Mormons and Catholics stand shoulder to shoulder as Christ's witnesses?
Really? Today the two religions may agree on moral teaching - yet not all that long ago Mormons believed in polygamy, yet they changed their teaching to conform with civil law. Seems to me, their teaching could just as well change to accommodate same sex marriage:
... continuing revelations are not exceptions to Mormon practice. "We believe all that God has revealed, all that he does now reveal, and we believe that he will yet reveal many great and important things"—this is the ninth article of faith for Mormons and is an official statement of doctrine. - Source
That said, Utah's Catholic Bishop Wester told Mormon students that Catholics and Mormons stand "shoulder to shoulder as witnesses of Jesus Christ" in the public square - maybe as far as the defense of traditional marriage goes, but there are really big differences between them. To be fair, it sounds as if the Bishop tried to make that clear to those he addressed, but the casual headline reader may not pick up on that.
The Rev. John C. Wester, speaking at an LDS Institute of Religion devotional at Utah Valley University, pointed to his presence on the Orem campus as a "wonderful sign of the ongoing collaboration between our faiths" and another "important step in interfaith relations."
In a half-hour speech punctuated by humorous and poignant personal experiences with Latter-day Saints, Wester detailed Catholic foundational beliefs as well as aspects that dovetailed or diverged from Mormon teachings.
True.Catholics believe that humans "are created to be one with God forever," he said, that they are capable of sinning, and that God restored humanity to a "right relationship with him" by sending his son Jesus Christ to suffer, die and be resurrected.
As part of the church’s teachings, Wester said, Catholics maintain that marriage is between a man and a woman, a belief that the church has a "right to say so" publicly.Mormons have a different understanding, he said, of human nature, the nature of God and scripture.
But Latter-day Saints and Catholics share a belief in the centrality of Christ and the efficacy of prayer, that humans are expected to be good stewards of the Earth, and, Wester said, that family life and Christian marriage are "not open to fads or new conventions."
Both faiths have been at the forefront in the fight against same-sex marriage.
Together, they also heed the call to help the poor and needy. - Source
So anyway, what are the differences between Catholicism and Mormonism? Go here to find out just how different they are from Catholics; then go here for a convenient Protestant chart on the fundamental differences.
Today's first reading:
"I am reminding you brothers and sisters, of the Gospel I preached to you, which indeed you have received and in which you also stand." - 1 Corinthians 15: 1-11
How about, "Convert or you'll be damned!"
ReplyDeleteWhat is going ON in the Church these days! ;D
Sounds like more Catholic panic to elect Romney. I'm beginning to think Catholics should simply pray on election day that God picks the one who will do the least damage to his antecedent will. While Ryan longs to cut $800 billion from the Fed's side of mediCAID in ten years, does anyone think their administration would be incapable of another Iraq war which the most recent study costed out at $4 trillion dollars ( Brown University). $4 trillion dollars to find WMD that did not exist but Ryan is offended that medicaid ($400 billion a year) covers 60% of the elderly in nursing homes and 37% of US hospital
ReplyDeletebirths. This election choice is a disaster but Catholic figures are centered on the insurance mandate solely. That Ryan cuts will make abortions more likely among the poor via medicaid cuts on pre natal, delivery, and post partum is mentioned no where because closing Catholic institutions out of conscience is sehr horrific. Oddly increases in abortion numbers has faded to black for awhile because Ryan has cited his love for Aquinas....7 years after citing his love for Rand.