Hi. I am 18 and very active in the church. My parents were converts and they raised me and my siblings to be strong and independent. But why is it that when I talk about my friends from other religions or ask questions about other beliefs or study other faiths -especially the ancient ones- they get mad? They say that they don’t want my faith to waver, but I can’t convince them that I won’t. Other faiths only intrest me inasmuch as they relate to our own. I only research the parts that are the same because I know that all religions have a spark of the truth ours does. However, none of this is enough to make me leave the church whatsoever. How do I communicate this to my parents in a way that they understand and it won’t cause more trouble for our family?
One Response to “Hi. I am 18 and very active in the church. My parents were c…”
Leonardo Miranda
2010-06-26 20:15:34
Hi Clarissa. I agree completely with your comments. In fact, one of the many things I like about the LDS Church is that Mormons do believe that other faiths teach many true principles. Consider this quote made by the First Presidency 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."
My wife is a religion major at a secular university (UCSD). She also enjoys comparing religions to try to enhance her Mormon faith. BYU scholars often compare Mormonism to ancient religions to demonstrate that Mormonism has a foundation in antiquity. See for example these articles from BYU's Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship:
As long as your faith in the true, restored gospel is firm, comparing Mormonism to other religions can be very uplifting. In fact, I just compared Mormonism and Hinduism on this very site a few minutes ago...
My wife is a religion major at a secular university (UCSD). She also enjoys comparing religions to try to enhance her Mormon faith. BYU scholars often compare Mormonism to ancient religions to demonstrate that Mormonism has a foundation in antiquity. See for example these articles from BYU's Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship:
Comparisons with early Christianity: Comparing LDS Beliefs with First-Century Christianity
Comparisons with Islam: Muhammad, Judah, and Joseph Smith: A Sharp Stick in the Eye and The Great Mosque and Its Ka'ba as an Islamic Temple Complex in Light of Lundquist's Typology of Ancient Near Eastern Temples
Comparisons with Judaism: Jews and Mormons: Similarities and Differences
As long as your faith in the true, restored gospel is firm, comparing Mormonism to other religions can be very uplifting. In fact, I just compared Mormonism and Hinduism on this very site a few minutes ago...