This is an intersting bit of information by Dr. John Walsh. I especially like #1.
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Name: Dr. John Walsh
Name: Dr. John Walsh
Address: 2519 Branch View Lane Missouri City, Texas 77459
Phone: 281-403-3032
E-mail: wjwalshphd@comcast. net
LDS AND FLDS VERY SIMILAR IN BELIEF AND PRACTICE
MISSOURI CITY, TEXAS 05 May 2008 Dr. John Walsh would like to correct errors in numerous media reports about divergences between the FLDS and the mainstream LDS (Mormon) Church.
Based on Dr. Walsh’s research, the LDS and FLDS share about 95% common theology and 75% common practice. The major differences in practice arise from the FLDS refusal to evolve from 19th century Mormon origins.
Here are some examples of false statements found in the Media:
1. “The FLDS are not Mormon.”
Correction: A Mormon is someone who believes that Joseph Smith was the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, and who also believes that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. The FLDS meet these criteria, and are therefore Mormons.
2. “The FLDS were never part of the LDS Church.”
Correction: The founders of Mormon fundamentalism, from which the FLDS emerged, were members of the LDS Church who left the organization over differences in the limits of priesthood authority in the 1930s. In the early 1900s, the LDS Church developed a new policy insisting that the President of the Church had the divine authority to either command polygamy or restrict its practice. The FLDS insisted upon the older policy that stated whether to practice polygamy or not was a personal matter between an individual and God. It should be noted that the last two leaders of the FLDS, Rulon Jeffs and his son Warren, adopted a more authoritarian approach to priesthood authority than the ideology originally espoused by the FLDS.
3. “The FLDS don’t practice what the LDS practice.”
Correction: FLDS and LDS worship services are very similar in format. They use almost exactly the same ritual. FLDS and LDS worship services are closer to each other in almost all respects than either of them is to the practices of any other religion, denomination, or sect. The FLDS use the temple rituals from the 1800s, while the LDS have modernized them. The FLDS use religious garments approved by Joseph Smith, while the LDS have updated their garments to allow the wearing of modern clothing.
4. “The LDS Church has renounced polygamy. Anyone who believes in polygamy is ex-communicated. The LDS believes in the family unit of one man, one woman and their children.”
Correction: Polygamy is still an essential doctrine in LDS theology and is still practiced in certain forms by members of the LDS Church. While the LDS Church does not presently allow members to have more than one living spouse, the Church does allow widowers to marry again for “time and all eternity” if they so desire. For example, two current apostles, Russell M. Nelson and Dallin H. Oaks, have both married a second wife for eternity. Apostle Oaks has told LDS Church members that he expects to continue marriages with both women simultaneously in heaven, and thus, according to LDS theology, he plans to procreate children with both of his wives after the resurrection. Major LDS Church authorities and theologians, such as Apostle Bruce R. McConkie, have stated that the Church will restore the full practice of polygamy after the Second Coming of Christ, if not before.
5. “The FLDS treat women as inferior to men, while the LDS treat women and men as equals.”
Correction: There is no significant difference in the place of women in the LDS Church versus the FLDS. This is because both groups define their gender positions on a common canon of scripture. With both the FLDS and LDS, the place of women depends entirely upon how each household interprets scriptural passages indicating that wives should be subordinate to their husbands. Individuals interpret differently what subordination means. With both groups, you can find women who feel they are equal to their husbands and also find women who feel they are treated as inferiors.
6. “The LDS Church stopped practicing polygamy in 1890, after the federal government banned it.”
Correction: The LDS Church still secretly practiced polygamy for several decades after the 1890 proclamation. In the early part of the 20th century, there was continual disagreement among LDS leaders as to whether the Church should continue to secretly defy US federal law over what many Mormons considered to be an inviolable religious principle. It was not until 1911, with the excommunication of Apostle John W. Taylor, that Church authorities had a consensus amongst themselves to truly discontinue the practice of polygamy. Even then, the Church did not aggressively excommunicate polygamists until the 1930s, when they began to forcefully pursue a mainstream all-American image in the national consciousness.
# # #
If you’d like more information or to interview Dr. John Walsh, please contact him at 281-403-3032 or e-mail Dr. Walsh at wjwalshphd@comcast. net.
11 comments:
This comment is for paragraph #5.
In my opinion women should be treated the same as the man, but their not. I witnessed this first handed and lived in a family where the women where treated inferior to a man. It’s the same in every FLDS home. They are ordered do this, do that and the women always do what their told and cannot disagree with them because they are the priesthood. They are taught in their meetings to be subordinate to their husbands! So it does not depend on how they interpret the scriptures, it depends on if their priesthood or not.
Commenting on #5:
On statement #5 Women in FLDS are treated inferior to men and LDS women are treated equal.
One thing I think he lacked to mention is that in the LDS and FLDS faith the men hold Priesthood. Priesthood in a sense puts a presiding over a family which includes the women in that household. Presiding doesnt mean superior it is structure. Both religions have this.
Dear ex-polygamous,
In one of your other posts you indicated that you are a former member of "The Work." Since "The Work" and the FLDS are different groups I am rather confused at how you can claim with such certainty that women in every FLDS home are treated as inferior to men.
One thought to consider, a righteous Priesthood man would never order his wives around. If he needed or wanted something he would simply ask.
Anonymous- I understand that the FLDS and the LDS have what they call the “Priesthood” but in the men’s opinion they think that with the title, comes unlimited power and control. That is not right! In my opinion a marriage should consist of both parties contributing to the marriage with equal status.
Penelope-That is true, they are different groups and I have personally been in many different people’s homes in both groups. I saw the same control in Centennial, SLC as I saw in some of warrens homes, and I think it will always stay the same…because the men and church’s goal in my opinion is to have complete control.
Just a note: The men may ask their wife or wives to do something, but all of my witnessed events the wives hop to do what they are told. What else can they do but heed, when they have been taught their whole lives that they are lower than a man and should be subordinate.
ex-polygamous:
Please be careful blanketing polygamous households has having controlling husbands and subservient women who "hop to do what they are told". Obviously, you haven't met me, my respectful husband, or some of the women I live and work with. I notice that when people take issue with a particular subject that is sensitive to them, they tend to make it so large in their own mind that they can't see it for what it really is.
Ex Polygamist:
Ex being the key word. You have been out of the respective communities for many years and left as a teenager (in all its wonderful rebeliousness) I am sorry, but you have a scewed preseption, and I think it a little humourous that you would want to claim to "know" those communities after having nothing to do with them. Obviously you do not know them, you claim you do to pull sympathy. I know this because the people in these communities could point blank tell you that what you have said is an untruth. It comes from having such a small perception of the religion and coupling it with what you beleive will be salatious and pull sympathy. You would do well to speak about your self and leave the lives of others alone.
With great respect I would like to ad the following:
I was raised in the secular world by strict catholic parents. I saw many women abused and hurt by demanding unreasonable husbands. I have learned this. REGARDLESS of "RELIGION". If a man does not believe in GOD he will try to take power. A God fearing man will honor his obligation to "treat his wife as Christ treated the church even if it meant his life".
I am married to a man of LDS consent. We are not "involved" with any particular church but teach our children from scriptures only with no media involvement.
I would rather obey a man who is respectful than stand up to a man that might beat me later.
Does anyone remember that women used to not be able to give prayers in sacrament meeting? Equals???
Did you know there are female prophets in the bible, ie Miriam and Deborah, etc. They were prophets and DID NOT HAVE PRIESTHOOD! Golly gee!
Women can pray directly to God and does not need random lds guys for 'priesthood' blessings of any sort.
We have been brainwashed to believe that the 'priesthood' in our house, the bishop, the stake president, home teachers, etc. have a better connection to God and we are incapable of spiritual direction, decisions and growth without them.
This is a falsehood that I now admit I bought into for 20+ years and have finally woke up.
First comes fear of apostacy, then anger and finally determination to see how God REALLY is helpful and loving.
Mormon is general speach means a Member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Mormon missionaries means missionaries from the specific church. Like Catholic in general speach means a member of the Roman Catholic Church. The etymology of the term is not the same as its current use.
In actual use, the meaning of Mormon means a member of a specific Church, and so does not include the FLDS.
@ John Pack Lambert
Your comment is incorrect in that the term "Mormon" can and is correctly applied to FLDS, Community of Christ (formerly RLDS), Bickertonites, Strangites and the like despite the LDS Church's attempts to own the term. Your analogy is off and a more accurate comparison would be to Islam and Sunni and Shia. Sunni are the majority and claim to be the only true Muslims but no one else would say that Shiites cannot validly claim Islam as well. Mormons are those that accept Joseph Smith as founder and as a prophet— and the Book of Mormon as scripture. Beyond that the splinters diverge but and despite claims no group can exclude another no more than mainstream Christians can exclude Mormons from the term Christian.
I found you claim ironic though in that the FLDS actually in some ways practices a Mormonism closer to what Joseph SMith taught and lived than the religion of Thomas S. Monson.
Post a Comment