"There is only one religion, though there are a hundred versions of it"
--- George Bernard Shaw (Irish Playwright and Political Activist; 1856 -1950)
Religious discussion isn't a particularly popular one for most people these days. In societies of increasing irreligion, the subject of religious discussion is easily swayed away from its once associated righteous moral values and eternal truth towards arguments of conflicting philosophy and relativism. Where before, religion was widely recognized, what it means to be religious is becoming less unanimous. In many instances, religion is frowned upon altogether. With such diversity in the world, there has been a shift from praising community toward praising individualism and religion finds itself in the crossfire. There is work to do. To understand religion and believe in eternal truth once more, let us first understand our relationship with God and our common purpose in life as fellow wanderers to the grave and beyond.
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5.1 --- WHAT IS "RELIGION"?
The word “Religion” takes on different meanings to different people. “Religion” comes from the Latin word “religare”, meaning “to tie” or more literally “to re-tie”; the word "ligature" comes from the same root. In that spirit, “religion” means, “that which ties or holds us together” or unites that which was divided. While the world is so focused on praising individuality, even to the point of praising defiance or self-worship, religion stands as a testament to unity. While individuality is something often sought for, we don't live in isolation --- We live in families and communities! Religion isn't a bad thing like the world tries to paint it to be. It denotes an effort to hold together the moral fabric of community and the well-being of the soul. To me, it gives meaning to life other than my own day-to-day pleasures. It is being aware of something bigger beyond mortality, something as real as anything else. We need religion! It should be seen as something positive instead of something negative, unnecessary, or a taboo topic of discussion. It's more than psychological comfort; it is a real connection with the God of heaven and truth.
5.2 --- ORGANIZED RELIGION -- A.K.A. "CHURCH"
Did Christ organize a church? Yes, He did. So why the confusion and why do some people disagree? Because so many Christians believe that we, the people, are the church, which is partially true. But they don’t believe in organized religion. They believe that it's a man-made construct. Or perhaps they have a concern with the buildings that are commonly called “churches”.
What do we mean when we say “church”? We believe that church is more than a gathering or a place to talk, learn, and sing although we do all of those things. We believe that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is God’s kingdom on the earth, complete with priesthood authority, laws (commandments), and leadership. We believe that Jesus Christ organized a church during His ministry which included calling Apostles and giving them the priesthood to teach and perform ordinances such as Baptism by Immersion (Matt.10:1; 28:19-20; Eph. 4:4-6, 11-15). The book of Ephesians 4 verse 5 makes it clear that there is only one faith, one Lord, and one baptism. And it should be intuitive, that there is one God and one Jesus Christ, so too should there be one doctrine, one eternal life, one path there.
In English, the New Testament and Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ are full of references to the word “church” such as the more famous ones like Matthew 16:18 where Christ speaks to Peter's affirmation of His divinity, “Upon this rock I will build my church”, Acts 2:47 where “the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved”, or Acts 8:1 where Saul persecutes the church. In addition to these, there are over a hundred and twenty more references to the word “church” in the New Testament and almost three hundred references in the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. It is an irrefutable fact that the word "church" is mentioned in scripture. Thus, "church" is not a religious construct of the 19th century. It is the same today as it existed anciently.
But sometimes “church” has more than one meaning. It wouldn’t be the only word that has more than one meaning in a language. Indeed, it could be talking about the church itself -- the kingdom (Matt. 16:18) or it could be referring to those people who pertain to the church or in other words the members of the church (Acts 11:26). Sometimes the scriptures refer to the church as “the body of Christ” which again refers to the people (1 Cor. 12:27). And here we see the probable source of confusion giving rise to the erroneous belief that there is no organized church, only believers. I personally see no conflict in accepting “church” as a reference to both the kingdom of God and the people who pertain to it.
The word “church” wasn’t used in the Old Testament in English. Instead, we find many mentions of words such as “congregation” (Ex. 16:22; Lev. 4:15; Num. 3:7; Josh. 8:35; Ps. 89:5; Acts 13:43). The word “Ecclesiastes” is a Greek translation of the Hebrew Koheleth, a word meaning “one who convenes an assembly”; sometimes rendered "Preacher".
So, was there no church in the Old Testament just because the word doesn’t appear in our English translation? No. It’s just that, a translation! It's a word. For example, just because the scriptures don't mention the word, "Aardvark" doesn't mean aardvarks don't exist. If the church is God’s kingdom, then the church has claim to God’s people, or those who trust in Him as were the Children of Israel, and many other players of the Old Testament. Did these people have priesthood power and authority, laws, and spiritual leaders? Absolutely! [1]
5.3 --- A COVENANT PEOPLE
“Religion” means “to tie” but how do we tie ourselves to God? The answer is by making covenants with Him. A covenant is a two-way agreement, specifically, a promise we make with God. He sets the conditions and promises to bless us if we are obedient (See "Obedience: A Sign of Love"). The way covenants are made is by performing ordinances. Ordinances, as we know them today, are sacred, formal acts carried out with the authority of the priesthood. Ordinances are the how, and covenants are the why. The first ordinance is baptism by immersion and the second is the confirmation, meaning you receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and are "confirmed" a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (See "A Still, Small Voice").
Every Sunday we renew our baptismal covenants (See "Sabbath Day Observance"). We make additional covenants in sacred temples (See "Temples -- Holy Houses of God"). Covenant making and keeping are essential to “being perfected in Christ” (Eph. 4:12; Moro. 10:32) and our salvation. Without covenants, we cannot receive eternal life (See "Eternal Life: As He Is"). Baptism is the first covenant we make, and is thus the first stop along the "Covenant Path". Again, that's why we believe in the importance of good works as well as faith. (See "More Than Good")
Ponder Question: Baptism is our first covenant in which we promise to follow Christ's example. If you have been baptized, how has that covenant influenced your life so far? If you haven't been baptized, and have the desire to follow Christ, go ahead and ask the missionaries or a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for more information.
"Works" are how we do what God wants us to do. Faith is a good precursor and motivator, but it's insufficient if we don’t live accordingly. James says, “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world” (James 1:27). In other words, religion is more than a belief or what we profess. It includes what we do, how we treat others, and keeping ourselves “unspotted from the world”.
5.4 --- CHRISTIANITY
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is a Christian church. Everything we learn, teach, and do is centered around Jesus Christ. We believe in the same Jesus Christ that was prophesied of in the Old Testament, the promised Messiah, and in the New Testament who was born, lived, died, and resurrected. The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ does just that, it testifies of the same Jesus Christ from start to finish:
"And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins." (2 Nephi 25:26)
We believe that He is the savior of the world and that besides Him there is no other. There is an official declaration titled “The Living Christ” that the Church released in the year 2000 that commemorated two millennia since His birth which illustrates these beliefs more thoroughly. That most pivotal point --- the belief that Jesus is the Savior of the world --- unites Christians everywhere; it is a wonderful commonality.
Despite falling under the umbrella of Christianity, there are still some, though they're hopefully a shrinking minority, that suppose the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is a cult. Needless to say that these claims are majorly malicious in their intent. It's an accusation made typically in anger and bitterness with the hope of propagating the same poisonous distaste they hold in their hearts. These kinds of people usually offend others for the sport of it and nothing more. It's an unfortunate thing to be attacked by one so closed-minded to the point that no defense of reason or fact is taken into consideration by them. You can probably think of examples of such stubborn people, not just in religious matters, but in all kinds of things.
But if a reasonable discussion were to come from it, if the accusation was less malicious, and more inquisitive and innocent, I might ask for clarity. What are their assumptions based in? And what do they know about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, if anything? Do they know what a cult is?
The first thing that comes to mind when hearing “cult” is usually a negative thing, some evil portrayal, or brainwashed devotion. But let me give you some basic definitions so you can hereon be politically correct. The word “cult” comes from the Latin cultus, meaning “a custom of worship”. Up to this point, all religions would fall under this category. One definition: “A system of religious veneration and devotion directed toward a particular figure or object”. If that figure is Jesus Christ, then all Christians belong to a cult, as would Buddhists, or Muslims. Another definition is: “A relatively small group of people having religious beliefs or practices regarded by others as strange or sinister”. As of writing this, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has over 16 million members worldwide so we’re not a small group, strange is a matter of perspective and opinion, and we're strong proponents of Christ-like attributes, so I don't think this second definition describes us. Another interesting definition of “cult” is: “That of a religion whose beliefs differ from the majority around them". In the Roman Empire, Christians were sometimes considered a cult because they worshiped Jesus rather than the Roman gods. There are many definitions but you get the idea; it’s very open-ended to personal interpretation. It's not uncommon for something to look unusual from the outside if all you know is what somebody else told you about it, especially if that information was erroneous. But if you ask me, there's no reason to call the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints a cult. It's a global religion like any other.
Please think on this question for a moment: What does it mean to be a Christian? One could identify themselves as Christian based on the church they attend, but to be a Christian is more than the organization you frequent, it's a lifestyle beyond walls. It's being true to what Christ taught and striving to be like Him. It is as much a matter of who you strive to be as what you strive to do. We don't check our religion at the door like something we put on and take off depending on where we are. It's not appearances or lip service. A true Christian is the same person in public as he or she is in private.
5.5 --- WELCOMING DIFFERNCES
I won’t pretend that all members of any given religious denomination practice what they preach but I believe that most are doing their best. We’re human like everybody else. We try to be kind, and I believe that most of us are, but sometimes there's somebody who isn't. Everyone falls short of what they should be doing from time to time. There’s no need to let a few bad apples give a bad name to an otherwise excellent group of people. We believe in personal accountability for one’s own actions, and our poor behavior shouldn't reflect badly on anybody but ourselves.
There is not a perfect group of people to be found on Earth, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints doesn't think itself to be better than anybody of a different faith. All people on Earth have worth and Heavenly Father loves them all alike. Says the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ:
“…He inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile.” (2 Nephi 26:33)
So, if we don't think we're better than anyone else, why are we as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints so persistent in sharing our religious beliefs with others? I think that one reason is simply that people naturally gravitate towards topics of conversation that they feel strongly about, know a lot about, or just relates to what is being talked about. Respectfully sharing religious beliefs is just sharing a more personal part of ourselves; just as one would share anything else about themselves. Sharing religious beliefs does not mean one is preachy or self-righteous. Nobody likes preachy people. Sharing beliefs can be a positive thing. Mutual respect and trust is a choice within the control of each of us. I can see how trying to force one’s beliefs upon another would be preachy and uncomfortable but sharing one’s beliefs doesn’t have to be like that.
There is something to be learned from all faiths and walks of life. Perspective is a gift that requires we channel humility. We should be willing to listen and to learn. We can be friends without having to have everything in common, just as we can be friends with those whose beliefs and stances differ from our own. Often, getting an outside perspective of something can help us see things we wouldn't have considered otherwise. I believe that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the restored church that Christ established and is the way to eternal life, but I also know that there are good people and good things all around. Leaders of the Church are good examples of fostering real relationships with people of all faiths, cultures, and backgrounds. Jesus taught us to love one another and He truly cared about everyone. We would do well to be considerate of everyone. We might find that we have more in common than we do differences.
“We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.”(Articles of Faith 11)
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FOOTNOTES:
[1] Moses was chosen by the Lord to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt (Ex. 4:12). As will be mentioned, the rod was used as a symbol of authority (See "Bishops and Shepherds"). Exodus 20 contains the ten commandments although many more laws are revealed throughout the first five books of the Old Testament (Pentateuch or Torah). Starting in Exodus 18:21-22, judges are called to assist Moses in the government of Israel.
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