What Do Mormons Believe?
I am asked on occasion, “Amy, What do Mormons believe?” That is a big question and it deserves a big answer. I hope I can answer it in a nutshell.
Well, first of all, Mormons (properly referred to as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) believe in God and Jesus Christ. We believe that Jesus is the son of God and that he came to earth to atone for our sins, and make it possible to repent and to be resurrected. We believe that God is a separate being than Jesus Christ and that they are one in purpose.
We also believe in scriptures. We believe in the Bible and in The Book of Mormon. We read from both books regularly and believe they are the word of God.
We believe in prophets. We know that God has spoken to men through prophets in the old and new testament. He speaks to us through a prophet, Thomas S. Monson. The church was restored through the prophet, Joseph Smith.
We believe that families are important and that families can be together forever if they are sealed in the temple by those with authority. We believe in being faithful to our marriage covenants and living chaste lives. We believe that the sacred relationships between a man and wife should only exist in the bonds of matrimony and we do not believe in premarital or extramarital sex.
We believe that our bodies are temples and that we need to keep them clean and pure. We do not believe in piercing or tatooing our bodies, other than one pair of modest earrings for women. We do not drink alcohol, use tobacco, or drink coffee. We do not take drugs. We eat healthy foods, like grains and vegetables and fruits, and eat meat sparingly.
I know that you are probably thinking, “But I know a Mormon and he doesn’t live up to those standards.” It’s true. There are many people who belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. All of us are at different levels of conversion and some people choose not to follow the teachings of the prophets. Just because the people aren’t perfect, doesn’t mean the doctrine isn’t perfect. These are the things we believe. These are the things we know will bring us happiness if we follow them.
