heres another one Mormon.org Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
quote:Can anyone explain, in little words, what exactly Mormons believe and what the different rules of the church are?
Have you cleared the week. 'Cuz this is going to take a long time.
Mormon.org is a site by the church, designed for people who want to know more about the church.
If you have specific questions, feel free to ask.
Posted by fugu13 (Member # 2859) on :
Lets see, how to boil this down into as few words as possible . . .
I'm not LDS (or Christian or religious), but I have a candidate:
"God is good."
Posted by SteveRogers (Member # 7130) on :
I'll have to take more time to look at later, but it seems its a fairly good resource, that website I mean.
Specific Question:
1) Are there any things that you are forbidden to do? (Thinking of the hot beverage thing.)
Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :
They eat babies*, but only after they eat Darwinists named Steve. It's part of their agenda to make sure the Discovery Institute's petition is the best!
You aren't a Darwinist, are you Steve?
-Bok
*Actually, now that I think of it, only Scott R does this. My whole conception of Mormons as been destroyed!
Posted by SteveRogers (Member # 7130) on :
Um...no. And it doesn't matter anyway. I'm not really named Steve.
Posted by fugu13 (Member # 2859) on :
No. Like every other religion, you are free to indulge in absolutely anything.
edit: to make it clear, I'm just being silly. Levity++.
Posted by SteveRogers (Member # 7130) on :
Its not nice to make fun just because I can't phrase questions in a logical way.
Posted by Chris Kidd (Member # 2646) on :
You might consider saying something like, "What sorts of things are you forbidden from doing?"
However, your question as stated was fine, my mind just tries to find the unexpected (and usually that means the funny) in things Posted by SteveRogers (Member # 7130) on :
Yeah, that is kind of what I was thinking.
Specific Question:
2) As a member of the Mormon Church, are there any things that you are supposed to do to prove your faithfulness? (Thinking of, if I remember correctly, the Mormons being missionaries thing.)
edit: But, fugu, its not nice.
Posted by advice for robots (Member # 2544) on :
quote:Originally posted by SteveRogers: Yeah, that is kind of what I was thinking.
Specific Question:
2) As a member of the Mormon Church, are there any things that you are supposed to do to prove your faithfulness? (Thinking of, if I remember correctly, the Mormons being missionaries thing.)
Have faith, I suppose.
Posted by Chris Kidd (Member # 2646) on :
Its not stateing whats forbiden, its states whats good for you and whats bad for you.
Posted by fugu13 (Member # 2859) on :
Only if you choose to take it that way, Steve .
Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
Steve, I don't quite know how to answer your question because I'm not sure "proving anything" is important to the LDS faith. Prove to whom? I'd say the most important thing is being the best sort of person you can be, and what that sort of person is is defined by God and is found in scripture.
Things that are different from average society include the Word of Wisdom that Chris linked to and keeping sex within marriage only. (There are plenty of people who adhere do these things anyway, but it isn't a mainstream part of our culture.)
Posted by lem (Member # 6914) on :
quote: 2) As a member of the Mormon Church, are there any things that you are supposed to do to prove your faithfulness? (Thinking of, if I remember correctly, the Mormons being missionaries thing.)
There really is no need to prove your faithfulness. The church's allure is that people are that they might have joy. The lifestyle is supposed to (and does for many members) be the reward.
There are culture aspects (like expected missionary service for 19 year old young men) that put pressure on people.
If you want to enjoy the benefits of the temple (and all ceremonies withing--like eternal marriage) or missionary work, then you have to pass an interview with your local leader to make sure you are worthy.
Worthiness is measured by keeping the word of wisdom and chastity, sustaining church leaders, being honest, attending the majority of church meetings, et cetera. Pretty generic Christian principals--except for the strictness of the word of wisdom and sustaining the priesthood.
If you have "transgressed" there is a repentance process that ranges from mild to excommunication. Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
I guess another thing for being worthy to attend the temple is paying a "full tithe" to the church. This is simply defined as one tenth your income, and how you interpret that is a matter of personal conscience. No one does an audit on you or anything. Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
Some of the dos/don'ts that are required for temple attendance:
No extra/premariatal sex. Pay a full (10%) tithing. No alchohol, tobacco, coffee, or tea.
Posted by SteveRogers (Member # 7130) on :
Alright, I think I'm done with questions for now. I appreciate the help very much.
Posted by EarlNMeyer-Flask (Member # 1546) on :
I think you can't have committed felonies.
Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
quote:They eat babies*,
*Actually, now that I think of it, only Scott R does this.
All Mormons do, but everyone else is afraid of reprisals to admit it. I've got the Implacable Engine of Ultimate Destruction.
It's a great tool of dissuasion.
Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :
Thank you for the reassurance, Scott. My fractured reality is restored, mostly.
Now if I can only the piece that is my brain...
-Bok
Posted by Occasional (Member # 5860) on :
I would go withGospel Principles for an easy to read introduction to Mormonism. It's very simple and to the point.
Posted by Zalmoxis (Member # 2327) on :
Remind me, Scott.
What makes it implacable?
Posted by SteveRogers (Member # 7130) on :
Specific Question:
What's this about Mormons not being able to see R-rated movies?
Posted by SenojRetep (Member # 8614) on :
It's pseudo-doctrine (as far as I'm concerned). Similar to the "prohibition" against caffeinated beverages. Many Mormons believe it's something they shouldn't do (myself included), but I don't think it's officially accepted doctrine. <edit> Perhaps I understated the church's position: here is a quote from a former president of the church: "Don’t see R-rated movies or vulgar videos or participate in any entertainment that is immoral, suggestive, or pornographic. Don’t listen to music that is degrading." (Ezra Taft Benson, October 1986). Still, watching R-rated movies is not on a par with, say, drinking alcohol when it comes to church prohibitions. </edit>
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
We believe that there are some thigns that it is better to not see or hear. Pornography falls well within the scope of that, as would foul, sexually explicit songs.
Some church leaders have counseled various groups of members at various times that not watching rated R movies would be a good thing. How much weight that carries and how much to follow it is left up to the individual members. Some members will not see any rated-R movies. Others will.
Posted by SteveRogers (Member # 7130) on :
So, its not necessary to avoid R-rated movies? Because not all R-rated films feature pornographic material.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
As I said, it is left up to the individual members to make that decision. Some view the R-rating as helpful tool. As long as they never watch any rated-R movies, there is a whole swath of ugly things that they will never see. Others judge whether or not they should see individual movies. Others watch anything they want.
And it's not just pornography -- that was just an extreme example that I provided. Sexual explicitness is something to be avoided as well. I myself won't even see a PG-13 movie if it's rated that way because of sexual content.
Posted by SteveRogers (Member # 7130) on :
Alright, thanks.
Generic Question:
What kind of stuff goes on during a church meeting?
Posted by SenojRetep (Member # 8614) on :
"Necessary" is a tricky word. Necessary for what? I believe there are members of the LDS church who enjoy all the blessings of the church and still watch R-rated movies. However, I also believe that all R-rated movies contain some subject matter that makes the person watching them a worse person for having seen/heard it, whether it's violence, sex, profanity, etc. I think any person trying to progress to the goals espoused by the LDS ideal will eventually abandon such entertainment.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
I edited my above post, FYI.
Church meetings are three hours long and are broken up into three different meetings. In one of them most people sit and listen to the talks (sermons) of other members of the ward (congregation). In the other two, it's smaller classes with a teacher and discussion.
Posted by SteveRogers (Member # 7130) on :
Thanks for the heads up on that, mph.
Question:
I'm assuming that the teacher and discussion part is slit up into age groups?
Posted by SenojRetep (Member # 8614) on :
quote:Originally posted by SteveRogers: Alright, thanks.
Generic Question:
What kind of stuff goes on during a church meeting?
There are three portions of the standard LDS meeting. During the most central, called sacrament meeting, talks by members of the congregation, prayers, congregational and/or choir hymn singing (accompanied by organ or piano), and a eucharist/communion-like ritual called the sacrament all occur. Oh, and probably plenty of toddlers running up and down aisles and babies crying and people falling asleep. The other two portions are class periods spent in smaller group settings studying particular principles of the gospel.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
quote: I also believe that all R-rated movies contain some subject matter that makes the person watching them a worse person for having seen/heard it, whether it's violence, sex, profanity, etc
Do you think it's the rating that makes the difference? What about in countries that don't use MPAA ratings?
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
quote:I'm assuming that the teacher and discussion part is slit up into age groups?
For the youth, yes. For adults, no. Unless you count "adult" as a single age group, in which case I guess the answer is yes.
Posted by Brinestone (Member # 5755) on :
Yes. One hour is simply divided into age groups with classes for each age group of children (usually divided by year) and one large class for the adults. (Actually, some wards have multiple classes on different topics, depending on the needs of the ward.)
The other hour is divided by age and gender. Teenage boys aged 12–18 meet in one room, teenage girls (same ages) in another, adult women in another, and adult men in another (there may be more than one group of men). The children under 12 all meet together for this hour.
The only exception is toddlers under age 3. They basically have play time the entire two hours while everyone else goes to class.
Posted by SenojRetep (Member # 8614) on :
quote:Originally posted by TomDavidson: Do you think it's the rating that makes the difference? What about in countries that don't use MPAA ratings?
No, I believe the rating is a result of the content. Whether I'm watching a movie in the US or the UK I would try to avoid movies with content that I find degrading. Any rating method is only as helpful as it acurately evaluates the things I find objectionable.
Posted by SteveRogers (Member # 7130) on :
Generally, do you just have discussions about the church during the separate meetings? Like how to apply that day's sermon to your life or what?
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
In Sunday School (one of the two smaller classes), we go through the scriptures. This year, we are going through the Old Testament. We started at the beginning at the first of the year, and will finish it around the end. Each lesson is generally about a certain section, like Genesis chapters 10-12.
Posted by SenojRetep (Member # 8614) on :
quote:Originally posted by Brinestone: The other hour is divided by age and gender. Teenage boys aged 12–18 meet in one room, teenage girls (same ages) in another, adult women in another, and adult men in another (there may be more than one group of men). The children under 12 all meet together for this hour.
Actually, there are more age divisions usually (3-7,8-11,12-13,14-15,16-17,18-up).
Posted by Brinestone (Member # 5755) on :
The first class I talked about generally focuses on the scriptures. Right now we are studying the Old Testament, Genesis in particular.
The second class focuses on principles of the Church, such as prayer, faith, charity, forgiveness of others, etc.
Posted by SenojRetep (Member # 8614) on :
quote:Originally posted by SteveRogers: Generally, do you just have discussions about the church during the separate meetings? Like how to apply that day's sermon to your life or what?
As Brinestone and mph have pointed out, the study schedule is independant of the theme for the sacrament meeting, and is actually usually coordinated on a church wide level (thus the lessons in every ward of the church, whether in Utah or Uganda, are based on the same material on any given Sunday. The teacher is given significant lattitude in adapting the lesson to the specific needs of the students).
Posted by Brinestone (Member # 5755) on :
quote:Actually, there are more age divisions usually (3-7,8-11,12-13,14-15,16-17,18-up).
I was talking about sharing time/YM/YW/Relief Society/Priesthood. Yes, the young men and young women split into other classes after the opening exercises, but the others don't.
Posted by SenojRetep (Member # 8614) on :
quote:Originally posted by Brinestone:
quote:Actually, there are more age divisions usually (3-7,8-11,12-13,14-15,16-17,18-up).
I was talking about sharing time/YM/YW/Relief Society/Priesthood. Yes, the young men and young women split into other classes after the opening exercises, but the others don't.
Ah, I see. We have separate sharing times for junior/senior primary (thus the 3-7, 8-11 split). Also all men 12-up go to the same Priesthood opening exercises, then split into their respective age group classes (not to belabour a somewhat unimportant point )
Posted by SteveRogers (Member # 7130) on :
Interesting...
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by mr_porteiro_head: No extra/premarital sex.
So just exactly the right amount of premarital sex?
Posted by Tatiana (Member # 6776) on :
The current teaching on R-rated movies, as I understand it, is that members are counseled to see things that are uplifting and spiritually beneficial to them. The previous counsel about avoiding anything with an R rating has been superceded. Some people will choose to avoid anything with sexual content, based on their own feelings and personal guidance they receive through revelation.
I pick movies on a case by case basis, skipping anything I think is degrading or trashy, and choosing those that I think will be uplifting or important, but not paying much attention to the rating. I understand that to be what we are counseled to do now. I expect that the list of movies that positively affect me will be different from anyone else's list. I think this is how it should be.
It's as important not to reject good things as it is to avoid bad things. Deciding which is which is difficult, and it's necessary for each of us to make those decisions ourselves day by day. That's how we learn. We're lucky to have counsel that helps us discern the difference up front, so we can avoid much of the hurt that inevitably comes from making wrong choices. But we should be just as careful not to close ourselves off from what's good as we are to avoid what's bad.
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
To add to Tatiana's post... I avoid horror movies and anything with a lot of violence. I'm easily affected by these things, including having nightmares. Clearly, they're not good for me to watch. So even if a horror movie is rated at below an R (I don't know the proper MPAA classifications) and would be acceptable to other people, I won't watch it because it's not good for me.
That includes the movie Poltergeist, by the way. I'm just a little wussy.
quote:I think you can't have committed felonies.
Not true.
If you've committed a crime, you may (or not, depending on the nature of the crime and other factors) be excommunicated as a part of the repentance process, but once you've repented, you can be reinstated. If the crime is in your past and you've served your time and/or otherwise repented of it, you may be baptized into the church.
Posted by JennaDean (Member # 8816) on :
Steve: which part about the splitting into age groups was interesting, exactly?
quote:Originally posted by rivka:
quote:Originally posted by mr_porteiro_head: No extra/premarital sex.
So just exactly the right amount of premarital sex?
Funny.
How about, "No sexual relations except with your husband or wife."
As for movies, I don't watch R-rated movies and I usually avoid PG-13, too, because they've become more disgusting than some of the R ones. However I do allow myself to make decisions based on the movie: some R movies might be good for me to see and learn from (haven't chosen one yet), and some PG-13 are rated that way because children wouldn't understand the content but they are worth viewing, so I'll go (that translates into "I won't watch PG-13 unless I really want to"). Like LOTR.
Sex between married people is private and none of my business, so I don't need to see it on-screen. And any other sex in movies generally glorifies the whole idea of extramarital sex, painting it as something great that you're regretfully supposed to deny yourself, instead of something destructive to be avoided because it tears families apart. So the point in this counsel is to help us remain the kind of person that is repulsed by sin, instead of being enticed and excited by it.
Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
quote:I don't watch R-rated movies and I usually avoid PG-13, too, because they've become more disgusting than some of the R ones.
How do you know?
I don't watch Rated R movies at all. Truthfully, it hasn't been a big sacrifice.
Posted by JennaDean (Member # 8816) on :
You sound like my family during prayers.
Son: "She was reading during the prayer!!!"
Mom: "How do you know, if your eyes were closed?"
Posted by Taalcon (Member # 839) on :
OSC actually has an article up on nauvoo.com discussing and asking about the supposed 'R-Rated Movie Commandment'. Here's a link to the article.
Posted by lem (Member # 6914) on :
quote: Generally, do you just have discussions about the church during the separate meetings? Like how to apply that day's sermon to your life or what?
This is how my church day went when I was a member. There are three one hour classes/meetings. The first meeting was sacrament. It opened with a prayer and a song. It was followed by church announcements--generally local stuff like weddings, funerals, church callings. Sometimes they read official church announcements. They would sing a more reverent song and then bless and pass the sacrament.
Generally the young men (13-18?) who had a priesthood calling called the Aaronic Priesthood would pass it. After the sacrament there was usually an adult speaker followed by a musical number from an individual or a song by the congregation. There would then be 1-2 adult speakers and 1 youth speaker. It would close with a hymn and prayer.
The second meeting is called Sunday School. Every year they alternate between studying the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Old Testament, and New Testament. So every 4 years you would study the New Testament for a year. Ever four years you study the Book of Mormon—etc.
Some Sunday school classes are targeted to new members, some are more focused on marriage, and some are broken down according to age for youth. There are lots of different classes and each teacher is called by the bishop. When I went to Sunday School, my wife and I would alternate between a class with older more serious people and the young married class.
I do live in Utah and so our church (ward) was very large. I am sure smaller wards outside of Utah or the country may not have as many Sunday School options--tho the youth do have their own class.
The last hour is divided by gender. Males go to their priesthood class--there are different priesthood classes depending on how far you have progressed in the priesthood. I was and Elder and went to a different class then the Bishop who was a High Elder. The woman went to Relief Society--a class whose goals and objectives I obviously don't understand as well as a "Sister."
Sacrament is moderated by the Bishop and the announcements are official, but the member talks are usually by ordinary members with their different take on the gospel. It is usually inspirational, not too deep doctrinally, and uplifting (thanks to the reverence around the sacrament and the hymns--in my opinion).
Sunday school tackles more serious topics and more easily gets off track into speculation. As a result, you often hear stories of incorrect doctrine or facts.
Overall Sunday School does a good job of teaching the stories in the scriptures and familiarizing the faithful with the scriptures.
Priesthood had more announcements about service projects, more "guy joking," and brief generic lessons on staying out of debt, honoring your wife, fulfilling your priesthood calling, faith or et cetera. The lesson usually revolved around a story about a modern day "prophet."
The manual you study is about a life of a prophet--each year you study a different prophet. Usually the lessons just use their life examples to teach a basic lesson.
Some details have been left out out of laziness, but this was my experience of a typical 3-hour block at the LDS church.
Two things should be noted: Once a month the sacrament is called “Fast and Testimony Meeting.” Everything is the same except that after the sacrament is passed, the congregation is invited to come up to the stand and bare their testimony.
Testimonies range from the spiritual to accounts of daily life. Some are grateful, some are emotional, some are powerful, and some are laughable.
The second thing is that the church has come down on trying to get rid of the false doctrine being taught. Now there is a manual that tells the teachers what to teach and what scriptures to use. There use to be more individual leeway. There also used to be much more false doctrine being taught.
When I was growing up I was cautioned to be good because there were corvettes in the celestial kingdom (heaven), and you could only have sex in the celestial kingdom. I kid you not. I doubt that happens as much these days.
I hope this helps with your question. Out of curiosity, why the interest in the particulars of the LDS faith?
Posted by SteveRogers (Member # 7130) on :
I'm just curious. I've always had a bit of a thing about different religions.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
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