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Pro-polygamy coalition takes issue with LDS objection to 'fundamentalist'
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LDS say evangelicals don't have the right to determine who is Christian and who isn't, but LDS claim the right to say who is Mormon and who isn't. Let's follow the parallels.
LDS: We are Christian because we believe in Jesus Christ
Evangelical: You are not Christian because your conecpt of Jesus is not biblical. WE get to say who is Christian, not you.
FLDS: We are Mormon because we believe in Joseph Smith.
LDS: You are not Mormon because you don't believe in Thomas S. Monson. WE get to say who is Mormon, not you.
uncannygunman, please don't shoot me.
We are an ever changing faith whose teachings are based upon modern day revelation and if the Prophet receives a revelation like he did regarding polygamy, then the official document overrides what was previously placed...it amends it rather to keep the teaching as current as possible...that is what should be expected from a Church whose leaders receive revelation continually, that there will be changes from time to time.
while our foundation is in solid scripture such as the Bible and the Book of Mormon, we are willingly ready to receive any new teaching we may need from General Conference talks and the like..
BTW, Mormon polygamy (ie, LDS polygamy) WAS in many ways like the polygamy the fundamentalists practice. JS did marry a 14 year old. BY married to teenage sisters (when he was 46!). Many men had more than two wives (my g-g-grandfather had 4). Women could "leave/divorce" but how realistic was it to do that in 19th century Utah? They would get no child support or spousal support (likely). They would be without a man in a barren wilderness, 700 miles from civilization.
Secondly, you said that, "We are an ever changing faith..." Gordon B. Hinckley gave several conference talks about how we are are NOT a changing faith. A quick search of the Church website will demonstrate this.
Lastly, you stated, "while our foundation is in solid scripture such as the Bible and the Book of Mormon, we are willingly ready to receive any new teaching we may need from General Conference talks and the like.." It sounds like you are saying that the D&C and PoGP are not "solid scripture," which if this is the case, then all new revelations and teachings would not be "solid scripture" either. You'd be better off in the Temple Lot Church who only accept the Bible and BoM as actual scripture.
The only time the LDS church steps in is in defense(WHICH THIS IS CLEARLY DOING BY DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN FLDS AND LDS) and when someone else needs defending.
How can people complain and defend the FLDS who FORCED children and women to stay in the ranch. Denying ones ability to choose for ones self is the ANTI-Christ of LDS beliefs on freedom and the basic rights of being a human being as the constitution itself refers to.
I am about as non 'standard Republican Utah LDS' as it gets in that I am open to any suggestion but as many people who are ignorant of alternative views can be one sided...those that fight for 'any other side' just because they are undefended usually do not realize that they can be just as wrong.
The LDS have every right to disagree and not be harassed about it. Tolerant doesn't mean we have to agree...just accept human rights and freedom!
You are correct! A man can be sealed to more than one wife in the afterlife. So polygamy is an abominable practice in this life, but they're A-OK with it in the afterlife. Go figure.
The Church wants is to clarify to the press and others that the mainstream LDS Church has no connection with the FLDS because it is simple fact and because of the affects the negative press has on one of the main functions of the LDS Church to fulfill this Biblical prophecy: "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." (Matthew 24:14)
Sooo--
1 JUDGE not, that ye be not judged.
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
(Matthew 7:1 - 5)
"When referring to people or organizations that practice polygamy, terms such as those given in the first paragraph above are incorrect. The Associated Press Stylebook notes: "The term Mormon is not properly applied to the other ... churches that resulted from the split after (Joseph) Smith's death."
Gordon B. Hinckley stated in the same article, 'There is no such thing as a "Mormon Fundamentalist." It is a contradiction to use the two words together.'" Of course, many of the various Book of Mormon believing groups refer to themselves as "Mormon Fundamentalists."
So the Church may not be telling people what they "can" call themselves, they are definitely telling them what they "can't" call themselves.
There is a church called "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints," without the hyphen between the words "latter" and "day." They are an incorporated entity in New Mexico and Wisconsin. They refer to themselves as "Midwest" and "Great Lakes Mormons," where they originated after Joseph Smith's death. Should we tell them there is no such thing as a "Great Lakes Mormon" even though they've been around since 1844?
The Methodist church could not sue someone who was not Methodist for referring to themselves as a Methodist.
The term "Mormon" has become a synonym for the LDS Church and its members and it therefore belongs to the LDS Church. The Church should seek legal enforcement of its right to control what it owns.
The IOC has successfully asserted that it owns the term "Olympic" and has legally established its right to decide where and how it is used.
The LDS Church should do the same.
This case is so obvious an Obama supporter can recognize it -- well, almost recognize it.
You anti-LDS Church people posting comments to the contrary are not doing your cause any favors. By not supporting the LDS Church in asserting it's clearly apparent rights, you are proving that you are simply angry LDS Church haters.
Wilford's manifesto was not a revelation to stop plural marrage. It was a statement so that Utah could become a state and that the Feds would not shut down the LDS church.
LDS members need to read their scripture before spouting off!
So you can either.."drink and be merry for tommorow we die" or humble yourself to the dust and repent.
The term Mormon is not a synonym for the LDS Church. Perhaps those who are born in raised in Utah think so, but to many outside of the area, it means people who believe in the Book of Mormon, weather they be LDS, RLDS (CoC), Temple Lot, Strangite, etc.
did too, did not, did too, did not...
delicious.
It should be these good people who are trying to live the original gospel who should be upset.
The mainstream (mormon lite) church is hardly the church that was originally established during this dispensation.
Maybe the mainstream church should concern themselves with helping others a little more instead of fitting into secular society.
Joesph Smith and Brigham Young both warned the church about when it starts to "fit in". Oh, well...they don't do much else that those two advocated anyway.
Matthew 5:44
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you;
The "orthodox" LDS Church decries the use of the term "Mormon" by anyone else but them because they see themselves as being the only true, correct, and justified outgrowth of the organization that Joseph Smith founded, Brigham Young presided over, etc.
Has it occurred to any of these LDS faithful that this is precisely the way that the so-called "fundamentalist Mormon" groups also see themselves -- as the legitimate successors of Joseph Smith's restored gospel? Every fundamentalist Mormon I know (and I know plenty of them!) regards the "orthodox" LDS Church to be in a fallen state of apostacy, having forfeited its authority due to accommodation to the world, and lacking entitlement to the legacy of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young.
One sociologist reported that the LDS Church and its fundamentalist cousins share "95% identical doctrine and 75% identical practices". The difference between the two isn't about divergent doctrine; it is about acceptance or rejection of the presently constituted orthodox LDS authorities.
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And frankly, they're all Mormons to me.