I just got to view this Mormon cartoon shown to kids to help educate them on the Mormon history. Do Mormons belive that Joseph Smith (sounds like someone who doesn't want to give their real name) is more important than Jesus? Also, if any Mormons read this, how old do Mormons believe the planet Earth is?
Thanks in advance...
artful speech is rarely accompanied by virtue
That is a good question, one that a lot of people have for Mormonism, but it doesn't quite sound like you got the cartoon from a genuine Mormon source. Let me explain first that there are many many groups out there that try day in and day out to confuse and mislead anybody who is interested in the Mormon church, and one of their biggest and most well known lies is that Joseph Smith (haha yes, its his real name) is more important than Jesus. The imposters will go to any length to appear to be true Mormons - there are a lot of "fake" Mormon missionaries out there - but will pervert to no end the Mormon gospel.
As well as I can remember (I left the Mormon church years ago to pursue another religion) a unit known as the "Godhead" is at the centerpoint of worship. It is made up of God, his son, and the holy ghost. The Mormon prophets are not and never were worshiped to any degree, they are/were the head and the speaker for the church, as well as (but not the only) seer and revelator.
Another thing to keep in mind, is that while the Godhead is the central point of worship, there is ONE THING that comes even before that, one thing that is more important than anything else in any realm of being - The family. The unit of the family is extremely important and comes before all else, even worship. There was a document released by the First Presidency of the church some years ago entitled "A Proclamation to the World" that stressed the extreme importance of the family unit.
As for how old they believe the earth to be, if you ask around you will find a lot of mixed views, but they definitely to a certain extent believe in evolution.
Hope that clears things up :)
First post on IMBD ftw!
I don't believe the family thing is quite true- while the Mormon's believe in an eternal marriage, and have a ceremony called that, and also baptisms for the dead, and "unsaved" within a family, the first step in the "Plan of Repentence" as explained to me is faith on the name Jesus Christ, and a repentence (but not automatic) forgiveness for sin.
I've explored the church a couple of times several years back, and have read the scriptures, but didn't become a baptised member, and probablty more because they waffled the date and place off, at a time when I was having a lot of problems otherwise.
I think the whole deal with Joseph Smith and the priesthood authority and identification as prophets is the idea that scriptures can be updated with further human experience and revelation- an idea somewhat threatening to normal Christians with a very literal view of the Bible and the warnings of Revelations not to add or change anything. At the time I wanted something other to believe in, but don't feel the magic there so much anymore.
I don't particularly distrust the Mormons now, while the blame for a lot of the nonsense in my own life has been ascribed to them ever since I explored them- much as you've described, and as described in the experiences of the people who wrote the scriptures and formed the church. They simply didn't seem to want me in their church all that much- and as a transgendere person I can safely say that about every Christian denomination and synagogue or temple I've worshipped in. The last time I attempted to visit a church, I heard an insult come my way before I even got to the door. Well, nobody's perfect!
God in heaven, God above, be a God of truth and love
Ben Gad- nuff said!
The morality play becomes the real world dance, without the morality