Wednesday, February 15, 2012

No one is attracted to the doctrine of Mormonism... it is the practice that entices

I have long said that Mormon doctrine is so strange as to off put any who seeks an intellectual faith that resides even remotely in reason...  It has to be something else.  What is attractive is the practice of Mormons -- faith first, sacrificial giving, community orientation, care for their needy, family focus, etc...

Just to show you a little evidence for the strangeness of Mormon belief, let me point you to the odd practice of baptizing on behalf of the dead.... in this case, you can read it all here...  strange does not even begin to cover it!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptized for the dead?" (1 Cor. 15:29).

Of course, they are taking this passage entirely out of context.

The emphasis on "clean living" is indeed admirable but cannot be taken as evidence of Mormonism being an orthodox Christian tradition. Like the denial of the Trinity by the Jehovah's Witnesses both of these home-grown, American organizations have no roots in the historic Christian faith.

Christine

Anonymous said...

The emphasis on "clean living" is indeed admirable but cannot be taken as evidence of Mormonism being an orthodox Christian tradition.

Right.

Still of all the weirdos in the world. Mormons are my favorite. Descended from Puritans, it is hardly a wonder they are all about "clean living". Who really objects to good results? Of course folks will want to copy a successful model, sometimes even if it means trying to believe nonsense that is transparently contrived. I would love to see a compare/contrast with Scientology and Mormonism.

I wonder as I wander said...

There is an autobiography, "Out of Mormonism", written by a woman who got into the Mormon religion with her DH and kids and then eventually got out. She talked about the 'family values' and service projects that drew them in-and the same service projects and constant push from the bishops to serve and do more so as not to lose their witness or risk losing their spot in the highest heaven.

It was quite the eye opener. While I don't necessarily agree doctrinally with the church they wound up in, at least it was Christian.