Are you a baptized Mormon?

[Matchmaker]

I am baptized as Christian and I am proud of it

Me too! Welcome to our Forum.

[gardener4life]

You know I recently had a thought.

The church was recently trying to get away from the idea of being Mormon, and getting more onto trying to help people see that were are Saints of the latter days more than being Mormon. I recently felt the spirit strongly telling me that there is a reason for this. The brethren have been inspired about this and are seeing way ahead of us. It's great to be a Mormon. The title of being a Mormon is wonderful and good. But I believe part of the shift of calling ourselves Saints instead of Mormons is so we can be less exclusion-ist and more inclusive of others when the Jewish people start to align their faith with ours as part of preparing for the return of the Messiah, our other fellow God fearing Americans get more on board with us to avoid the judgments upon our country for wickedness, and really receiving in full brotherhood the other 'lost tribes' that will return soon, and our preparing to be accepting of these other groups.

So keep up with the positive attitude of "Mormonism" there's nothing wrong with it, its even good.

But soon we will reach a point where we'll want to be careful about not excluding other children of God that will join us soon.

[Alaris]

You know I recently had a thought.

The church was recently trying to get away from the idea of being Mormon, and getting more onto trying to help people see that were are Saints of the latter days more than being Mormon. I recently felt the spirit strongly telling me that there is a reason for this. The brethren have been inspired about this and are seeing way ahead of us. It's great to be a Mormon. The title of being a Mormon is wonderful and good. But I believe part of the shift of calling ourselves Saints instead of Mormons is so we can be less exclusion-ist and more inclusive of others when the Jewish people start to align their faith with ours as part of preparing for the return of the Messiah, our other fellow God fearing Americans get more on board with us to avoid the judgments upon our country for wickedness, and really receiving in full brotherhood the other 'lost tribes' that will return soon, and our preparing to be accepting of these other groups.

So keep up with the positive attitude of "Mormonism" there's nothing wrong with it, its even good.

But soon we will reach a point where we'll want to be careful about not excluding other children of God that will join us soon.

And I felt the spirit reading your words. Mormons are a great nickname to us, but to an outsider it does not convey who we really are. We are the Saints of the latter-days. We are the members of the only church that possesses the Priesthood after the order of the Son of God - founded upon His apostles, His prophets, and His organization to bring about His purposes. Can you feel that?

[Elizabeth]

Yes, I never refer to "Mormons" only LDS, Latter-day Saints, or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

[Kingdom of ZION]

Yes, I never refer to "Mormons" only LDS, Latter-day Saints, or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

When talking about LDS Church Members, yes, that is how I refer to them, LDS. Mormons are everyone who believe in JS and the restoration, like Mormonism is used to refer to everyone.

[Rose Garden]

I'm interested in knowing the demographics of the contributors on this forum. The poll question does not take into account if you actually attend church, or will be baptized eventually. I assume all forum members are over 8 years old. As of this moment, are you a baptized member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

It's been pointed out already but just to put it succinctly, you might want to change the title of the thread. Lots of people accept the title of Mormon and not all of them are baptized members of the LDS Church.

[BRMC]

I'm interested in knowing the demographics of the contributors on this forum. The poll question does not take into account if you actually attend church, or will be baptized eventually. I assume all forum members are over 8 years old. As of this moment, are you a baptized member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

It's been pointed out already but just to put it succinctly, you might want to change the title of the thread. Lots of people accept the title of Mormon and not all of them are baptized members of the LDS Church.

What does that mean? Aren't they one and the same?

[Elizabeth]

No.

Aren't they one and the same?

[BRMC]

No.

Aren't they one and the same?

Could you explain the difference?

[Elizabeth]

There are many breakaways for differing reasons to whom The Book of Mormon is still accepted as Scripture.

This is not the place to learn of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Try
https://www.lds.org/?lang=eng

No.

Aren't they one and the same?

Could you explain the difference?

[BRMC]

There are many breakaways for differing reasons to whom The Book of Mormon is still accepted as Scripture.

This is not the place to learn of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Try
https://www.lds.org/?lang=eng

No.

Aren't they one and the same?

Could you explain the difference?

That makes a lot of sense. I disagree with your first quote, though. I think it's a great place to learn.

[Rose Garden]

There are many breakaways for differing reasons to whom The Book of Mormon is still accepted as Scripture.

This is not the place to learn of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Try
https://www.lds.org/?lang=eng

No.

Could you explain the difference?

That makes a lot of sense. I disagree with your first quote, though. I think it's a great place to learn.

The term "Mormon" was coined before the death of Joseph Smith. After Joseph Smith died there was a great deal of turmoil resulting in several sects being formed. The largest group was the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints who were led from Nauvoo, Illinois to the Salt Lake Valley in Utah. Later, several other groups broke off from this main group as well, particularly when the LDS Church discontinued the practice of polygamy. Additionally, the smaller sects had divisions as well. Most of the groups who accept the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith as a prophet would likely still consider themselves Mormon.

I can't find the quote but Joseph Smith once said that a "Mormon" was someone who seeks truth wherever it could be found. I believe a great deal of people would qualify under that definition.

[brianj]

No.

Aren't they one and the same?

Could you explain the difference?

There was a big schism in the LDS church after Joseph Smith died. I'm willing to bet most members in the US believe a simplified and, to be frank, dishonest story that everybody was going to follow Brigham Young until Emma Smith said Joseph's son was supposed to be the prophet. The truth is, of course, far more complex.

After Joseph Smith died, Brigham Young became the leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But several other churches were founded and several of these still exist today. The first leaders were Sidney Rigdon, William Bickerton, Granville Hedrick, Alpheus Cutler, and James Strang. Rigdon eventually merged with Bickerton's church, Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite). Hendrick's church has divided into the Church of Christ (Temple Lot) and Church of Christ with the Elijah Message. Cutler founded the Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite), and Strang founded the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite). The Strangites and Cutlerites number less than 1,000 but the others have memberships over 10,000.

In 1860, more than a decade after his father died, Joseph Smith III founded the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, now named Community of Christ. After polygamy was suspended or eliminated (which of these really happened is a matter of heated debate) plenty of supporters of polygamy separated themselves from the LDS church, and there are at least half a dozen polygamist offshoots today. The Centennial Park Group, Kingston Clan, FLDS, and Apostolic United Brethren each have more than 1,000 adherents with over 5,000 each for the FLDS and AUB.

Many, but not all, of these people call themselves Mormons. The Church of Christ (Temple Lot) call themselves Temple Lot Mormons. The Community of Christ has moved away from the name Mormon.

BRMC, I hope I satisfied your curiosity without giving you too much information.

[BRMC]

Thank you BOTH for such detailed responses. I'm reading and talking to the appropriate people, but I really like the different perspectives and information I get from groups like this. Granted, I spend far more time reading than participating (as an outsider), but it was the foundations of liberty, family, community, and self-sufficiency that drew me to find out more about the church.

[Sirocco]

No, mostly since I don't gel with churches and people, but the scriptures and values have brought me strength and a better outlook on life and humanity.
I can't be friends with sjw's which is a good thing lol

I hope you join us in the Church someday, Sirocco, even if it is just to get baptized. Not all members attend Church every Sunday or mingle with members outside of Church. You are needed in the Church as much as any of the rest of us.

At this point its a when vs an if, there's a church in the eastern end and the western end of my city of which I don't live close to either, i plan moving to the eastern end which will put me closer and having to rely a tad less on the buses here which are so-so even for a big city.