AboutMichael Kelley Expertise For a different viewpoint on Mormonism for your questions, try me. I am a staunch believer in the Book of Mormon and belong to another church (the Church of Christ)that is set up identically to the Biblical church. If there are things about traditional Mormonism that trouble you or you have questions about, just ask and you might find the answers from the Book of Mormon to be quite surprising. I have been studying the scriptures diligently for 16 years under the school of hard knocks... I may not have all of the answers but will sure go find them if I don`t. I`m strongest on Biblical and Book of Mormon doctrines, and am also somewhat familiar with Mormon history and archaeology.
Question QUESTION: What is the difference between the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the church of LDS that Warren Jeffs belongs to and the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Thank you.
ANSWER: Hi Rob,
I will be happy to answer your questions. Please note I am ex-LDS and belong to the Church of Christ that believes in the BoM (Book of Mormon).
There are some 100 different factions that broke off from the original Restoration church after Smith was killed. I believe Brigham Young was the author of the polygamy doctrine (as Smith publically denounced it and had only Emma as his wife) and took the largest of the splinter groups to Utah to be able to freely practice polygamy. Due to government and militarty pressure the LDS Utah Brighamites set aside polygamy though many continued to practice it secretly. Some from that group felt this was wrong and felt it should be continued to be practiced even if the LDS church denounced it so they broke off and formed their own splinter groups such as Warren Jeffs. I do not know much about his faction, only that he strongly promoted polygamy and enforced marriages between older men and underage girls. This also happened under Brigham Young's reign, some women were even forced into polygamy under death threats, while others escaped by various means. From Young's journals many of his wives absolutely hated polygamy terming it a "perfect river of tears" and "I have not been happy a single day for 5 years".
Ironically the BoM bitterly condemns polygamy:
Jac 2:24 Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord.
Jac. 2:27 Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none;28 For I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women. And whoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts.
Jac 3:5 Behold, the Lamanites your brethren, whom ye hate because of their filthiness and the cursing which hath come upon their skins, are more righteous than you; for they have not forgotten the commandment of the Lord, which was given unto our father—that they should have save it were one wife, and concubines they should have none, and there should not be whoredoms committed among them.
Most of the factions including mine, the Church of Christ, and the RLDS have NEVER accepted polyamy. Emma Smith bitterly opposed this and most strongly denied that she ever shared her husband with anybody. The factions with the most numbers are the LDS, the Church of Jesus Christ, the RLDS (now Community of Christ) and the Church of Christ (Temple Lot). Most of the remaining factions are very small and insignificant. The RLDS and CoJC both have a 1st President like the LDS do. The CoC (Church of Christ) does not. The RLDS were very similar to the CoC until the 1920s when they adopted SDC (Supreme Directional Control) which gave their 1st President Papal like powers... and thus began their long slide into apostasy. Not long ago they had a large schism and sold out many of their more conservative churches to build a very odd temple, began ordaining women, accepted homosexuality and joined the World Council of Churches. They have also shelved the BoM and changed their name to the Community of Christ and are much more closer to a liberal non-denominational church than anything resembling a Restoration church.
The LDS also believe in Baptism for the Dead, Celestial Marriage, Man becoming as Gods), the Heavenly Mother, a Changing God and many other things that most factions do not accept. The BoM teaches none of these doctrines and even teaches AGAINST them, sometimes very strongly so. In many ways the Utah LDS faction has apostatized from the BoM and Bible teachings and have instead followed the D&C, the teachings of their "Latter Day Prophets".
The Church of Christ has carefully gone back to the BoM and Bible's teachings and for the most part has cleaned out all the errors that corrupted the early church which brought it into condemnation and being scattered.
There is an enormous amount of doctrine and history to sort through concerning the Restoration and what went wrong, what is right and where to go with it. If you are seriously wanting to investigate you will have to study these things out with patience and find out for yourself what the truth is. Mostly I say don't trust what I say, trust what Jesus taught and showed us by example what to do.
Feel free to ask more questions, or for scripture quotes on particular subjects (like polygamy, baptism for the dead etc.) and feel free to email me directly at technomn@msn.com if you wish.
God Bless,
Mike
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: My father's side of the family are Reorganized Church of Latter Day Saints. Is there one of these churches in Liverpool, NY? I drive by one and thought it said Church of Christ outside. Thank you.
Answer Hi Rob,
There is a Church of Christ (TL) in New York, I am not sure exactly where it is, somewhere on the Mohoc reservation. You can request more information by checking out our official website at http://www.churchofchrist-tl.org/
In answer to your questions, I found these Community of Christ (formerly RLDS) listings on their website, one may be close to where you are searching.
Buffalo-Clarence
5030 Thompson Road, Clarence, NY 14031
