- NEW!
by Mister IT is trying to Liahona outta here on October 24th, 2009
Help answer this question below.
by the Otter on November 11th, 2009
No, I am not, and I’d actually be interested to learn who these people are. The way I see it, there’s really no room for a gray area here: either the Church is 100% true or it isn’t. Either way, it’s a logical impossibility for two (or more) contradictory churches to each be 100% true.
Now of course, the Church of Jesus Christ has *always* taken “a softer, more inclusive stance toward other churches and faiths” than many other churches out there. Even the early, comparatively outspoken prophets taught that all mankind would be saved from death, and that virtually everyone would also attain some degree of exaltation.
I realize, of course, that some people that subscribe to the aforementioned logical fallacy sometimes portray us as exclusionary, perhaps in an attempt to make themselves look and/or feel better. In the final analysis though, our doctrines are *much* more inclusive than those of most other Abrahamic religions. Please correct me if any of these be inaccurate, but here’s the teachings I’ve picked up from adherents to various Abrahamic religions:
Judaism: those that do not accept God in mortality will go to Hell, but Hell is not a final destination; rather, it is a place of opportunity for virtually everyone to fully accept Him. Those that fully accept Him will receive all that God desires to give; all others (save those that deliberately reject God in favor of Satan) will also be saved, receiving as many of God’s blessings as they choose.
Catholicism: anyone not christened Catholic will be damned to Purgatory or Hell forever.
Islám: non-Muslims will be damned to Hell forever.
Protestantism: anyone that doesn’t accept Christ (the exact meaning of which varies from creed to creed) is damned to Hell forever—unless you’re a “Mormon,” in which case even accepting Christ isn’t enough.
Jehovah’s Witnesses: anyone that’s not a Jehovah’s Witness will cease to exist at death. 144,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses will go to Heaven while the rest will remain on the perfected Earth.
Latter-day Saints: anyone not baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ will go to Hell, but Hell is not a final destination; rather, it is a place of opportunity for virtually everyone to fully accept Him and His Son. Those that fully accept Them will receive all that God desires to give; all others (save those that deliberately reject God in favor of Satan) will also be saved, receiving as many of God’s blessings as they choose.
Again, please correct me if I’ve misstated any of these—I’ll be happy to correct them, if need be—but I’ll let the reader decide which of these teaching(s) are most “inclusive.”
HTH!
by laie_techie on October 25th, 2009
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believes it is the only sect with the authority to perform the ordinances necessary for the Celestial Kingdom. The LdS Church also believes it has MORE truth than any other sect in terms of Eternity and Salvation.
At the same time, the LdS Church recognizes that other sects also have good teachings, good morals, and encourage their members to be good people. Did you hear the eulogy the LdS Church gave Mother Teresa?
by Anonymous on November 5th, 2009
So..... This goes totally against the old saying that "if mormonism is right there's no way anyone who isn't a mormon will be saved?"
by Arithon on October 24th, 2009
I think many LDS people use the term "only true Church" not really thinking about what they are saying. It is more accurate to say they beleive the LDS Church is the only one that contains all the doctrine and ordinances necessary for the Celestial Kingdom. Since they say it incorrectly, they actually start to beleieve the phrase in a false light.
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Here's a little more insight as to why I am more inclusive of other religions. I am LDS but do not live a life worthy of the Celestial Kingdom. This is by choice as I have many vices. :) It is not that I am unable.
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This means I will most likely have a Terrestrial glory, based upon the rest of my life. Any other good person, who believes in God and Jesus Christ, regardless of religion will have this glory as well. So it is not accurate to say the LDS church is the only true church.
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Beleive it or not, even most LDS people will not be in the celstial kingdom. It takes a life of full devotion, sacrifice, and personal development; not just membership in a Church.
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So all in all, if your religion helps you feel closer to God and you follow moral principles to the best of your ability, you will have the same glory as most LDS people.
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I do believe that the Celestial Kingdom is a worthy goal of all people and that the LDS religion is the ony way to learn the principles and ordinances about it...
by ariabell on October 24th, 2009
I am not one of those LDS. I am Mormon, well I was baptized in the church.... But Mormons believe that their religion is the true religion so there for they want to go around preaching to all other religions and try to save your souls. What led them to do this? Mormons believe that Jesus aka "the holy spirit" talks to them. We have a prophet that aparently talks to Jesus and tells us what to do. And Jesus told the prophet to go and save your guys's souls pretty much.
by Rockie on November 5th, 2009
Joseph Smith taught, "18 Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection.
19 And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come.
20 There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—
21 And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated." Doctrine and Covenants 130.
We will all be blessed according to our faithfulness. Joseph Smith also taught, "38 What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same." Doctrine and Covenants 1.
The LDS Church, nor we as members of the LDS Church, need not apologize for the position we take in regards to other denominations. If God truly spoke the Joseph Smith, it is as if God Himself was speaking to us. When God talks to His prophets, He is not talking to the members of the Church that happens to be on the Earth at the time, He is talking to the entire World.
The LDS Church believes that the other denominations of the World preach parts of the truth mingled with false doctrines created by men. They cannot offer a person complete exaltation as explained above my Mr. Laie Techie. If you are satisfied with remaining mediocre, the LDS Church does not encourage an individual to be mediocre. If you remain mediocre, you will receive a mediocre reward. You will be rewarded according to your works here in this life.
There are no do-overs. After this life is over, you are done. What you have earned, you will get. At the Judgement bar, Joseph Smith, nor any other will be answering for what you did or did not do. You will answer for your own deeds. If Joseph Smith or any Latter-Day-Saint did not offer you an opportunity to learn what Joseph Smith learned through revelations from God and His Angels, then yes, we would be accountable. However, as long as you have the opportunity to receive the truth and reject it, the sin falls upon your own head.
by illyena on February 22nd, 2011
The LDS church is the only church that has the "Fullness of the Gospel" or ALL of the truth in one place, that does not mean that other churches have no truth or no value. There is no "I am 100% right and you are 100% wrong." We do not try to overwrite individual faith, only add to it and enhance peoples relationships with God and Christ.
by whew6 on May 5th, 2011
I understand what you are asking, but I have found this situation has been with us for much of my life. And what I have found in every case I have examined is, that the members of the Church can be divided into two separate groups. #1. Those who have a strong testimony of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon and all things for which the Church stands. #2. Those who want to believe, but have not yet received that testimony. And unfortunately this 2nd group could also be divided into two groups. #1. Those who think the Church is true, but still have some doubts about some things. #2. Those who have no testimony and even believe it is not true, but cannot leave the Church because of pressure from family and friends. So they just go inactive to relieve the pressure as much as possible.
by Christine on May 5th, 2011
Actually, Judaism is true, but fortunately people don't have to know the whole truth in order to be good people :)
by Bridget_D8547 on June 29th, 2011
I have not noticed a change as you have indicated. But there are members of the LDS church who are aware that all faithful Christians are members of the Lord's flock. Admittedly, you might not get a Utah Mormon to admit this, but the rest of the membership is not as dim-witted and insular. Some of them realize that the Lord accepts all who obey him, whether they think they're the cream of the crop or not.
P.S. Actually, those who think they are the cream are probably going to find out that they are going to sink to the bottom, being weighed down as they are by their pride.
by TAPriceCTR s son is wearing his COAT on December 11th, 2009
most churches have some truth. but there can be no more than 1 complete truth, it is an indisputable fact that 2 mutualy exclusive claims can not both be true. if the claims of 2 churches are exactly the same they are the same church. we believe we have the fullness of the gosple... and church which does not believe the same admits they do not have the complete gosple of christ.
Mormons: are marriages that are not sealed in the temple valid or ordained in the eyes of God? Or in the eyes of the LdS church?
by k on January 25th, 2011
| 1 person likes this
Mormons: Does the LdS church define murder as only the shedding of innocent blood?
by k on December 20th, 2010
| 1 person likes this
Has an LDS prophet ever spoken against Dungeons and Dragons?
by John Cox on July 15th, 2011
| 1 person likes this
MORMONS True or False: People are essentially noble beings who can exercise their free agency to decide if they want to join the LdS Church.
by Mister IT is trying to Liahona outta here on December 10th, 2009
| 1 person likes this
LdS: what does "We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed"* mean EXACTLY?
by k on January 25th, 2011
| 1 person likes this
You're reading I've noticed a new trend of some Mormons who longer believe that the LdS Church is the ONLY true Church - thus they take a softer, more inclusive stance toward other Churches and faiths. Are you one of these LdS and if so what led you to this conclusion?
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Comments
Thank you for your answer. +6
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On this:
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>Now of course, the Church of Jesus Christ has *always* taken “a softer, more inclusive stance toward other churches and faiths” than many other churches out there<
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Then how does one explain statements like these from Mormon Leaders throughout history:
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"In bearing testimony of Jesus Christ, President Hinckley spoke of those outside the Church who say Latter-day Saints 'do not believe in the traditional Christ.' 'No, I don't. The traditional Christ of whom they speak is not the Christ of whom I speak. For the Christ of whom I speak has been revealed in this the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times. He together with His Father, appeared to the boy Joseph Smith in the year 1820, and when Joseph left the grove that day, he knew more of the nature of God than all the learned ministers of the gospel of the ages.'"
- Prophet Gordon B. Hinckley, LDS Church News, June 20, 1998, p.7
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by Mister IT is trying to Liahona outta here on November 11th, 2009
"I was answered by God that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: “they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.” He again forbade me to join with any of them;..."
- Prophet Joseph Smith, Joseph Smith History 1:18-20
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"What is it that inspires professors of Christianity generally with a hope of salvation? It is that smooth, sophisticated influence of the devil, by which he deceives the whole world"
- Prophet Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.270
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by Mister IT is trying to Liahona outta here on November 11th, 2009
"...all the priests who adhere to the sectarian religions of the day with all their followers, without one exception, receive their portion with the devil and his angels."
- Prophet Joseph Smith , The Elders Journal, Joseph Smith Jr., editor, vol.1, no.4, p.60
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"Both Catholics and Protestants are nothing less than the 'whore of Babylon' whom the Lord denounces by the mouth of John the Revelator as having corrupted all the earth by their fornications and wickedness. Any person who shall be so corrupt as to receive a holy ordinance of the Gospel from the ministers of any of these apostate churches will be sent down to hell with them, unless they repent"
- Apostle Orson Pratt, The Seer, p. 255
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by Mister IT is trying to Liahona outta here on November 11th, 2009
"And the angel of God said unto me: Behold there are save two churches only; the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the church of the devil; wherefore, whoso belongeth not to the church of the Lamb of God belongeth to that great church, which is the mother of abominations; and she is the whore of all the earth. And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the whore of all the earth, and she sat upon many waters; and she had dominion over all the earth, among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people."
- Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 14:10-11
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"After the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized, there were only two churches upon the earth. They were known respectively as the Church of the Lamb of God and Babylon. The various organizations which are called churches throughout Christendom, though differing in their creeds and organizations, have one common origin. They all belong to Babylon"
- Apostle George Q. Cannon said, Gospel Truth, p.324
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by Mister IT is trying to Liahona outta here on November 11th, 2009
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Well to me that sound pretty EXclusive not INclusive!
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by Mister IT is trying to Liahona outta here on November 11th, 2009
Hey, MIT. You are of course correct in that each of those quotes denotes a distinction between the doctrines of Christ and the doctrines of the world, and I think my answer makes this perfectly clear when it says “anyone not baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ will go to Hell.” However, there is a *tremendous* difference between the unrepentant sinner to which every one of those quotes refer, and the repentant sinner that will receive his place with God (which will probably include some 99.999 999% of the people that first “receive their portion with the devil and his angels”).
Twenty years ago, I “belong[ed] to Babylon,” too. So did probably a third of the Latter-day Saints on the Earth today. The quotes are only exclusive if placed in the context of some other religion’s theology.
by the Otter on November 11th, 2009