Mormonism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mormonism - Essay Example Mormonism Later Day Saint Movement (LDS) or simply Mormonism is a Christian religious group founded by Joseph Smith. Smith claimed himself to be the God’s advocate through whom the Church would be re-established, because according to Smith, all other Churches had gone astray. Smith also claimed that he had several visions from God and that was the cause why he proposed to undertake this new mission. The cult, which claims to be the true church of Jesus Christ, has its own distinctive beliefs and texts different from those of Catholicism and Protestantism. The movement emerged during 1820s in America and gained popularity over the next few decades though later got split into new rather small denominations. According to the LDS statistical report (as cited in BBC Religion), the group has ‘13.5 million members world-wide’. Mormons’ belief about God is very much different from those of other Christian denominations. According to their doctrine, God is an exalte d man who has a physical body like any other human being. Even the human beings have the potential to attain this stature in afterlife. As described in the book of Gruss and Thuet What Every Mormon (And Non-mormon) Should Know, Mormon’s God consists of three distinct beings- collectively called Godhead- who are united in purpose, love and will (281-282). Among these three beings, God the Father is the all knowing Supreme Being named Elohim who created the whole world, for he has the absolute wisdom. The second being of the Godhead is Jesus Christ, who according to the Mormons, showed the perfect way of human life; and he is the first-born spirit child and biological child of the Father, and by whom Father performed the creation of the world (Gruss & Thuet 283). The creation is a process that is very similar to the act of a craftsman, for he did not create anything out of vacuum but perfectly organized already existing materials. Again, the Father himself is an exalted human w ho might have lived in another planet once, and who gained ultimate wisdom by closely adhering to the rules of his God. Jehovah, the God in the Old Testament referred to Jesus who later taught his disciples to live tighter for the common goal. Jesus died, got buried, and resurrected. Mormons’ Christ owns a physical body which neither limits his holiness nor prevents him from being God (BBC Religions). The third being that is Holy Spirit also is a unique being like Elohim and Jesus Christ. The only difference is that he is spirit and has no body, but at the same time resembles man. Unlike other Christian doctrines, mormons’ Holy Spirit is not omnipresent. Although He can be present only at one place at a time, his power is so intense that spreads across the whole universe in no time. Holy Ghost is the being that inspires people to obey God the Father and the Son. All Godly experiences, ‘love, comfort, and affection’ are being transmitted through the Holy Gh ost (BBC Religions). With regard to spiritual life, Mormons give higher emphasis to sustainable growth in knowledge and understanding, which is only possible through ongoing scripture study and personal preparation. Like any other forms of belief, LDS also maintains temples and priesthood which play central roles in their ceremonies. The ceremonies, normally termed as ‘ordinances and covenants’ can be performed only in temples by a proper authority- priest. Among such ceremonies, endowment and eternal marriage are important. During endowment, one promises that one would lead a righteous life by closely following the God’s Commandments. Marriage is not a simple one-time event; instead it lasts for ever once the couples enter eternal marriage, which is often termed as a sealing. Through this covenant, a family, including the children born and yet to be born, gets the blessings to be united for ever. LDS temples are the holy houses where Jesus Christ is expected to come and dwell. Mormons worship Jesus as the Son of God and Savior. Like almost all other Christian denominations,