What are your ten favorite things about the Church that are unique to it?
Anonymous,
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2 Responses to “What are your ten favorite things about the Church that are …”
Ricardo Duarte
2011-04-10 21:32:56
Hi friend. Here's my list:
The church has a well-developed doctrine of theosis/exaltation. We don't believe the righteous will spend all of eternity playing harps. They'll spend that time under the direct tutelage of God, learning how to be more like Him. The concept of eternal progression is very appealing to me.
The church teaches modern revelation. If God communicated with prophets and apostles anciently, why wouldn't he communicate with them in our days? Where are the prophets and apostles in other churches, with all due respect, of course?
Salvation is extended to those of other faiths. Rather than thinking those of other faiths will go to hell, we believe they have a chance to accept the fullness of Christ's gospel after death, so they can go to heaven as well. This includes those who never had the opportunity to learn about Christ's restored gospel because of the time or place in which they were born.
The Church also readily acknowledges the good in other religions. As was stated in an official church declaration in 1978, "The great religious leaders of the world such as Mohammed, Confucius, and the Reformers, as well as philosophers including Socrates, Plato, and others, received a portion of God's light. Moral truths were given to them by God to enlighten whole nations and to bring a higher level of understanding to individuals."
The church provides a great support for the family. Studies confirm that the Mormon influence on the family is tremendously positive.
The Church is associated not just with a theology but also with a culture. The culture is human like all others and so has its flaws and quirks, but it provides what amounts to almost an ethnic identity that anyone can join regardless of race or nationality.
Rather than requiring blind acceptance, the church encourages its members to confirm true teachings directly with God through prayer and other spiritual experiences. And the church actively provides opportunities for people to have those spiritual experiences.
I love the history of the church too. Not just the faith-promoting aspects of our history, which are wonderful and personally strengthening, but also the more mundane aspects. I love how God took a primitive people from the 19th-century American frontier and from that people forged a thriving worldwide religion.
I love the emphasis not only on orthodoxy--correct teachings--but also on orthopraxy--the correct performance of sacred ordinances. Anciently, people were better at connecting with God through the performance of sacred ordinances. The Catholic Church has preserved some of this wonderful ritualistic worship. On the other hand, didactic teaching like that found in Protestant churches is also a wonderful way of worshiping God. Mormonism has a great balance between these two forms of worship, didactic in the chapel, ordinance-based in the temple.
I love the church because there is no separation between the clergy class and the worshiper class. By this I mean that all the members participate in running and operating the church. I could be called tomorrow to serve as the bishop (pastor) of my congregation. A bishop could be released and then be called to work with the 5-year-olds in Sunday school. We're all clergy, and we all volunteer without pay to do God's work.
Finally, I love the church because I believe God has restored in our days the ancient apostolic authority he gave to Peter, James, and John. We sincerely respect the religious beliefs of others, but that authority to act in God's name is paramount.
Shalon
2011-04-06 23:24:38
1) The church understood that tobacco was bad for us long before science did. And that caffeine was bad before our recent proofs.
2) We are constantly urged to pray and study FOR OURSELVES. Not just rely on someone else's understanding.
3) The members are no better, nor worse, than anyone else... And they acknowledge that.
4) The clergy teaches for love... Not money. And by the spirit, not by memorized canon.
5) We don't quote Scriptural passages endlessly like drones until they have lost all trace of a meaning. We ask questions and acknowledge possibilities.
6) We seek out truth, and things of good report... Wherever they may be. Even if that is from a new member's understanding from another religion.
7) Our women's organization (Relief Society) actually visits with the members regularly and helps out the needy wherever they are. Even if they aren't of our religion.
8) We are expected to LIVE/follow our religion as much as possible, every day. Not just for an hour or two on Sunday.
2) We are constantly urged to pray and study FOR OURSELVES. Not just rely on someone else's understanding.
3) The members are no better, nor worse, than anyone else... And they acknowledge that.
4) The clergy teaches for love... Not money. And by the spirit, not by memorized canon.
5) We don't quote Scriptural passages endlessly like drones until they have lost all trace of a meaning. We ask questions and acknowledge possibilities.
6) We seek out truth, and things of good report... Wherever they may be. Even if that is from a new member's understanding from another religion.
7) Our women's organization (Relief Society) actually visits with the members regularly and helps out the needy wherever they are. Even if they aren't of our religion.
8) We are expected to LIVE/follow our religion as much as possible, every day. Not just for an hour or two on Sunday.