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The pairs of young men dressed in white button down shirts, ties and black slacks knocking on
doors here in town lately are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS),
also known as Mormons. Their zeal is commendable.
So is their basic goodness. Areas of the U.S. that are predominantly Mormon tend to have relatively low crime rates. Today, the LDS Church is known for strong families, strict ethics and morals, and friendliness. I recently had a couple of very pleasant discussions with some Mormon missionaries, the first lasted only several minutes, but the second about an hour. Six years ago, I had another lengthy discussion with a couple of young LDS workers. I’d like to tell you about these. First, all of the talks were friendly. Religion, like politics, can get emotional and produce more heat than light. But quiet, calm reason fosters truth. Earnest discussions by honest individuals can further the cause of truth. Based on my talks with LDS Church members, and based on what I’ve read, here’s my understanding of how the Book of Mormon (BOM), and Mormonism, came about. In 1820, a man named Joseph Smith in New York state prayed for guidance because of all the religious division in his day. Smith claimed that God appeared to him and explained that He had special work for Smith to do. Smith claimed that a few years later, a resurrected, glorified being named Moroni directed him to a location where some golden plates were hidden. These plates allegedly contained the record of God’s dealing with the ancient inhabitants of the Americas, as LDS doctrine contends that Jesus appeared here shortly after His resurrection. Smith claimed to have translated the information from these plates into English, in what is now the Book of Mormon. There is more involved — the BOM claims to detail the activities of two ancient tribes, one from Jerusalem around 600 BC, the other even earlier, from the confounding of tongues and scattering of nations at the Tower of Babel. This is a thumbnail sketch of what the BOM is and how it allegedly unfolded. More information about the LDS Church can be gained from its official web site, . Adherents claim the Book of Mormon is "Another Testament of Jesus Christ," in harmony with the Bible. In fact, they claim the Bible prophesies the rise of Mormonism. LDS missionaries say the BOM produces no new doctrine; instead, they say, it supports and confirms what the Bible already teaches. In two more articles ( II & III ) in this quarterly edition we'll see if that's true. |