century. Its founder, Joseph Smith, wrote the Book of Mormon based upon a series of divine revelations that he experienced over an 11-year period. The belief system of the church is based upon the teachings of the Bible, the Book of Mormon and other publications. Many of these beliefs are quite distinct from the beliefs of other Christians. Here are a few things you should know about Mormonism.

Invented

Joseph Smith was born December 23, 1805, in Sharon, Vermont, to a farmer father and a homemaker mother. His early years were difficult due to extreme poverty and frequent moves. Joseph was a bright young man who expressed early interest in religion and the occult. Unfortunately, he was forced to quit school as soon as he was old enough to go to work and help support his family. At the age of 14, Joseph claimed to have experienced his first vision. Confused about which of the many churches to join, Joseph went into the woods to pray for guidance. He reported that God and Jesus appeared to him and told him that none of the churches in existence were the right ones. Three years later, Joseph reported experiencing a second vision. This time, an angel called Moroni told him of some hidden golden scrolls on which were written the details of God's visit to North America. Joseph soon became well known as a diviner and accepted an offer to help locate buried treasure on the property of a man from Susquehanna, New York. Joseph was paid quite a bit of money before the treasure hunters decided that he was a fraud and called off the project. Joseph remained in the area in the hopes of marrying Emma Hale, a local schoolteacher. He eventually succeeded, despite the fact that her father was among the men who brought legal charges against Joseph for fraud during the treasure hunt. By this time, Joseph had recovered the golden scrolls and two magic stones that allowed him to translate them into English. The process involved placing the stones into a hat and then covering his face with it. Emma sat nearby, writing the scriptures that Joseph spoke as the translations were revealed to him. They spent three years translating and recording what would eventually become known as the Book of Mormon. When the translation was complete, Joseph returned the scrolls to the angel Moroni.

History of

The book of Mormon was published on March 25, 1830. Initially, it was met with great opposition and accusations of blasphemy from the established churches. However, Joseph had begun to gather followers while still in the translation phase and after the publication of the Book of Mormon their numbers grew steadily. On April 6, 1830, Joseph organized the first official meeting of the Mormons. As their supporters grew, so did their troubles. The Mormons moved from New York to Pennsylvania to Ohio to Missouri to Illinois, all the while plagued by legal troubles, and sometimes violent persecution from the locals. Things improved when Joseph and his followers settled in Illinois in 1839. There, the community prospered and Joseph gained political power, winning a mayorial election, commanding a militia and even running for president of the United States. Despite the foothold that Joseph Smith and his teachings had gained in American society, problems had begun to form within the church. Joseph was ruthless with those that expressed any opposition to his ideas. That attitude in combination with his new teachings about polygamy led to a great divide within the church and a renewed interest for the government in seeing him punished. While imprisoned under charges of violating the constitution, Joseph Smith was shot to death by an group of militiamen. He was 38 years old. After Smith's death, the church split into multiple groups. Smith's son, Joseph Smith III, took over the church in Illinois while Smith's former presidential running mate, Sidney Rigdon presided over congregations in Pennsylvania. Brigham Young, the majority choice for successor, headed out west with the largest group of followers. Many of these splinter groups remain to this day but the largest and most famous faction is the group originally led by Brigham Young. The group established itself in the not as yet named state of Utah in the Salt Lake area. After considerable difficulty over the issue of polygamy, the church and government reached a somewhat amicable agreement when after 32 years of struggle, the Mormon church officially ended the practice of polygamy in 1890.

The Facts

Mormons believe that the lost tribes of Israel migrated to America during the seventh century and are the ancestors of Native Americans. According to the Book of Mormon, Jesus visited North America after his resurrection and spent time preaching to the Indians. Mormon doctrine combines the teachings of the King James Bible with the idea that America is the second Holy Land and the future site of the second coming of Christ. The Mormon faith holds that ordinary men have divine potential and that even sinners may reach heaven. All boys in the church are eventually initiated as priesthood holders, beginning as young as 12 years of age. Once initiated, the boys have a special connection with God and a responsibility to adhere to the church's teachings. Part of this responsibility is spreading the doctrine to others. Missionary work is central to the spiritual development of a young Mormon. Other notable features in the practice of Mormonism include ordinances (similar to sacraments) , the belief in eternal marriage, and a strict abstinence from alcohol and tobacco. Mormons place a special emphasis on hard work, family, education and self reliance.

Misconceptions

The most common misconception about Mormons is that they all practice polygamy. In 1890, the matter of the legality of polygamy came before the U.S. Supreme Court. Following the loss of their case, the president of the official Mormon church issued a statement that detailed the church's intention to cease the practice and comply with the ruling. Whether this was simply a public relations ploy or evidence of the church's true intent to put an end to polygamy is a matter of debate. In any case, this was and remains to this day, the church's official stance on the matter. It is unclear how long the practice of plural marriage may have continued among members of the church despite the ruling. Eventually, the Mormon church began to excommunicate any members found to still be practicing polygamy. Throughout the United States, splinter groups, known as Fundamentalists, continue to practice polygamy, but the official Mormon church is constantly engaged in efforts to distance themselves from them. While the beliefs of Fundamentalist and LDS Mormons are much the same, their differences do not end with the practice of polygamy and they are in fact two very disparate groups of people. Fundamentalists tend to live in isolated groups and are very strict in their manner of dress and their gender roles. Over the years, Fundamentalists have been in and out of the news for crimes ranging from welfare fraud and tax evasion to child endangerment and statutory rape. LDS Mormons should not be confused with members of these groups.

Size

The headquarters of the Mormon Church is located in Salt Lake City, Utah, and this area is considered their stronghold. The majority of Utah's population identifies themselves as some form of Mormon. As of 2007, the Mormon Church reported a worldwide membership of over 13 million. Despite the Mormon roots in American culture, more than half of these members live outside the United States. This figure may be due in part to the vast amount of missionary work undertaken by the church members.