CaptainF
The Professional Poster
Are mormons an ethnically diverse group of people?
Eran's All-New Mormonism Thread
- Thread starter Eran of Arcadia
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Dawgphood001 said:
To a degree, yes. In the US of course most members are white, but even here there are a lot of Polynesian and Latino members. There are fewer African-Americans than the national average but at the same time the church is growing in Africa. Our strongest growth is in Latin America, and Polynesia has always had lots of members (including 32% of Tonga). The stereotype of the blond, blue-eyed white people is more a Utah thing, since in the early days of the church most members went to Utah, and then most church growth was Scandinavia and Western Europe.
VRWCAgent said:
We consider ourselves to be the true church, and the breakoff churches are no different from other Protestants. In fact, the RLDS has moved from Mormonism to mainstream Protestantism in recent years. Like I said, the polygamists (if they were ever LDS, which most weren't) would be excommunicated. We try to get along with other churches, if they are willing, but our relationship with the "breakoff" churches is no different from our relationship with other churches.
Tae said:
Why do I, personally? Most Mormons give about the same answer. After reading it, following the advice that it gives, I prayed and asked God if it is really true. I believe that He answered me through the Holy Ghost touching my heart.
Dawgphood001 said:
Its becoming more and more that way. If you walk into a typical ward (church) in the US...you're going to mostly see white people. There are exceptions...my ward in DC had a decent minority population, but there are a lot of white guys too.
Its changing, since the church is exploding worldwide. (I think there are more Mormons outside the US than there are in the US). My mother and her family all converted...in Brazil, where the church is pretty strong. It is exploding in Latin America and Polynesia...and it likely would in Asia more, but China and India refuse to let us in.
GenMarshall
High Elven ISB Capt & Ghost Agent
I am starting to wonder if this Holy Spirit (or what you call the Holy Ghost) touched my heart after my fender bender when I realised the value of life and how it is a waste to lose it which made me rediscover God and Jesus.Eran of Arcadia said:
Anyway, what does the LDS have to say about inter-faith marrages? (IE Mormon marrying an agnostic, atheist, Protestant, Muslim, Catholic, etc)?
Tae said:
For the same reason that people believe in the Bible, and God, or the Koran, or any religion. After reading the book, and praying about, I get a testimony that the book is true, and by following its precepts, I will be happier.
Even if this whole Mormon thing turns out to be a bunch of bullcrap, I dont think I'd have many regrets about being LDS...since its made me happier, and a better brother, son, boyfriend, friend and human being.
GenMarshall
High Elven ISB Capt & Ghost Agent
I keep hearing the term "Ward" which oftenly reminds me of the Wards of Japan (Which is an equivelent to a US Bourough) 
. Anyway, joking asside 
.
What is a ward in Mormon vocabulary? Is it simmilar to a parish or a diocese in the Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican/Episcopal Churches?
. Anyway, joking asside .What is a ward in Mormon vocabulary? Is it simmilar to a parish or a diocese in the Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican/Episcopal Churches?
CivGeneral said:I am starting to wonder if this Holy Spirit (or what you call the Holy Ghost) touched my heart after my fender bender when I realised the value of life and how it is a waste to lose it which made me rediscover God and Jesus.
I wasn't there, but that is what we believe to be the role of the Holy Ghost, after all.
It is not forcibly prevented, but it is discouraged. It is better to marry within the faith as it leads to a stronger marriage. In fact, some church leaders have said that it is better for members of other religions to marry in the faith because it leads to the children more likely to keep going to church.But there are no penalties for marrying outside (they will even hold the wedding in the chapel, but then in our view there is no real difference between being married in a chapel or in a courthouse).
CivGeneral said:I keep hearing the term "Ward" which oftenly reminds me of the Wards of Japan (Which is an equivelent to a US Bourough)
What is a ward in Mormon vocabulary? Is it simmilar to a parish or a diocese in the Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican/Episcopal Churches?
A ward is a congregation, like a parish. Smaller congregations are called branches. A group of about 10 or so wards and branches make up a "stake" which is roughly similar to a diocese, or into a district in areas of the church with few members. It's mostly a size difference, although there are a few organizational differences as well between wards/branches or stakes/districts.
VRWCAgent said:
Its worth noting that the RLDS (now known as the Community of Christ) owns and operates the Kirtland Temple historical area in Kirtland Ohio, where the LDS church was first set up, and the first Temple was built. I'm not sure exactly how this happened...I think there was a lawsuit or something, and a lot of LDS members are kinda bitter about it. The RLDS is kind enough to keep it open to the public, and thousands of regular mormons walk around every year. Its a bit of a pity, since they are much smaller, and really dont have the resources to manage a historical monument...I think a lot of the money comes from LDS donations, as opposed to RLDS leadership.
I think there is a little bit of friction between the Mormons and certain other christian groups, because a lot of them REALLY don't like us. At all. I dont think the LDS church thinks very well at ALL of the FLDS (the wackos who still practice polygamy), because everytime they get in the news, its sort of bad press for the rest of the church (plus, its illegal).
Eran of Arcadia said:
The leadership system between the Catholic and Mormon churches is actually somewhat similar. The biggest difference is that a ward typically covers a small geographical area (in Utah, a ward is a few streets. My home ward covers maybe half of my little county), and has around 150-250 members. A Parish is MUCH bigger.
See, our clergy work other jobs, and have familes, and don't get paid. They can't be expected to watch over 600 people. I don't know how stake presidents do it
GenMarshall
High Elven ISB Capt & Ghost Agent
Has any Mormon spouse who is a non-Mormon convert into Mormonism? And if the spouse does convert, would they have to re-marry into the Mormon church in order to the the sacrament?Eran of Arcadia said:
CivGeneral said:
It actually happens fairly often. I know a lot of couples who have had this happen. It doesn't require remarriage in any way, but it will require a separate temple wedding (which we believe seals the couple for eternity) since they didn't have one in the first place, as many LDS couples do.
Eran of Arcadia said:
Your answer was a little less detailed than I expected, but satisfactory.
I will admit I admire the values and teachings on how to live from my minimal understanding of the Mormon church. I have met very few Morman's in my lifetime, but I can honestly say they where genuinely warm and caring people.
My beliefs are a bit different though, firmly founded in Grace. I do not belong to a denominational church. At least not until churches that are based upon the New Testament model become a denomination, which would contradict the model I guess.
I inherently distrust all organized religion, this is based on my conviction of the falleness of man and corrupting nature of power. I do not believe that God "talks" or gives "special" enlightenment to select individuals, but that since the Resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit, all Christians have a connection with God that was known only to a few prior in history. So churches were a few or usually just one dictate new laws and interpretations I will not believe in.
What amazes me, and why I asked my earlier questions, is why man continually thinks he must work his way to God. To be in the presence of God requires perfection. All have sinned and therefore are no longer perfect. This is why Christ died for us and why accepting that forgiveness is the only way back to God's presence. Because God chose that he wanted us in his presence, not because we worked to get there.
I think your way of life, any way of life that follows the will of God and his laws will be a rewarding and rich way to live on this Earth. This is why the law was given, because it is the way we are designed to live. So striving for this is ideal and worthy. But when it becomes the way to Salvation, I cannot agree that it comes through the law.
I honestly do not know enough about Mormons to know if you feel you are working your way to God, my rejection of the doctrine stems solely from beliefs I stated earlier about special enlightenment. And I have to be frankly honest, the whole Joseph Smith story and the American Indians is just plain hokey to me. I don't mean to insult you though, Jonah and the whale is pretty hokey too.
Thank you again for answering my questions.
Again, almost no Mormon would ever say that we are "working our way to God". Although we believe that works are important, without God's grace, and the atonement of Christ, works would be meaningless and we couldn't be saved.
Living in Wyoming, I often found that once a member of the faimily converted to the LDS church (while the rest didn't), great friction occured within the family and in some cases (say a spouse converted) tore them apart. In your honest opinion why is this so? What about LDS scoiety and doctrine infuriates people so?
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