Some of you will have noticed that I've gotten pretty quiet on this board since my missionary adventure postings ended a few weeks ago. My DILs legal woes have erupted again so I've been busy with that. And that's what brings me back to you great gals/guys.
We anticipate a need to argue before the court that Mormonism is NOTHING LIKE historic Christianity. (My DIL is raising her son Christian - independent Evangelical - while the other side is Mormon. What resources are quickly available that make a comparison between the two? E.g., in Mormonism, God is a created being who progressed from manhood to godhood like many others before him; in Christianity, God was always God and there are no other gods.
Even just a list of the different meanings of the same terminology would be helpful. E.g., in Christianity a deacon is a grown man required to have only one wife, in Mormonism he's a 12yo boy.
Serious replies only please. Need this for a meeting with attorney later today. Or by the end of the week at the latest. Multiple resources for me to choose from would be great.
Out of curiosity, and I'm sure you're busy, but what difference does it make if Mormonism were nothing like historic christianity (whatever "historic" christianity means... I mean, "historic" christianity probably looks nothing like modern christianity. How many flavors of christianity are there today?).
Legally speaking, aren't the two the same thing? In the eyes of the law they are both religions, that's all that should matter, at least in the US where we have religious freedom. In the USA, you can't say one religion is better than another from a legal or governmental standpoint, which sounds like you're trying to do... But I might be reading more into it than what's there.
Knowing what you're trying to do with that difference might help provide context for your question.
But Finally Free makes a good point: what difference does it make? Would it make any difference in the eyes of the law if the child were being raised Hindu? In the U.S. we believe in relgious freedom, and if the child's family is raising it Hindu, that's their choice.
I'm not sure if it will help, because I can't see why a court would care, but here are some differences --
The biggest difference is that Mormonism in non-Trinitarian. That is why other churches often do not accept Mormon baptism as legitimate. Mormons accept Joseph Smith as a prophet and the Book of Mormon as scripture. Mormons believe that their God, Elohim, has a physical body and lives on a planet near the star Kolob. They believe that ordinary men can become Gods. Their heaven has three levels. They believe that families can only be together in their highest level of heaven (the Celestial Kingdom) if the parents have been sealed in a Mormon temple and keep their covenants.
Have heard of children of divorce cases being ordered to attend LDS services by Courts in Utah, when father was believing lds.
Simple illustration of different belief on LDS side would be a picture of the lds testimony glove (internet image search and download) and the lyrics from a few primary songs such as I hope I go to the temple someday and I hope they call me on a mission and follow the prophet.
Christianity: God is an evil celestial dictator, or totally inept Kolobianism: God is middle management, just tryin' to make ends meet or he'll default on his god contract and the elements won't obey him anymore ( his mansions will get foreclosed on )
Christianity: Perfectly comfortable murdering countless jews & muslims, and other kinds of christians Kolobianism: Perfectly comfortable raping 14 year old girls in the name of god
Christianity: Tells you you're dirty but offers to clean you for free, but you have to actually clean yourself Kolobianism: Tells you you're dirty and tells you to clean yourself, but then pretends it offered to clean you all along
Christianity: Takes your money Kolobianism: Takes your time & money
Christianity: Assert there is no more revelation but they always claim to know what god wants on relevant current topics Kolobianism: Assert they have ongoing revelation but never give god's opinion on relevant current topics
You can, of course, give this strategy a shot. I suspect from your post it has something to do with child custody.
However, I'm just going to point out that any decent attorney (assuming the one opposing you is decent) can rip this argument to shreds in 5 minutes, since NO religion is anything like "historic christianity." And assuming "historic christianity" is somehow "right" and everything else "wrong" isn't going to work either, so whether or not mormonism is nothing like "historic christianity" probably won't get you anywhere.
Your attorney, if they're any good, should point this out to you. The way to do what I think you want to do is to show *actual harm* that comes from mormonism. And there's plenty to show. But don't get into "No True Scotsman" fallacies, or argue about whose "beliefs" are correct. Those aren't likely to do you any good at all in a court of law.
It could get quite technical; as others have said, not sure what this information is hoping to prove - if you want to argue harm, it would maybe be better to research mind control techniques and cult characteristics rather than theology. However, here are some basics:
Christianity: one God in three persons Mormonism: multiple gods
Christianity: God is uncreated, eternal, all-powerful, all-knowing, present everywhere at once, unchanging, has no physical form. Mormonism: God was created as human and progressed into being a God; God has a physical body and a location.
Christianity: Jesus is fully man and fully God, and is uncreated. Mormonism: Jesus is created in the same way as other humans; I believe he is seen as "half man half God", if I understand rightly; the difference from "fully man and fully God" is subtle but significant.
Christianity: Jesus was born to a virgin through the action of the Holy Spirit Mormonism: Jesus was born as a result of God having physical sexual intercourse with Jesus' mother.
Christianity: Jesus came to earth and suffered so that anyone who accepted him would find redemption and be reconciled with God. This is all by God's grace and we cannot earn it, or climb higher in God's favour by our efforts. Mormonism: Jesus came to earth and suffered so that no human being would have to go to Hell. After this base level of salvation, further progression to higher levels of heaven are achieved by personal righteousness, obedience, temple rites and specific marital arrangements.
I could go on, but without knowing more about why you need this, I'm not sure whether I'm really helping or not. others have said there is no such thing as "historic Christianity" because there is a lot of variation - frankly I think that's overstated. There is variation, but most of it is on minor doctrinal matters. I've tried to stick to the big stuff that most Christian denominations would agree with. Some - like the Trinity - are disagreed with by some small groups, but the vast majority would hold to them.
1. As an attorney I cannot see any court getting involved. 2. If one wishes to get into religion, I suppose that evidence that a certain religion is harmful would be permitted if you got the right judge. 3. Even where the parties had a prenuptual agreement or a divorce settlement agreement about the religion of a child, I am not sure it would be enforceable. 4. Rather than any issue of religion, the court may get into the strength of the character of the parties, the parental stability offered, and the people within the prospective households. Generally, the court would prefer the parent who is better able to parent the child and looking for the stability so far as education, health, opportunities, and so forth. If one party has remarried to someone and the relationship is stable this often works to have the court give more time to that parent rather than the single parent. 5. If you are in the Morridor, I would expect that the LDS parent has an advantage because of family help. This does not, however, necessarily, trump where the non-mo parent is the stable party and the mo parent mentally or emotionally unstable. Regrettably, the fact that TSCC is totally quack will not be persuasive in the court.
If the child follows the father's LDS religion, the mother will be banned from seeing her own child get married, since the mother is not "temple worthy." (Spiritual extortion/tithing for temple/celestial kingdom-heaven.)
Polygamy. Mormon men can be sealed/marry more than one wife in the temple. Women can only be sealed once, unless rarely cancelled.
Kids as young as 11 are grilled about sexuality, masturbation, etc. by untrained male clergy in a closed door office, without parents present.
Necromancy. Baptisms and ordinances for the dead of all religions, even former Mormons who resigned.
Add that the mother will be banned from entering the temple while the child participates in evening baptisms for the dead, changing clothing with strangers "attendants" numerous dunks in the water by a strange man, hands on head by a strange man...
What kind of field trip doesn't allow parents to chaperone their own child/banned from entering the bldg.?
Maybe he is trying to get a no change of religion clause in the custody case. If he can show its damaging and goes against obligations to protect his children, then it is relevant.