Mormonism

Actually, "Mormon" is the other name. The official name of the Church is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Church members prefer to be called "Latter-day Saints" or "LDS". "Mormon" is a nickname given to them by those who oppose the Church.

All the 350 or so members of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir are baptized members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the "Mormon" church). This is one of the requirements for membership in the choir.

As for being a member of the Mormon Tabernacle, that's impossible. It's just the name of the building where the choir performs, and doesn't have members of it's own. It is not home to any congregation or regular worship services aside from Choir performances.

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the "Mormon" or "LDS" church) come from all backgrounds, cultures, ethnicities, nations, etc. but are united by common beliefs. You can learn more about individial members as well as about what Mormons believe at the "Related Links" below.

Polygamy is having more than one spouse at a time. Usually it is referring to a man having more than one lawful wife (Polygyny), it can however refer to a woman having more than one husband (Polyandry). In so called civilized countries it is against the law to have more than one spouse at any given time. Though the practice of having more than one wife may be acceptable in some cultures, and it might work well, the Christian society believes in the Scriptures where it says a man shalt have only one wife. " Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh" Genesis2:24. Though this has not always been so in biblical times, it is nonetheless against the will of God to have more than one wife.

Jesus reminded the Pharisees of God's purpose in marriage: "For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh." Matthew 19:5. Two become one in marriage, constitutes God's plan. This was contrary to the divorce, of which they asked Jesus. He said: "What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." v.6.

Utah is home to the most temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the "Mormon" church) with 16 (three of which are under construction as of July 2012).

Other states with a lot of temples are California (7 temples), Arizona (5 temples), Idaho (5 temples), Texas (4 temples), and Washington (3 temples). Most other states have one or two. 15 states do not yet have temples of their own.

Please note that Mormon Temples are different than churches/meetinghouses. Mormon Temples are only for special ceremonies, but meetinghouses are where regular Sunday worship is held. Utah has between 2,000 and 3,000 meetinghouses, each housing from 1 to 4 congregations. California and Idaho have the next highest numbers, with about 400-500 meetinghouses each.

Yes, they do. Several sources from the Church, both historically and modern, refer to the Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ. For example:

Elder Bruce R. McConkie, Apostle from 1972 to 1985, stated, "Our Lord is the only mortal person ever born to a virgin... Modernistic teachings denying the virgin birth are utterly and completely apostate and false." (Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed pp. 822)

Elder James E. Talmage, Apostle from 1911 to 1933, wrote much about the virgin birth in his exhaustive volume, Jesus the Christ, including this phrase, "Mary the Virgin gave birth to her firstborn, the Son of the Highest, the Only Begotten of the Eternal Father, Jesus the Christ." (pp. 92)

Alexander B. Morrison, a Seventy from 1987 to 2000, said, "He, the literal Son of God, the offspring of a virgin mother and the Mighty Father, preached his wondrous gospel of love... Scholars make a mockery of Christ by denying his virgin birth and resurrection." (Liahona, April 1995, pp. 11)

President Ezra Taft Benson said that the virgin birth of Jesus Christ was the first of the five marks of His divinity. He warns against trying to give "natural explanations to those things which are divine" and that the "paternity of Jesus is one of the 'mysteries of godliness', which may only be comprehended by the spiritually minded." (New Era, Dec. 1980, pp. 44)

To deny the virgin birth of Jesus Christ is to deny the prophesies of the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon, as well as the Gospels of the New Testament, especially the Gosepl of Luke, which goes quite in depth as to how Jesus Christ was concived of a virgin mother and a divine Father. Mormons believe that the conception of Jesus Christ happened just as Luke 1:35 and Alma 7:10 describe, she was overshadowed by the power of God the Father. Because God the Father is perfectly divine and immortal, Mary remained a virgin (meaning that she 'knew no man' in the Biblical definition) until after the birth of Jesus Christ, when she and Joseph consummated their marriage.

The Extermination Order was issued by Governor Lillbourn W. Boggs of Missouri in October 1838. It came after fighting between members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly called the "Mormon" church) and non-Mormons had escalated to the point that it was a huge problem.

Although small fights had occurred for several years, they were nothing out of the ordinary in frontier America. The first large battle is called the Gallatin Election Day Battle, which occured on August 6, 1838. In the city of Gallatin, Missouri, a political candidate (William Peniston) had said some disparaging things about Mormons in his speech, and told them not to vote in the election. Samuel Brown, a Mormon present in the audience, announced that the things Mr. Peniston had said about the Mormons were false, and that he would not be intimidated out of his right to vote. A brawl broke out in the audience, with several leaving the scene to obtain guns and ammunition. The next several months were filled with attacks on both sides, mostly involving the burning of homes and public buildings. Mormon men were taken from their homes and imprisoned or shot, and property was stolen. Two major battles taking place in October 1838, the Battle of Crooked River and the Haun's Mill Massacre. When the Mormon's fought back in attempt to defend themselves, an exaggerated record was sent to the Governor, stating that they had killed so many civillians in an uprising. The Governor concluded that the Mormons were at war with the state, and ordered the Extermination Order.

Because of the Extermination Order, Mormon leaders were tried under a military tribunal and convicted of high treason. Joseph Smith was ordered to be shot in the town square by General Alexander Doniphan. General Doniphan, however, felt that it was cold blooded murder because the Mormon leaders were not given a fair trial, and in turn allowed them to escape before their execution.

As the Mormons were attempting to gather their things and flee the state, mobs ransacked several of their villages, taking their weapons and valuables and burning their buildings. They finally were able to flee and join the rest of the Church members in Nauvoo, Illinois.

The Extermination Order was rescinded nearly 140 years later in 1976, when an official apology was given to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

You can see a photo of the actual handwritten Extermination Order at the "Related Links" below.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the "Mormon" church) is a branch of Christianity and therefore has many similarities to other Christian groups.

For example, Mormons believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior and Redeemer of Mankind. Mormons believe that the Holy Bible is the Word of God and use it as sacred scripture. Mormons believe that they should accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and then follow the commandments and teachings of God.

Mormons follow many of the traditions that other Christians do as well. Mormons believe in baptism, the laying on of hands, and have a strong missionary tradition. They celebrate Christmas and Easter. They meet together at church on Sunday to worship and participate in the 'Sacrament' (Communion or Lord's Supper). They use many of the same hymns and art as other Christian groups.

Like most faiths, Mormons believe that they can recieve personal guidance through prayer. They also believe that God calls prophets to reveal His will on a larger scale. They promote strong moral values and provide charity and humanitarian work worldwide.

Check out the "Related Links" below to learn more about what Mormons believe, both what makes them similar and what sets them apart.

That depends on your definition of a cult. The technical definition of a cult is "A system of religious veneration and devotion directed toward a particular figure or object." by this definition, nearly every faith or religious group is a cult!

The Community of Christ is a relatively small group which split off from another faith (Mormonism), but they are very open about their beliefs and most of their doctrines align with mainstream Christianity. They do not live on compounds or closed societies and participate in mainstream society.

Check out the "Related Links" to go to their official website.

There are many people with the name John L. Smith. If you are referring to the Michigan State football coach, yes, he is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the "Mormon" Church.)

The exact value of the Mormon church, officially known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is not publicly disclosed as it is a private organization. However, estimates suggest its total worth is in the range of tens of billions of dollars, including assets such as real estate holdings, investments, and businesses. The church's financial resources are primarily used for funding its religious, educational, and humanitarian missions worldwide.

Mormon trail is the path the member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as Mormons, took to reach the Salt Lake Valley in Utah State in the mid 19th century. It is 1300 miles long and it connects Nauvoo, Illinois to Salt Lake City, Utah.

No. A member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (commonly called "Mormons") who confesses to committing adultery does not have to reveal the name of the person he committed adultery with.

Mormons CAN eat chocolate, or it's at least never been specifically prohibited. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are counseled to be good stewards over their bodies, meaning that our bodies are gifts from God and should therefore be treated well. The Church has counseled against drinking caffeinated beverages or other habit-forming substances, but has never instituted this as an official position or a commandment; those who choose to drink caffeine are under no condemnation but are asked to be moderate in consuming it. Because chocolate has small amounts of caffeine, some Church members may choose to abstain from chocolate, but the Church itself has never spoken to this issue. Without an official position to go by, Church members are best to simply follow the general counsel to have moderation in all things; leaders have even echoed a popular sentiment that any virtue taken to an extreme can become a vice.

No. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the "Mormon" church) does not own any retail stores aside from Deseret Book, a religious book and gift store.

Fred Meyer was originally started by a man named Fred Meyer in 1922. He was not a Mormon. In 1998, the store merged with Kroger, which is publically traded and therefore owned by shareholders.

I don't know of any study that has collected statistics on something this specific, but I do know of several Mormons who have married Catholics and had successful relationships. Those who were successful had made agreements before hand on how they would celebrate religious holidays, which worship services they would attend, and how they would raise their children. They also had the support of their extended families, who promised not to pressure them or their children into being partial to either religion.

Some of the ideas these couples came up with were:

*Attend Mass together on Saturday and Mormon services together on Sunday

*Children were baptized Catholic at birth and given the option to be baptized Mormon when they were older

*Share religious traditions in the home by taking turns praying or planning holidays

*Allow children to attend services of both religions throughout their childhood and let them choose which to join later in life

A cult is defined as "a particular system of religious worship" or "a group or sect bound together by veneration of the same thing, person, ideal, etc." (dictionary.com) Many people think of a cult as a group of people that might be unordinary or that performs strange rituals. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is not considered a cult any more than the Catholic or Protestant churches. It's members are bound together because they all worship Jesus Christ, and they all follow the counsel of central Church leaders (a Prophet -similar to the Catholic Pope- and 12 Apostles). Church members participate in their cities and communities and do not sequester themselves on 'compounds' out in the wilderness, as many 'cults' do. They do perform some 'rituals', such as the Sacrament (Communion or Lord's Supper) and Baptism, as well as prayer and temple worship. The temple worship service (separate from Sunday Services) is sacred and not discussed outside of temple walls, but is entirely focused on Jesus Christ. The Church is open and welcoming to all who would like to participate in worship services or just learn more about their beliefs and doctrines. If you want more information on the beliefs of the Church, you can go to one of your local Latter Day Saint churches on Sundays. There will be someone there who can refer you to the missionaries of the church. Or you may visit one of the Church's official websites, which are included below.

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly called the "Mormon" church) believe in the "Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, which is one God" (Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 31:21) They believe that the Father, Son (Jesus Christ), and Holy Ghost are perfectly united in purpose, and thus "one God". However, they DO NOT believe that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are the SAME being. They are three separate and distinct beings. The Father and Son have perfected, resurrected, glorified bodies in the same image as man's (Genesis 1:26) while the Holy Ghost does not have a body, only a spirit. Members of the Church pray and worship God the Father in the name of Jesus Christ, as he is the "mediator between God and man" (1 Timothy 2:5). To worship or pray to anyone or anything else is considered heresy.

If you want to learn more about what Mormons believe about the three persons of God (the "Godhead"), visit the "Related Links" below.

Brigham Young. He is called the "Great Colonizer of the West."

According to written accounts by Joseph Smith, he grew up in the Easter US in the early 1800's, during a time of great religious revival. In trying to find the church that truly was the church that Christ established on the earth Himself, he found himself unable to decide. He studied the Bible, and decided to follow James' advice (in James 1:5-6); in other words, pray to God. Joseph did so, and was visited by God and His Son, Jesus Christ. They directed that he join none of the churches, but instead promised he would be called as a prophet to restore Christ's church to the earth, just as other Biblical prophets had been called to do when the truth was lost. After several years, Joseph records that he was visited by a heavenly messenger, which began the process of restoring the Church of Jesus Christ to the earth. That church was named The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to reflect the fact that it was restored in the end days. That church is also referred to as the Mormon Church.

Generally, Temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the 'Mormon' church) are open only to actively practicing members who have recieved a recommend from their Bishop. The requirements to recieve a recommend are:

-Bearing testimony of God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost

-Belief that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the true Christian church and was restored to the earth by Jesus Christ to Joseph Smith

-Belief that the current Church leadership is inspired of God

-Active in your congregation for at least one year

-Following the Law of Chastity (no sex outside of a legal heterosexual marriage)

-Following the Word of Wisdom (no alcohol, drugs, tobacco, or coffee)

-paying a 10% tithe

-Being honest in all things

-Not providing support to any organization that opposes the church or it's teachings

-confessing any major sins to your Bishop

Teens ages 12 and up are admitted to the baptistry only. Adults (generally those who have been called on missions, will soon be married, or who have reached their mid to late 20's without doing either of these) will recieve admittance to the entire temple.

Before a Temple is dedicated, the general public is invited to tour the inside of the building. Dedications take place for all newly constructed temples as well as temples that have undergone renovation. The period when a Temple is open to the public is generally about two weeks. After the Temple is dedicated, the public is welcome to enjoy the gardens surrounding the temple, but may not enter the building. There is also a waiting room or lobby area where those who are not members may wait inside for friends or family. Some temples also have a visitor center where the general public may go to learn more.

Please note that a Temple is different than a Mormon meetinghouse. Temples are for special ceremonies only, but meetinghouses are where regular worship services and congregation activities are held. Meetinghouses, activities, and worship services are always open to the general public.

Check out the "Related Links" below to see interior photos of Mormon Temples as well as learn more about temples and meetinghouses.

The "Firsts" is not a religion. If you are referring to a church with a name like "First Church of Christ" or "First Congregational Church", etc, that just means they were the first congregation of that denomination in the area. It is a name for a congregation, not the name of the religion or denomination.

Most churches that will use the word "First" in their name belong to Protestant Christian denominations. These denominations differ from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly called the "LDS" or "Mormon" Church) in many doctrinal details. The LDS Church is a Restored Christian denomination, meaning they believe that true Christianity had to be restored through a prophet, not reformed from the Catholics. The Church is lead by a prophet, uses the Bible as well as the Book of Mormon, and has different beliefs regarding salvation, the trinity, and priesthood than Protestant Christianity. Both groups believe that salvation comes only in and through the name of Jesus Christ.

To learn more, visit the "Related Links" below.