By Jay Kernis
Rock Center
The toughest ticket to get on Broadway is for the Tony Award-winning Best Musical, “The Book of Mormon.” It may not be too much of a stretch to state that the totally tuneful and deeply profane religious satire is informing more people about Mormonism than anything else in popular culture today.
Created by “South Park’s” Trey Parker and Matt Stone, and “Avenue Q” composer/lyricist Robert Lopez, the story of American Mormon missionaries sent to northern Uganda sells out every performance. That means exactly 8,752 theatergoers see the Broadway show every week. And it’s just opened in Denver and another touring company hits Chicago this winter.
In the musical, missionary Elder Price sings a stirring song, “I Believe,” to reaffirm his faith after it is shaken during his experience trying to convert a Ugandan warlord.
How much of the song is true to Mormon beliefs?
We turned to Matthew Bowman, author of the new book, The Mormon People: The Making of An American Faith.
Matthew Bowman, Ph.D.
Bowman received his PhD in American religious history from Georgetown University and a master’s in American history from the University of Utah. The associate editor of Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, Dr. Bowman teaches at Hampden-Sydney College.
1. Dr. Bowman, in the song “I Believe,” the character of Elder Price sings that he believes that “ancient Jews built boats and sailed to America.” Do faithful Mormons believe that’s what happened?
In a nutshell, yes. The Book of Mormon opens with a story very much like the story of Moses and the Exodus: a group of Jews flee captivity several hundred years before the birth of Jesus. Moses led some Jews from Egypt; in the Book of Mormon, God leads another group of Jews from Jerusalem right before the Babylonians destroyed it in 587 BC. Eventually they're brought to a great ocean where God commands them to build a ship, and they sail for a long time to what the Book of Mormon calls, "the promised land." It's never, of course, called "America," but Mormons today believe the American continent is where this group landed. Joseph Smith said that the people in the Book of Mormon were the only and direct ancestors of American Indians; the leadership of the church today has indicated that's probably overstated.
2. Price then sings that he believes that “God has a plan for all of us” and “that plan involves me getting my own planet.” Is one’s own planet a metaphor for what happens after life on Earth or are there planets out there awaiting Mormons?
That really depends on what Mormons you talk to. Joseph Smith's universe was a very crowded one. He believed that God and human beings are basically of the same species, and Mormons today speak of their relationship with God as that of a father and his children (and yes, there is a Heavenly Mother, a divine female, as well). God created this earth as a place for his children to, more or less, attend school: to learn math and science and poetry and morality and how to be nice to each other and eventually to graduate and one day attain a degree of divinity themselves. To many Mormons, this means more or less attaining perfect communion with God. To many others, particularly Mormons who tend to be literal-minded, it does mean continuing to create universes in the future.
3. There’s also a lyric about God living “on a planet called Kolob” and that “Jesus has his own planet as well.” That’s from the original Book of Mormon?
Neither are, in fact. The riff about Jesus getting his own planet is one point where Matt Parker and Trey Stone's particularly blunt reading of Mormon theology slips a bit too far. It's not enunciated anywhere in authoritative Mormon writings. And after all, Jesus already seems to have a planet that takes up most of his time. "Kolob" is not a planet. It's mentioned in "the Book of Abraham," a pretty esoteric work of scripture Joseph Smith produced late in his life that's packed with rather obscure cosmological references to various celestial bodies with names that sound Egyptian or Hebrew: "Kolob" is a star that's said to be near where God's throne is.
Frankly, most Mormons find all the astrological meanderings in the book of Abraham a bit confusing and strange; they're not very frequently talked about, sort of like the weird murder subplot in the second season of Friday Night Lights.
4. Elder Price also sings, ”And I believe that in 1978 God changed his mind about black people!!” What actually happened in 1978, and why?
In 1852, eight years after Joseph Smith's assassination, Brigham Young announced that Mormons of African descent would not be allowed ordination to the Mormon priesthood. Given that it has always been policy that every Mormon man be ordained to a priesthood office, the decision had dire implications (and indeed reversed previous policy; several African American men had been ordained to office while Joseph Smith was alive). Not only would African and African-American Mormons be denied the priesthood, but they were also denied access to the initiatory rituals done in Mormon temple worship, which is a bit like forbidding Muslims from going on a Hajj or Jewish boys from having a Bar Mitzvah.
Brigham Young, and many other Mormons for several generations, presented various theories for why these policies were required: some followed nineteenth century theories about bloodlines and said that Africans were the descendants of Cain. Others speculated that Africans were children of God who chose before earth life to be less righteous. Such beliefs were commonly held among Mormons until the middle third of the twentieth century, and they and the policy they explained remain a blot and point of shame for Mormonism to this day.
After World War II, increasing numbers of Mormons grew uncomfortable with the policy, and in 1978, after several months of prayer and fasting, the president of the Church, Spencer Kimball, announced that he felt God had directed the policy be reversed. Most Mormons greeted the decision with joy, but the theories explaining why the policy existed in the first place were not refuted, and thus still circulated in Mormonism for many years after.
In 2006 the then-president of the Church issued a stern rebuke for persistent racism among his flock and in February of 2012, the Church's Public Affairs department finally issued a forceful repudiation of these theories after a professor at BYU recapped them to a reporter for the Washington Post. Many Mormons, however, still await a statement directly from ecclesiastical leaders.
5. And one more: Elder Price sings that he believes that “the Garden of Eden was in Jackson County, Missouri.” Why Missouri?
You'd have to ask Joseph Smith. He made this announcement, rather abruptly and apparently surprising to his friends, while visiting a meadow there in 1838. To be specific, he stated that this particular valley was where Adam blessed his children before he died, which would, logically, not be where the Garden of Eden was. To many Mormons, the idea reaffirms a theme the Book of Mormon inaugurated: that the Americas are a sacred place, no less holy than the traditional Holy Land, and that the United States could host the sort of utopian society Joseph Smith wanted to build.
6. Were you raised in the Mormon faith? How did you develop such a deep interest in the LDS Church?
I was indeed raised in the Mormon faith, but have gained a renewed appreciation for it as I've pursued the academic study of religion. Mormonism gives scholars like me a fascinating look at religion-making from the ground floor; studying the founding and early history of Mormonism is like getting a front row seat when Paul and the apostles were spreading Christianity across Rome or when Muhammad was leading a band of Bedouins back to Mecca. That Mormonism has flourished so powerfully in the modern world is one indication that despite some scholars' predictions of secularization, religion is not going anywhere; that it has grown in America helps us understand the culture of the United States and the fantastic possibilities for religious creativity it's offered.
Leave a Comment:
Jesus while on earth speaking to the disciples: Acts 20: 30
And from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples.
But though we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he, it, is to be accursed. Galatians 1: 8
Repeated again in verse 9
That sounds pretty clear.
Then
we have a "documented" timeline of numerous people whether being charismatic, self appointed saints, humble manipulators or power hungry
egotistic's
Catholics with the disciple Peter
Then some got disenchanted and formed Protestant, Baptists, and Lutherans & Mormons to name a few.
Oh, we have a cave dweller who could not read or write who envisioned an archangel who impressed upon him an updated version of the Bible.
Smoke and mirrors people - smoke and mirrors
Surely you are not on the way to
Eternal Hell
From being blinded By
falsities
@JtomBailey,
Please learn to consider context when citing a "proof text." Had you done so, you would have seen that the speaker is Paul, not Jesus, who had long since ascended to heaven. Paul was taking leave of the members of the Ephesus branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Former-day Saints. Many of them were his converts. He knew he would never see them again. And he warned them of the forces of apostasy that were already at work among them. You might have understood this if you had included verse 19:
"For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them."
Context, context, context! Paul was talking about an EMINENT apostasy from the truth! The context makes perfectly clear that Paul intended exactly the opposite of what you intend. Indeed, Mormon missionaries often cite that very passage to help investigators understand that the Church of Jesus Christ of Former-day Saints did, in fact, go into apostasy after the death of the apostles.
It is also unwise to "Bible bash" with the shop-worn angel-preaching-a-contrary-gospel "proof text," for it too, is an indictment of apostate Christianity. Paul's letter to the Galatians is generally dated to about 55 CE. ( ) The Apocalypse of John (Revelation) was written about 4 decades later, about 90-95 CE. () And just who delivered much of that message to John? An Angel, who was so glorious that John was inclined to worship him, but who answered, "do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets." (Revelation 22:8-9) So four decades after Paul, we have an Angel delivering to John additional information that had not been taught by Paul. Let him be accursed? Oh my!
And what did John see in his vision of the end of times?
"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, "Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." (Revelation 14:6-7)
J Tom Baily, meet Moroni! In bringing the Book of Mormon, Moroni did not bring "another" gospel than that taught by the apostles. Rather, he restored the pure gospel that had been lost!
"The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ" is the Bible's best friend. The day may well come when the only people who truly believe the Bible will believe it because they first believed the Book of Mormon.
Tracy Hall Jr
hthalljr'gmail'com
Wow, if you can imagine the angel in Revelation is the same as a creation of that treasure-hunting plagiarist and false prophet Joseph Smith, it's a stunning testament to how the Devil's lies can blind people to the truth.
Take a deeper look, I am a student in the Ministry and I was shocked at how vague this interview was on this religion. I think it would be wise for you all (Rock Center)to take a comparison look at Mormons and Protestant and Catholic Faith's, they are Very Different. It warrants equal time
Great reporting by Harry Smith. I felt like his reporting was fair and equitable. It never ceases to amaze me that somehow when you discuss Mormonism you think it necessary to seek those who have nothing good to say about this religion. You would rather go for those who are sensationalists rather than those who would be honest and true. I feel very sorry that I watched this show last night. It made me feel very sad and disappointed to see what you chose to portray.
I think the answer in this article about Kolob is interesting- it may not be a frequently discussed subject but I did learn this growing up and there is even a hymn that mentions Kolob in the LDS hymn book- If You Could Hie to Kolob.
You guys understand Joseph Smith made it all up right? He was the L.Ron Hubbard of his day. None of you would believe a man if he told you he saw God and Jesus, had a seer stone that he put in a hat to read Gold plates not even in the same room, you would not believe in a man who married 33 wives 11 of them married to other men some who he sent on missions and also married two 14 year old girls whom he told an angel with a sword threaten to kill him if he did not marry them?
You would not believe that of a man in 2012 but you believe it of a man living in the 1800's who was taken to court for "Glass Looking" and wanted for treason for destroying printing press?
No Mormon "Knows" the church is true.... they imagine it is true but knowledge requires evidence and if they have evidence then thy do not have "Faith" for to have faith it must be without evidence or it is not "Faith". They imagine it is true but they have no evidence it is.
If any say they "Know it is true" they have no Faith.
Some people grow up and leave behind their childlike thought process and require evidence for fantastic claims.
Rationalist do not live by imagination/faith.
A Mormon must just believe, just like a Scientologist and Jehovah's Witness
Adam, you're entitled to your uninformed opinion. It's wrong, but it's yours to have. For the past 16 years I'm an active LDS woman. I don't "just believe" I've worked years on developing an informed, educated insight into this religion. I looked at other religions but this one works for me. Now, you also "imagine" the church is not true. That's okay for you and I'm not saying you are wrong to imagine that. It's your right as it is mine, to choose my own thoughts, beliefs and philosophy.
I want to bare you my testimony that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the one true church on the face of the earth with the fullness of the Gospel. Only through faith in Christ can we be saved. If you read the Book of Mormon and pray with a sincere heart then you to can know as I know with every fiber of my being that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and that no other man, accept for Jesus Christ, has done more for mankind.
"Forced" to volunteer??? How horrible. I bet you are so much better than everyone else now that you "allowed" to be completely "selfish"!!! Good for you! Pretty proud of that huh?
You must have been at least 19 and able to completely walk away. If you didn't, you must have been getting something out of it for yourself (pretty evident if you resent having to help others). Seems to me you must have been willing to go on a mission with the promise of financial/educational support. Yep, goes along with the selfish theory!
I read many of the comments. Then I have to wonder, why those who leave the Church continue to whine about it. They made the choice to leave...so leave? However, they can't. They can't because they want justification on why they can't make it as an LDS member.
The media has to take so much out of context because if they didn't they wouldn't be able to sensationalize the faith. Active, faithful members are mocked and
attacked because they choose to believe in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and that his father is our Creator, God; There’s no story if that were the focus.
Kudos to Harry Smith for his reporting. As for the rest of the report, it never ceases to amaze me that the media continues to focus only on the negative. Of course if you interview those who no longer affiliate with the church you will get all the negative aspects. I really don't understand the media's lack of understanding when it comes to Mormonism. I was very disappointed and saddened to think you would portray members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in this light. Harry Smith's reporting was honest and equitable. I certainly could not say that for the rest of your reporting.
It's great that Brian Williams made it through a whole hour of how wonderful the Morman Church is without one word about the Mountain Meadow Massacre. Good work NBC!
OK - fair enough. The program was designed to explain what LDS is and what followers believe. But, as a non-believer, the suppression of women in the church leadership and in policy is appalling. It was glanced over as "just the way it is" but it has a direct influence on the thoughts and sentiments of our possible new President. That is why this particular faith was singled out for an hour of coverage, right? Perhaps the debate about the role of women is for another time, another place. But as a liberated woman for all of my 63 years, after fighting societal stereotypes for so long and advancing by inches, the male dominated hierarchy of the LDS church makes me wince. I am fine with those who choose that way of life but am very wary of what it might mean for my life and my daughter's.
The sisters of the LDS Church are tasked with assisting their husbands maintain a righteous path. Back in biblical times, the priests/clergy were all male. The women at that time were tasked, as they are now, to assist their husbands in maintaining a righteous path.
Women do hold leadership positions within the LDS Church, just not in the ways the feminist movement likes. As it was, again, back in biblical times, those allowed to be priesthood holders were the males (the patriarch of the family). The leadership roles women hold within the LDS Church are no less important than those held by men.
Actually, that isn't totally true. Yes women hold important roles within the church. They can serve in the Relief Society, their all women's organization and they serve in the primary and scouting. But these roles are not as important as the bishop's or other roles held by priesthood holders. Plus there is a certain reverence that is expected to be placed on the priesthood and those who hold positions within that priesthood. Men are looked up to within the church when they become a bishop or stake president. These are offices a woman in the church can never obtain. I don't agree that the roles women play in the church are no less important than that of the men's. But that is just my opinion. In the church we do talk highly of women and the role God wants them to play. But women are also looked down upon when they don't fulfill that role. Their primary role is to be the care giver in the family. To raise the children in righteousness. This perhaps is the most important role within the church. But the outside world doesn't see it like we do.
What I don't like is when members change our beliefs to the outside world because they are afraid of how other's might judge us. Be proud of our beliefs. Don't deny them. Yes, mormons believe polygamy is an eternal law and that we will be practicing it in heaven. It says so in our scriptures. It is dishonest to deny that. Yes, we believe we will someday have our own planet or planets. Isn't this life part of our preparation in becoming like God? This is what is taught in our scriptures and in the temples. Why deny it? Because it sounds strange to others? How can we say we stand for truth when we are afraid to stand on the roof tops and say, "Yes, I believe!". As mormons we need to stand in our truth and not shrink out of fear because of how other's might respond. Let's be honest with our fellow brothers and sisters. Let's not hold back.
The bottom line to all faiths is that they cannot all be true. There is only one truth. While the LDS truly believe that they are Christian, and for the most part lead exemplary lives, there are to many differences between the two faiths for them to both be Christian.
First, and in my opinion the most important difference, is that they cannot both worship the same god. The LDS god is a flesh and bone being, has a wife, and was once a man just like us. The Christian God is a spirit being, has no wife, and has never been a man. Although Jesus did come to live among us as a man, His natural state was as a spirit being. He did not attain godhood...he was God for all eternity. Since it is not the same god, it stands to reason that it is not the same Jesus.
I agree that each of us needs to decide what truth we will believe, but it is imperative that our decision is based on the full truth. Only one Jesus can lead to salvation. It is up to you to seek out the truth. Even if you decide to believe in nothing, do so based on adequate research of the facts. There are so many half truths floating around out there about all faiths, don't just believe what the media tells you. Talk to people of all faiths to find out what they really believe.
I totally agree with you. The Christianity that I believe is very different from mainstream Christianity and as a mormon it bothers me how much members of my faith try to pass us off as believing like the rest of the world. If that were the case then there would not have been a need for a restoration.
We might have fewer members join the church if investigators did more research or if members were more honest about our beliefs, but we would also have fewer members falling away when they later find out what we really believe.
Mormonism is different than mainstream Christianity. We do believe in a different God and a different Jesus. Trying to make others believe differently is being dishonest. I would challenge all mormons to do as I have decided to do. Follow our articles of faith, "We believe in being honest, true, etc.".
You were spot on about the differences between the God I believe in and the God you believe in. I respect your beliefs as I respect all other's beliefs. I think more people would respect mormonism if were weren't trying so hard to "fit in". Within the church we talk about how it is good that we are a "peculiar" people, but then we try so hard to not seem so peculiar to rest of the world. Let's just be who we are and not worry about what the rest of the world thinks. That's what Jesus did.
You are correct sir; It was Paul speaking.
I could say I was just checking to see if anyone was really listening- But it was clearly my mistake.
I cannot agree with the claim about the restored pure gospel that had been lost.
All boils down to Death - burial - resurrection
We are not to alter from or add to the words from God.
I know it get's in a (how do we interpret this) play on written guide.
Best; Tom
How could Rock Center get the amount of members in the church, so wrong? Who is getting the information for this show? The first stop for this whole show could have been LDS.ORG, if not directly to Salt Lake just to make sure they were accurately reporting the FACTS of the church.
Why did they interview a guy that wrote a play lampooning the church as to explain the things we believe? This is all kinda like a backhanded compliment.
As a LDS woman, I would like to say that I have no problem at all with not holding the priesthood. I believe women who want the priesthood do not understand the nature of the priesthood or the importance of their roles as woman. Morman men are taught that woman are considered sacred, even next to angels. The priesthood is a serving power. The priesthood power blesses others. We are the benefiiciaries of the service. I believe if a woman wants the priesthood they see the priesthood as a source of power instead of a serving power.
Two things I'm surprised didn't get mentioned: 1) The Book of Mormon is clearly loaded with plagiarism, with massive sections stolen wholesale from the King James authorized version of the Bible. 2) In relation to the treatment of Negroes, the BoM talks about a people being cursed with dark skin because they were evil.
Well, and what about believing that Joseph Smith had a pair of magic goggles, made with the Urim and Thummin for lenses?
That any one could believe the fantastical history presented in a book written by a man who had been known to use an occult technique to try to find hidden treasures is something that I find hard to believe, but I know that people who pray and have a feeling or experience they just "know" is from God can cling to that despite anything, and that goes for others (like pentecostals/charismatics), not just Mormons. Oh, and then there's the poor dupes who are into Scientology, the fantasy of a science fiction writer!
It must all give great delight to atheists who think all religion, including Christianity, is such made-up nonsense.
i find the whole thing absurd and insulting. this is a religion based on nonsense. and exclusion. its seems ultimately the fantasy of someone who was suffering from dehydration. and lack of protein. to say that jesus was here in the americas. i find that unjust. if they are going to make up a religion they should have their own god. like the muslims. and the hindus. and the south americans who have a turtle god. and the tlignets who have lots of them. that is the thing i find the most insulting. that they used the purity of jesus and his dying and his resurrection in such a commercial way for their religion. and to add, i have seen the undertones of racism in romney. it is easy to tell that he doesnt think our president deserves his office. that in fact he has dirtied it. that he finds it insulting for america to have a black president. listen to the tones in his voice and read what his words say. that oboma is black. and black is shame. romney makes me sick.
Book of Mormon is a wonderful musical which is now playing in all the nearest theaters. I have got my pair of <a href="">discount Book of Mormon tickets</a> from <a href="">Good Seat Tickets</a>
Book of Mormon is a wonderful musical which is now playing in all the nearest theaters. I have got my pair of discount Book of Mormon tickets from
The book of Abraham is not simply some esoteric book it is part of the scriptures every Mormon holds up in their hand when they testify that they believe the Book of Mormon is true..
Joseph Smith claimed to have translated some writings that he found after buying mummies from a traveling circus. Later it was discovered that the scriptures were just copies of the Book of Breathings (or the Dead) and his translation was completely wrong.
This alone disqualifies the entire book of Mormon as well as the entire religion. He simply made it up! That doesn't however mean that the bulk of Mormon's are not genuinely nice caring even spiritual people. During the 20 years as a member I learned that nearly all of what I thought was "spiritual" is really just something that happens in our brains.
It is interesting that the author writes for Dialogue as I was friends with the former editor's daughter and she left the church as well shortly after I did.
BTW - minor point but black "men" are now able to receive but of course black women can't (neither can white women). In the temple men act in the place of God and are responsible for bringing their wives through the veil to Heaven.. The man knows the woman's temple name but she isn't allowed to know his and her salvation is dependent on his acceptance of it.
I think the LDS is just Christian on LSD. Then again all religions, are all on LSD (infinite loop). You should no Buddha, Mohammad, Jesus, etc.. are all ENLIGHTEN men with great philosophical understanding. It has been and will be GREED men falsely prophecise religious bull@!$%# to gain power, wealth, and dominance over others by creating church, temples, and probably change the original teaching of the ENLIGHTEN ones. F. the church, the moss, the temples.. rather do good to your fellow human beings - that is enough in the eyes of GOD (if there is one). Or if you do go to church, moss or temple - please don't be so HYPOCRITICAL - for example, hating or discriminating against other race, colors, creed, genders, sexual orientation, etc.. If you are one of those people, you are total F. U as human being.
I know it's pedantic, but I'll have to correct your correction and point out that the group that build ships and fled Jerusalem were NOT Jews, though they were Israelites. Lehi was of the tribe of Manasseh, and Ishmael of the tribe of Ephraim. It's possible that Zoram was of the tribe of Judah and thus properly a Jew, but we're not given that information, and even it that's the case it would be misleading to say that one Jew in a group of 20+ of the original adults justifies saying they were all Jews.
more and more are leaving your "true church" I wonder why that is? oh ya its called BS!
Go to one of their meetings and tell me how many times you hear "god says" and how many you hear" joseph says"
total crap!
Some Mormon quotes to ponder:
“As man now is, God once was; as God is now man may be.” - The Teachings of Lorenzo Snow
"We have imagined and supposed that God was God from all eternity, I will refute that idea, and take away the veil so that you may see." - Joseph Smith from Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith
"Each one of you has it within the realm of his possibility to develop a kingdom over which you will preside as its king and god. You will need to develop yourself and grow in ability and power and worthiness, to govern such a world with all of its people." - 12th President Spencer W. Kimball
“The Father has promised us that through our faithfulness we shall be blessed with the fullness of his kingdom. In other words, we will have the privilege of becoming like him. To become like him we must have all the powers of godhood; thus a man and his wife when glorified will have spirit children who eventually will go on an earth like this one we are on and pass through the same kind of experiences, being subject to mortal conditions, and if faithful, then they also will receive the fullness of exaltation and partake of the same blessings. There is no end to this development; it will go on forever. We will become gods and have jurisdiction over worlds, and these worlds will be peopled by our own offspring.” - Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation 2:48
"All those who are counted worthy to be exalted and to become Gods, even the sons of God, will go forth and have earths and worlds like those who framed this and millions on millions of others." - 2nd President Brigham Young (Journal of Discourses 17:143)
“An essential requirement for exaltation is celestial marriage, for exaltation depends upon the continuation of the family in eternity and the power to populate other worlds as our Father did this one.” (Principles of the Gospel, published by the LDS Church, 1976)
"I wish to declare I have always and in all congregations when I have preached on the subject of the Deity, it has been the plurality of Gods" - Joseph Smith (History of the Church 6:474).
"We were begotten by our Father in Heaven; the person of our Father in Heaven was begotten on a previous heavenly world by His Father; and again, He was begotten by a still more ancient Father, and so one, from one generation to generation" - Orson Pratt (The Seer, pg. 132).
A fascinating article, for sure. Of course, I don't believe in any of the tenets of the Mormon faith, but that is hardly surprising given that I'm a Catholic. But for a non-LDS member, this was a fascinating read.
For the record, I've never regarded Mormons suspiciously. It's too bad more bigots don't take time to become informed, because it would seem that Mormonism does have a strong basis in traditional Christian theology.
While I don't believe in the LDS, I do believe in Jesus Christ - and I am absolutely certain of the validity of the teachings of Catholicism.