The unfortunate truth about Mormonism is the common misconception that Mormonism is the definition of polygamy and that's it. As we will see shortly, this is simply not the case. Let's start by defining what Mormonism really is. Mormonism can be defined as the religious beliefs and practices of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as Mormons. Mormonism originated in the 1820s in New York state during the religious period known as the Second Great Awakening. Its founder, Joseph Smith Jr., a native of Vermont, claimed to have received a vision in the spring of 1820. He claimed that God the Father and Jesus Christ had told him not to join any of the other churches, because "they were all wrong." and “all their creeds were an abomination.” This became known as the First Vision. It is said that the First Vision led Joseph Smith through the woods to a place where he discovered golden plates that were buried and which told of a people who emigrated from Jerusalem to North America in ancient times. For the next 6 years, Smith translated the gold plates from Egyptian hieroglyphics into English and 10 years later, Mormonism was formally organized into the Church of Christ. Its belief system is based on Joseph Smith's translation of the Gold Plates, now known as the Book of Mormon. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The religion quickly gained converts, and Mormon communities began to arise in many Midwestern states, including Kirtland, Ohio, where Joseph Smith lived. Unfortunately, Mormons were quickly criticized for their unorthodox practices such as polygamy and were driven out of Jackson County, Missouri by violence and angry mobs in 1838. This led to the forced relocation of the church and nearly 10,000 Mormons to Illinois. Joseph Smith eventually became mayor of Nauvoo, Illinois, where many Mormons settled after their exile. A local newspaper wrote an article claiming that Joseph Smith was a polygamist, which was obviously frowned upon at the time. In retaliation, Joseph Smith ordered the newspaper shut down. Because of his retaliation, Joseph Smith was put in prison on his orders. Unfortunately, Joseph Smith was never tried because a mob broke into the prison and killed Joseph Smith in his cell. Upon the death of their leader, the Mormons elected Brigham Young, also from Vermont and sometimes referred to as the American Moses, as their leader who eventually led the Mormons across the Great Plains to what is now known as Salt Lake City, Utah . This eventually led to the creation of the Salt Lake Temple, the largest Mormon temple in North America. Today the Mormon religion has a large following with more than 15 million members worldwide. It has another Mormon denomination called the Community of Christ and is based in Independence, Missouri, with about 250,000 followers. Mormon pioneers were persecuted because they did not keep slaves and at one point were seen as a threat to the slaveholding culture. time when the abolition of slavery was a big deal. The Mormon belief in plural marriage was interpreted as an attack on the community's ethical and social mores. Due to how quickly Mormon communities were growing, they were seen as a political threat as they had the ability to wield substantial political power. The law was also not too fond of the Mormon belief in plural marriage as it was considered illegal by the United States and so legal action was taken to try to suppress the Mormons as much as possible. Mormons resisted, and many were imprisoned for polygamyand in 1887 the Edmunds-Tucker Act went into effect, imposing many restrictions on the church, oppressing the rights of anyone unwilling to renounce polygamy, and destroying the Church as an economic entity. Mormons live, they find themselves part of a network of mutual interest; in Mormon theology, everyone is a minister in their own way, everyone has the power in some way to do good to others and to do good to them – it's a 21st century healing covenant. This care is not limited to church members alone, but extends far beyond.” One belief that differentiates Mormonism from Christianity is that Mormons do not believe in the Holy Trinity where God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit are seen as one entity. Instead, Mormons believe that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are 3 separate deities. Another Mormon belief is in the Atonement of Jesus Christ which allows mankind to repent and be saved from sin, thus returning to the good graces of God. It is believed that only Jesus Christ can atone and by doing so, the sinner is resurrected and , by obeying His Gospel, receives eternal life with God. The Mormon religion encompasses four different texts, the Book of Mormon, the Christian Bible, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. An interesting Mormon belief is that there are three levels of heaven, earthly, celestial and celestial and only those in the celestial will live in the kingdom of God, in the presence of God. Another interesting fact is that Mormon women tend to lead the church because they believe that all women are daughters of a loving Heavenly Father. Men and women are equal in the eyes of God, but women tend to serve as leaders, counselors, missionaries, teachers, and in many other roles. Mormons believe that women are vital to raising children and have an important responsibility and special privilege of equal importance to the priesthood. Mormonism condemns racism, including any racism by individuals both inside and outside the Church. The Book of Mormon states: “Black and white, bound and free, male and female; all are equal before God." Joseph Smith's founder opposed slavery, instead, he welcomed and ordained black males to the priesthood. These characteristics still exist in Mormonism today. Another fact worth mentioning is that, in Mormonism, it is common for young adults to do volunteer missionary work for 2 years. Most of them finance their own missions. They receive their assignments from Church headquarters and are sent only to countries where the Church is authorized to operate, and in some parts of the world they are sent to serve as humanitarian workers or in other specialized missions. They follow a rigorous and healthy lifestyle that abstains from the consumption of alcohol, coffee, tea and tobacco. Mormons do not smoke, and items such as alcohol, tea, coffee, tobacco, and illegal drugs are prohibited. Their health codes are based on teachings about healthy foods and substances that are not good for the body. They wear temple garments as a reminder of sacred beliefs and commitments. The garments are simple white undergarments made up of two pieces: a T-shirt-like top and a shorts-like bottom and are worn under regular clothing. Unfortunately, some sects of the Church still practice polygamy today. However, polygamy is illegal in all 50 states and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison. The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other sects such as the Apostolic United Brethren still practice polygamy which was suspended by other sects in 1890. Some sects of the Church have also been accused of marrying underage girls and if this is true it may cause many problems with the law. There are many reasons why I wouldn't want to join the Mormons. Before.