FACTBOX-Facts about Mormonism

[Kurtz]

Dec 6 (Reuters) - Republican Mitt Romney will take on the issue of his Mormon faith on Thursday by stressing America's tradition of religious tolerance.

The following are some facts about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or the Mormon faith:

* The once-isolated group, based in Salt Lake City, Utah, is one of the fastest-growing and most affluent religions. More than half of its 12.9 million members live outside the United States, with a flourishing flock in Latin America.

* The Mormon church has distinctly American origins. It was founded in 1830 in upstate New York by Joseph Smith, who said he received the word of God from an angel named Moroni, who guided him to tablets that told the story of the Book of Mormon about an ancient civilization of Israelites sent by God to America. Smith could read and translate the tablets -- written in what he called "reformed Egyptian" hieroglyphics -- with the help of special transparent stones he used as spectacles. A year later, he was persecuted and forced to flee to the Midwest, where he was killed. His followers then undertook a mass 1,100-mile (1,800-km) migration in 1846-47 to Utah.


* Mormons have three books of scripture other than the Bible. One is the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated from golden plates discovered by Smith. Adherents, who decline to use alcohol, coffee and tobacco, believe God speaks through living apostles and prophets such as the church's president, Gordon Hinckley. Mormons also believe that Jesus visited the Americas after his resurrection and that there is no eternal hell.

* The Mormon church originally allowed polygamy. Smith took at least two dozen wives, historians say. His successor, Brigham Young, had about 20. The custom was officially banned in 1890 when Washington, angered by its spread, threatened to deny statehood to Utah. Today, Mormon leaders distance themselves from about 40,000 breakaway Mormons in Utah and nearby states who illegally continue the practice.

* Today, about 50,000 missionaries -- often young men in business suits walking the world's streets in pairs -- project a wholesome, family-oriented image that has helped swell global Mormon adherents by 36 percent from 1995 to 2005. In "Mormon America," religion writer Richard Ostling put the church's assets at more than $25 billion in 1999 with more than $5 billion in annual income. (Compiled by Jason Szep)

Mormonism According to Reuters (http://today.reuters.com/news/articleinvesting.aspx?type=bondsNews&storyID=2007-12-06T125043Z_01_N05179700_RTRIDST_0_USA-POLITICS-ROMNEY-FACTBOX.XML)

[Kurtz]

I wouldn't vote for a practicin' Mormon.

[toxic]

Their success in South & Central America is due to their creation of a church school system that gives the peasants an alternative to the Catholic schools.

They have extensive holdings and would be in the Fortune 500, if they were a private corportion.

I remember some claiming they had controlling interest in Campbell Soup, which in turn owned Franco-America foods, Godiva chocolate, et al.

They also owned many orchards in Southern California which were later developed into the conservative Orange County, just South of Los Angeles.

http://www.lds-mormon.com/wealth.shtml

Time correspondents claimed "unusual cooperation" from the hierarchy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in researching the article, which gives what may be the most accurate financial snapshot of the church to date: a minimum of $30 billion in assets and annual gross income of $6 billion -- more than Utah's state budget this year. (1997) ...

The story details just a few of the church's expansive holdings, including the world's largest beef ranch -- the 312,000-acre Deseret Cattle and Citrus Ranch outside Orlando, Fla. The ranch's land alone is worth $858 million.

The church also owns America's largest producer of nuts, as well as Bonneville International Corp., the country's 14th largest radio chain, and the Beneficial Life Insurance Co., with assets of $1.6 billion. ...

[Kurtz]

I've got Mormon cousins, one's even a deacon in their church.

I just don't want those people in government.
Yes, I said "those people." :lol

[Oceanbreeze]

I know several Mormon active duty members. They leave their religion out of the military, social functions, ect. I would vote for a Mormon friend in AZ, probably be on some political ballot somewhere sometime in next 10-20 years.

[Kurtz]

I know several Mormon active duty members. They leave their religion out of the military, social functions, ect. I would vote for a Mormon friend in AZ, probably be on some political ballot somewhere sometime in next 10-20 years.

They won't drink a caffeine soda at a bar. :lol

Active duty? :confused
Please don't tell me they have an Army for God too. :para

[Oceanbreeze]

They won't drink a caffeine soda at a bar. :lol

Active duty? :confused
Please don't tell me they have an Army for God too. :para

The Amy is a melting pot of religions, agnostics, and atheists. Don't worry, you're safe. :snicker

[Kurtz]

The Amy is a melting pot of religions, agnostics, and atheists. Don't worry, you're safe. :snicker

Remember I'm a former govt employee. :lol

This is the Army of God:
Army of God
Base of Operation: United States

Founding Philosophy: The Army of God is an underground network of terrorists who believe that the use of violence is an appropriate tool for fighting against abortion. An excerpt from the Army of God Manual says that the Army of God "is a real Army, and God is the General and Commander-in-Chief. The soldiers, however, do not usually communicate with one another. Very few have ever met each other. And when they do, each is usually unaware of the other's soldier status. That is why the Feds will never stop this Army. Never. And we have not yet even begun to fight." Pastor Michael Bray is the Chaplain of the Army of God. He hosts the annual "White Rose Banquet" honoring those imprisoned for anti-abortion violence. He also wrote the book "A Time to Kill," which provides a biblical justification for the use of violence against abortion providers. Bray has served time in jail for bombing abortion clinics. Bray's daughter is named after a murderer of an abortion doctor.

The Army of God manual is a "how to" for abortion clinic violence. It details methods for blockading entrances, attacking with butyric acid, arson, bomb making, and other illegal activities. The manual contains anti-abortion language as well as anti-government and anti-gay/lesbian language. The manual begins with a declaration of war on the abortion industry and continues, "Our Most Dread Sovereign Lord God requires that whosoever sheds man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed. Not out of hatred of you, but out of love for the persons you exterminate, we are forced to take arms against you. Our life for yours - a simple equation....You shall not be tortured at our hands. Vengeance belongs to God only. However, execution is rarely gentle."

Several Army of God members have been involved in highly publicized incidents of terrorism. Eric Robert Rudolph was charged with the Atlanta Olympic bombing, as well as the bombings of an abortion clinic and a gay bar in Atlanta. Secondary bombs, designed to detonate after emergency service personnel arrived at the scene, were planted at both the abortion clinic and the gay bar. Another Army of God member, James Kopp, was convicted in the fatal shooting of clinic doctor Dr. Barnett Slepian in 1998. Kopp is believed to be connected with a half dozen other similar shootings that took place between 1994 and 1997. Clayton Waagner, the man who has claimed responsibility for sending over 550 anthrax threat letters to clinics in 2001, signed many of his threat letters with the name Army of God. He also posted threats to kill 42 individuals working at abortion clinics on the Army of God website.

Current Goals: Recent reports have noted the Army's increased anti-gay rhetoric and worry that this may be a precursor to attacks on gays and lesbians.



http://www.tkb.org/Group.jsp?groupID=28

[Oceanbreeze]

Remember I'm a former govt employee. :lol

This is the Army of God:



http://www.tkb.org/Group.jsp?groupID=28

I'm not familiar with that God, he's downright scary! :devil

[toxic]

I've got Mormon cousins, one's even a deacon in their church.

I just don't want those people in government.
Yes, I said "those people." :lol

In the Mormon religion, Deacons are the very lowest ranking and the promotion in their priesthood is mainly tied to age:

Aaronic Preisthood:
Age 12-14 Deacon
Age 14-16 Teacher
Age 16-18+ Priest

Above 18 most will join the Melchizedek Priesthood and become an Elder. The missionarys you see are Elders.

About 20 years ago, the only way a woman could get into a Mormon Temple, was to be married to a man in the priesthood. I think they received a special revelation from God allowing women some form of access, right about the time the women's movement picked up some steam.

To become a God in the after life, you must go to the Temple.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaronic_Priesthood

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melchizedek_Priesthood

[Lone Laugher]

See, what did I tell you? Mormons aren't Christian because they don't believe in Hell. They're going to find out there's a Hell. :yep

Another gem from the scary one. You've really made your imprint here quickly. Who would have thought that the person with the cute introduction a few days ago would turn out to be a religious fanatic?

[MW]

See, what did I tell you? Mormons aren't Christian because they don't believe in Hell. They're going to find out there's a Hell. :yep

Well, straight from the mouth of Almighty Omniscient Mary - that's all I need to know. :worship

Another gem from the scary one. You've really made your imprint here quickly. Who would have thought that the person with the cute introduction a few days ago would turn out to be a religious fanatic?

:yep Yep, she's sure leaving her mark, isn't she? :blah