8 Interesting Facts About Mormons
Mormons are a group of people who belong to the Mormon faith and the Church of the Latter-Day Saints. While many people believe that Mormonism is a branch of Christianity, we’re here to tell you that that isn’t true! Mormonism is an individual religion.
In this article, we will teach you all about Mormons and the Mormon faith. First, we will walk you through a quick explanation of what Mormonism is, followed by where and when it was founded. We will then walk you through a description of Mormon beliefs and how it differs from Catholicism!
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What is Mormonism?
Mormonism is a religious movement governed by the theology and traditions of the Latter Day Saint movement of Restorationist Christianity. While many people remain divided about what Mormonism is exactly, the term ‘Mormonism’ describes the teachings of this religious movement.
Mormonism shares some similarities with Protestantism. While the two are pretty different from one another, Mormonism was also founded on the basis of Protestantism.
When and Where Was Mormonism Founded?
Joseph Smith founded Mormonism in Western New York between the 1820s and 1830s.
Mormon Beliefs
Mormons have several beliefs that serve as the guiding principles of their religious movement. It is crucial to note that while the Mormon faith shares several similar beliefs with Christianity, there is no overlap with the Christian or Catholic faith for various reasons. We will explore the differences between Mormonism and Catholicism in the next section of this article.
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The core beliefs of the Mormon faith are as follows:
Mormons believe that Jesus Christ is at the center of their faith.
Mormons or Latter-day Saints believe that Jesus Christ is the world’s savior and that he will save the world from destruction, sin, and death. They also consider Jesus to be their redeemer and strive to practice his teachings of goodness, love, and service every day.
They believe that God and Jesus are two separate beings, with Jesus being the son of God.
Mormons believe that Jesus and God the Father are separate beings and entities, and they are worshipped separately. However, it is worth noting that while Mormons believe in worshipping God and Jesus separately, they also believe that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are one in terms of love and purpose.
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Mormons believe that Jesus’s church has been restored in the present day; this church is the one that is mentioned in the New Testament.
The members of the Mormon tradition believe that when Jesus established his church, he did so based on the belief and foundation that his apostles and prophets existed under one faith. This means that they believe this ‘one faith’ lost its meaning and power after Jesus’s apostles died, and as a result, the Mormons strive to restore the church by following the commandments of Jesus.
Mormons believe in apostasy.
While people belonging to the Christian faith believe that Jesus Christ established the church, Mormons believe in apostasy, a concept stating that the church moved away from its original power and glory that Jesus established.
Mormons also believe in cosmology
Their belief in cosmology means that they believe in the power of the universe in addition to God. Mormon cosmology emphasizes that human agency is essential. It also believes that all human beings exist on earth as spirits living in God’s presence.
Mormonism Vs. Catholicism
Mormonism and Catholicism follow two different paths of belief. While there are several similarities in the teachings of both faiths, it is safe to say that there are more differences, as shown below.
Belief in the Holy Trinity.
Mormons and Catholics have different perspectives on the Holy Trinity. While Catholics believe that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are one unit and should be worshipped as such, Mormons believe that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are three separate entities and beings who share the same mission on earth.
The perception of God.
While Catholics believe that God is a shapeless being without a body that belongs to the Holy Trinity, Mormons believe that God has a physical shape and form.
The definition of hell.
In terms of hell, Mormons believe that hell is a place that people go to after they have committed wicked deeds on earth. They believe that hell is a type of spirit prison that people go to if they have misbehaved, like Satan, for example. On the other hand, Catholic believe that hell is a place that is distant and separate from God. They think that those people who do not believe in God end up in hell, which is a place that torments sinners and unbelievers.
The perception of the afterlife
Every person on earth perceives the afterlife differently, and Mormons and Catholics are no different. Mormons believe that people end up in one of two places after they die. Good people with good souls end up in a type of heaven that they refer to as ‘spirit paradise,’ while bad people with evil souls end up in the spirit prison, which is the Mormon’s idea of hell. Ultimately, Mormons believe that all souls get a second chance at life after they die. On the other hand, Catholics do not believe in the afterlife or the resurrection of souls. Instead, they believe that humans end up in the Kingdom of Heaven or in Hell, which is far away from God.
The holy book
While Catholics believe in and refer to the Bible, a book comprising teachings, letters, and gospels written by critical biblical figures, Mormons refer to the Book of Mormon, written by their founder Joseph Smith. The Book of Mormon is a translation of a set of works written by Christian prophets on golden plates.
8 Interesting Facts About Mormonism
Mormons used to practice plural marriage.
Plural marriage, or polygamy, as it is commonly known, was something that Mormons practiced until the late 19th century. Polygamy is when a man has more than one wife. In Mormon families, men had three or four wives at a time and sometimes more than ten children. It might surprise you to know that the Mormon church founder, Joseph Smith, had more than 40 wives, some of whom were still teenagers when he married them. However, while polygamy was a common practice, it was eventually banned in the Mormon church on September 24, 1890.
The Mormon population grows extensively every year.
As Mormonism gets more popular every year, the population of Mormons grows bigger. At present, more than 16 million people are practicing Mormonism worldwide, with over six million people of that population in the United States alone. The reason that this religion has grown extensively is that Mormon missionaries are committed to converting as many people as possible to becoming Mormons.
The Mormon church is one of the wealthiest churches in the world.
While it might sound shocking, the Mormon church makes over $5 billion every year. If you’re wondering how they raise such large funds, it is because Mormons must donate a tenth of their yearly earnings to the Mormon church. If they don’t, they will not be allowed to pray in the church! The church also owns sizeable real estate properties and several businesses throughout the United States. As a result, the Mormon church raises significant amounts of money every year.
Religious experts believe that the Twilight novels serve as an allegory of Mormonism.
When the Twilight books and movies came out, they took the world by storm! However, while teens and adults swooned over the romance of the two main characters, many religious experts saw Stephanie Meyer’s story as an allegory of Mormonism. The novels touch on the themes of the eternal bond of marriage, selflessness, and goodness.
Mormons have special underwear.
Many different religions have specific garments that represent their faith or allow their followers to show devotion to God, and the Mormon tradition is no different. Mormons wear a particular type of undergarment that is called a temple garment. They consider these garments to be symbols of protection from sin and evil in the world. Members of the Mormon church wear these garments after participating in an endowment ceremony; this ceremony is for Mormons to become priests, priestesses, queens, and kings in the afterlife.
They believe that when Jesus Christ returns to Earth, he will come to the United States of America.
Since the Mormon tradition was founded in America, Mormons genuinely believe that when Jesus returns to the Earth in person, he will go to America and rule over his kingdom on Earth. One of the main reasons that Mormons think that this is true is because they believe that Jesus visited Native Americans after his resurrection. However, once the church lost its former glory and became apostatic, God appeared to Joseph Smith in a vision and told him to start the Mormon tradition. In the dream, God also told Smith that Jesus would return to earth.
Mormons reenact the story of their origin every year.
Every year, a group of 650 to 700 Mormons used to take part in a show called the Hill Cumorah Pageant at the Palmyra New York Temple. The show took place outdoors and reenacted the origin of Mormonism from Joseph Smith’s experience with writing the Book of Mormon. It was performed on a 10-level stage and included more than 1,000 costumes. However, after the Covid-19 pandemic, the pageant has since been canceled.
Mormons have a special handshake.
While their representation of a handshake isn’t called a handshake, Mormons have a unique way of greeting each other. Their “handshakes” are actually called seals, tokens, or signs and are kept a secret from people who don’t belong to the Mormon faith.
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Conclusion
The Mormon tradition is one of the most controversial, widely practiced, and followed religious traditions in the United States of America and other parts of the world. While many people disagree about whether or not this tradition counts as a religion, it is safe to say that it is incredibly popular. It doesn’t look like its growing popularity is slowing down any time soon! In this guide, we offered you an explanation of what the Mormon tradition is like, what its beliefs are, and how it differs from Catholicism. While we couldn’t fit a ton of information into this guide, we encourage you to keep learning and reading about Mormonism.