The Pros and Cons of the Mormon Church? (LDS specifically).?

Question

Could anyone provide me with insight as to the negative aspects of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

I'm looking for expirienced stories and insight from people with living knowledge of the church. Not to discount the legitimacy of those who claim it to be a cult or what have you but I am not looking for an accusation without a story to back it up.

Answer 1

umm your a retard that believes in fariy tales .....

Answer 2

PROS: 1) it's true; 2) you get to know the scriptures really well, and not just the Bible but also other great books of scripture; 3) it's fairly easy to make friends within the church because everyone shares the same great standards that you have; 4) we are guided by an inspired prophet of God; 5) you can learn how to receive personal revelation from the Holy Ghost; 6) there are numerous opportunities to serve others, including those who are not members of the church; 7) many opportunities exist to gain public speaking and leadership experience; 8) members of the Church feel a strong bond with each other, even with complete strangers who belong to the Church in various parts of the world; 9) many are given the opportunity to learn a foreign language; 10) through the authority of the priesthood you can receive important ordinances; those who hold the priesthood are able to trace their authority through a line of priesthood holders all the way back to Jesus Christ.

CONS: 1) many today still associate polygamy with the Church; this problem is worsened by media coverage of apostate LDS sects who don't belong to our Church yet everyone thinks they do; 2) there are many who poke fun at things you consider to be very sacred; 3) several apostates who have left the Church teach things about the Church which are not true; 4) it can be difficult being LDS in an area that does not have a lot of Mormons, especially if it's in an area that is not very Mormon-friendly; 5) some Mormons have lost friends and/or jobs because of their beliefs; 6) many people think we believe a variety of things which we really do not; 7) whenever the Church wants to build a temple there is frequently a lot of opposition to it from the local community; 8) although it does not happen much anymore, some Mormons are killed or at least have their lives threatened as a result of their being Mormon; 9) the members of the Church aren't perfect, but society often expects it from us; sometimes people view the actions of one as being representative of the whole; 10) due to some of the cons listed above, many members of the Church are hesitant to share the Gospel with others, and as a result, missionary work is hampered.

Answer 3

The Church, as an institution, is perfect. Christ organized it through his chosen and ordained prophet. The Church, as an organization, is the perfect unit for the exaltation of the children of men. That does not mean that all members of the Church are perfect people. None of them are. They all make mistakes and are prone to human fallibility. However, the Church itself is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ as the chief cornerstone. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is in all actuality the restoration of the original Church that Christ set the foundation for in the meridian of time during His earthly ministry and continued from the throne of God through his appointed servants, the New Testament Apostles. The Church today, as it exists in latter-days, is the restoration of that original Church. It was restored by the power and will of Almighty God. I testify that Joseph Smith was, indeed, a servant of the Lord, Jesus Christ in re-establishing Christ's Priesthood Authority and Kingdom (the Church) to the earth again. I know this with all of my heart and all of my mind. I invite you to investigate these claims and I leave you with a promise that if you will sincerely seek the truth you will find it, and the truth is that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is THE true Church of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Answer 4

I can tell you that almost everything good in my life can be tied to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. My wife, my family, my education, my job, most friends, etc. (I'm not saying that I wouldn't have a wife,family, educaiton, job, or friends, but what I do have, have come through the Church)

Negative aspects depend on your point of view. It teaches that premarital sex, adultery, masterbation, homosexuality, drugs, alcohol, tobacco, stealing, killing, lying, cheating, pride are all sins. This can lead to a guilty conscience.

It is also a lifestyle rather than a religion. It requires many hours throughout the week. One night a week is set aside to spend with your family. Every day we are encouraged to have family and personal scripture study, family and personal prayers, family meal (usually dinner). We also have callings in the church that we are expected to accomplish, teaching Sunday School classes, meeting with the teenagers through out the week, scouting, or other things. We also are assigned to visit a few other families once a month to make sure they are all right.

To some, these all look like negative things. To me, these look like great blessings and opportunities.

Answer 5

The negativity that you will find is almost always a fruit of complete and total ignorance.

Our alledged "Mormon Jesus" is Jesus the Christ who bled in Gethsemane and Died on Calvary.

The Book of Mormon simply shows that Jesus visited the people of the America's after his crucifiction and resurrection. So they would know what was done for them.

There is plenty of archeological evidence to support this.
Mayan Pyramids, Quetzaqoatl, Lehi Stone aka (Izapa Stela 5) Hawiiki aka (Hagoth) Polynesian Meeting House Carvings etc...

You will get further by accepting the truth than trying to oppose it.

Answer 6

You're going to get answers from the all the freaks and axe-grinders whether you want them or not. As with any faith, it is largely going to be what you make of it. You'll find detractors in any faith. Some don't agree with certain doctrines, others were offended by a member of the faith, or a myriad of other reasons. Many have heard the preposterous claims and lies that a lot of anti-mormons spout and haven't bothered to verify anything. If you truly want to know about the Church, attend a worship service on Sunday. Also try visiting www.mormon.org.

Answer 7

We have the fullness of the Gospel, restored to this earth by God through Joseph Smith. We have a living prophet on the earth today, Gordon B. Hinckley, who receives revelation from God for us in these the last days. We have the blessings of the temple, which are essential for your salvation, and we have the priesthood of God here upon the Earth, which allows us to participate in those ordinances, as well as many other things. There are no "negative aspects," unless you really can't give up your drinking, smoking, etc. We are not a cult, and if we are, so is every other Christian denomination. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is the Son of God, and the same one that is talked about in the Bible. Through Him, we can be saved, as long as we repent and believe on His name.

Answer 8

The worst reason to pass away the church would be which you have been "tired of it"or "tired of residing the way you have been taught", those motives would purely be 2d to "somebody offended you". I even have nonetheless no longer person-friendly approximately this and that i think of a sturdy reason would be which you hit upon something greater ideal and pass away, devoid of hate or malice, a collection of those that for the main area have faith purely what you probably did purely a couple of minutes till now. this type of decision is truly significant and you does no longer desire to be hasty. i could additionally see moving far adequate faraway from what the church teaches that it does no longer be a sturdy greater healthful anymore. i think of various prayer would be in touch. BTW 7 of 9, my daughter had a alluring, spectacular, religious patriarchal blessing that she(and that i) will treasure perpetually, it truly is between the too few religious reviews in my existence that I carry costly to me and that i'm sorry yours grew to become into no longer that way.

Answer 9

You will find plenty of negativity when you look for it...in any situation...keep that in mind.

PROS:
The restored and true gospel
Living prophet who leads the church under the direction of Christ, which allows for continued revelation
Eternal Family
Knowing why we are here, where we came from and where we can go
Attending the temple
Countless blessings in this life and the life to come...

Answer 10

Often, not always, but often those who are the most fanatical against Mormons are angry because they were excommunicated for adultery, criminal behavior, etc.

The Church tries to keep personal matters confidential unless something needs to be reported to the authorities. For that reason you often get the Anti side of the story. I personally know a man who cheated on his wife and was excommunicated. He had been a teacher in the Church for thirty years and now all of a sudden he has all these pseudo-intellectual arguments against the Church.

Answer 11

Because there is no paid clergy the members have to do every thing. You can't just sit back and just be entertained.

You are expected to raise your children in the principles of the Gospel, when it is so much easier to let them decide for themselves when they are adults.

Not only are you supposed to tithe, they expect your to starve yourself for two meals once a month and donate the money to those shiftless poor people.

They have this silly belief that God would make provision for those that didn't hear to Gospel in their life times. And get this, they even think that God would speak to people in modern times.

How can anyone have a good time without smoking and drinking Saturday night at bars and strip joints?