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Is Satan Real?

May 15th, 2012
by rebecca.
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Is Satan real? Yes. But before you ask yourself “Is Satan real?”, you must first examine if you believe that Christ is real. Once you know the answer, it is obvious to see two opposing teams in the world—namely Jesus and Satan. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently called the “Morman Church” by others) stated:

Jesus Christ represents all that is good, true, virtuous, merciful, just and godly. Lucifer is the adversary of everything that Christ stands for. He embodies all that is evil, false, immoral, and devoid of any trace of goodness or divine light. He is the enemy of God and of every human being who seeks to follow Christ (Newsroom, December 12, 2007).

This post answers the question “Is Satan real?” and how one can withstand his temptations.

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Science and Revelation

Apr 30th, 2012
by admin.
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Caitlin is a student at Brigham Young University and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the “Mormon Church” by friends of other faiths). She is currently taking a class where she was asked to write a paper about how the Gospel of Jesus Christ and her specific discipline in school (which is exercise science) are related. Mormons are counseled in modern-day scripture to “seek learning, even by study and also by faith” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:118). She shares her thoughts and feelings concerning this principle below:

Science and RevelationIn our class discussion regarding Egyptology, we were able to see just how much we learn from revelation. There are so many things we think that we know, only in later years to realize how wrong we really were. In my discipline, which is exercise science, I am able to learn about the body and its movement through biology and chemistry classes. Through my studies, I have learned first-hand how little we know. The book I used at the beginning of my study would no longer be applicable at this time in my trek. So much of modern science changes month to month upon receiving new information. These “revelations,” help us to be the most accurate in our study. That’s not to say that what we found first was wrong, just that it was incomplete information. Continue reading →

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Heavenly Father Loves Each of His Children

Mar 2nd, 2012
by admin.
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Written by Haley Soelberg, a BYU student, studying a volume of scripture known as the Pearl of Great Price, which is written by prophets; members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints “Mormons” revere it as sacred text. This post comes from a book within the Pearl of Great Price known as The Book of Moses; it is an extraction from the translation of the Bible as revealed to Joseph Smith the Prophet, June 1830—February 1831.

Heavenly Father Loves All of His Children

Heavenly Father loves His childrenIn the Pearl of Great Price, a book of scripture held sacred by Latter-day Saints “Mormons”, we learn that the most paramount truth Moses learned from speaking with God is that he is God’s son (See Moses chapter one in the Pearl of Great Price). The relationship between a father and his son is dependable and familiar, filled with trust, admiration and love. This is never truer than when describing the relationship between our Heavenly Father and his children. As Moses came to learn of his divine nature as a son of the Father, it became a source of strength for him in difficult times. The knowledge that an all-knowing God, the creator of the universe, is ever-present and endlessly supportive was undoubtedly an immense comfort to Moses. When suddenly faced with Satan’s temptations in verse 12, Moses was able to say with confidence, “Who art thou? For I am a son of God…” No Continue reading →

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Understanding God the Father through Moses’ Encounter

Mar 1st, 2012
by admin.
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Written by Taylor Berhow, a BYU student, studying a volume of scripture known as the Pearl of Great Price, which is written by prophets; members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints “Mormons” revere it as sacred text. This post comes from a book within the Pearl of Great Price known as The Book of Moses; it is an extraction from the translation of the Bible as revealed to Joseph Smith the Prophet, June 1830—February 1831.

Understand God the Father

Word of God the FatherIn Moses chapter one, found in the Pearl of Great Price, Moses is transfigured (a special change of nature to a more glorified state) by God the Father, allowing him to see the Almighty face to face. These few precious verses that we have had revealed to us provide significant insight to Moses’ relationship with God; it is easy, and important, for us to apply what Moses learned about his relationship with God to our own lives.

An important idea that is revealed to Moses is the fact that God created the world and all of the things, which exist upon it. Moses must have been greatly impressed with these creations, as he “marveled and wondered,” over them. The idea of creation is one, which completely overwhelms me. The complexity of each living creature on this planet is so immense; it is a wonder how life processes exist and function in the effective and miraculous way that they do. Creation is an example of the awesome power held by our Heavenly Father, but more importantly than the endless and limitless abilities of God the Father, is the personal relationship each one of his creations can choose to have with him. This is another concept that Moses’ interaction with God in Moses, chapter one, teaches us. Continue reading →

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Heavenly Father Offers Strength

Feb 28th, 2012
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Written by Rebecca Tyle, a BYU student, studying a volume of scripture known as the Pearl of Great Price, which is written by prophets; members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints “Mormons” revere it as sacred text. This post comes from a book within the Pearl of Great Price known, as The Book of Moses; it is an extraction from the translation of the Bible as revealed to Joseph Smith the Prophet, June 1830—February 1831.

Heavenly Father Helps Us Discern

In Moses chapter one, found in scripture held as sacred by Latter-day Saints “Mormons” known as the Pearl of Great Price, God is speaking to Moses. He is explaining how He is eternal, endless, etc. Yet three times, He calls Moses His son, and that Moses is “in the similitude of mine Only Begotten” (Moses 1:6). Later, after communing with God, Moses
prayer to Heavenly Fathermentions, “Now, for this cause I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed” (Moses 1:10). This applies to every single person. For me, I can replace “son” with “daughter,” and it would have the exact same meaning. This reminds me of a talk President Dieter F. Uchtdorf (member of the First Presidency Continue reading →

Posted in: Mormonism.

God the Father Is Our Literal Father in Heaven

Feb 27th, 2012
by admin.
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Written by Tom Brinton, a BYU student, studying a volume of scripture known as the Pearl of Great Price, which is written by prophets; members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints “Mormons” revere it as sacred text. This post comes from a book within the Pearl of Great Price known, as The Book of Moses; it is an extraction from the translation of the Bible as revealed to Joseph Smith the Prophet, June 1830—February 1831.

God the Father and Moses

When Moses encountered God, with all of his greatness, Moses stated, “Now, for this cause I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed” (See the Pearl of Great Price, Moses 1:10—a book of scripture held sacred by Latter-day Saints “Mormons”). Moses had believed in God up to this point, however it was not until he saw with his spiritual Prayer to God the Fathereyes the creations of our universe that he realized the vast difference between an exalted being, such as God, our Father in Heaven, and mortal man. In fact, after the presence of God departed from him, and Moses was left to his own strength, he fell to the earth from exhaustion (See Moses 1:9). Continue reading →

Posted in: Mormonism.

Mormons Say Polygamy Morally Wrong

Jan 16th, 2012
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By Amy Choate-Nielsen

Deseret News
Published: Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012 7:00 p.m. MST

David Letterman knows how to get a laugh.Like most comics, he riffs on the day’s news, deadpans the camera and revels in audacity.”Oh, did you hear about this?” the host of CBS’ Late Show with David Letterman asked his audience recently. “A campaign staffer on the Newt Gingrich campaign was fired because he was making negative comments about Mormons. I thought, now, wait a minute — isn’t Newt in favor of multiple wives?”
Mormons say polygamy wrongLaughter rumbled from the audience followed by applause. The polygamy punch line is a familiar one when it comes to poking fun at Mormons — as though Mormons and polygamy are synonymous in mainstream media. Ironically, the practice that’s most linked to Mormons is a practice most Mormons oppose, according to a groundbreaking new study of Mormons in America released Thursday by the Pew Research Center‘s Forum on Religion and Public Life.

According to the study, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints unequivocally reject polygamy — only 2 percent said the practice is morally acceptable — evidence of a yawning gap in what Mormons believe and how they are perceived. Mormons’ opinions are overwhelmingly conservative, the study shows, but in many ways, their views are also surprising — especially when it comes to opinions on moral issues, divorce, homosexuality and polygamy. Continue reading →

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Mormon Beliefs and Attitudes on Immigration

Jan 16th, 2012
by admin.
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A recent The Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion and Public Life conducted an in-depth survey of Mormons in the United States. Mormon is a nickname sometimes used to describe members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The fourth article in a series that appears in Deseret News is evaluating the results of this survey and providing context for the results.

Immigration is a controversial topic in the United States. The survey asked one question on this topic. They were asked which of two statements most closely matched their view, even if they didn’t completely agree. They were asked whether immigrants strengthen or burden the nation. No distinction was made between legal and illegal immigration, leaving those polled to decide for themselves what the question meant.

Mormon Immigration views from Pew StudyIn the general U.S. population, 45 percent of Americans feel that immigrants strengthen the country, while 44 percent burden it. 12 percent feel that neither or both are true or they have no opinion on the subject. Mormon views closely mirror these statistics. 45 percent of Mormons also believe immigrants strengthen the nation, although a smaller number, 41 percent, consider them a burden on society. The number of Mormons who accept both or neither or who have no opinion is higher, at 14 percent.

These numbers put them at odds with evangelical Christians, one of the few political areas in which they disagree. Within the white evangelical population, 59 percent believe immigrants are a burden, and 27 percent believe they strengthen the country. Like Mormons, 14 percent answered both, neither, or no opinion.

The statistics for Mormons shows a strong divide based on age, income, and education, as well as on religious commitment. Only 36 percent of highly committed Mormons see immigrants as a burden, while 50 percent of those who are less committed see them as a burden. This largely correlates with economic status. 84 percent of Mormons who are highly committed to their religion are college graduates. (The church strongly encourages Continue reading →

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LDS religious commitment high, Pew survey finds

Jan 14th, 2012
by karenrose.
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Of all the numbers in the Pew Research Center’s recently released survey of “Mormons in America,” the highest, most overwhelming numbers are these: 98 percent of respondents said they believe in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, and 97 percent say their church is a Christian religion.

Pew Study: Mormon Beliefs, Religious CommitmentThis comes on the heels of earlier surveys indicating that 32 percent of non-LDS U.S. adults say the LDS Church is not a Christian religion, and an additional 17 percent are unsure of LDS Christianity. The theological and semantic reasons for this can be complex, but for the 1,019 self-identified Mormons who participated in the Pew survey, their theological position is clear: Mormons believe in Jesus Christ, and they consider themselves to be Christian.

“Certainly in Latter-day Saint theology is this idea that if you understand who you are, you understand that there’s a purpose in life, you understand your connection to God, that certainly has an impact on how you live your life and what you do, but also how you feel about your life and what you are doing,” said Michael Purdy of the LDS Church Public Affairs office. Continue reading →

Posted in: Mormon, Mormonism, Uncategorized.
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Mormons’ Focus on Marriage & Family Highlighted in Pew Survey

Jan 13th, 2012
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SMITHFIELD — After dinner, three baths, four bedtime stories and a half-a-dozen goodnight kisses for 2-year-old twins Brock and Isaac and 6-year-old Ellie, Erin and Brian Thompson finally sink into the couch with weary smiles.

Being parents is just what they always wanted. And they love it.

“Of course we have our crazy moments,” Thompson says, “but for the most part we just try to find the good things in the day and remember that they’re only going to be little for so long.”

Mormon family marriage focus PewAs members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Thompsons believe that maintaining a strong marriage and raising and teaching children are essential keys to happiness and their most important responsibilities on earth.

In fact, 81 percent of Mormons say being a good parent is “one of the most important things in life,” according to a new survey by the Pew Research Center‘s Forum on Religion & Public Life — the first survey of Mormons about Mormons, by a non-LDS research organization.

The survey of more than 1,000 self-identified Latter-day Saints from across the country asked how accepted Mormons feel in American culture, as well as their thoughts on religious practices, political issues and family roles. Continue reading →

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