When analyzing conflicting sources on specific topics, it is important to consider the background of the author to reveal his or her motivation behind writing the piece. When writing about cults, there are inside sources (current members) and outside sources that encompass everything from ex-members to the media. Jessica Longaker, a non-affiliate of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, posted a critique of the patriarchal influence on Mormonism and how it affects the role of women in the church. Sheri L. Dew, a current member of the church that serves as the Relief Society General President, gave a speech was published on the Church’s official website. In this speech, Dew describes how Mormonism empowers women and emphasize the importance of their role. When analyzing conflicting sources, it is crucial to analyze the author’s position in order to detect motivations and bias that can influence the message that is being portrayed. In order to offset this bias and gain a complete understanding of the topic, researchers must analyze points of intersection, similarities, and differences between the two sources. According to Longaker, “all Mormon men are ordained as members of the “priesthood,” with the absolute authority to preach the gospel…and generally speak for God” (Longaker). She continues by stating that women have the “important ability to bear children, men need the power of the priesthood merely to remain equal with them.” (Longaker). Longaker emphasizes
What they did to argue this thesis as well as to describe how exactly gender roles changed in the LDS, they analyzed Mormon literature directed at young boys. They also analyzed literature directed at young girls to “tease out the messages that were uniquely geared towards refashioning masculinity (Hoyt and Patterson 74).” Before they did this, they first educated the reader on Mormon masculinity prior to 1890. They point out that although polygamy was one of the main pillars of masculinity and helps distinguish the Mormons as God’s chosen people; “Only a minority of church members were members of
of a holy book he said had been engraved on gold plates by an American
Latter day saints are just your typical Mormons there group is scarce and not very many exist at least not big in numbers but they are slowly growing and are welcome to take in more members .they don’t ask for a lot when you join besides faith, repentance and baptism. When you marry you marry for life it is believed in this religion that trust in god is also trust in your marriage and should not be broken in any way if you marry you stay married and it is for life they also don’t want to see children get hurt in the case of a broken marriage . This religion also practices polygamy in some forms but members were not reported to have more than four or five wives and it was a choice you did not have to be a polygamist . Latter Day Saints believe the bible to be the word of god so long as it is translated correctly in proper context they also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God . They believe in Baptism for the dead but only for members who have died in close relative to another member and has also taken seriously both there faith and studies for the religion
People and religion are a part of everyday life. The world is sure to be empty without the existence of God’s creation. When people and religion are viewed as different, the history, beliefs, and practice are formed unrealistically by outsider, more so than an insider. In an interview with a LDS, the author attempts to write and summarize a Mormon‘s journey through life with God and others.
One of the largest struggles for members in the church is animosity of non-members. On one hand, many express their dislike of the LDS church without even knowing what Sacrament Meeting is or the full the title of the “Mormon church” (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints). On the other hand, there are a number supposed experts about Mormon doctrine. Some have belonged to the Church themselves at one point, leaving after finding unresolved dissonance between their beliefs and the Gospel. Others are often learned scholars, criticizing the Mormon doctrine to prove their own views. The following paper involves the latter of the two in an analysis of Ezekiel 37:15-17, a Biblical scripture that the LDS Church believes to refer to The Book of Mormon.
Mormonism, the largest church to originate on American soil is not without its own burdens to bear. As one of the younger religions, one that strayed from the foundations of the other already established religions in the United States, it is often viewed with negativity and mockery. Modern day social media, television, news articles and movies often exploit Mormon beliefs. They twist and exaggerated certain facets of the Mormon way of life. This framing of their belief system by the media leads the public opinion toward viewing this representation as a true depiction of the Mormons. Some of the more extreme behaviors exhibited by members that have separated from the main group are used against the entire faith by the media, so in turn this extremist view has become a Mormon stereotype.
In 1844, Joseph Smith, ecclesiastical leader of the Latter-day Saints and presidential candidate, was murdered by an angry mob. This mob was fostered by the release of a newspaper questioning Smith’s practices (including polygamy), qualifications, and intentions for his potential presidency. More than 150 years later, Mitt Romney, a member of the LDS Church, launched a presidential campaign and garnered forty-two percent of the popular vote. Although these two candidates share a faith, their political roles and views are substantially different. This is representative of the significant changes in the relationship between the Mormon church and the U.S. government.
their depression by changing their view of their role of homemaker and mother in the church. Unhappy LDS women sense that something is fundamentally
The Jehovah's Witnesses have achieved a service to the democratic system by struggling to keep their civil rights. In their fight they have accomplished plenty to secure those rights for every minority group in America.
Many studies about Jehovah Witnesses state that they are the strictest religion out there. They have rules that should be followed or the person ends up condemned. They do not believe in other religions whatsoever, in any shape or form. Jehovah Witnesses God’s name to them is Jehovah. The sociological concepts discussed will be social class and norms, a function and a dysfunction of Jehovah Witness religion, a symbolic ritual, and an aspect of this religion that entails conflict.
This church was in the town of Philippi that was situated along the great northern road that ran from the Adriatic Sea coast to the town of Byzantium (later renamed Constantinople and todays Istanbul). The town’s population was predominantly Greek but with few, Jewish groups Acts 16:13. Philippi was a Roman colony that acted as a military outpost and therefore enjoyed several privileges.
Thence, as an accumulated outcome arising from the preceding incidences, we have the inclination to perceive obedience with weariness and caution, and are susceptible to raising queries about whether the peculiar conducts enacted by government bodies. Terry Temple Williams’ heartfelt, gut- wrenching essay “The Clan of the One-Breasted Women” discloses a personal account of an outcome that stemmed from the unquestioning devotion of her deeply religious Mormon family that led them to submissively withstand the plights they were in, never once speculating the cause of their unusual family condition. Williams makes a reference to the teachings of the Mormons, citing “authority is respected, obedience is revered, and independent thinking is not”. Williams discloses how she had once, like the rest of her female relatives, been a silent observer in an enclosed community “that rarely asked questions because they had all the answers.” It can be inferred that unlike the rest of her family, Williams has an inclination to rebel, as she internally tries to seek a satisfying rationale as to why despite the efforts of the women in her family to “align themselves with good foods” and to abide by the Mormon teachings, were “a cultural
Mormonism is a name meaning the spiritual principles of followers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as well known as Mormons. Mormonism defines the guidelines of the Church that were reestablished to the world by the Prophet Joseph Smith. If you would ask the question “what is Mormonism” to a member, there’s a high change they would respond by acknowledging their love of Jesus Christ, he is the dominant part of the religion. Where can you find a continuing participant of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, well they're instituted at every level of civilization. For instance, in a charity, business, education, science, political parties, government, news media, and lastly the entertainment productions. The originator of The Church, Joseph Smith, wrote, “the essential philosophies of our religion are regarding Jesus christ, he died and was buried, rose again and on the third day ascended into the heavens; all supplementary things which relate to our religion is only accessories to it.”The main beliefs and practices of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are that Jesus Christ is the redeemer of the earth and the Son of our
The Seventh-day Adventists are one of the many different branches of Christianity. The Adventists came about during the 19th century and began with the “Millerite Movement” (“Seventh-Day Adventists”, 2013). The movement was started by an American Baptist preacher by the name of William Miller, who believed that the Second Coming - the return of Christ to Earth - would occur between March 21, 1843 and March 21, 1844 (“Seventh-Day Adventism”, 2004). This prediction was largely based off Daniel 8:14 in the Bible (See slide 4). Since he and his followers believed in this imminent advent, or return, they were called “Adventists” (“Seventh-Day Adventism”).
Jehovah’s Witnesses are a people known widely throughout the world. They are well-dressed people who come knocking at your door on different occasions offering religious literature for sale or trying to introduce their beliefs through carefully prepared conversation. People young, old, rich, poor, well educated and non-educated have embraced them. Their enthusiasm as proclaimers of God’s Kingdom has impressed even their harshest critics. Their love toward one another makes some non-witnesses hope and pray that more people would act in that manner. Yet, some may still wonder, who really are the Jehovah’s Witnesses? What is their history, their practices and their beliefs? Why are they the most attacked new religious