Mormons, as they are popularly known, belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This church is considered a branch of Christianity , and its members share the same beliefs and rituals as traditional Christians.
However, today I want to show you in this post the differences between Mormons , as a variant of Christianity, and Catholicism. Let's go!
Who are the Mormons?
The difference between the Mormons, with the rest of the currents of Christian ideology, is their staging and, above all, how they appeared.
Despite the common belief that Mormons oppose the mythology and mysticism surrounding the prophets of the world's major religions, such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, the founder of Mormonism is also considered a prophet.
This Prophet was an ordinary person, who has lived during the Modern Age and is known by the name of Joseph Smith.
As with any new branch of monotheistic religion, Mormonism has emerged and spread throughout the world. However, some controversies have arisen regarding this new branch of Christianity.
The rise of the Mormons has been a major source of controversy for the Catholic Church, since its origin is due to an ordinary person.
What is the origin of the Mormon movement?
One of the most intriguing aspects of Mormonism is its recent origins within a historical context familiar to everyone. Following the U.S. Declaration of Independence, the country underwent several periods of transition, during which new religions like Mormonism emerged. In fact, Smith was born and raised outside of New York City, and when his family decided to move to the metropolis, the teenage Smith began experiencing visions.
According to Joseph himself, he should be the one to spread the word of Jesus throughout the world, thus re-establishing the foundations of early Christianity that had been forgotten by Catholicism. All of this takes place during a time when the United States was forging its identity as a nation.
In 1820, Joseph Smith had his first great vision, and shortly afterward, he had another apparition of the angel Moroni, who revealed to him the name Mormon, as this religious variant is known today. Many theologians have criticized and debated the controversy surrounding the origin of this variant.
The testimony, left by the Mormon prophet, is that the angel gave him some indications of where he could find the authentic 10 commandments of God. Since, years later, Smith himself would find the tables in the United States.
After several failed attempts to find God's true commandments, Joseph was deeply moved by an event he had witnessed: the tablets containing the Ten Commandments.
The Mormon text
The main controversy surrounding the Mormons and their origin was the way in which Smith found God's commandments, without witnesses and without reliable proof that what he was saying was true.
Mormons defend the idea that the plates were there and that, according to the angel Moroni, they had been given to their Prophet on earth.
It was then that suspicions began to arise that these texts were intelligible to most humans on Earth , since the language was unknown.
But, it would eventually be Joseph himself who would later reveal that it was a mixture of Greek and Hebrew.
The first Book of Mormon, also known as the Mormon Bible, was published in 1830. However, this Christian denomination has not been without its share of both credibility and skepticism.
Proponents of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints say that the Prophet on Earth has not been able to finish translating the contents of the original book because the angel who had designated him as heir to his message had taken all the items he ordered to be exhumed from Joseph.
The Mormon author Smith only had time to create a fifteen-volume work with chapters and their corresponding verses, similar to any other religious book in Christianity. However, the number of volumes is greater compared to any other religious text derived from Christianity.
What is the main difference between Mormons and other branches of Christianity?
One of the main characteristics that distinguishes Mormons from other Christians is their view of marriage. Mormons permit polygamy, while Christianity only allows monogamy. The Mormon prophet himself, Joseph Smith, had a total of forty marriages and fifty children.
This was another source of suspicion regarding the true motives of the prophet Mormon, whose detractors accused him of being a deceiver and manipulator with women, since Joseph's primary goal was to have sexual relations with as many women as possible.
Expansion of the Mormon religion in the world
Mormons have been victims of persecution since their founding . Smith himself was accused of public disorder, sectarianism, and sedition on multiple occasions in the United States.
Therefore, in 1839, he allowed the Mormons to establish their headquarters in the state of Illinois, from which they were later expelled. After countless escapes and accusations, Smith was murdered in 1844 by a group of anti-Mormons in the jail where he was being held. He was later declared a martyr within his own Church, as comparisons were drawn between Smith's life and that of Jesus.
Currently, this variant of Christianity continues to expand across the globe and has about ten million followers.
What do you think about Mormons? Did you find this post interesting?