What is the difference between Mormon and Catholic?

Answer 1

Both Catholics and Mormons claim to have a line of priesthood authority back to Jesus Christ. The Catholic Church believes that their line of authority descends unbroken all the way back to Jesus Christ. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (commonly called the "Mormon" Church) believes that the Catholic Church lost this authority somewhere along the way, and that it has been restored to them.

Both Mormons and Catholics believe that one must be baptized to enter heaven. Catholics have a tradition of baptizing infants, to remove original sin, and make salvation possible. Catholics usually baptize by immersion or pouring water over the forehead. Catholics *never* "sprinkle" as is common among protestants. Mormons baptize by immersion and will only baptize people age 8 or older because they believe that little children are innocent. Mormons also believe that an unbaptized person can accept a baptism performed in their behalf after their death, so they perform baptisms for their dead ancestors.

Catholics believe in the Trinity - one God in Three Persons. Mormons believe that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three individual beings.

Catholics use only The Bible as scripture. Mormons use the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price, in addition to the words of their current leaders.

Mormons do not pray to Jesus, or through Mary or any saints, as many Catholics do. They pray to God the Father through Jesus Christ only.

Culturally, Catholics members tend to be more liberal than Mormon members. Mormons tend to be more strict about dressing modestly, following their health code, and avoiding secular activities on the Sabbath. There are some very conservative or strict Catholics, and some very liberal Mormons, so this is just a generalization.

Catholics have vocations in which God calls them to dedicate their lives totally to the Church (such as sisters, nuns, monks, and priests). This can be compared to Mormon missionary service, although Mormon missionary service is temporary and Catholic vocations are lifetime commitments.

Structurally, they are quite similar. The Catholic Church has the Pope at the head, with Bishops overseeing various geographical regions or departments. The Mormon church has the Prophet at the head, with Apostles and Seventies overseeing various geographical regions and departments. Local congregations are organized into geographic groups (Catholic Diocese or Mormon Stake). Additionally, a central headquarters (Catholics in Rome, Mormons in Salt Lake City) is the home of most of the international leadership. Both Mormons and Catholics will only ordain men to the priesthood.

In addition to these differences, Mormons and Catholics have few similarities in belief, but some in the hierarchical structure of the churches, though they both have a pretty strict moral code. The two churches often support each other in various pursuits.

Examples of collaboration between the two churches can be seen in the "related links" below.

Answer 2

The Roman Catholic Church is a denomination of the worldwide Church as instituted by Our Lord in the first century. Its beliefs differ slightly from the other denominations of the Christian Church (eg Anglican, Methodist, Baptist, Orthodox, Pentecostal and so on) in that the Roman Church believes in purgatory, has a different belief surrounding the mass (Holy Communion/Eucharist) and its worship is far more symbolic through the use of sacrament and ritual than, say some of the protestant denominations. That said, however, the Roman Catholic Church holds the same fundamental beliefs as the other Christian Churches in the world - namely it believes in One True God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit in the Trinity, the Virgin Birth, the divinity of Christ, the bodily resurrection of Christ, and Christ's return as judge of all. Roman Catholics, like all Christians, believe that God is One God, is eternal, a spirit, all-powerful omnipotent and all knowing. Roman Catholics regard the Bible as authoritative and the only work that can be regarded as the Word of God. They believe that, as the Bible is authoritative, further revelations from God through prophets cannot contradict the Biblical Word of God.

Mormons do not accept the Bible as the sole authority of God, but also regard three other books as scripture, including the Book of Mormon, as well as speeches and writings of the president of the church are also authoritative. The Bible is regarded as far below the other books because it is 'full of errors' (wherever it disagrees with Mormon doctrine). Mormons believe in 'many Gods' and not one God. Brigham Young, in his Journal of Discourses 7:333 states "How many Gods there are, I do not know. But there never was a time when there were not Gods." Rather than believe as Christians that God is eternal, omnipotent and so on, they believe God the Father is an exalted man (a man who has progressed to godhood) with a body of flesh and bones. In the teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith he states "God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man...I say, if you were to see him today, you would see him like a man in a form like yourselves in all the person, image, and very form as a man." They also believe that God has a wife with whom he procreates spirit children ["Implicit in the Christian verity that all men are the spirit children of an Eternal Father is the usually unspoken truth that they are also the offspring of an Eternal Mother. An exalted and glorified Man of Holiness (Moses 6:57) could not be a Father unless a Woman of like glory, perfection, and holiness was associated with him as a Mother" (Mormon Doctrine, 1977 ed., p. 516)]. Mormons also have significantly different beliefs about humanity's nature (Mormons believe that humans can become like 'gods'), sin, atonement, God's nature and how humanity is structured. as one example of this latter point, Mormons once believed in polygamy, and in the racist superiority of the white man so that no black people were allowed to become Mormon priests until 1978. Even today many Mormons regard black people as 'the sinful Children of Cain' - resulting in very few black people being members of the Mormon Church. While there are very minor differences in doctrine between the denominations of the worldwide Christian Church, which includes the Roman Catholic Church, most Christians in the world, of all denominations, regard the doctrines of the Mormon religion as so different, and so lacking in authority from the early Church, scripture and tradition, that they cannot be regarded as a Christian Church as we would know it, and as instituted by Our Lord in scripture. Therefore, to many Roman Catholics, (and to many other denominations in the world), while Mormons are invariably sincere people, their beliefs bear all the hallmarks (eg a charismatic founder with beliefs contrary to the accepted Christian beliefs, their own scriptures which they regard as superior to the Bible, their rejection of all other beliefs, etc) of being little more than a cult.

Mormon opinion One is a living, vibrant and ever growing Church established by the power of God; Has the authority to act in the name of God through the Holy Priesthood; Has the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; Is overseen by a Prophet at the head of the Church, which Prophet is directed by the Lord, Jesus Christ, by revelation, inspiration and other means when required; Is structured, from the Prophet and his two councilors, twelve Apostles, the Seventies quorums, to the Stake Presidents, Bishops and leadership quorums in the wards; Knows where we came from, why we are here, and where we can attain to; Knows that The Father, and The Son, and the Holy Ghost are three separate beings who make up the Godhead of Heaven; Has no paid ministry - all is voluntary by members working by faith alone; Has a responsibility to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ through out the world, perfect the Saints, and redeem the dead and has the Holy Ordinances and authority to accomplish its mission; Believes in prophecy, revelation, visions, ministering angels and a living Jesus Christ; Believes that people are responsible for their own sins and will suffer the consequences if they do not repent; Believes in the miracle of repentance through the atonement of Jesus Christ; Believes in baptism by full immersion as was the Lord in the Jordan River by John the Baptist; Believes in one Lord, one faith and one baptism; Believes that faith without works is dead, and also believes that people will not be saved by faith alone but by love, obedience to the law, service to the Lord and the receiving of the Ordinance which are the keys to open the doors to eternal life. I could continue but.....; as for the comparison, I'll leave that up to you. Where there is life there is still some measure of hope.

Two very important differences between both churches is that one believes that babies and little children need to be baptized to be saved in the Kingdom of God; pointing out that a small child is condemned to hell on account of Adam's transgression in the Garden of Eden. The other church believes that little children are pure in heart and mind and cannot sin, wherefore they have no reason to repent and be baptized for a remission of sins. It believes that children, if they die before they reach an age of accountability, are lifted up to Heaven in the love and mercy of the Lord, Jesus Christ. For it was Jesus who spoke the following, "But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.", and again, "...Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 19:14 and 18:3. The other point is that one church believes that all mankind will suffer the consequences for their own sins if they do not repent and put a lasting end to the sins they commit. Where as the other church believes that all mankind are under condemnation because of Adam and can only be saved by grace alone. Adam's transgression was responsible for bringing freedom of choice into the world and, of course, the world's population; but mankind is responsible for the choices their new found freedom provides.

Answer 3

the biggest difference is the Mormons (Latter Day Saints) believe in the book of Mormon also Mormons get married in the temple and are baptized at 8 or older