Mormonism - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

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Mormonism - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

I . Introduction

Mormons is the common name of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a Christian body to United States origin . The name is from the prophet Mormon , whose writings , members believe , form the sacred Book of Mormon

The present-day church is descended from the persecuted sect that established a self-sufficient colony in the barren dessert of Utah in 1847 . The Mormons still have their major strength in Utah , but have

br expanded into other sections of the country and have made converts in many foreign countries . Headquarters are in Salt Lake City , Utah (Davies , 2003

The purpose of this study is to (1 ) know the history of Mormonism (2 analyze the beliefs , practices , and organization of the movement from a biblical (Christian ) perspective and (3 ) explain the movement 's response to Biblical claims of Jesus Christ as well as why or why not I believe this group deserves the label of Contemporary Religious Movement (Cult

II . Background

A . History

Mormonism was founded by Joseph Smith (1805-1844 , who lived as a youth near Palmyra , western New York . At 14 he began to have visions . In 1827 he announced that after revelation in 1823 he found golden plates with hieroglyphics , which he translated with divine aid and published as the Book of Mormon (1830 . The golden plates were not made public , but 11 men testified that they had seen them . Smith founded the church in 1830 with sex members . The sect grew rapidly in numbers ( Interview of Martin Harris

In 1831 the Mormons established their first temple in Kirtland , Ohio near Cleveland , but the group suffered severe financial problems and lost many of its members

Other Mormons settled in Independence , Missouri . Soon forced to move because of the hostility of their neighbors , they next founded the town of their neighbors , they next founded the town of Far West in Caldwell County . In 1838-39 they were driven out of Missouri because of religious prejudice and fear of Mormon political power

The refugees next settled in Commerce , Illinois , and renamed the town Nauvoo . Here on swampy land along the Mississippi the Mormons built an impressive city of about 20 ,000 , then the largest city in Illinois Again there was religious persecution and bitter strife over the growing political power of the Mormons . A new source of conflict was the doctrine of polygamy introduced by Joseph Smith . In 1844 , Smith was murdered by a mob . Because of continued harassment by their neighbors the Mormons abandoned Nauvoo in 1846 ( Mormonism 's History ' 2006

III . Discussion

The Mormons believe their church is the true modern successor of the early church of Jesus Christ . The church 's aim is to prepare the world , by the preaching of the restored gospel and the founding of the Latter-day Zion , for the Messiah 's second coming and the advent of the millennium

A . Beliefs

The Mormons accept the Bible as sacred and look upon...