Mormonism For Dummies

Overview

Explore one of the fastest-growing religions in the world

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the first Christian faith to be developed in America, and today the Church is home to millions—both inside and outside the United States. Mormonism For Dummies, 2nd Edition is a valuable tool for individuals interested in learning more about the beliefs and practices of the widely-practiced Latter-day Saint faith. In this informative book, you'll explore the different denominations of the Church, recent changes to the Church's customs and practices'which also covers why the Church encourages a shift away from the term “Mormon” and more.

Inside, you'll:

  • Discover the history and origins of the Church of Latter-Day Saints
  • Understand the Church's official stances on areas, including race, the status of women, and polygamy
  • Examine subjects like religious fundamentalism and orthodoxy through the lens of practicing LDS members

A must-read for anyone interested in the rituals, customs, beliefs, and politics of the Church of Latter-Day Saints, Mormonism For Dummies, 2nd Edition gives you the straightforward and unbiased info you need to understand this nuanced faith.

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About The Author

Christopher Kimball Bigelow has authored several books on Mormonism and is a former editor of the LDS church’s official Ensign magazine. He was the co-founder and editor of the Mormon literary magazine Irreantum.

Jana Riess, PhD, is an author of many books on Mormonism and is a senior columnist for Religion News Service. She has also spoken about the LDS church at conferences and in media interviews.

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The following equation best sums up how Mormons understand the universe and the purpose of life: As humans are, God used to be; as God is, humans may become. One main key to getting the gist of Mormonism is the belief that a person's existence doesn't begin with birth on this earth. Rather, Mormons believe that all people lived as spirits before coming here.
When the Latter-day Saints arrived in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847, they had reason to hope they'd escaped conflict with the American government forever. At the time, Mexico owned the territory that eventually became known as Utah, and that government was more than willing to leave the Mormons alone. However, only months later, Mexico lost its war with the United States and had to hand over all its lands in the West, including Utah.
Outsiders sometimes ask Mormons — often in jest, occasionally in concern — whether they practice polygamy. (The Mormon response is usually to roll the eyes and recite for the thousandth time that the Latter-day Saints haven't practiced polygamy for over a century and that anyone who practices it today is excommunicated, yada yada yada.
Many non-Mormons know very little about what their Mormon friends believe about Christ, the afterlife, or the plan of salvation. But they almost always know about the Mormon health code! Maybe they had neighbors who didn't drink beer at the block's annual Super Bowl party or worked with a woman who refused the coffee served at Friday morning department meetings.
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