Gone are the days when reporters, wanting information about Mormonism, found the only resource to be the "official" voice of the Church -- via LDS Public Affairs. Now they have immediate online access to many members, who are encouraged by leaders to speak up about their Mormon faith.
The reason I say "this can be both a good thing and a not so good thing" is because, in my opinion -- of which I don't think I'm alone -- some member-voices out there, speaking about our religion, do not represent how the majority of faithful Latter-day Saints think and feel. In fact, too many of these type voices, that the media is being drawn to, are tending to be that small, loud element within the Church, that would like to see major changes in policy and even doctrine. It is also my opinion that this movement is taking full advantage of this "Mormon moment" to perpetuate their own personal agenda in these regards. And, as is usually the case, the squeaky wheel gets the grease and true to form the liberal media is drawn to those voices that will create the most controversy for their purposes. What a marriage!
In blogging about Mormonism I am not, nor do I try to be, the voice of the Church. However, like many other members, I do feel a strong responsibility, and desire, to make sure that I represent what I believe to be mainstream Mormon beliefs -- of which some might refer to as orthodox Mormonism. The only agenda that I have is to help others understand and discuss what the LDS Church teaches and faithful members, as a whole, believe. I just find it very unfortunate that too often, as of late, the fringe of Mormonism, within the Church, is being sought out for opinions about Mormon beliefs, practices, LDS history, etc... that do not reflect the thoughts and opinions of the general membership of the Church, nor its leaders.
Understandably no two members of the Church will have the exact same testimony or experience, and of course this is not expected. However, you will find some very important points of LDS doctrine and beliefs that the majority of members accept. In my opinion, if any member of the Church is to be considered a credible source, to best represent my Mormon faith, they should be founded on such a firm foundation.
The basic tenets of Mormonism were laid out by the founding prophet of the LDS Church, Joseph Smith Jr., in what is referred to as the Articles of Faith: Thirteen basic points of belief to which Mormons ascribe. Each of these tenets of our faith spring from the most basic of Mormon doctrine, some of which include:
- The Book of Mormon is the word of God, brought forth by the gift and power of God -- and contains the fulness of the gospel.
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the restoration of ancient Christianity, as established by Jesus Christ when He was upon the earth.
- In the restoration was restored the Priesthood of God, whereby living prophets, today, speak the mind and will of the Lord and direct the affairs of His Church -- including administering saving ordinances necessary for salvation.
- Joseph Smith Jr. was and is a prophet of God and received all keys, powers and authority necessary for establishing and directing The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- which continue with the prophet and president of the LDS Church today.
I have no problem when an active member of the LDS Church holds a position that is contrary to generally accepted doctrine and beliefs of mainstream Mormonism. I do have a problem when they promote it as a personal agenda, publicly, in opposition. These members not only misrepresent the LDS Church, but even more serious they create confusion for those who sincerely want to know what Mormons believe -- meaning, what the Church teaches.
It is my understanding that the Church respects members who might have somewhat oppositional views than what is taught by the Church -- and that such members can still be considered in good standing. That's not only positive, but very important. However, I believe, members cross the line when they set out to promote and recruit others to their way of thinking. I realize that this gets tricky and that we are counseled to be careful in how we judge one another, but clearly this is something that should be of concern. At the very least it should cause those of us, who are concerned, to have a greater desire to speak up about what we think and believe. Passiveness to the condition should not be an option.
Through the invitation by LDS leaders to share our faith, online, we can either create stepping stones or stumbling blocks for those who are seeking the truth.
"The truth is, those who diligently seek to learn of Christ eventually will come to know Him. They will personally receive a divine portrait of the Master, although it most often comes in the form of a puzzle—one piece at a time. Each individual piece may not be easily recognizable by itself; it may not be clear how it relates to the whole. Each piece helps us to see the big picture a little more clearly. Eventually, after enough pieces have been put together, we recognize the grand beauty of it all. Then, looking back on our experience, we see that the Savior had indeed come to be with us—not all at once but quietly, gently, almost unnoticed." Dieter F. Uchtdorf
For those who truly desire to help others come unto Christ, it is imperative that we use our voices to create stepping stones and not stumbling blocks. Let us be among those who are helping others put together their truth puzzle. As members of the Church we are so blessed to know what we know and to have made covenants to share that truth with others.
When I first began writing this post I titled it "You Really Need to Start Speaking Up for Yourself!" I really liked that. Ultimately I want that to be the message of this post, but felt it was even more important to state the why. Understanding why your voice is so important will hopefully encourage you to become more involved in the ongoing conversations about what Mormons believe, and to let others know that you are
tDMg
Kathryn Skaggs
I love how some members are so willing to speak up about what Mormons believe, unabashedly, with all their heart and soul! Talk about "Speaking Up for Yourself"!
Stay N Faithful: Calling Yourself Mormon is a Very Bold Statement By Jesse Stay
"To say you're Mormon like I do takes guts in today's world. It means you believe in modern day revelation. It means you believe there are men today that speak to God, and God speaks to them. It means you follow them because they are normal men called of God, just like Moses, Abraham, and Isaac of old. Many of them are humbled in this calling - they never asked of it. They never wanted it. Yet, God called them. And as a Mormon, you're willing to follow these laymen leading God's Church just like people did in the times of Christ."
Two LDS bloggers dedicated to celebrating "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" are Jocelyn at We Talk of Christ We Rejoice in Christ and Montserat at Chocolate on my Cranium!
"This year, we will be joining forces with YOU to bring the world a video presentation of The Family: A Proclamation to the World!"
Mormon Women: Who We Are: You never have to question the message of Mormonism, shared with integrity and candor, by this group of sisters.
StrongLDS.com Learn Truth, Be Strong, Choose the Right! I'm happy to share that WBMW is included in this project.
"Built to offer the LDS Profiles, Pages, and Blogs a place to integrate their efforts in offering LDS content. We work with many different administrators and blog owners to bring you fresh content, and help inspire you during the day."
MormonVoices.org: A great project to get involved with for speaking up, online, and making sure credible voices of Mormon beliefs are being represented.
More Good Foundation: An excellent resource for helping and organizing members to share the gospel online.
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