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15 Fascinating Facts About Mormons

Mormons are a religious and cultural group that is related to Mormonism. Joseph Smith in upstate New York started the principal branch of the Latter-Day Saint movement during the 1820s. After his death, the movement split into several groups following different leaders. Most of the smaller groups eventually merged into the Community of Christ. The term Mormon typically refers to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

People who identify as Mormons may also be independently religious, secular, and non-practicing or belong to other denominations. In 2018, the church requested that its members be referred to as Latter-day Saints.

1. They Have a Strong Sense of Community

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Over the years, Mormons have developed a strong sense of community that stems from their doctrine and history. In the 19th century, they practiced plural marriage which was a form of religious polygamy. However, from 1852 until 1904, the church banned the practice, and many of the Mormons who had followed Brigham Young to the Utah Territory openly practiced polygamy.

The young and retired members of the LDS church are to serve a full-time proselytizing mission. This is a way for them to spread the word and dedicate significant time and resources to serving in their churches. Mormons te to be very family-oriented and have strong connections across generations and with extended family. 

Mormons have a strong sense of commonality that stems from their doctrine and history. LDS Church members have a responsibility to dedicate their time and talents to helping the poor and building the church.

Read more about other churches here.

2. They Self-identity

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Mormons self-identify as Christian but some non-Mormons consider Mormons non-Christian. This is because their beliefs differ from those of Nicene Christianity. Mormons believe that Christ’s church was restored through Joseph Smith and is guided by living prophets and apostles. Mormons believe in the Bible and other books of scripture, such as the Book of Mormon. 

Mormons have a unique view of cosmology and believe that all people are the literal spirit of children of God. They believe that returning to God requires following the example of Jesus Christ and accepting his atonement through acceptance and ordinances such as baptism.

3. The Mormon Policies

Mormons have a health code that eschews alcoholic beverages, tobacco, tea, coffee, and addictive substances. Mormons have a law of chastity that requires them to abstain from sexual relations outside heterosexual marriage and fidelity within marriage.

Back in 152 to 1978, the LDS church enforced a policy restricting men of black African descent from being ordained to the church’s lay priesthood. The church faced criticism during the civil rights movement and it was reversed in 1978. They later greeted the change with joy and since then, black membership has grown.

4. Beginning of The Mormon Movement

The movement began with the publishing of the Book of Mormon in March 1839. Joseph Smith claimed was a translation of golden plates that contained the religious history of an ancient American civilization that the ancient prophet-historian Mormon had compiled. Joesph claimed that an angel had directed him to the golden plates which were buried in the Hill Cumorah.

He founded the Church of Christ on April 6, 1830. He later added an account of a vision he had sometime in the early 1820s while living in Upstate New York. Some Mormons regarded this vision as the most important event in human history after the birth, ministry, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

5. The Latter Day Saint Movement

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The Movement is the collection of independent church groups that trace their origins to a Christian Restorationist movement founded by Joseph Smith in the late 1820s. The predominant theology of the churches in the movement is Mormonism which sees itself as restoring the early Christian church with additional revelations.

The Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints supports lineal succession of leadership from Joseph Smith’s descendants and the more controversial Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints defends the practice of polygamy. These churches have over 16 million members but about 98% belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Read more about other churches here.

6. The Church’s Growth after World War II

After World War II, the church became a worldwide organization as missionaries were set across the globe. The church doubled in size every 15 to 20 years and there were more Mormons outside the United States than inside. In 2012, it was noted that there were an estimated 14.8 million Mormons with roughly 57 percent living outside the United States.

Most Mormons are distributed in North and South America, the South Pacific, and Western Europe. The global distribution of Mormons resembles a contact diffusion model, radiating out from the organization’s headquarters in Utah. Even though, international Mormons often bring pieces of their own heritage into the church, adapting church practices to local cultures.

In December 2019, it was noted that the LDS Church had 16,565,036 members worldwide. South Pacific countries and dependencies that are more than 10 percent Mormon include American Samoa, the Cook Islands, Kiribati, Niue, Samoa, and Tonga.

7. Tensions Between Mormons and America

By the time 1857 came around, tensions began to rise between Mormons and other Americans. This was due to accusations involving polygamy and the theocratic rule of the Utah Territory by Brigham Young. In the same year, U.S. President James Buchanan sent an army to Utah which Mormons interpreted as open aggression against them.

The relatively peaceful Utah War ensued from 1857 to 1858, the most notable instance of violence was the Mountain Meadows massacre when leaders of a local Mormon militia ordered the killing of a civilian emigrant party that was traveling through Utah during the escalating tensions.

Later in 1858 when Brigham Young agreed to step down from his position as governor and was replaced by a non-Mormon, Alfred Cumming. Nevertheless, the LDS Church still wielded significant political power in the Utah Territory.

8. The Mormon Culture

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Mormon converts are urged to undergo lifestyle changes, repent of sins, and adopt sometimes atypical standards of conduct. Practices common to Mormons include studying scriptures, praying daily, fasting regularly, attending Sunday worship services, and participating in church programs, and activities on weekdays. The most important part of the church services is considered to be the Lord’s Supper in which church members renew covenants made at baptism.

Mormons also emphasize standards they believe were taught by Jesus Christ which include personal honesty, integrity, obedience to the law, chastity outside marriage, and fidelity within marriage.

Mormons adhere to the Word of Wisdom which is a health law or code that is interpreted as prohibiting the consumption of tobacco, alcohol, coffee, and tea. The Word of Wisdom is also understood to forbid other harmful and addictive substances and practices such as the use of illegal drugs and the abuse of prescription drugs.

Read more about other churches here.

9. Mormons’ Opinions on Modern Topics

All sexual activity outside marriage is considered a grave sin due to the fact that marriage is recognized as only between a man and a woman. Same-sex marriages are not performed or supported by the LDS Church, church members are encouraged to marry and have children. It has been noted that Latter-day Saint families tend to be larger than average. 

Mormons are opposed to abortion except in some exceptional circumstances such as when pregnancy is the result of incest or rape or when the life or health of the mother is in serious jeopardy. Many practicing adult Mormons wear religious undergarments that remind them of covenants and encourage them to dress modestly.

Tattoos and body piercings are also discouraged with the exception of a single pair of earrings for LDS women. LGBT Mormons remain in good standing in the church if they abstain from homosexual relations and obey the law of chastity. LDS Family Services estimated that on average, four or five members per LDS ward experience same-sex attraction.

Many of these individuals have come forward through different support groups or websites discussing their homosexual attractions and concurrent church membership. 

10. The Fundamentalist Mormons

There are many fundamentalist sects, the largest two are the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and the Apostolic United Brethren. In addition to plural marriage some of these groups also have a form of Christian communalism which is known as the law of consecration or the United Order.

The LDS Church seeks to distance itself from all such polygamous groups, ex-communication their members if discovered practicing or teaching it. Now, a majority of Mormon fundamentalists have never been members of the LDS Church.

11. The Progressive Mormons

Progressive Mormons take an interpretive approach to LDS teachings and scripture. They look to the scriptures for spiritual guidance but may not necessarily believe the teachings to be literally or uniquely true. For these Mormons, revelation is a process through which God gradually brings fallible human beings to greater understanding.

A person in this category is sometimes mistakenly regarded by others within the mainstream church as a Jack Mormon although this term is more commonly used to describe a different group with distinct motives to live the gospel in a non-traditional manner. Progressive Mormons place doing good and loving fellow human beings above the importance of believing correctly.

12. The Mormon Cosmology

The Book of Mormon is also believed to have been written by ancient prophets and is viewed as a companion to the Bible. They believe in a friendly universe that is governed by a God whose aim is to bring his children to immortality and eternal life. Mormons have a unique perspective on the nature of God, the origin of man, and the purpose of life. 

Mormons believe in a pre-mortal existence where people were literal spirit children of God and that God presented a plan of salvation that would allow his children to progress and become more like him. The plan involved the spirits receiving bodies on earth and going through trials in order to learn, progress, and receive a fullness of joy.

13. The Mormon Ressurection Theories

The most important part of the plan involved Jesus, the eldest of God’s children, coming to earth as the literal Son of God to conquer sin and death so that God’s children could return.

To Mormons, every person who lives in the heart will be resurrected and nearly all of them will be received into various kingdoms of glory. In order to be accepted into the highest kingdom, a person must fully accept Christ through faith, acceptance, and through ordinances such as baptism and the laying on of hands.

14. The LDS Church Hierarchical Structure

The structure begins with a president-prophet dictating revelations for the entire church. Lay Mormons are also believed to have access to inspiration ad are encouraged to seek their own personal revelations. Mormons see Joseph Smith’s First Vision as proof that the heavens are open and that God answers prayers. 

Most Mormons have never claimed to have heavenly visions like Joseph’s in response to prayers but feel that God talks to them in their hearts and minds through the Holy Ghost. 

15. Difference Between Mormos and Christians

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Even though some Mormons identify as Christians, it has been noted that due to the fact that Mormons do not believe in the Trinity, they cannot actually be Christians. The LDS Church rejects the Jesus Christ of Christianity orthodoxy in that they believe that God the Father is greater than Jesus.

Mormons look to Jesus Christ as their Lord and worship Him as their Savior. Many Mormon beliefs about Jesus Christ are similar to other Christian beliefs about Him.

Read more about other churches here.