Can someone please explain the LDS Church beliefs?

Question

I would really like to know more about the beliefs of LDS. I have heard so many crazy things about it that I cannot imagine that they are true. Thsi sounds so foolish, but the most I know was from a South Park episode and I KNOW that it cannot be accurate....

I AM NOT interested in converting, so please don't bother, I'll just delete the answer, and I will delete any answers hostile to LDS or any other religion. I am not trying to start a pis*ing contest between religions. And I am not intersted in foolish answers based on opinion, not fact.

Any answers from an active LDS member would be most appreciated.

I just like to know things about the world around me and this is a subject that I know very little about.

Serious answers only, please!

Thanks so much in advance.....

Answer 1

I am an active LDS person who is also very skeptical of most aspects of the religion.

The one thing I will tell you is that South Park is usually VERY accurate when it portrays Mormons. Trey Parker and Matt Stone grew up in the suburbs of Denver where there are a lot of Mormons. The south park episode featuring this clip ( http://www.vsocial.com/PlatAdPlayer.swf?v=26069 ) is actually almost dead-on. The only big mistake they made is that there are supposed to be 4 sets of gold plates all bound together instead of just 4 separate gold tablets. I'm not saying that South park is always good or correct, I'm just saying that they're fairly accurate when it comes to Mormons. And most Mormons would probably not like to hear that.

I could go on about everything else for several pages, but I won't today. Let me know if you have any other questions for someone with the rare perspective of being immersed in the religion, but not blinded by the propaganda.

Answer 2

I already see some good websites listed here for the most part. I think a lot of misinformation gets spread around because some people are afraid of finding out the truth. The truth is, as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I believe that we are children of God. God is a glorified, perfect, and immortal Being, and as His children we resemble Him (because after all, children resemble their parents in most cases). We can use personal prayer to learn more about Him and His Son, Jesus Christ, who we revere as our Savior and Redeemer. We also believe in the Holy Ghost, or Holy Spirit, who is the third member of the Godhead (or what traditional Christians refer to as the Trinity). The function of the Holy Ghost is to testify to the existence of God, or Heavenly Father, as well as Jesus Christ. They are three separate individuals. We honor and respect Joseph Smith as the person chosen to restore the Church of Jesus Christ in these latter days preceding the time before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, and we believe that Peter, James, and John (the apostles of Jesus Christ) personally ordained Joseph Smith to receive the authority and Priesthood of Jesus Christ to act in His name. We use the Bible and the Book of Mormon together with other books of scripture, combined with ongoing revelations on an as-needed basis from a living prophet, who is President Gordon B. Hinckley. That is because we don't think authors should be limited to one book, and why in the world would anyone want to limit God to just one book if He had children in other parts of the world? We have an interesting doctrine called the doctrine of the pre-mortal life, which means that we were all created spiritually before we were born here physically on this earth (it is NOT reincarnation, but a continuation of the same life, just a different stage of it). We all have spirits with unique talents and intelligence, and we are all living on the earth at this point in time to help get the world ready for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. There is a lot more, but those are a few basics that might help out for now.
Oh, by the way, polygamy was officially ended October 6, 1890, by President Wilford Woodruff, and anyone who continued to practice it with new marriages was disciplined or ex-communicated. It is my opinion (sorry about giving you one opinion, but this came after a lot of study on my own) that the real reason polygamy existed in the 19th century is because the men who the "extra" women would have married were caught up in something I can explain in just 3 words: The Civil War. Eventually, everything will be straightened out after the Second Coming and the Final Judgment, and families will be organized in the way they choose. Have a happy day!

Answer 3

Here's the FAQs page about beliefs from the official site of the LDS church.

Answer 4

Why did you get baptised into the Mormon church in case you do not have faith any of their perspectives? Did you sense the Holy Ghost? once you met with the Elders, did you spot how they virtually glowed with the spirit? Do you remember what it grew to become into choose to wish along with your coronary heart for the 1st time? you're patently having a crises of religion. I recommend open and coronary heart felt prayer. I additionally propose analyzing the e book of Mormon. i do no longer understand of a extra constructive e book on faith.

Answer 5

Thanks so much for realizing that what you see on South Park probably isn't completely accurate.

Actually, our church has an entire website that can answer all sorts of your questions about our beliefs: www.mormon.org.

I think you'll discover that we have a lot in common with many other religions.

Answer 6

we believe in God, the Eternal Father, in his son Jesus Christ and in the Holy Ghost. We believe they are three separate beings. We believe in following the laws of the land. We believe in the Word of Wisdom. It is a health code that says not to smoke or drink and to eat right. We believe in doing good unto others. To be kind. We believe in many things. Too many to state them all here.

Look up www.lds.org for more information.

Answer 7

This should give you our Articles of Faith
http://www.mormon.org/learn/0,8672,1598-1,00.html
There's more about Mormons on this site but this is the best place to start.

Answer 8

www.mormon.org they have a great faq and beginning section