#Mormon views on scripture and revelation

[mindfulldsliving]

Biblical Insights on Personal Revelation and Criticism

Jethro advising Moses (detail), Jan van Bronchorst, 1659. Royal Palace of Amsterdam, Wikimedia The concept of personal revelation is not unique to the faith of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). It is a foundational principle found throughout religious history, including within the Bible itself. Yet, critics of the LDS faith frequently dismiss or invalidate personal…

[trberman]

Understanding LDS Beliefs Amid Evangelical Criticism

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash Understanding Evangelical Criticisms: An LDS Perspective on Faith, Debates, and Mutual Respect The relationship between Evangelicals and Latter-day Saints is rich with shared hopes and honest differences, yet it’s often clouded by misunderstanding. Criticisms aimed at LDS beliefs can, at times, feel personal or even dismissive, but they’re also an…

[thoughtfulfoxllama]

The Holy Ghost

In Mormon Theology, the Holy Ghost is a vital principle. Joseph Smith taught that Baptism without Confirmation is useless, and at Confirmation, we receive the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is given to guide us throughout our lives, and is the source of Revelation. The Holy Ghost, despite not having a body, is considered a god, and will eventually receive a resurrected body

But, despite the essentiality of the Holy Ghost in Mormon Theology, we know next to little about it. Above is nearly all our information we know for sure. However, in the past two centuries of Mormonism's existence, there have been a few theories. But, before we can get to them, we need to understand the History

The History

In the Scriptural Record, we read that the Holy Ghost fell upon Adam when he performed sacrifices. We don't hear much about the Holy Ghost in the Old Testament (mainly about the blessings of having his Spirit, mainly as a collective and not individually) We next see the Spirit at the Baptism of Christ, when the Sign of the Dove is made manifest at the Baptism of Christ. Christ also prophecied that the Holy Ghost would come to his followers, a promise fulfilled at the Shavuot Festival after his Resurrection

In Abrahamic Faiths, the views of the Holy Ghost varried Jewish Rabbis in the Talmud said the Holy Ghost was not separate, but rather God acting in a specific role, as the spirit that inspired the Prophets of the Tanakh. The Word for Spirit in Hebrew is "Ruach," meaning breath, so the Holy Ghost is the Word of God (seen in the first instance, which roughly translated says "The Breath of God broods over the Chaos"). Some figures also connect the Holy Ghost to the Shekinah (who is viewed as the Divine Aspect of God in Jewish Thought and dwelled in the Temple until it fell. Although others say the Shekinah is God acting in a different role) In Gnostic Christianity, the Holy Ghost was Barbello. Barbello was the First Emination of God, the Supreme Feminine Principal, as ruled the realm Christ came from In Nicean Christianity, the Holy Ghost is the source of Spiritual Gifts and inspires the testimony of Christ. The Spirit is the Converter, the Comforter, the Advocate, and the Intercessor. Some Branches call it God's Vital Force (we act through our Spirits, so everything God does is through the Spirit), but this is not necessarily mainstream though In some Hadiths (Islamic Oral Traditions), the Holy Ghost is associated with the Archangel Gabriel. Whether they accept it or not, Muslims don't see the Holy Ghost as God, but a righteous servant who communicates with Humanity on his behalf

In the Restoration, the Holy Ghost recieves some interesting character development As early as 1830, Joseph Smith said that Baptism without Confirmation was useless, as it doesn't bestow the Holy Ghost In the Lectures on Faith, Joseph said that the Godhead was composed of only 2 Individuals, God the Father & Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit (not Holy Ghost. That comes up later) was the shared mind of these two In 1843, Joseph was in Ramus, Illinois. Here he said that a person cannot have the "personage of the Holy Ghost in his heart." He also received D&C 130 here, which is where he said the Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit (but the original draft included not being able to have the personage of the Holy Ghost in our hearts). This implies that, like in the Old Testament passages, the Spirit dwells with us as a People The King Follet Discourse led to a massive push in new ideas coming into the Church (the Adam-God Theory of Brigham being the most notable), but I have not been able to find much about the Holy Ghost in this era, aside from speculation that it's maybe Joseph Smith (but that was from Heber C Kimball, who I have thoughts about...) However, BH Roberts presented an interesting theory: The Holy Ghost & Holy Spirit are two different individuals. The Holy Ghost is the Member of the Godhead, and the Holy Spirit is the Light of Christ, the Sea of Intelligences we all came from, and is the Shared Mind of the Gods. As intriguing as this theory is, the Holy Ghost is technically never used in Scripture, it's always the Holy Spirit (in the Tanakh, it's the Ruach HaKodesh, or the Breath of God. In the New Testament, it's the Pneuma, which is just the Greek Word for Breath/Spirit). So either there is no Holy Ghost (and that means D&C 130 is wrong), or it's a more nuanced concept Today, the Common Belief doesn't go beyond the Holy Ghost is Unborn, and Male

Theories

Now, let's get to the Fun Bit, the Theories

-The Church's Theory: We don't know. We know absolutely nothing about the identity of the Holy Ghost

-Adam/Eve: As Joseph Smith said, creation began with a covenant between the Creator, Redeemer, and Testator. This is possibly represented in the Temple Endowment, with Elohim, Jehovah, and Michael falling into these roles (as Brigham Young suggested in his infamous 1852 Speech, where he also said Adam was Heavenly Father... Somehow). Admittedly, this was my theory for a while (it's the only way Adam-God makes even a bit of sense), but with Adam receiving the Holy Ghost in the Book of Moses, that seems unlikely. But, it's interesting the Line of Authority goes Heavenly Father -> Christ -> Adam (Michael) -> Noah (Gabriel). Even if Gabriel is the Holy Ghost, like some Islamic Hadiths hold, why is Adam above the Holy Ghost

-Joseph Smith: Popular in Fundamentalist Circles, partly for Multiple Probation Theory, and partly for Adam-God (if Adam is the Creator & Christ is the Redeemer, then Joseph is the Testator). This was shared through the Church, by members such as Heber C Kimball, but was contradicted by other Apostles (Orson Pratt called out members who taught that very thing as early as 1845). It contradicts D&C 130 (Joseph wasn't a personage of Spirit when he wrote it...) But it is popular because Lorin Wooley (who is pretty wacky IMO) stated it when he talked about the 1888 Revelation, and it was furthered by Joseph Musser. Rulon Allred went on to say some confusing stuff, but the gist of it is that Joseph Smith wasn't the Holy Ghost, who is infinite beyond comprehension, but is a representation of it. He also brought the idea of Gods in the Mortal World & Gods in the Spiritual World, and Michael (who is Heavenly Father in the Mortal World according to him) is the Holy Ghost in the Spiritual World

-Unborn: The Holy Ghost has never been embodied, and will probably be the last person born on the earth

-Calling: This theory states that it is a calling to be a Holy Ghost and that there are many (but, like how Christ was acting in the Name of the Father, these ministering spirits are all under the title of "Holy Ghost"). Like the Joseph Smith theory, the Presiding Holy Ghost might be the Dispensation Head

-Jesus' Wife: The Idea that Jesus's wife is the Holy Ghost is certainly a compelling one, as it would play with Contrasts (Resurrected vs Dead, Male vs Female, etc). But given the Pentacost, it seems unlikely that it is his wife or the Virgin Mary (another concept I've heard, but it doesn't explain Simeon's Testimony or Anna's Prophecy)

-We are all the Holy Ghost: Perhaps the most controversial on this list is the idea that the Holy Ghost isn't anyone outside of us. If we take BH Roberts's theory as true, then we all began as a part of the Light of Christ and were split off to become individuals. So, Confirmation, in this theory, is the Spirit of the Person awakening to their Divine Nature and becoming a Holy Ghost. Every inspiration we receive is not an outside source speaking to us but our deepest nature (and as the Light of Christ is the Shared Mind of the Gods, anything we feel is being told to us from God can still come from him because, as I said, it is a shared mind) In addition, we all covenant to "Stand as a Witness of God in all times, in all things, in all places." So, that would make us all Testators. And it fits with the Adam is the Holy Ghost Theory, as Adam means Mankind, and in the Temple, we are told to see ourselves as Adam (so if Adam is the Holy Ghost, and we're all Adam, we're all Holy Ghosts)

Conclusion

Ultimately, I don't think we'll ever really know, not until the resurrection at least. But it is fun to think about, to speculate on

[not-so-superheroine]

how did you come to join rlds/coc?

Sorry it took me so long to get to this question. I just knew it was a long answer.

I think my testimony gives a good idea, and i'll include . Because I felt the presence of God calling me to go join them is the overarching answer, but I can also give points that drew me in.

But in a few some points: 

I fell in love with the modern RLDS version of zion (and some of the old one too. nothing to do with israel.)

I saw they strived to be an inclusive place.

The Community of Christ's Enduring Principles are things I want to strive to live my life by.

The community made me feel very welcome and I saw people conduct themselves in a Christ-like manner

The community is very tight knit. society needs more of that.

Like, there is a certain behavioral affect (? cultural distinction?) that many members have that i thought was strange at first but it’s lovely. It’s kind, loving, and welcoming, and you adjust to it very quickly imo. Even to the lingo, which was a fun process. 

Continuing Revelation. Saw evidence of fulfilled prophecy in the Doctrine and Covenants and the spiritual growth in the church over the years

Continuing Revelation in general. I like that my faith is alive like that. We have prophets, God could reveal new truths for new scripture tomorrow. We are encouraged to be prophetic ourselves and discern the future together, i like that.

Also, no new scripture allowed in the mainstream? why not? does God still not talk in this way? great points in my head.

The communal aspect to everything is good. Just like how any sect of mormonism should imo The people i reached out to while seeking (investigating) were very kind to me and open to my questions. They were also there for me spiritually, and became friends. 

I could email leadership with questions and get responses. At one point, one of the church Presidents reached out to me. 

It’s academically welcoming. I was able to accept the book of Mormon as scripture when taught from a 19th century point of view. This, in turn, made me much more comfortable with the Bible. Community of Christ has an official statement on how to read scripture and there is scripture on how to think about and use scripture too.

I can even acknowledge when the history and the religious text don’t match. Because scripture doesn’t need to be historically correct to be sacred and hold an important message from the Lord.

Not really a reason but it is there: Joseph Smith III rocked and was intended to be next. It shouldn’t matter. But what does matter is that he set the church on a good path imo. Emma too. Out of all the early schisms of mormonism I would have to go RLDS belief wise, because Nauvoo era theology isn’t something I believe in. I think Smith got caught up in his own head and desires for much of it. No offense meant to post Nauvoo mormon sects.

This does not mean I haven’t picked some things up from Brighamites. For example, Trinity doesn’t work for me. And I pray to Heavenly Mother. I believe in one Divine source with many expressions. But that doesn’t mean “anything goes” and I accept it, just knowing that God speaks to people of many cultures all over, as the good book (of mormon) says.

But yes. This is why Community of Christ. Not that there are all common Community of Christ beliefs, but I thrive here spiritually and am encouraged to grow all the same.  Older testimony under cut that gives detail

I encourage y'all to watch this on video rather than just the text edited version i put here. not to be like "watch my talk on it" but please, watch my talk on the subject. I also talk about unity of the saints and what i have learned from other christians including other groups of latter day saints. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8w2M6PEKfg

I start giving my testimony and talk at 26:36

____________

I am Wednesday. Here I share a portion of myself and my testimony. At the time of this writing, I have lived 26 years. I am a Black woman of Gullah/Geechee ethnicity. I was raised in the African Methodist Episcopal church, which I am extremely grateful for. My nascent spirituality was nurtured here. I learned the meaning of community and was immersed in my culture. I was taught to love and respect my Black self, in a society that would not be inclined to show me the respect and love any human deserves. I may have converted, but I was meant to be nurtured here. I am a Lesbian, and have experienced discrimination in faith communities due attitudes towards LGBTQ+ persons. I despaired over thoughts that God didn’t love me, and wondered if I would be condemned to Hell. In part because of this and being scolded for my questioning nature regarding God and church doctrines, I fell away from faith. I grew a lot in this away time, but didn’t really deconstruct my faith until 2021. My isolation in the pandemic gave me time for introspection. I would watch content from mainly atheist ex-christians who discussed their deconstruction journey. They were usually ex-evangelical or ex-mormon, and were really helpful to me for unpacking the mess that was my faith. Then something peculiar happened that changed the path of my life. Through the ex-mormons, I encountered the Restoration. There was something intriguing about it, and I wanted to learn more, so I did. I learned history, and the doctrine of different Latter Day Saint sects. I loved how innovative and “of the people” the early church was and how alive the faith seemed to be. I listened to members and ex-members, past and present, talk about their experiences within their faith communities and how they experienced the Divine. These were some of the worst years of my life, but there was something here that gave me hope. 

I came across an interview featuring John Hamer, in which he talked about Community of Christ as a home for those in faith transition. Many of the concerns I had about Christian faith communities were addressed. I craved such a spiritual home and became a seeker.

I asked many questions of missionaries, and my inquisitiveness was welcomed. I got myself an Inspired Version of the Bible, Doctrine and Covenants, and Book of Mormon. I was very impressed by the Doctrine and Covenants and found the contents to be Inspired and even prophetic, so I started attending Beyond the Walls services online.

One Sunday, the service was centered on the Worth of all Persons, Christian acceptance of LGBTQ+ persons, and the church in Tahiti. I listened to the members talk about their acceptance, their being guided by faith in Christ in the process, and how those things were compatible and complementary. The speakers affirmed God’s love and mercy for all. Their faith was strong, and they spoke with authority. Their Christ-like compassion was palpable. I felt what I now recognize as the Holy Spirit, come over me. After the message, the choir sang “Spirit of God like a fire is Burning” and I felt that fire burning in my chest and cried and praised the Lord for hours after.

My faith in God is stronger than ever. And my passion and belief in the Restoration bloomed.

[nerdygaymormon]

Idk if you'd know this, but has the Word of Wisdom been properly canonized in the Church or are we just... Trusting it? Not that God hasnt asked people to change their diets before, but I'm curious to know how vetted it is.

The short answer is if it is in the scriptures, then it has been canonized. Since the Word of Wisdom is in the Doctrine & Covenants, it is considered part of the LDS canon.

In the LDS Church, usually something is considered canonized if it is included in the scriptures (there's two notable exceptions, each regarding the Bible). The LDS Church currently has 4 books in its scriptural canon:

1. Authorized King James Version as the official scriptural text of the Bible (other versions of the Bible are used in non-English-speaking countries). Although there's two exceptions to this:

a) The manuscripts of the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible states that "the Songs of Solomon are not inspired scripture," and therefore it is not included in LDS canon and rarely studied by members of the LDS Church. However, it is still printed in every version of the King James Bible published by the church.

b) Although the Apocrypha was part of the 1611 edition of the KJV, the LDS Church does not use the Apocrypha as part of its canon. Joseph Smith taught that while the Apocrypha was not to be relied on for doctrine, it was potentially useful when read with a spirit of discernment.

2. Book of Mormon

3. Doctrine and Covenants (D&C)

4. Pearl of Great Price (containing the Book of Moses, the Book of Abraham, Joseph Smith–Matthew, Joseph Smith–History, and the Articles of Faith)

The LDS Church's scriptures are printed together with several non-canonized study aids, including the maps, photographs, a Bible Dictionary, a gazetteer, summaries at the beginning of each chapter, a topical guide, an index, footnotes, cross references, and excerpts from Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible

LDS Church president Harold B. Lee taught "The only one authorized to bring forth any new doctrine is the President of the Church, who, when he does, will declare it as revelation from God, and it will be so accepted by the Council of the Twelve and sustained by the body of the Church." Here is the history of this happening in the LDS Church:

June 9, 1830: First conference of the church, The Articles and Covenants of the Church of Christ, now known as D&C 20. If the Bible and Book of Mormon were not sustained on April 6th at the first meeting of the Church, then they were by default when the Articles and Covenants were sustained. (see D&C 20:8-11)

August 17, 1835: Select revelations from Joseph Smith were unanimously accepted as scripture. These were later printed in the D&C. (this includes the Word of Wisdom)

October 10, 1880: The Pearl of Great Price was unanimously sustained as scripture. Also at that time, other revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants – which had not been accepted as scripture in 1835 because they were received after that date – were unanimously accepted as scripture.

October 6, 1890: Official Declaration 1 was accepted unanimously as scripture. It later began to be published in the Doctrine and Covenants.

April 3, 1976: Two visions (one received by Joseph Smith and the other by Joseph F. Smith) were sustained as scripture and added to the Pearl of Great Price. (The two visions were later moved to the D&C as sections 137 and 138.)

September 30, 1978: Official Declaration 2 was sustained unanimously as scripture. It immediately was added to the Doctrine and Covenants.

————————————————————

The revelation known as the Word of Wisdom was received in 1833 and first published by the Church in the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants, it was viewed as scripture but wasn't seen as binding for many years. The original revelation was given “not by commandment or constraint,” but rather as a “word of wisdom.” It would take decades for it to be accepted as a requirement for Latter-day Saints

In 1834, the Kirtland high council decided that those who were taught the Word of Wisdom but didn't follow it were unworthy to hold an office in the Church. A few years later the Missouri high council made a similar decision. Records indicate there were some members who were reprimanded for not following the Word of Wisdom, and even excommunicated for a pattern of disobedience. Which is interesting since the revelation only describes blessings for keeping it and does not give punishments for not following it.

During the Nauvoo period, the Word of Wisdom was not emphasized and there seems to have been a more relaxed attitude about it.

In 1842, Hyrum Smith said that 'hot drinks' refers to coffee and tea. Ever since this has been the accepted interpretation.

After the Saints moved to Utah, in the 1851 General Conference, Church patriarch John Smith spoke on the Word of Wisdom and Brigham Young proposed all Saints formally covenant to abstain from those things prohibited in the Word of Wisdom. (This seems to be where the attitude of only those parts of the Word of Wisdom, what to avoid, are emphasized but not the parts of what we should eat). Despite this, it seems even Brigham Young didn't completely follow this instruction until 1862.

In the 1860s and 70s, there was a renewed emphasis on the Word of Wisdom, but it was not required as a test of membership.

In 1883, the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve commit to more fully live the Word of Wisdom, and others are encouraged to follow their example. By 1900, the majority of general and local leaders were following it.

In 1902, leaders were being instructed to refuse temple recommends to flagrant violators of the Word of Wisdom, though to still be lenient with others.

In 1905, it was taught that following the Word of Wisdom is a requirement to hold leadership positions.

In 1906, the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve began using water instead of wine in their sacrament meetings.

By 1915, living the Word of Wisdom was required for young or middle-aged men to be ordained to the priesthood or be given a temple recommend.

In 1921, adherence to the Word of Wisdom was required to be admitted to the temple.

————————————————————

For me, personally, I'm fine with the Word of Wisdom. Dietary rules are common in religion. Judaism, Islam, Sikhism, and Hinduism also have dietary codes.

In a way, such codes can feel like a parent who is concerned about what you're eating for lunch, it's a way of showing concern for us. However, I think there are two main purposes to such codes.

One is to implement health rules about what to eat, including sanitary measures, and how to ethically/morally approach eating meat (or forbidding meat) because it requires the death of another living creature.

The other purpose of these codes is they are a way to distinguish us as a group, to separate us from other people amongst whom we live. If we're at a company meeting where food is served, Mormons may notice who else has chosen not to have coffee or tea and wonder if they're also members of the LDS church, while non-members are unaware of this shibboleth.

To go along with these codes as cultural markers, I have observed that when someone is separating themselves from the LDS church, often one of the first things they'll do is have their first beer or cup of coffee. It’s s way of breaking that identity marker.

It is interesting that the Word of Wisdom includes prohibitions against alcohol when the consumption of wine is widely reported in the Bible. It highlights that there isn't consistency among these different religious dietary codes.

I think of Peter's vision in the New Testament where he is commanded to eat animals which were prohibited under Jewish law. God declares that all these animals are clean, meaning they are okay to eat. And the apostle Paul taught that non-Jewish converts were not required to eat kosher, however it would be helpful if they'd abstain from eating unkosher foods around their Jewish fellows so as not to offend them.

These two stories inform my opinion about the Word of Wisdom. I am LDS and follow our traditions against coffee, tea, tobacco, and alcohol, however I don't view breaking these norms as a sin. The revelation specifically says this is not a commandment, so it seems to me to be more of a cultural marker. One reason I choose to not drink coffee is it would concern or offend my fellow LDS friends, some because they think of it as a sin and others because they see it as me separating myself from this community

[gettingsoaked]

Mormonism 101

One of the reasons for this project is that Mormonism, through its global missionary program, shows like South Park and the Book of Mormon musical, and the music of Donny Osmond, is a very visible religion, yet at the same time its basic tenets, beliefs, and practices are almost totally unknown to anyone except initiates. Most people are aware of Mormons, but couldn't tell you much about the religion. So what is Mormonism? Let's start with terminology. While "Mormon" and "Mormonism" are well-established, people who are usually called Mormons are actually members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. "Mormon" is a nickname or exonym drawn from the religion's principle scripture, the Book of Mormon. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the official name of what to most people is "the Mormon Church." The term "Mormon" is discouraged, as is the abbreviation LDS. Official Church sources stress that the full name should be used whenever possible, but suggest using the abbreviations, “Church of Jesus Christ” or “Christ’s Church,” which seem more to me like ambiguous theopolitical statements than useful short forms. Apologies to any LDS readers, but I'll be using "Mormon," "Latter-day Saint," and "LDS" more or less interchangeably.

Mormonism is a Christian restorationist denomination, which means that Mormons believe their religion is a restoration of primitive (in the sense of first or original) Christianity. Mormonism is a Christian religion to the extent that its central figure is Jesus Christ, but has several major differences from mainstream Christianity, which we'll get to in later posts. (I personally believe that Mormonism originates in Christianity, but is not Christian in the same way that Christianity originated from Judaism but isn't Jewish.) The Church was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr, who hailed from upstate New York and is regarded by believers as a prophet similar to the way Jews & Christians view Moses or Muslims view Muhammad. Smith had visions from the spirit world telling him to organize his own church, as all Christian creeds were an abomination in the eyes of God, and leading him to a new volume of scripture, the Book of Mormon, written by some of the indigenous inhabitants of the Americas on golden plates, and buried on the Hill Cumorah. Smith allegedly translated this record, the Book of Mormon, through the gift and power of God. The Bible, the Book of Mormon, a collection of Smith and other Latter-day prophets' revelations called the Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price, consisting of some excerpts from Smith's revision of the Bible and other ephemera, constitute the open Latter-day Saint scriptural canon. After Smith's assassination, his successor Brigham Young led the Mormons to Utah, and eventually the religion grew to become a global faith. The Church is headed by a president that adherents consider a modern prophet, seer, and revelator, and they consider themselves the only true, authorized church on earth today. They have many distinctive teachings on the nature of God, the afterlife, health and diet, finances, and other matters that I plan to cover in future posts. (Any corrections are always welcome, but I think this is pretty accurate!)

[fmp2omegs2]

Cult

1) a system of religious veneration and devotion directed towards a particular figure or object.

2) a person or thing that is popular or fashionable among a particular group or section of society.

Most Cults prey upon the vulnerable, such as teenage runaways, drug addicts, abuse survivors, those who have lost someone close to them through death or a breakup, those suffering from mental health issues, or anyone who feels disconnected from society

For Sylas and Callums case they was born into the cult, they great grandfather was one of the leaders, the cult is some what like Mormonism where they believe in one higher up

Information on Mormonism

Mormonism, also known as the Latter-day Saint movement, is a religion centered on the restoration of the early Christian church through Joseph Smith, who claimed to receive revelations. It is a Restorationist Christian denomination with distinct beliefs, practices, and scriptures, including the Book of Mormon, in addition to the Bible.

Key Beliefs and Practices:

Restoration of the Church:

Mormons believe that God restored the true church, which was lost after the time of the apostles, through Joseph Smith.

Book of Mormon:

The Book of Mormon is considered by Mormons to be a divinely inspired scripture, along with the Bible, and is seen as a testament to Jesus Christ.

Prophets and Apostles:

Mormons believe that God continues to speak to prophets and apostles today, who guide the church and interpret scripture.

Godhead:

Mormons believe in a Godhead composed of God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost as three separate, distinct persons.

Priesthood:

Mormons believe in a priesthood authority passed down through the laying on of hands by authorized church leaders.

Ordinances:

Mormons follow certain ordinances, like baptism by immersion and receiving the Holy Ghost through the laying on of hands.

Temple Work:

Mormons believe in temple rituals that are essential for exaltation and becoming like God.

Eternal Progression:

Mormons believe that individuals can progress to godhood through faithful living and obedience to God's laws.

Historical Context:

Founded by Joseph Smith:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was founded in the 19th century by Joseph Smith in New York.

The Book of Mormon:

Joseph Smith claimed to have translated the Book of Mormon from golden plates by putting his hands over tnem, which he said were buried in the hills of New York.

Persecution and Migration:

Mormons faced persecution and eventually migrated west to Utah, where they established Salt Lake City.

Similarities and Differences with Christianity:

Similarities:

Mormons share many beliefs with other Christians, including belief in God, Jesus Christ, the Bible, and the concept of the Holy Spirit.

Differences:

Mormons have unique beliefs, including the Book of Mormon, a different view of the Godhead, and a belief in a restored priesthood authority.

[theactsoftheapostles]

"The Rem." From the Acts of the Apostles 4: 8-12.

The Lame Man is secret Jewish code for the Passover. Peter speaks about this again, claiming everyone on this planet must remind themselves at least annually, that God does not permit corruption or tyranny in the government. All this Donald Trump stuff, and what Putin wants crap, these are not observable due to the fact the Passover process forbids it. Persons who sieze illegal control over the lives of others as Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin have must be prosecuted and disposed of. About this kind of thing there is never any doubt within cultures that observe the Kabbalah of the Lame Man.

8 Peter, full of the Holy Spirit, answered them, “Leaders of the people and elders: 9 if we are being questioned today about the good deed done to the lame man and how he was healed, 

10 then you should all know, and all the people of Israel should know, that this man stands here before you completely well through the power of the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth—whom you crucified and whom God raised from death. 

11 Jesus is the one of whom the scripture says,

‘The stone that you the builders despised     turned out to be the most important of all.’

12 Salvation is to be found through him alone; in all the world there is no one else whom God has given who can save us.”

The Book of Revelation speaks of a Mission of Mercy, the global relief of poverty and oppression all at once. The Acts narrows this down to a "good deed" done for a "lame man."

The good deed=130, קל, kal, "all must be whole and perfect, swift, easy, light."

The lame man=240, ר‎ם, rem, represents what happened after Jacob "sprained his thigh" trying to fight his angelic nature. The result of a struggle between men and angels is a lame man, but bear in mind this is Kabbalah for a man that is upright, strong, mighty, and determined.

"In Hebrew, "rem" (ראם) in Abarim Publications refers to the wild ox (aurochs), often symbolizing strength and power, and is the root of the name "Ram" meaning "High, Exalted". 

Here's a more detailed explanation:

Hebrew Word: The Hebrew word "ראם" (re'em) translates to "wild ox" or "aurochs". 

Biblical Symbolism: The wild ox is often used in the Bible as a symbol of strength and power. 

Name Ram: The name "Ram" (ראם) is derived from the verb "רום" (rum), meaning "to be high" or "exalted". 

Abarim Publications: Abarim Publications is a resource for biblical Hebrew studies, and they provide detailed explanations of Hebrew words and names, including "re'em" and "Ram". 

Other Meanings: While the primary meaning of "re'em" is wild ox, it's also used in some contexts to refer to a bull, possibly due to the wild ox's strength and the association with a rising market (a "bull market"). 

Ramathaim-Zophim: Ramathaim-Zophim (Hebrew: רמתיים־צופים), also called Ramah ( רָמָה‎), is a city from the Hebrew Bible, the home town and resting place of prophet Samuel. The name of the town means "the heights of the views."

Peter's revelation above explains how one goes from being the lame man to one of an exalted status.

The Values in Gematria are:

v. 8-9: Peter, full of the Holy Spirit answered. The Number is 8913, ףטיג‎, pattig, "the catchphrase"= Mashiach. It does not matter who you are or where you live, your race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation, you are allowed to be free and self-define. It is a requirement. We have allowed evil men and women to defy God and bring war, violence, poverty, and waste to this planet. They have to pay for this.

v. 10: Then you should all know the power of the name. The Number is 13620, יג‎םך, yegmech, ‎"God's Gimmick."

I am trying to explain to you all the importance of the Gospels and all related texts in order to redeem the name of Jesus of Nazareth from the slander of the Catholic Church, the Mormons, the Jehovah's Worthlesses who just do not understand and never will.

Jesus is a natural product of the Angel Math found in the Hebrew language. He is called the Central Figure, the Mightiest Angel, the Highest of the Celestials. Only God is the Most High. To understand how this being is invisible and also in the flesh, one must understand John, "interlinearity" and also Peter, who had the ablity to get the lame man back on his feet, to connect the ground with the heavens. I have mentioned the horizontal version of this is called Passing Over. Every concept in Hebrew is multilateral. Peter's comment estasblishes the Name of Jesus is the same; John's interlinearity is not just between the feet and the top of the mind, it is like a light bulb whose energy goes out in all directions.

This magnificent and splendid being, who is very sweet, has been the scourge of Jewish people, Muslims, gays, blacks, anyone the white people in America and Europe cannot seem to love. He is as Jewish as matzoh, and He was always and remains their dearest friend. All students of Judaism will understand readily how Jesus fits in to the Megillah, or as I call it the Magthorah using the mathematical proof I have provided here.

v. 11-12: As scary as this must sound especially to Jewish people, Jesus is the One, He is God's firebrand, His freedom fighter, and He must win this contemprary fight for mankind against America and the Russians for our sake. Peter's call to action to all Israel from ancient times is ours too.

The Number is 11026, קי‎‎ו‎, Kiv, In Hebrew, the word "kiv" (קב) forms a cluster of words reflecting a down- or inward notion, creating a hollow that contains or should contain something precious or related to growth.

As we have learned in the Gospel of John, before we can assimilate Jesus, and go up and out, we must draw the Water of the Spirit down. This means as Luke says early on in the Acts, we must understand the Jewish religion, its linguistic and all of its secrets first. Without them there is no such thing as any of this.

The final Gemara is קלר‎םףטיג יג‎םךקי‎‎ו‎, kler‎mephtig yeg‎mechaki‎‎v‎, klumer miftig yeg mechki v, "That is, the law of the land is abolished."

=1268, יבש, yabash

"Until the stink in the fire goes out and the land dries out.

‎The worry is, Christians will no longer have a faith, and Jewish persons will lose their identity, but the Zohar says the problem is not that obtuse. The Torah and the Magthorah are a massive equation. Just as one cannot stop learning how to add or subtract and expect to know geometry or algebra, which one needs to perform in chemistry and physics, one cannot know God or the Angel if one stops short of learning all the Math. One's mind will remain low like a maggots, or go too high like a maggot inside a fruit hanging from a tree. Neither is a way to raise up a lame man. Saint John remarks in Revelation 9:16, the Numbers go as high as the "myriads of millions" a clear indication one should understand all the prior configurations as well. This text tells us how to comprehend the entire range.

[eli-kittim]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Debunked

Eli Kittim

The Latter Day Saint movement is a Christian Restorationist movement that was founded by Joseph Smith in the early 19th century. Currently, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (aka “LDS Church”) boasts 17 million members.

There is a theme in the Old Testament that is echoed in the New Testament's Book of Revelation 22:18-19. It effectively nullifies all extra-biblical sources of interpretation or additions to scripture, including Talmudic hermeneutics and 3 out of the 4 Standard Works of the LDS Church. Deuteronomy 4:2 reads:

“You must neither add anything to what I command you nor take away anything from it, but keep the commandments of the Lord your God with which I am charging you.”

Yet the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have added additional material, such as the noncanonical Book of Mormon, which is neither authorized nor accepted by mainstream Christian Churches. According to Latter Day Saint tradition, the so-called golden plates are the original source from which Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon (which is now called Another Testament of Jesus Christ). Paul writes in Galatians 1:8:

“But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse!”

As the story goes, Smith allegedly found these plates in the 1820s after an angel named Moroni directed him to a buried stone box. He claimed that the angel instructed him not to show the plates to anyone until they had been properly translated from their original "reformed Egyptian" language.

However, there are several problems with these claims. The notion of “reformed Egyptian” comes from a narrative in the Book of Mormon, in which it is described as the language employed to inscribe the text on golden plates. And yet, historians, linguists, archaeologists, and egyptologists have not found any substantiated examples of such a language in the historical or archaeological record. In other words, the claim that the golden plates were written in a language called "reformed Egyptian” is bogus because such a language is basically unknown to linguists and egyptologists. Besides, there’s no linguistic, historical, or archaeological evidence of the use of Egyptian writing in Pre-Columbian America!

There are many other problems with Joseph Smith’s claims. He mentioned that he received his revelation from an Angel named Moroni. The said angel is mentioned in the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants, another LDS book, but not in the Bible. According to the Book of Mormon, the said angel added information to the teachings of Jesus. In fact, the Book of Mormon is more about Moroni than Jesus because the word "Mormon" itself is actually derived from the name of the angel Moroni! The fact that this angel substitutes itself for Christ by giving its name to a book——and given that the name Moroni is never once mentioned in the 66 canonical books of Holy Scripture——suggests that it is probably not on God’s payroll. Joseph Smith’s account reminds us of another so-called prophetess and channeler, namely, Esther Hicks, who currently claims to receive revelations from a non-physical spirit named Abraham. Thus, the LDS movement——featuring a spirit-guide who offers a new or alternative teaching THAT IS NOT IN THE BIBLE——has all the hallmarks of a cult!

It is important to note that Joseph Smith and his close associates were practicing folk magic, scrying, second sight, and divination, practices that are strictly forbidden in the Old Testament (Lev 19:26; Deuteronomy 18:10-12)! Both Smith and another seer named Samuel T. Lawrence reportedly used a seer stone to view the golden plates. What is more, eyewitnesses reported that Smith translated the golden plates not by looking directly at them but by looking through a transparent seer stone in the bottom of his hat! So, Smith allegedly translated the Egyptian not based on any scholarly knowledge or expertise but rather on psychic messages that were channeled to him.

There were allegedly 11 men who claimed to have seen the plates, aka the so-called Book of Mormon Witnesses. Then, after the translation process was completed, Smith claimed that he returned the plates to the angel Moroni, thereby conveniently making them magically disappear from sight so that they could not be investigated or re-examined.

However, there are various discrepancies and contradictory accounts. Some of Joseph Smith’s close associates accused him of being a fraud and of having “filthy” adulterous relationships. Moreover, Martin Harris, one of the alleged Three Witnesses to the golden plates, recounted his witness as a visionary experience. John Gilbert, the printer of the first edition of the Book of Mormon, asked Harris if he had seen the plates with his own eyes, to which Harris replied "No, I saw them with a spiritual eye.” In 1837, Joseph Smith excommunicated 28 members. A year later, in 1838, Smith said the following about the Three Witnesses (Cowdery, Harris, and Whitmer): “too mean to mention; and we had liked to have forgotten them." So much for the eyewitness reports!

In the same year (1838), Harris publicly confessed that "he never saw the plates with his natural eyes, only in vision or imagination." In fact, Harris openly denied that any of the Witnesses to the Book of Mormon had ever seen or handled the golden plates. As a result, Harris's announcement convinced several key members to leave the church. Over 30 years later, Harris’ account never changed. He gave another interview in which he admitted "I never saw the golden plates, only in a visionary or entranced state."

The Pearl of Great Price is part of the canonical books of the LDS Church. It was originally written as a pamphlet published in England in 1851, and was later revised and canonized by the LDS Church. The current version of the Pearl of Great Price contains several sections. One section is called the Book of Moses, which includes Smith's own revisions (i.e. the “Joseph Smith Translation” of the Bible, aka JST) regarding the first 6 chapters of the Book of Genesis, which include two extraneous chapters of "extracts from the prophecy of Enoch.” So, Joseph Smith is essentially rewriting the Bible according to his own private interpretations.

Another section in the Pearl of Great Price is the Book of Abraham. Joseph Smith produced it in 1835, and claimed that it was based on Egyptian papyri that were purchased from a traveling mummy exhibition. According to Joseph Smith himself, the book was "a translation of some ancient records... purporting to be the writings of Abraham, while he was in Egypt, called the Book of Abraham, written by his own hand, upon papyrus". What a story! It has all the earmarks of occultism! This book also maintains that God did not create the universe ex nihilo (out of nothing) but rather through a reorganization of eternal, pre-existing elements. Not to mention that Joseph Smith retranslated portions of Matthew’s gospel, a work which contains significant changes and additions to the original biblical text.

In summary, Joseph Smith added another book to the Bible which was based on a discovery of certain golden plates that no one ever saw. This was a book translated from a supposed reformed Egyptian language that doesn’t exist in the historical or archaeological record, let alone in ancient America. And later, it magically disappeared so that it could not be examined. The witnesses themselves did not actually see the plates with their own eyes. And some of them even called Smith a fraud. Joseph Smith and his companions were all involved in divination and magic, which often attracts demonic spirits. As a matter of fact, the Spirit who introduced Smith to these extra bible additions is a suspicious familiar spirit who is never once mentioned in the Bible. Taken together, the evidence strongly suggests that the LDS Church is a heretical cult that has very little to do with Christianity! Not to mention their theology which is completely bogus (e.g. that God has a physical body of flesh and bones, that God was once a man on another planet, that just like him we can all become gods, that there exist many gods, that Jesus is the spirit brother of Lucifer/Satan, etc.)!

[mindfulldsliving]

A Latter-day Saint Perspective on Sola Scriptura, Creeds, and Divine Revelation

A Latter-day Saint Perspective on Sola Scriptura, Creeds, and Divine Revelation For many Christians, “Sola Scriptura” serves as a central guiding belief, emphasizing scripture as the sole authority. But Latter-day Saint theology offers a different perspective—one that values the Bible deeply while also embracing modern revelation, prophetic authority, and a broader view of God’s work. When…

[fusion360]

Explaining Mormon Beliefs and Practices Regarding Blacks in Mormonism: 

Introduction:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly known as the Mormon Church, has a complex history regarding its beliefs and practices regarding people of African descent. This article aims to provide an overview of Mormon beliefs and practices related to blacks in Mormonism, delving into the historical context, evolution of teachings, and the Church's present stance on racial equality.

Historical Background:

In the early days of the LDS Church, racial attitudes were influenced by the prevailing societal norms of the 19th century United States. Like many other religious groups and institutions of the time, the Church held racially discriminatory views. It believed that black individuals were descended from Cain and Ham and carried a curse because of their actions. These beliefs, rooted in a literal interpretation of certain biblical passages, influenced the early Mormon leaders' perspectives on race.

The Priesthood and Temple Ban:

One significant aspect of Mormon beliefs and practices regarding blacks was the denial of priesthood and temple blessings to individuals of African descent. Until 1978, black men and women were not allowed to receive the priesthood or participate in certain sacred temple rituals. This policy, commonly referred to as the "priesthood and temple ban," was a defining moment of LDS church history and blacks in Mormonism.

Official Declaration 2 and the Lifted Ban:

In 1978, the then-president of the Church, Spencer W. Kimball, announced a revelation known as Official Declaration 2. This revelation removed the priesthood and temple ban, marking a pivotal moment in the Church's history. It declared that all worthy male members of the Church, regardless of race or color, could receive 

the priesthood and participate in temple ordinances. This monumental change was seen as a significant step towards racial equality within the Church.

Contemporary Mormon Beliefs on Race:

Since the priesthood and temple ban was lifted, the Church has made efforts to promote racial equality and inclusivity for blacks in mormonism. Current teachings emphasize the importance of treating all individuals with love and respect, regardless of their race or ethnicity. The Church acknowledges that past teachings regarding race were influenced by the cultural context of the time and do not reflect the official doctrine of the Church today.

The Book of Mormon and Race:

The Book of Mormon, a scripture regarded as divinely inspired by Member of the LDS faith, addresses the issue of race in a narrative context. It contains passages such as the Book of Mormon prophet Nephi's vision of a future time when the "curse" of dark skin would be lifted from the descendants of Lamanites, who are believed to be the ancestors of Native Americans. These passages are sometimes cited to explain past racial teachings, although the Church does not promote or endorse racism based on scripture.

Promoting Racial Equality:

In recent years, the Church has taken steps to foster racial equality and diversity within its membership. The leadership has emphasized the importance of inclusivity, promoting understanding, and addressing the racial challenges that persist. The Church encourages its members to strive for racial harmony and to reject any form of racism or discrimination.

Conclusion:

The beliefs and practices of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints regarding blacks in mormonism have evolved significantly over time. While it had a historically troubled past in terms of racial discrimination, the Church has made efforts to rectify these issues and promote racial equality. The 1978 revelation lifting the priesthood and temple ban was a crucial turning point, indicating a shift in the Church's stance. Today, the Church emphasizes love, respect, and inclusivity towards all individuals, regardless of their race or ethnicity. While acknowledging and learning from its history, the LDS Church strives to foster racial harmony and equality among its diverse membership.

For more questions about Blacks in Mormonism, visit the website What Do Mormons Believe, which sheds light on the past and present beliefs of the Church. The experiences of the first black members serve as a reminder of the importance of embracing diversity and seeking spiritual fulfillment for all individuals, regardless of their racial or ethnic background. 

[salsa-and-light]

Let me save us some time.

Leviticus 18:22 & 20:13

Dubious translation, part of Levitical Law, therefore defunct.

Therefore irrelevant for universal claims.

Genesis 19 & Romans 1

Specific circumstances which would have been equally as immoral if they were heterosexual.(See Judges 19 & Revelation 2:14)

Therefore irrelevant for universal claims.

1 Corinthians 6:9 & 1 Timothy 1:10

A well-documented mistranslation of the same word with almost no contemporary archeological presence. 

Therefore irrelevant for universal claims.

Genesis 2:24 & Requotes (Matthew 19:5, Mark 10:7, Ephesians 5:31)

Neither a definition, prescription nor a command. They are an explanation of one type of marriage with many examples of recognized marriages in scripture which do not match the listed qualities.

...

Christian Anti-Queer sentiment is personal feelings first and justification second. It has no real basis in scripture.

And personal opinions are not sufficient.

...

Now, let's look at the specifics.

"I wonder which god this man is talking about. Certainly not the God of the Bible, because God has been open time and time again over the sin of homosexuality:"

That is false is multiple respects, most crucially because the concept of homosexuality did not exist until the 19th century, and it did not appear in any Bible until the 20th century, incorrectly mind you; there is no ancient Greek or Hebrew equivalent.

"I don’t want anyone to assume that the sin of homosexuality is the worst one can commit."

Well that's very good of you, but it doesn't change how the church treats Queer people.

"We are all born in sin, God demands we be born again [John 3:3] "

I assume that this is premise for telling Queer people that they can change.

It reminds me of how mormons used to believe that Non-White converts to Mormonism would become White once they were in the church.

Because sure, God can do anything, but whoever said that God was going to change his creation for the arbitrary aesthetic preferences of humans.

"Jesus died to pay our sin debt, not so that we can continue in sin."

Love is not a sin, the Bible is explicit that Love is a virtue.

There were no stipulations about gender.

"Making excuses for the sins we like isn’t something a Christian does."

Have you considered that Queer Christians aren't making excuses? Have you considered that you might be the one making excuses for your double standards?

"The Bible is not mistranslated,"

Just because you put it in bolds, that doesn't make it more convincing.

The Bible has been mistranslated many times, these are well documented and debates rage about this exact topic regularly.

"it’s the most carefully translated text, from the original Hebrew and Greek writings, [the Bible never went through a game of ‘telephone’]"

This is also completely false. The King James version is one of the most popular English Bibles in the world, and apart from it being an amalgamation of at least three different previous translations(Tyndale, Geneva & Bishops') most of which were either translated from the Latin Vulgate(not Greek or Hebrew) or took influence from the Vulgate.

In the modern day scholars have been able to translate directly from the source languages and find ancient douments which managed to correct much of the knowledge about mistranslations and clerical errors.

However after decades or centuries of theology based on previous translations some corrections have not made it into modern translations and many others are still disputed.

Of course there's also the problem of linguistic drift, "fornication" was a correct term to use in English five hundred years ago but now it means something completely different.

"You will see your faith transform when you read the Bible without a lense, but reading it as authority. "

This is a words salad, it means nothing.

You can not read the Bible without a lens, you are incapable of viewing the world through totally objective means.

just a reminder to my LGBTQ siblings in faith that God loves you and God fully intended for you to be LGBTQ. God blesses same gender relationships and blesses people going through their gender transition.

[not-so-superheroine]

April 6th is coming up soon :)

i have been asked to film a short video of my testimony of the book of mormon.

i want to know how it has impacted your life. the scripture within. what parts speak to you. why you consider it to be sacred scripture.

i don't know what i will do yet but i think i may speak on how it convinced me of continuing revelation, contains messages of liberation and is anti-wealth inequality, it gives solid spiritual advice in growing your faith in God (and has grown my faith and my relationship with my Creator), a focus on the Living Christ, and is spiritually empowering.

i'm going on too long because i started planning. but does anyone else want to join in and post theirs (not necessarily as a video but a text post. but use any medium you'd like.) on April 6th?

not sure of a good tag, but lmk if you have a better one than

#BoMTestimony

lmk and i'll update.

and yes, nuanced views are totally okay. mine certainly is. i'd love to see them.

if you want it up anonymously, you can anon DM me on anon. i will, of course, screen those.

i also ask that we keep it to the Book of Mormon and the Restoration as a whole rather than a specific church to be inclusive of those in other mormon sects.

and be careful to not insult other non mormon religions.

i haven't seen any religious insults on #tumblrstake , i think y'all are respectful and chill. i just like to cover my bases bc i have seen it elsewhere. but the vibes are much different on tumblr than on reddit. thank you all.

[scarletfish]

Seen a couple hot takes like "oh no under the banner of heaven is sensationalized and violent and is going to give people the wrong impression of modern day mormons." And quite frankly? No.

First of all, you don't HAVE to sensationalize mormon history. Joseph Smith was a known conman charged with fraud who translated new scripture by sticking his head in a hat to look at a fairy rock with a hole in the middle that he found while grave robbing Native American burial sites. He told married women and teenagers that god would straight up kill them if they didn't marry/ have sex with him. I could go on for days. And this is the guy mainstream mormons and fundamentalists share!!

Second of all, the book clearly delineates between fundamentalist and mainstream views. No one thinks mormons are a bunch of borderline murderers waiting to snap. Mormonism isn't responsible for the Lafferty brothers' atrocities. But it's good to acknowledge that these religions had the same inherently racist, sexist, and violent origins. Modern saints don't talk about blood atonement anymore... but it's there!! In modern revelation in a church where a main tenant is full obedience and that prophets can never be wrong!!

TLDR; Mormons typically present a very sanitized version of their religion, and I'm fucking thrilled that Andrew garfield's pretty face might finally bring this church some more scrutiny

[demoisverysexy]

Wait, you're Mormon? I'm ex-Mormon and grew up in Utah (and currently still live here) so it's always super interesting to me to find Mormons on tumblr, especially progressive Mormons. I haven't been in touch with the Mormon side of my family years and don't really keep up with anything that happens in the church anymore, but I'm always fascinated seeing people discuss things on here that I haven't thought about in nearly a decade. If you don't mind me asking, what draws progressive Mormons into staying a part of the church?

Hey! A cool ex-Mormon! I love to see it. Hit me up in my DMs if you wanna chat!

First off, oof, Utah. I do not envy you. I have fortunately never lived in Utah, and I grew up around Boston, which means that I was exposed early on to more liberal and left-leaning Mormons. That along with being the only Mormon in my school made it so that being Mormon became a part of my identity early on, and that I was exposed to both a version of Mormonism more open to new ideas, and an environment where I lived mostly with non-Mormons. Me becoming a liberal was inevitable, and when my Mom introduced me to theology (specifically the works of Adam S. Miller, go read his work now), it would eventually lead to me getting interested in philosophy, which in turn led to me being a queer Marxist. Thanks to my unique trajectory though, Mormonism has always been a relatively comfortable part of my identity, in spite of everything.

I can see how that might be a bit weird to see. My church is, after all, rather infamous for some of its more, ah, conservative doctrines and practices, both past and present. And while I cannot speak for every progressive Mormon, I can speak as to why I stay. A few reasons:

I love being Mormon. I love the Book of Mormon, I love a lot of Mormon doctrines and theology, I love the history, I love the sacrament, I love a lot of the culture, and I love Mormon people. I love it I love it I love it, even with all the problems it has.

As an act of defiance. I don't want my church to get the last say on what it means to be Mormon. I am a Mormon, whether they want me or not. I can't let the conservatives win with their assumption that someone like me can't be a faithful Mormon. So I stay to spite them, and prove them wrong. I'm a Mormon, but in a punk way.

I love the doctrine and theology. I feel that my unique way of looking at Mormon doctrine, influenced by the works of theologians and Marxists, is in many ways more harmonious with what the doctrine is saying than many church-sanctioned interpretations. What if we look at the Book of Mormon through a Marxist lens? Through a literary one? What if we take seriously some of the ideas that Joseph Smith had that bordered on an almost non-theistic, materialist theology? What if we question whether or not the Book of Mormon is historical while believing it to be scripture all the same? Mormonism is, fundamentally, a religion of asking questions. It's how the church came to be, and it's how it goes on, in my opinion. Mormonism persists because it is an ethos, a way of viewing the world and engaging with it in a creative way. For me, letting it breathe like this has been a source of joy and enlightenment. Mormon doctrine, untethered to the institution that demands a strict interpretation of it, can sing.

I am a believer in personal revelation, and at the end of the day, this church is mine. It doesn't belong to the general authorities, but to me and God. I don't care too much about what they have to say, really. If they say something that gets in the way of my understanding of God, I gripe about it for a day, then move on. I'm still a Mormon. What are they going to do?

I believe that while I can do some good, staying in the church will help other people like me. So until I can no longer do it in a safe way, I plan on being an active Mormon for as long as possible. Seems that it's a place I can do some good.

That should about do it, I think. Hit me up if you wanna chat, or have other questions, or wanna be my friend! I love meeting new people, and I would love to hear more about your experiences, anon. Thank you for your lovely question.

[memberqueer-mormon]

I personally view the Book of Mormon in the same way I view the Bible, tbh, though there's some overall differences?

In my personal beliefs, the Bible is a historical document that has been through a lot of hands (and therefore has a lot of layers to work through and a lot of ways it has been understood and misunderstood). It's useful to find guiding principles and examples of their application, but isn't going to 100% tell you Everything, and isn't going to Always Be Right (I don't believe scripture of any kind is capable of that tbh; there's too many layers of communication for any One True Message to pass from God to whoever's writing the scripture and then to every single reader of that thing ever).

Similarly, the Book of Mormon is a historical document, though (unfortunately) one that only has passed through a few hands (my historical linguistics brain goes brrrr and I'm sad we don't have more record of it past the translation). So there's going to be less layers to go through, but we're missing more pieces. I also view its role as providing principles and examples of application, but it's also not going to be entirely correct (and isn't! as a record it isn't continuing revelation, it's past revelation, and that's an important distinction imo).

something which im really curious about, do you think people in queerstake (and progressive lds in general) believe that the book of mormon was entirely literal, entirely metaphorical, partially literal and partially metaphorical, misinterpreted, or some other explanation like some force has actually changed history and only god knew what happened before it was rewritten and gave that to joseph smith. (i know that sounds extremely out there but i was trying to think of what else it could possibly be)

I know that the "official doctrine" is that the Book of Mormon is a real historical document from millennia ago, but I can't speak for individual opinions, except mine - and I think it's a product of Joseph Smith's mind, which I elaborated on in this post. I view it as a culturally important piece of mythology that communicates deeper truths, like Homer's epic poems - Homer pieced together different folk stories and myths that he knew of his time and created the Illiad and the Odyssey. I believe that Joseph Smith did the same thing when making the Book of Mormon - a lot of the ideas that appear in the BoM, like the Native Americans being descended from Israel, were common Christian beliefs in New England. So he took all these stories he knew, and some actual doctrine from God (because I do believe he was a prophet), and wrote new stories, like parables, to teach those ideas.