LDS Public Affairs, the Public Affairs department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has released a series of YouTube videos answering seven questions. Elder M. Russell Ballard, an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ addresses each of these questions which have become more frequently asked since Mitt Romney tossed his hat in the presidential ring:
1. Do Mormons worship Jesus Christ in their services?
2. How are Mormon beliefs similar to other Christians?
3. Is there scientific proof authenticating the Book of Mormon?
4. Are Mormons Christian?
5. Why do people say Mormonism is a cult?
6. How do Mormon beliefs differ from other Christians?
7. Does the Church support political candidates?
What a wonderful thing to live in this day of technology. To have a living Apostle of the Lord answer questions so that the world may see what The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is all about. I love being alive!
Update on Alvin: His surgery ended up being 6 1/2 hours long. 3 1/2 hours longer than it was supposed to be. But they managed to get every portion of all three parathyroid glands and shave the fourth down to a normal level. His calcium levels, after a couple of tries finally reduced to normal. Hallelujah! It was a long scary day, but he's doing well. He's in IMC (Intermediate Care) right now, but hopefully will be moved to a normal floor today. Fingers crossed.
1. Do Mormons worship Jesus Christ in their services?
2. How are Mormon beliefs similar to other Christians?
3. Is there scientific proof authenticating the Book of Mormon?
4. Are Mormons Christian?
5. Why do people say Mormonism is a cult?
6. How do Mormon beliefs differ from other Christians?
7. Does the Church support political candidates?
What a wonderful thing to live in this day of technology. To have a living Apostle of the Lord answer questions so that the world may see what The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is all about. I love being alive!
Update on Alvin: His surgery ended up being 6 1/2 hours long. 3 1/2 hours longer than it was supposed to be. But they managed to get every portion of all three parathyroid glands and shave the fourth down to a normal level. His calcium levels, after a couple of tries finally reduced to normal. Hallelujah! It was a long scary day, but he's doing well. He's in IMC (Intermediate Care) right now, but hopefully will be moved to a normal floor today. Fingers crossed.
Elder M. Russell Ballard Explains
![Elder M. Russell Ballard Explains]()
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Wednesday, October 31, 2007
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Great videos! And here I thought computers and the internet were invented to help with family history work.
ReplyDeleteI'll be praying for you and Alvin. Did the hypercalcemia affect his kidney function? Hmmm, maybe you add a page element like "The Alvin Update."
Thanks for sharing the youtube vids. Glad to hear that your husband is recovering. Have a good day to you both!
ReplyDeleteMarta, you know, I can't figure out what caused the parathyroidism. I think, it went something like this:
ReplyDeleteHigh blood pressure caused the kidney failure which resulted in dialysis, for almost six years. The dialysis, despite all our efforts, caused the parathyroidism, or the inability of the kidneys to process excess calcium and phosphorus caused the parathyroidism. I just don't know. All I know is my husband is doing much better and trying to convince to help him break out of the hospital.
Thanks, Carrie. It's always a good day when my husband is feeling well.
And yes, to both of you, technology is astounding isn't it? The blogging I do for LDSBlogs.com is just an incredible opportunity to share the gospel through a fantastic medium. And now the prophet and apostles are showing up on YouTube. Coolest ever!
Hi,
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting these--I didn't know about them. I'm going to pass this on to my friends.
I'm glad your husband is doing well!
Candace, thanks for the update. You've been in my thoughts and prayers. Tell Alvin hi and here's hoping for a really fast recovery.
ReplyDeleteHi Heidi - no problem. I was so happy when Moira blogged about it on http://ldsblogs.com. I popped right over to YouTube and grabbed 'em. I think they're marvelous. Answers all the pertinent questions.
ReplyDeleteTristi - I told him and he said thank you very much and that you're very sweet.
So glad to hear Alvin's doing good.
ReplyDeleteHappy Halloween!
Halloween Hugs To You!
Kat
Thanks, Kat. I appreciate that and Happy Halloween to you too.
ReplyDeleteThe Church of Jesus Christ (LDS) is often accused by Evangelical pastors of not believing in Christ and, therefore, not being a Christian religion This article helps to clarify such misconceptions by examining early Christianity's comprehension of baptism, the Godhead, the deity of Jesus Christ and His Atonement.
ReplyDelete· Baptism: .
Early Christian churches, practiced baptism of youth (not infants) by immersion by the father of the family. The local congregation had a lay ministry. An early Christian Church has been re-constructed at the Israel Museum, and the above can be verified. http://www.imj.org.il/eng/exhibitions/2000/christianity/ancientchurch/structure/index.html
The Church of Jesus Christ (LDS) continues baptism and a lay ministry as taught by Jesus’ Apostles. Early Christians were persecuted for keeping their practices sacred, and prohibiting non-Christians from witnessing them.
· The Trinity: .
A literal reading of the New Testament points to God and Jesus Christ , His Son , being separate , divine beings , united in purpose. . To whom was Jesus praying in Gethsemane, and Who was speaking to Him and his apostles on the Mount of Transfiguration?
The Nicene Creed”s definition of the Trinity was influenced by scribes translating the Greek manuscripts into Latin. The scribes embellished on a passage explaining the Trinity , which is the Catholic and Protestant belief that God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The oldest versions of the epistle of 1 John, read: "There are three that bear witness: the Spirit, the water and the blood and these three are one."
Scribes later added "the Father, the Word and the Spirit," and it remained in the epistle when it was translated into English for the King James Version, according to Dr. Bart Ehrman, Chairman of the Religion Department at UNC- Chapel Hill. He no longer believes in the Nicene Trinity. .
Scholars agree that Early Christians believed in an embodied God; it was neo-Platonist influences that later turned Him into a disembodied Spirit. Divinization, narrowing the space between God and humans, was also part of Early Christian belief. St. Athanasius of Alexandria (Eastern Orthodox) wrote, regarding theosis, "The Son of God became man, that we might become God. " . The Church of Jesus Christ (LDS) views the Trinity as three separate divine beings , in accord with the earliest Greek New Testament manuscripts.
· The Deity of Jesus Christ
Mormons hold firmly to the deity of Christ. For members of the Church of Jesus Christ (LDS), Jesus is not only the Son of God but also God the Son. Evangelical pollster George Barna found in 2001 that while only 33 percent of American Catholics, Lutherans, and Methodists (28 percent of Episcopalians) agreed that Jesus was “without sin”, 70 percent of Mormons believe Jesus was sinless. http://www.adherents.com/misc/BarnaPoll.html
· The Cross and Christ’s Atonement: .
The Cross became popular as a Christian symbol in the Fifth Century A.D. . Members of the Church of Jesus Christ (LDS) believe the proper Christian symbol is Christ’s resurrection , not his crucifixion on the Cross. Many Mormon chapels feature paintings of the resurrected Christ or His Second Coming. Furthermore, members of the church believe the major part of Christ’s atonement occurred in the Garden of Gethsemane as Christ took upon him the sins of all mankind.
· Definition of “Christian”: .
But Mormons don’t term Catholics and Protestants “non-Christian”. They believe Christ’s atonement applies to all mankind. The dictionary definition of a Christian is “of, pertaining to, believing in, or belonging to a religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ”: All of the above denominations are followers of Christ, and consider him divine, and the Messiah foretold in the Old Testament. They all worship the one and only true God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and address Him in prayer as prescribed in The Lord’s Prayer.
It’s important to understand the difference between Reformation and Restoration when we consider who might be authentic Christians. . Early Christians had certain rituals which defined a Christian http://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/207/2070037.htm , which members of the Church of Jesus Christ (LDS) continue today. . If members of the Church of Jesus Christ (LDS) embrace early Christian theology, they are likely more “Christian” than their detractors.
· The Need for a Restoration of the Christian Church:
The founder of the Baptist Church in America, Roger Williams, just prior to leaving the church he established, said this:
"There is no regularly constituted church of Christ on earth, nor any person qualified to administer any church ordinances; nor can there be until new apostles are sent by the Great Head of the Church for whose coming I am seeking.” (Picturesque America, p. 502.)
Martin Luther had similar thoughts: "Nor can a Christian believer be forced beyond sacred Scriptures,...unless some new and proved revelation should be added; for we are forbidden by divine law to believe except what is proved either through the divine Scriptures or through Manifest revelation."
He also wrote: "I have sought nothing beyond reforming the Church in conformity with the Holy Scriptures. The spiritual powers have been not only corrupted by sin, but absolutely destroyed; so that there is now nothing in them but a depraved reason and a will that is the enemy and opponent of God. I simply say that Christianity has ceased to exist among
those who should have preserved it."
The Lutheran, Baptist and Church of Jesus Christ (LDS) churches recognize an apostasy from early Christianity. The Lutheran and Baptist churches have attempted reform, but Mormonism (and Roger Williams, and perhaps Martin Luther) require inspired restoration, so as to re-establish an unbroken line of authority and apostolic succession.
* * *
· Christ-Like Lives:
The 2005 National Study of Youth and Religion published by UNC-Chapel Hill found that Church of Jesus Christ (LDS) youth (ages 13 to 17) were more likely to exhibit these Christian characteristics than Evangelicals (the next most observant group):
1. Attend Religious Services weekly
2. Importance of Religious Faith in shaping daily life – extremely important
3. Believes in life after death
4. Does not believe in psychics or fortune-tellers 5. Has taught religious education classes
6. Has fasted or denied something as spiritual discipline
7. Sabbath Observance
8. Shared religious faith with someone not of their faith
9. Family talks about God, scriptures, prayer daily
10. Supportiveness of church for parent in trying to raise teen (very supportive)
11. Church congregation has done an excellent job in helping teens better understand their own sexuality and sexual morality
LDS Evangelical
1. 71% 55%
2. 52 28
3. 76 62
4. 100 95
5. 42 28
6. 68 22
7. 67 40
8. 72 56
9. 50 19
10. 65 26
11. 84 35
Bot - wow, thanks for including that article in your comments. Great information.
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