...Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) and Black (African) Decent Abstract This paper will identify how Mormons differ from other religious groups. Enlightening of the subject matters that pertain to their beliefs, practices, and how this religion group contributes to the American culture is the bases of the first part of the paper. This paper will also describe the discrimination and prejudice that the Mormons have to deal with because of their religion choice. This paper will also describe the African decent experience with discrimination and prejudice as well. Discrimination and prejudice takes place in all cultures and religions. People who are unwilling to understand and accept the difference that people share are going to allow this behavior to continue and pass it down from generation to generation. America is the melting pot for all ethnic backgrounds, including religions. Being more open minded and having understanding will allow us to break the stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination that we all have towards one another. Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) and Black (African) Decent The United States, throughout history, has been a country of immigrants and a country of religion diversity. Discrimination, prejudice, and stereotyping in the Mormon and Black decent groups have been displayed throughout the changing times. The Mormons, who emerged after the discovery of The Book of Mormon in 1830, were run out of several states before settling in Utah. Blacks who were brought...
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...Mormons – The Latter-day Saints Many new groups have arisen within Christianity, while some claim to be Christian they are not recognized as such by other traditions. These groups often take a Christian idea or teaching and develop their own ways that differ greatly from traditional Christianity such as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is known as the Mormons. The founder of the Mormons was Joseph Smith. Mormonism began with one family, that family was the family of Joseph Smith, Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith of Vermont and New York. Joseph Smith, Jr. was the fourth child among eight other siblings. Joseph Smith, Jr. known as Joseph Smith became the Prophet and First Elder of the Church of Christ during its organization of April 6, 1830. Joseph Smith had a series of visions where he received spiritual instruction from God the Father; Jesus Christ; John the Baptist; the Apostles Peter, James, and John; and from an angel known to the church members as Moroni. He also had a revelation in which he was told that all existing Christian traditions were corrupt and he was to responsible for keeping the true word of God alive and bring people to salvation, therefore, he established a new Church of last day saints (Latter-day Saints). It was Moroni that revealed to Joseph Smith the where about of a set of gold tablets and bestowed upon him the ability to interpret their...
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...Mormonism Many people have capricious ideas about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The history of Mormonism reads much like a fairytale. It began in the early nineteenth century, in upstate New York. In the heart of a period plagued by religious tension and conflicting claims, a young man by the name of Joseph Smith Jr. sought to determine his position with God, and which church he should join. Shortly thereafter, Smith’s prayers were answered. Over the next several years, Smith experienced several substantial manifestations, including one from an angel by the name of Moroni, who told Smith as to where he could find the gold plates that would later become the Book of Mormon. Shadowing these events, Smith played a pivotal role in organizing a church that would later become known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Shortly thereafter, devotees moved to an area just shy of Cleveland, Ohio, to a town called Kirtland, and through strong missionary work, the church saw an influx of new members. As the Kirtland community began to grow and prosper a new branch was formed in Missouri. Following the economic collapse of Kirtland in 1837, church adherents moved to join with the splinter group in Missouri, in a place known as Far West in Caldwell County. However, rising religious tensions eventually erupted into conflict, forcing those members of the Mormon Church to move once again. In 1839, the Saints found their selves on the banks of the Mississippi...
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...University of Phoenix Material Appendix D Part I Define the following terms: |Term |Definition | |Ethnic group |people of the same race or nationality who share a distinctive culture. | | |wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn | | | | |Anti-Semitism |the intense dislike for and prejudice against Jewish people | | |wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn | |Islamophobia |Extreme or irrational fear of all Islamic persons | | |wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn | |Xenophobia |Intense or irrational dislike or fear of people from other countries | | |wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn | |Persecution |the act of persecuting (especially on the basis...
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...the historian, and so a crucial skill can be the interpretation, and deciphering, of the biases of the original writer. In Female Lives among Mormons, Ward gives the audience a rare insight to the reclusive livelihood and the beginnings of the Mormons Church. The autobiography portrays the culture and values that the Mormons initially practice are against American ideals. From the account of Ward, who lived through the beginnings of Mormonism, the common prejudice and stereotype of Mormonism in modern America is justifiable. One century later, David Brion Davis argued in Some Themes of Counter-Subversion that nativist writing is a common reflection of apparent religious intolerance in nineteenth century America, but he did not take into account that it is an autobiography. He argues that the reason why Mormon is prejudiced because it is “shrouded with secrecy, deemed extraneous forces that are allegedly threatening the heritage of Republican Ideology.” (Davis 209) He also contends that the members themselves are not “individually evil but they were blinded and corrupted by ideology that justified treason and gross immorality.” (Davis 208) and made a mistake by putting Mormonism, a new controversial religion into the same category as Catholicism and Freemasonry that have long roots of history. Davis argued that the stereotype of Mormon leader which made him appears at times as “a virtual superman, he was never hindered by conscience or respect for traditional morality, were curiously...
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...Since Mormonism is a newer tradition, only being around for about 200 years, they are still facing the challenge of being heard. They struggle to share their beliefs with other because many people still do not take Mormonism seriously. Mormons are fighting to become more well known and their goal is to be considered one of the main stream religions. After the 2002 Winter Olympics were held in Salt Lake City, Utah and Mitt Romney running for president, Mormons feel that they are finally starting to get some of the recognition that they deserve. However, they still have work to do before becoming a main stream...
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...religion actually be considered a cult?” A few religions that we have studied in class have actually been considered a cult at one point in history, either many years ago, or very recently. What intrigues me about this is: the definition and characteristics of a cult or religion, what groups/religions have been considered to be a cult, and why do we think that a cult is not considered a religious group. Some characteristics of a cult are: that the leader of the cult becomes the person worshiped instead of a god, there is more control and power from the leader over the cult, and third, the cult can contain sexual exploitation and abuse....
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...the advantages of a more flexible family definition in social and economic policy? As Settles (2015) concluded that both of The Shakers and Mormons communities were utopian religious community. Secondly, gender inequality existed in both groups. After that, they were started roughly at the same time in the United States. Even though they shared some commonalities, there were some differences between the two groups as well. Settles (2015) also mentioned Mormons is an energetic community with a rapid growing speed in today, while The Shakers was terminated in the 20th century. In addition, Mormons had the tradition of polygamy, whereas The Shakers did not have that tradition, since they were influenced by Quaker faith. Moreover, Mormons were not only growing in the United States, they also have branches in Canada and Mexico. However, even though The Shakers were end in 20th century, they were planning to come back....
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...Justin Dosey Mormons in the 1830’s and 40’s The United States of America is said to be an “International melting pot,” inhabited by a number of culturally diverse people. Each and every distinct group has played their part in the development of nation whether ‘twas good or bad. I believe that the members of “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints,” (otherwise known as Mormons) have proved to be crucial to the growth of the U.S.A. in every aspect. After the establishment of religion in 1827, Mormons have been the target of persecution and discrimination by many. The bulk of this persecution occurred in 1836 when a group of rebel militia attacked Mormon headquarters located in Northern Missouri. This ambush against the Mormons sparked an onslaught of hate crimes to come. After being exiled from Missouri and Illinois, Brigham Young led an intrepid party of immigrants into the Great Salt Lake valley in 1847. The population grew rapidly, and by 1849, the Mormons had managed to form a civil government with Young at the helm. This brief summary has set the stage for this report, where I will evaluate Mormons of the 1830’s and 40’s and enlighten you on their beliefs, culture, and impact throughout American History. Establishment of Religion The establishment of the LDS church is a very interesting story that many people do not understand. “In the spring of 1820, a 14-year-old boy named Joseph Smith went into a grove of trees near his home in Palmyra, New York...
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...Multi-Bonding: Polygamy, Polygyny, Polyamory Defining and Identifying Multi-bonding Non-monogamous relationships can take any number of forms, including, but not limited to, serial pair-bonding (known most frequently as serial monogamy), polygamy, polyandry, communal living, and “open” pair-bondings, where sexual or sexual-emotional relationships outside of the primary one are tolerated to a greater or lesser degree (cf. Robinson, 1997). Polygyny has been defined as “the marriage of a man to two or more women at the same time” (Moorehead, 1991: 311), or the “practice of plural marriage” (Altman and Ginat, 1996: 3). The term polygamy has also been used synonymously with polygyny, although it could also be used to encompass polyandry (Welch and Glick, 1981). Polyandry refers to the marriage of one woman to two or more husbands, while polygynandry contemplates a situation in which two or more women are simultaneously married to two or more men (Al-Krenawi, Graham, and Slonim-Nevo, 2002). Polygynandry has also been used to refer to group marriage (Anon., 2004). The term informal polygamy has been used to describe relationships characterized by the simultaneous existence of a legal marriage of one man to one woman and an affair with a second woman that has become a stable feature of the family structure (Rivett and Street, 1993). In contrast, polyamory refers to “group marriage” or the existence of one or more sexual 27 28 • Multi-Bonding: Polygamy, Polygyny,...
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...Mormonism Joseph Smith, Jr. in the early 19th century stated the Mormon or Latter-Day Saint movement. It began with the context of Christian Restorationism. The history of the Mormons has been surrounded by controversy and persecution. According to Mormon history When Smith was 14 he wondered which of the Christian sects is the true Christian faith. According to Smith God and Jesus appeared to him in a vision. They told him that none of them where and that they had fallen away from the true faith and advised him not to join any of them. They promised to restore the true faith. Joseph Smith became the first prophet of the Mormons (ReligionFacts, 2010). The Mormon faith differs somewhat to Christianity. They are very much a family oriented religion and children seem to follow their parents into this faith without question. Today there is still controversy surrounding some of the past beliefs of the Mormons and some rogue groups that still follow the old beliefs. The interview for this paper was conducted at The Church of Latter Day Saints in Buckhannon, WV. The inside of the church does not differ much to other new churches built in today’s society. It consists of the Chapel and classrooms. Interviewing one of the members of the church gave me in-site into some of their beliefs. A Mormon church service is three hours long it is divided up into three parts the main worship service, Sunday school and they then breakup into two classes priesthood for men and relief society...
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...2 Multi-Bonding: Polygamy, Polygyny, Polyamory Defining and Identifying Multi-bonding Non-monogamous relationships can take any number of forms, including, but not limited to, serial pair-bonding (known most frequently as serial monogamy), polygamy, polyandry, communal living, and “open” pair-bondings, where sexual or sexual-emotional relationships outside of the primary one are tolerated to a greater or lesser degree (cf. Robinson, 1997). Polygyny has been defined as “the marriage of a man to two or more women at the same time” (Moorehead, 1991: 311), or the “practice of plural marriage” (Altman and Ginat, 1996: 3). The term polygamy has also been used synonymously with polygyny, although it could also be used to encompass polyandry (Welch and Glick, 1981). Polyandry refers to the marriage of one woman to two or more husbands, while polygynandry contemplates a situation in which two or more women are simultaneously married to two or more men (Al-Krenawi, Graham, and Slonim-Nevo, 2002). Polygynandry has also been used to refer to group marriage (Anon., 2004). The term informal polygamy has been used to describe relationships characterized by the simultaneous existence of a legal marriage of one man to one woman and an affair with a second woman that has become a stable feature of the family structure (Rivett and Street, 1993). In contrast, polyamory refers to “group marriage” or the existence of one or more sexual 27 28 • Multi-Bonding: Polygamy, Polygyny, Polyamory ...
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...Timothy Graham African American History African American relations with the early Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day saints. In 1842, Joseph Smith, founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, was asked by the editor of the Chicago Democrat, Joseph Wentworth, to summarize the basic principles of the newly founded religion. Included in the response, Smith presented thirteen declarations which have collectively become to be knows as the “Articles of Faith”. The thirteenth of these articles states the following: “We believe in being hones, true, chaste, benevolent, and in doing good to all men. Indeed we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.[i] It regard to the treatment of Americans of African descent, it is no secret that the nation, at large, treated individuals with great contempt. The question is whether or not this new faith group was any different. How did treatment of African Americans among the Saints differ from that of the general population of the United States during the period from 1830, the church’s founding, to the end of the century? What was the LDS church’s position on slavery and did practice follow policy among members of a church founded on the principles of “faith, hope, and charity”?[ii] And...
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...had to simplify that topic I wrote down something along the lines of why modern Mormons go on religious missions today? At home I had researched the means of why Mormonism is the only religion that continues to spread its works around and so on. But in most of my research a lot of associations of cults and secret groups kept popping up on my screen. Looking into these articles and conspiracies, I found small relationships of Mormonism and cults like forms of practice. What I found that really took my attention was the tie of Mormonism and politics. Fascinating conspiracies of cult-like ideas root from the election of Mitt Romney and Barack Obama. The issue of religion itself is included into the constitution and has many controversial issues within. My topic of religion matters because it is a very sensitive word that takes on a lot of meaning. People dedicate their lives for faith and frown upon certain human interactions like love and controls it. I chose this because I do not understand religion and for some reason it is wrong to question it. My basic research question stems from Mormonism and cults. Other key words when researching are religion and politics and cult definitions. From all of my research that has taken place already, I hope to gain knowledge on the Church of the Ladder Day Saints. I also want to know why certain things in the Mormon religion are so important such as polygamy, politics, and missions. I also would like to gain knowledge on cults. We seem...
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...Mormons What is Mormonism? Who is a Mormon? And what place does Mormonism have in the religious tradition of the United States today? This paper will attempt to give readers a better understanding of the Mormon religion by detailing the history of the religion from its beginnings to today. It will also describe what a typical church or “temple” (as Mormons call their place of worship) service is like. It will also describe any holidays the Mormon people celebrate that correspond with the Christian holidays of other Christian sects. It will not attempt to judge the Mormon religion, as either good or bad, as has been so frequently done in the popular media. Rather than judging it, this paper will attempt to achieve a greater understanding of the religion in its context in the Christian religious tradition and the American religious tradition. In 1820, according to the Mormon faith, Joseph Smith (1806-1844) prayed to God to ask him for a sign that would tell him what church he ought to join. Instead, Jesus Christ and God appeared to the young man and told him he ought to found what the Mormon Church is today. Smith was fourteen at the time, a farmer from the region of western New York known as the "burned-over district" because of its unrelenting religious enthusiasm. (All About Mormons Website) Mormons believe that this revelation to Smith was similar to that of God to Saul. They refer to Smith as “The Prophet” because his revelation was transmitted to...
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