Mormonism's Articles Of Faith: Exploring Their Role And Relevance

The Mormon religion, or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, uses 13 Articles of Faith to outline its basic doctrines and practices. These were written by the Prophet Joseph Smith in 1842 in a letter to John Wentworth, editor of the Chicago Democrat, and were later adopted as official doctrine in 1880. The 13 statements summarise the basic beliefs of the church, and are often memorised by LDS children and youth.

Mormons believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost

The Mormon religion does use Articles of Faith, and the first of these 13 articles is: "We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost."

Mormons believe in the Godhead, which is made up of God the Father, Jesus Christ (his firstborn Son, whom Mormons refer to as Jehovah), and the Holy Ghost. They believe that these three beings are distinct and separate, each with a specific role, but united in their purpose of bringing God's children back to Him.

God the Father, or Heavenly Father, is considered the leader of the Godhead. Mormons believe He is the father of their spirits and that they can communicate with Him through prayer. They believe He is almighty and eternal, but subject to eternal natural law, and that He authored the plan of salvation to help His children return to Him.

Jesus Christ is considered the Son of God and the Savior and Redeemer of mankind. Mormons believe He was born of Mary, lived on Earth, and taught the gospel. They believe that He was crucified and that, through His perfect, sinless life and ultimate sacrifice, mankind has been given the gift of immortality.

The Holy Ghost is believed to be a personage of spirit, acting as the messenger and revealer of the Father and the Son. Mormons believe that it is through the Holy Ghost that God and Jesus Christ communicate their love, comfort, and peace to humanity.

The concept of the Godhead in Mormonism differs from the traditional Christian Trinity, which holds that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are of the same substance or being. Instead, Mormons believe that these three beings are distinct and possess definite forms, with the Father and Son having perfected, glorified, physical bodies, while the Holy Ghost is a spirit without a physical body.

Mormons believe that men will be punished for their own sins, not Adam's

The Mormon religion does use articles of faith, also known as The Articles of Faith, which are 13 statements explaining the basic doctrines and practices of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. These were written by Joseph Smith in 1842 and are located in the volume of scripture called the Pearl of Great Price.

The second of these 13 articles of faith states: "We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression." This is in reference to the concept of original sin, which is held by many Christians, and the belief that babies are born as sinners and must be baptised at birth to be cleansed. In contrast, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe that babies are born pure and free from sin, and are not responsible for Adam's transgression. Instead, children are baptised at the age of eight when they are able to comprehend right from wrong and can repent of their mistakes.

This particular article of faith has been the subject of some debate and discussion among members of the Church. While it states that men will not be punished for Adam's transgression, some members have pointed out that women are punished for Eve's transgression, as described in Genesis 3:16: "Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee." This apparent contradiction has been the subject of various interpretations and explanations by members of the Church.

Despite these discussions, the article of faith remains a fundamental part of the beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and reflects their understanding of sin and accountability.

Mormons believe in the Bible as the word of God, and the Book of Mormon

The Mormon religion, or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, does use Articles of Faith. These are 13 statements, written by Joseph Smith in 1842, that explain the basic doctrines and practices of the Church.

Mormons believe in the Bible as the word of God, but only insofar as it is "translated correctly". They also believe that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. This belief is the eighth Article of Faith:

> We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.

Mormons believe that the Bible has been corrupted over time through faulty transmission and translation. They argue that the original text of Scripture has been lost, and that the current version of the Bible contains errors introduced by "ignorant translators, careless transcribers, or designing and corrupt priests".

The Book of Mormon is seen as a correction to the Bible, restoring the "plain and precious things" that have been "taken away" from the Bible. It is also considered to be a chronicle of early Indigenous peoples of the Americas and their dealings with God. The Book of Mormon and continuing revelations are meant to establish the correct doctrine for the restored church.

The Mormon belief system is geographically oriented around the North and South American continents. Mormons believe that the people of the Book of Mormon lived in the western hemisphere, that Christ appeared in the western hemisphere after his death and resurrection, and that the Garden of Eden was located in North America.

Mormonism includes four written books of scripture: the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price, and the King James Version of the Bible.

Mormons believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, visions, and interpretation of tongues

The Mormon religion does use Articles of Faith, which are 13 statements explaining the basic doctrines and practices of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. These were written by the Prophet Joseph Smith in 1842.

The seventh Article of Faith states: "We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth." This is an important component in both the basic beliefs and daily living of Mormons.

The gift of tongues is for sharing the gospel. It is used by missionaries to teach the gospel to people with whom they don't share a common language. In the early days of the Church, some early Mormons claimed that their glossolalia ("speaking in tongues in a sacred language unknown to any human") was an expression of the pure Adamic language. However, from June 1839, glossolalia was de-emphasized in favour of xenoglossia ("speaking in tongues in a language that could have been learned by natural means").

In the early nineteenth century, it was common for Mormons to claim supernatural spiritual gifts. However, over time, supernaturalism has been de-emphasized within Mormonism. Today, few Mormons claim to experience supernaturalism, though there is a greater belief in supernatural gifts within Mormon fundamentalism compared to the LDS Church.

Mormons believe that spiritual gifts can be bestowed by God upon an individual through diligent seeking and righteous living. Some gifts are developed in the premortal existence, while others are developed during mortal life and identified by priesthood blessings. Spiritual gifts are most often associated with the gift of the Holy Ghost, which is bestowed by the laying on of hands following baptism.

Mormons believe in the gathering of Israel and restoration of the Ten Tribes

The Mormon religion does use Articles of Faith, which are 13 statements explaining the basic doctrines and practices of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Articles of Faith were written by Joseph Smith in 1842 and became official doctrine in 1880.

The 10th Article of Faith states: "We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes". This refers to the belief that the 10 "lost" tribes of Israel will be restored and gathered in Zion (the New Jerusalem), which will be built on the American continent.

The gathering of Israel is seen as a prelude to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. It is believed that the lost tribes of Israel will return as a coherent society, bringing the records of their prophets to add to the body of scripture. This gathering is taking place as people around the world learn that Jesus Christ is their saviour, and missionaries spread the gospel in preparation for Christ's return.

The belief that the lost tribes of Israel will be restored and gathered in America is based on the idea that America was not part of the biblical cosmography, which posed theological problems for many American Christians. The theory that the lost tribes had migrated to the Americas helped to link America to the Bible and explain the origins of Native Americans.

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