Often during business luncheons or dinners, I have been asked a question like, “What makes your religion different?” Now that’s a loaded question! It’s not easy to thoroughly respond during dinner and certainly not simple to answer in a few paragraphs.
Some say not to discuss religion or politics. For me, as long as it isn’t contentious, I enjoy the discussion and I enjoy a good meal, so it’s a win-win!
Like many religions, in my faith as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we believe in a Supreme Being or a Heavenly Father. We are His children. Also, we believe in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.
One differentiator is the way the church began.
Travel with me back to 1820 in Palmyra, located in upstate New York. A religious revival was occurring in this small town. Joseph Smith was 14 years old and had not joined a church. He came from a Bible-reading religious family.
He read a Bible passage, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” This impressed him deeply. He decided to go into the woods and pray about which church to join.
He had a remarkable experience. God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ appeared to him. They told him that he was not to join any church. Instead, he was led to restore the church that Jesus Christ had established in the new testament. Thus we are called “Latter-day Saints” to differentiate us from the saints (or members) of the New Testament church of Jesus Christ.
The Church today has a prophet and 12 apostles. We don’t see ourselves as a break-off from another religion, but as the restored church of Jesus Christ. I think that’s a noteworthy difference.
Another major distinction is our canon of scripture.
In 1842, Joseph Smith cited 13 Articles of Faith for a newspaper article in Nauvoo, Ill. The eighth article states, “We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.”
The Book of Mormon is a record of an ancient people in the Americas who recorded seeing Jesus Christ after His resurrection. It is a companion to the Bible as a second witness of the divinity of Jesus Christ, the living Son of God.
I love so much about my faith. We have an interesting and complex history that would cover volumes of the written word. The Church officially began in 1830, and was organized with just six members. Today there are over 16 million members worldwide.
Someone once asked President Gordon B. Hinckley, the president of the Church at that time, why we did not have a cross on our building if we are Christian? Hinckley responded, “The lives of our people must become the most meaningful expression of our faith and, in fact, therefore, the symbol of our worship.”
I love that response. I also love the 13th Article of Faith by Joseph Smith. It summarizes much of our beliefs. “We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul —We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.”
I’m grateful to live in a country that allows religious freedom. It’s a blessing to be able to sit around a table with others who practice their faith differently than me. I hope to learn from others as I seek after things in my life that are good, virtuous and praiseworthy.
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Issues of Faith is a rotating column by religious leaders on the North Olympic Peninsula. Bishop Jason Bringhurst is the leader of the Mount Pleasant Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Port Angeles. His email is jasonbring@gmail.com.
