Mormons Part of the Restorationists

[Zippythepinhead]

Are there any other Mormons that post here?

 

[RefrusRevlis]

Mormons Part of the Restorationists

Not a part of the Restoration movement - a deviation from it. Based on what we can see about Joseph Smith, both his beliefs and behaviour, he was no Restorationist preacher. You can't be restoring something when you are introducing something new and never seen before (the Book of Mormon, Pearl of Great Price and doctrines and Covenants).
How many other restorationist teachers died in a gunfight?

 

[genestealerbroodlord]

Are there any other Mormons that post here?

I'm an ex-mormon. Does that count?

 

[DerSchweik]

Mormons aren't part of the Restoration Movement - consists primarily of churches of Christ, Christian churches, and Disciples of Christ congregations.

Maybe read this - What is the Restoration Movement?

 

[h_lektronika]

The restoration movement that Mormons/LDS are referring to is not the same as the movement being discussed here. The restoration movement in the LDS religion encompasses all of the LDS branches that emerged out of the temple lot in Missouri. They consider themselves to be Restoration churches because they believe that the Book of Mormon was always a part of completed scripture, but was re-introduced when Joseph Smith received the plates on which the book was transcribed.

It's two different "types" of restoration movements. This particular board isn't in reference to the LDS Restoration Movement, but to the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement that led to the creation of the Church of Christ, Disciples of Christ and Independent Christian Church. Sorry for the confusion, Zippy. : )

 

[Peterl]

I am a Mormon. The Mormon church feels it is a restoration of the ancient Christian church. The idea is that God always directs his people through living prophets. After Christ died, the highly organized Christian church was persecuted and the leaders were killed off. Without priesthood keys and revelation to guide the church, the church went into apostasy. It was now at the mercy of mens philosophies. A couple of hundred years later, a committee of men compiled a number of records into what is now the bible. With the heavens closed to new revelation and only the fragmentary words of dead prophets, the Christin church evolved into many conflicting and incorrect doctrines.

The Mormon church claims to be the restored church of Jesus Christ. the priesthood has been restored, ordinances such as baptism have been restored, the church has been restored, ancient scriptures have been restored, temple worship is restored, angels such as Elijah have come to restore priesthood keys, the heavens are once again opened and God is preparing a people for the second coming of Christ.

There have been many dispensations of the gospel in the past. Each one brought the people back from apostacy. For example, Christ came to an apostate Israel. Moses was the head of a dispensation and was followed by other prophets,

The church believes that this is the dispensation of the fullness of times which is prophesied in the bible.

"That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him" (Ephesians 1:10):

 

[notreligus]

There is a false claim of a connection between the Christian Churches/Churches of Christ and Mormons because of one man: Sidney Rigdon.

Joseph Smith was run of out the state of New York because of running con games on people and predicting their futures with his "magic rocks." (The truth is always stranger than fiction, isn't it?)

Next Smith went to Kirkland, Ohio. That part I'm not sure of, and that is why he went there, in particular. But while he was there he met Sidney Rigdon. Rigdon was a former associate of Alexander Campbell and the "Christian" movement at that time. Campbell parted ways with Rigdon because Rigdon was preaching heresy. Rigdon was promoting a communal type of congregation. (We've all probably heard of another man who did that - Jim Jones.) It is because Rigdon was a former friend of Campbell, and I stress former, that the Mormon bunch gets tied to the Christian Churches/Churches of Christ. The Christadelphians came out of the early Restoration Movement which was begun in Scotland, but they are not related the the Christian Church/Churches of Christ. By the way, Sidney Rigdon was a well-educated theologian. Some people believe that he may have written all or part of the Book of Mormon. You won't find that information in a book written by a Mormon. I know that this is supposed to be a G-Rated forum, but I'm going to mention something else just to give more background to show what kind of people Smith and his brother were: Joseph Smith's brother raped Sidney Rigdon's daughter.

I can tell all of you from personal experience that there is a lot of false information in print about the Christian Churches/Churches of Christ. I've read much of it. For a long time I believed some of these things but I kept researching the subject until I found that there are honest people who have written this early history of how church groups were formed in America and they actually just report the facts and don't add their own bias and own conjecture. A professor at Vanderbilt University, Paul Conkin, is one such honest writer.

 

[Thedictator]

There is a false claim of a connection between the Christian Churches/Churches of Christ and Mormons because of one man: Sidney Rigdon.

Joseph Smith was run of out the state of New York because of running con games on people and predicting their futures with his "magic rocks." (The truth is always stranger than fiction, isn't it?)

Next Smith went to Kirkland, Ohio. That part I'm not sure of, and that is why he went there, in particular. But while he was there he met Sidney Rigdon. Rigdon was a former associate of Alexander Campbell and the "Christian" movement at that time. Campbell parted ways with Rigdon because Rigdon was preaching heresy. Rigdon was promoting a communal type of congregation. (We've all probably heard of another man who did that - Jim Jones.) It is because Rigdon was a former friend of Campbell, and I stress former, that the Mormon bunch gets tied to the Christian Churches/Churches of Christ. The Christadelphians came out of the early Restoration Movement which was begun in Scotland, but they are not related the the Christian Church/Churches of Christ. By the way, Sidney Rigdon was a well-educated theologian. Some people believe that he may have written all or part of the Book of Mormon. You won't find that information in a book written by a Mormon. I know that this is supposed to be a G-Rated forum, but I'm going to mention something else just to give more background to show what kind of people Smith and his brother were: Joseph Smith's brother raped Sidney Rigdon's daughter.

I can tell all of you from personal experience that there is a lot of false information in print about the Christian Churches/Churches of Christ. I've read much of it. For a long time I believed some of these things but I kept researching the subject until I found that there are honest people who have written this early history of how church groups were formed in America and they actually just report the facts and don't add their own bias and own conjecture. A professor at Vanderbilt University, Paul Conkin, is one such honest writer.

Man, that was a good read. already knew most of that. Did not know about Rigdon's daughter.

 

[Windlord]

What Heresy was Rigdon preaching? Last time I checked communal living wasn't heresy.

 

[notreligus]

What Heresy was Rigdon preaching? Last time I checked communal living wasn't heresy.

You are welcome to your opinion. History should teach us something. The Branch Davidians/David Koresh, The People's Temple/ Jim Jones, and The House of Yaweh/Israel Hawkins come to mind. Those are examples of communal living.

 

[heapshake]

Isn't the first church in Jerusalem also an example of communal living?

Acts 2:44-45
And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.

 

[AnthonyB]

I'm going to go against the flow here because I think there is some linkage between the two groups beyond merely Sidney Rigdon.

Former "RM'ers" made up a significant in flow into the LDS church not just Rigdon but the Pratt brothers and Eliza Snow. Ex-RM'ers made up the 2nd largest grouping of early Mormon apostles a large stat given the fact it was never a numerically dominant group in the area.

Both groups believed in apostasy and restoration, albeit very different restorations.

How many other groups include credo-baptism that is for the remission of sins?

Both include communion as the significant part of the weekly worship services. Mormon’s practice what RM'ers call "mutual edification", which was once commonly used in RM churches.

Smith initially named his church “Church of Christ” and the Book of Mormon indicates that is what the church’s name should be.

Also when LDS describe the gospel in basic terms, they often sound like they’ve been coached in Walter Scott’s five finger exercise.

When LDS talk about “faith v works “they tend to define faith as being more then just “mental ascent” in a way quite similar to many RM folk.

Sure there are plenty of differences but they are things that the LDS have developed through their belief in continued revelation. If you went back to Kirtland Temple Mormonism it would I think be much closer to the RM then what Mormon’s are today.

But no, Mormon's aren't now nor were they ever in the RM. Accepting the BoM along puts them in a whole different class altogether.

 

[Gypsy76]

I'm an ex-mormon. Does that count?

I'm an ex Mormon too!

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

Are there any other Mormons that post here?

I would say both Mormons and JWs are part of the Restoration away from Roman Catholicism, but I disagree with a lot of their theology much as do with Catholicism.
You might check out this thread

http://www.christianforums.com/t2562238/
Was God behind the Reformation?

 

[Deacon]

Wow must be fun to read stuff on Wikipedia and actually believe it...

 

[grainofsalt]

Mormans can be considered a "restorationalist" church, but not in the same manner as other Christian Denominations.

Especially concerning the doctrine of the Trinity, Mormons consider themselves as a "back to the bible basics" on all issues, except that they consider God the Father as have a physical body as well.

I am not a Mormon, I'm a Lutheran personally, but my girlfriend is a Morman that was brought up as a baptist most of her life and then coverted to the LDS. She personally feels that there is not much differance between the two....however she recognizes that the LDS has additional beliefs that the Baptists don't follow and that in a sense, the Morman church is more "traditionalist" than Baptists.

Concerning the Trinity, the Mormans DO accept the general tenent of the Trinity, that there are 3 eternally existant persons that make up 1 everlasting God. It is beyond this belief that Mormons tend to differ with other Christian churches, and therefore the generally reffer to the "Trinity" as the "Godhead" (I had a long conservation with a Mormon Elder about this topic, he did reffer to the Godhead as the trinity, and occasionally mormon liturature reffers to the trinity, however Godhead is most preferred as the biblical term for God's existance as the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is the Godhead.) The core fundamental differance between traditional Trinitiarian and LSD Tranitarian/Godhead belief is that traditional churches believe in 3 distinct persons all being of the same substance. The LSD believes that all 3 persons are distinct persons of different substance being unitied in perfect unity.....essentially that Jesus is God through his perfect unity and purpose with God the Father. LSD do not believe in 3 Gods, however they do believe that we are only to pray to the father through Jesus's Name. They also believe that Christ Created the world and is the only Begotten Son, so they feel there is a REAL familial relationship with God the Father. They do not feel their beliefs contradict anything written in the bible.

So the LSD believe in Christ as , Lord, God, Savior, but view his relationship to the Father and the Spirit somewhat differently than we do. Its kind of like (bad example, but the best I can give), if Mark, Jim, and Sam make up the orginization of CHARITY. Sam is the CEO, Jim is the President, and Mark is the official public relations manager. Mark IS Charity, just as much as Sam and Jim are. However they are three completely unique persons. However Each member of charity IS CHARITY and has their own role in the organization. Terrible example, and I'm sure someone else could do a better job if explaining that.

To me, I personally feel Mormons are Christians, I just personally don't agree with some of the additional beliefs. In my heartfelt opinion before God, I feel they accept Christ as God and Savior and believe in his attoning work on the Cross for the forgiveness of sins. They are my christian brothers and sisters. However, I feel people should through their own relationship with God, answer this question on how they view their relationships with not only Mormons, but other Christians and Christian Denominations as well. No denomination is perfect and all of us have fallen short.....only to be saved by his grace and forgiveness.