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Original poster

No Church service on Easter Sunday- can someone explain?

109 replies

speakout · 02/04/2018 06:28

My mother has recently become a Mormon- was baptised a few months ago. Not my bag but I have been supportive and the church community have welcomed her.
But she is confused about their lack of enthusiasm for christmas and Easter. Our other local churches were busy all day on Easter Sunday, with three or four services each.
Mormon church was closed. No services at all in the past few days. Normal Sunday morning service was not running. I thought easter was a big thing for christians. Can someone explain.

OP posts:

updownwhinewhine · 02/04/2018 06:39

Don't call them Christians, that's insulting, they're a cult.

LaurieFairyCake · 02/04/2018 06:40

They’re not ‘Christians’ in any way that we might understand it. They describe themselves as part of the broad Christian movement but they put full emphasis on Joseph Smith.

They believe in Father/Son/spirit but that passed into history and then the FULL gospel was realised in Joseph Smith ie. it’s a movement around one person, what he said, what he wrote down on tablets

So they would celebrate Joseph Smiths birthday, his ascension to heaven rather than Jesus’s.

Traditional Christian traditions are not really celebrated in a major way.

LaurieFairyCake · 02/04/2018 06:43

It’s also a very new religion, Smith only died in 1844.

Original poster

speakout · 02/04/2018 06:47

How are they not christians? By whose definition?

They study the bible, they pray, they believe that jesus is saviour. Yes they do the Joseph Smith thing, but I can't see their teachings anything other than christian.

Maybe I should be steering my mother into another church. The only reason she joined the mormons is that they told her that she would be able to get her late husband into heaven - even though he was an atheist.

OP posts:

bushtailadventures · 02/04/2018 06:50

I think it's also because it was their General Conference this week (my DM was also a Mormon) and they don't have services while conference is on.

Sorchajanebright · 02/04/2018 06:54

I know a bit about mormonism and there are some serious misconceptions here. Mormons follow Jesus Christ and believe he is there Saviour, which is the very definition of a Christian.
They believe Joseph Smith was a prophet from God, but they do not worship him or put him on anywhere near the same level as Jesus.
Easter is a special time for Mormons but they gives thanks for his sacrifice for human kind (in their minds) and celebrate his life every day, not just at Easter.

LaurieFairyCake · 02/04/2018 06:55

They are Christians in the sense of being part of the broader movement but they don’t think that Christianity ‘stopped’ (for want of a better word) with Jesus.

Instead they believe that the Bible had errors and it was reinterpreted by Joseph Smith and that HE represented the fulfillment of the Bible - so they celebrate and talk about him all the time as he’s THEIR major prophet.

Sorchajanebright · 02/04/2018 06:55

I am surprised that to hear that a mormon church was closed on a Sunday though. I’ve never heard of that happening before.

Figgygal · 02/04/2018 06:56

She joined them because they told her THAT? And you wonder if that's a good church for her to be affiliated with?

bushtailadventures · 02/04/2018 06:56

speakout When my DM was ill (sectioned to be precise) members of the congregation were the only people to visit her apart from family. They used to arrange to have the young people on mission drop in on her at home a lot too, just so she had company. I hear a lot of opinions about Mormons, but as far as I am concerned, they're not so bad.

After my DM died, they came to her funeral too, and gave me a photo they had of her that I had never seen. If it gives your DM some comfort, I don't see any reason to steer her away.

Sorchajanebright · 02/04/2018 06:57

Were you raised as a mormon, Laurie? I have never heard of a mormon (and I know many), who would say that Joseph Smith was THE prophet.

Sorchajanebright · 02/04/2018 06:58

Sorry, correction, their MAJOR prophet. That is definitely Jesus.

Original poster

speakout · 02/04/2018 07:01

She joined them because they told her THAT? And you wonder if that's a good church for her to be affiliated with?

figgygal- what's the problem?

I am an atheist- so it's all shit to me, but I respect my mother's views and will support her in her own decisions.

OP posts:

LaurieFairyCake · 02/04/2018 07:01

There are 3 branches of Mormonism, the one with most members in UK is LDS. Has your mum defo joined that one speakout?

It also varies congregation to congregation - some chapters put much more emphasis on Smith than traditional Christian orthodoxy.

Sorchajanebright · 02/04/2018 07:01

And yes, Mormons believe that everyone will get another chance to repent and choose to follow Jesus after death.

Original poster

speakout · 02/04/2018 07:03

bushtailadventures thta's the thing.

The mormon church has been great for my mother. Their missionaries have been painting the house, clearing the garden, she has lots of social invites. They seem really nice people.

OP posts:

Original poster

speakout · 02/04/2018 07:04

Yes it's LDS.

The church is a two minute walk from my house.

OP posts:

LaurieFairyCake · 02/04/2018 07:11

Ok it’s LDS. In short I can think of 3 reasons why their was no service:

Act of God - like the heating being off
They chose Mormon evangelism over church services on Easter Sunday - they went out into the community knocking on doors
(This is what I think) - that this is where the difference is between Mormonism and traditional Christian tradition. They don’t emphasise the death/resurrection as MUCH as other branches of Christianity.

thegreenheartofmanyroundabouts · 02/04/2018 07:16

A quick google search shows that Mormons do celebrate Easter but it appears that at your mum's church they decided not to do so with a service. For someone in a mainstream Christian church that seems odd but is there a church magazine or pew sheet giving details of what they are doing?

Original poster

speakout · 02/04/2018 07:32

No information. Christmas was similarly low key. Depsite also being a Sunday, no service on christmas eve. Church was closed, and no service on christmas day either.

OP posts:

Original poster

speakout · 02/04/2018 07:33

I think my mother was a bit disappointed.

She spent the afternoon watching Jesus of Nazareth on TV instead.

OP posts:

LynetteScavo · 02/04/2018 07:35

speakout When my DM was ill (sectioned to be precise) members of the congregation were the only people to visit her apart from family. They used to arrange to have the young people on mission drop in on her at home a lot too,

Call me skeptical, but those on missions are trying to find as many people as possible to join the church...vulnerable people such as those who are mentally ill or who are very poor for example are, for want of a better phrase, an easy target target for baptism.

Having said that, every Mormon I I have ever met has been lovely and kind and genuinely believes that my baptising people in to their church is a Good Thing.

If you're an atheist it won't make a bit of difference to you what they do or don't believe, and I get the social side is useful for members (as in any community).
Whether they are a cult or not is another matter. They may follow the teachings of Christ but some of their beliefs are considered some what unusual whacky by mainstream Christians.

Have you looked into their beliefs and history at all OP? I'm surprised your DM was baptised into any church without spending a year attending first.

Original poster

speakout · 02/04/2018 07:40

Lynette- the church was very keen on baptism from the outset. My mother was baptised within a few weeks of becoming involved with the church.

And no the beliefs don't matter to me= but they do to my mother, and she felt let down by no easter celebration.

OP posts:

LynetteScavo · 02/04/2018 07:58

*my = by.....I'm not baptising anyone!

I'm sorry your DM is disappointed. She does sound rather vulnerable. Maybe Christians who believe it's possible to enter heaven even without baptism, but like to big up Christmas and Easter would have been more suitable for your DM?

Dozer · 02/04/2018 08:05

It’s sad that your mother thinks her choice of religion and practice will make a difference to the afterlife of her deceased H. Her actions are also disrespectful about her H’s wishes, and the religion. Has she had grief counselling?

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