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Various spectrums of beliefs or practice within Mormonism accounts for categories of
Mormons possessing
faith
Faith, derived from Latin ''fides'' and Old French ''feid'', is confidence or trust in a person, thing, or In the context of religion, one can define faith as " belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion".
Religious people ofte ...
or skepticism regarding various
doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the mainstream
LDS Church
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a nontrinitarian Christian church that considers itself to be the restoration of the original church founded by Jesus Christ. The c ...
), or pertaining to issues of
orthopraxy
In the study of religion, orthopraxy is correct conduct, both ethical and liturgical, as opposed to faith or grace. Orthopraxy is in contrast with orthodoxy, which emphasizes correct belief. The word is a neoclassical compound— () meaning 'r ...
/heteropraxy, among those identifying as
Mormon
Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into severa ...
. Also, people partake of
Mormon culture #REDIRECT Culture of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints #REDIRECT Culture of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints {{R from other capitalisation ... {{R from other capitalisation ...
to some degree as a result of having been raised in the LDS Church or else having converted and spent a large portion of one's life as an active member of the LDS Church. Such "cultural" Mormons may or may not be actively involved with the church. In some cases they may not even be, or have ever been, official members of the church.
Many cultural Mormons possess a strongly Mormon identity and abide with an appreciation for the lessons and the love they have received in the course of long church membership. Cultural Mormons do not necessarily hold
anti-Mormon sentiments and often support the goals of the church. Many retain a sense of Mormon identity for life.
Both secular Mormons and
progressive Mormon
Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into sever ...
s are sometimes referred to as on the left side of the religious spectrums; the more typical
mainstream Mormons, in the center; and religious Mormons dissidents who disagree with certain changes to "original teachings" within Mormonism, on the right. Segments of the right include both
fundamentalist Mormons and dissidents who participate in the
Remnant movement
Remnant or remnants may refer to:
Religion
* Remnant (Bible), a recurring theme in the Bible
* Remnant (Seventh-day Adventist belief), the remnant theme in the Seventh-day Adventist Church
* ''The Remnant'' (newspaper), a traditional Catholic n ...
.
Overview
The LDS Church tolerates a certain amount of disbelief in its doctrines and practices; but, in certain instances it might consider them grounds for
disciplinary action
In a deliberative assembly, disciplinary procedures are used to punish members for violating the rules of the assembly.
Codes and rules
According to Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (RONR), discipline could include censure, fine, suspension ...
.
LDS Church leaders teach that certain doubts can be resolved by "instruction, study, and prayer, which result in increased testimony, which drives out further doubts." However, disbelief in certain core doctrines (e.g.: the role of Jesus Christ as Savior and Redeemer; sustaining the leaders of the church as fulfilling their roles as
prophets, seers, and revelators
Prophet, seer, and revelator is an ecclesiastical title used in the Latter Day Saint movement. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) is the largest denomination of the movement, and it currently applies the terms to the membe ...
; etc.) can prevent a Mormon from participating in certain activities, such as
priesthood ordinances and
temple
A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called churches), Hinduism (whose temples ...
worship. Some Mormons keep certain doubts secret in order to participate in such activities, or to avoid conflict with family and friends.
Disciplinary action on the grounds of
apostasy
Apostasy (; grc-gre, ἀποστασία , 'a defection or revolt') is the formal disaffiliation from, abandonment of, or renunciation of a religion by a person. It can also be defined within the broader context of embracing an opinion that ...
may result when a member of the LDS Church
publicly opposes church doctrines.
Internet communities
Fearing that divulging any
heterodoxy may result in stigmatization by
mainstream LDS
Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into several ...
, some Mormons prefer anonymity. Many participate in Internet communities, where they can discuss their issues anonymously.
New Order Mormons
One such group refers to itself as the New Order Mormons, a name patterned on the term
New Order Amish (Amish who maintain cultural ties to their religion while not accepting some of its core
tenets). This is a group of Mormons and former Mormons who no longer believe at least some of the tenets of the LDS Church, but because of family or cultural ties do not choose to completely separate themselves from the faith.
Humanistic Mormonism
Humanistic Mormonism is a movement of
freethinkers
Freethought (sometimes spelled free thought) is an epistemological viewpoint which holds that beliefs should not be formed on the basis of authority, tradition, revelation, or dogma, and that beliefs should instead be reached by other methods ...
, cultural Mormons, disfellowshipped or independents related to LDS Church and other Latter Day Saint groups that emphasize
Mormon
Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into severa ...
culture and history, but do not demand belief in a supernatural god, or the historicity of the
Bible
The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts ...
or the
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a religious text of the Latter Day Saint movement, which, according to Latter Day Saint theology, contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from 600 BC to AD 421 and during an interlude d ...
. It is based on
humanism
Humanism is a philosophy, philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential and Agency (philosophy), agency of Human, human beings. It considers human beings the starting point for serious moral and philosophical in ...
and can be summarized in some points.
* A Mormon is someone who identifies with the history, culture and future of the LDS way of life.
* People possess the power and responsibility to shape their own lives independent of supernatural authority.
* Ethics and morality should serve human needs and choices should be based upon consideration of the consequences of actions rather than pre-ordained rules or commandments.
* The Bible, Book of Mormon or other religious texts are purely human and natural phenomena. Biblical and other traditional texts are the products of human activity and are best understood by scientific analysis.
The Society for Humanistic Mormonism characterizes itself as a "new worldwide religion of Humanistic Mormonism" with its own "General Authorities and Administrative Officers", and with its own unique doctrines, such as a "Covenant of Comedy and Humor".
See also
*
Antinomianism
Antinomianism (Ancient Greek: ἀντί 'anti''"against" and νόμος 'nomos''"law") is any view which rejects laws or legalism and argues against moral, religious or social norms (Latin: mores), or is at least considered to do so. The term ha ...
*
Bloggernacle
*
Blogs about Mormons and Mormonism
*
Cafeteria Christianity
The evangelical Lausanne Movement defines a nominal Christian as "a person who has not responded in repentance and faith to Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour and Lord"... e"may be a practising or non-practising church member. He may give intel ...
*
Criticism of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
*
Cultural Catholic
Cultural Christians are nonreligious persons who adhere to Christian values and appreciate Christian culture. As such, these individuals usually identify themselves as culturally Christians, and are often seen by practicing believers as nomin ...
*
Cultural Christian
Cultural Christians are nonreligious persons who adhere to Christian values and appreciate Christian culture. As such, these individuals usually identify themselves as culturally Christians, and are often seen by practicing believers as nom ...
*
Cultural Judaism
Jewish culture is the culture of the Jewish people, from its formation in ancient times until the current age. Judaism itself is not a faith-based religion, but an orthoprax and ethnoreligion, pertaining to deed, practice, and identity. Jewis ...
*
Cultural Muslim
Cultural Muslims are religiously non-practicing individuals who still identify with Islam due to family backgrounds, personal experiences, or the social and cultural environment in which they grew up.
Definition
In Central Asia and in former co ...
*
*
Ex-Mormon
Ex-Mormon or post-Mormon refers to a disaffiliate of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) or any of its schismatic breakoffs, collectively called "Mormonism". Ex-Mormons—sometimes referred to as exmo or postmo—may ne ...
*
Exmormon Foundation The Exmormon Foundation is a non-profit, non-sectarian organization that supports people transitioning out of affiliation with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It was founded by Richard Packham in 2001. He left the LDS ...
*
Groups within Mormonism
*
Humanistic Judaism
*
Irreligion
Irreligion or nonreligion is the absence or rejection of religion, or indifference to it. Irreligion takes many forms, ranging from the casual and unaware to full-fledged philosophies such as atheism and agnosticism, secular humanism and ...
*
Jack Mormon
The term Jack Mormon is a slang term originating in nineteenth-century America. It was originally used to describe a person who was not a baptized member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints but who was friendly to church members an ...
*
Lapsed Catholic
A lapsed Catholic is a Catholic who is non-practicing. Such a person may still identify as a Catholic, and remains one according to canon law. Excommunication or an act of defection only separate a person from the sacraments. Nothing can terminate ...
*
List of former or dissident LDS
This is a list of well-known Mormon dissidents or other members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) who have either been excommunicated or have resigned from the church – as well as of individuals no longer self-id ...
*
Moralistic therapeutic deism
Moralistic therapeutic deism (MTD) is a term that was first introduced in the 2005 book ''Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers'' by the sociologist Christian Smith with Melinda Lundquist Denton. The term is used ...
*
Non-denominational
*
Off the derech
Off the ''derech'' ( he, דֶּרֶךְ, pronounced: , meaning: path) (OTD) is a Yeshiva-English expression used to describe a Jew who has left an Orthodox Jewish community. Despite its negative connotation in insinuating that the exiter has left ...
(Orthodox Jewish expression)
*
Spiritual but not religious
"Spiritual but not religious" (SBNR), also known as "spiritual but not affiliated" (SBNA), is a popular phrase and initialism used to self-identify a life stance of spirituality that does not regard organized religion as the sole or most valuable ...
*
Stay LDS
Stay LDS / Mormon ("Latter-day Saint") is a collaborative blog featuring discussion and commentary about Mormon issues, beliefs, culture, thought and current events. It was created by Brian Johnston and John Dehlin, formerly of the Sunstone Educa ...
*
Sunday Christian
References
External links
New Order Mormons– A website for members of the LDS Church who no longer believe some (or many) of the doctrines of the LDS church, but who want to maintain membership for cultural and social reasons.
New Order Mormon Discussion Forum– "A forum for those who have chosen to remain connected with the LDS church for personal reasons and in spite of church history or present practices."
Society for Humanistic Mormonism– The official webpage for the Society for Humanistic Mormonism.
The Post-Mormon Community– An organization for those who have left the LDS Church and no longer believe in it.
{{Culture
Christian secularism
Latter Day Saint terms