The Mormon religion is an entity unto its own. They may have split over the polygamy thing. The religion does leave me to wonder if they are in fact a cult. I know what has happened in the adoption industry. This does not bode well for the LDS Family and Social Services. It gives an indication on what these children who are placed are raised. I am sure that the families that are fighting LDS alone are worried about their children.
Since I have satellite television, I have this great little channel called Investigation Discovery. They showed an episode on one of these types of sects. There is a woman who helps other women and children escape. She has actually been threatened on numerous occasions. She has now resorted to wearing both a gun and a knife. I know of a few others online that have faced the same ordeal. I honestly believe that the LDS Church should be open in its dealings with other religions. I also believe that their books need to be looked over by the government especially since it along with other National Council for Adoption agencies receive funds from the state and federal governments.
I also googled the LDS Church today. I found this little news article .
LDS Church President Thomas S. Monson invited "the less-active, the offended, the critical, the transgressor" Sunday to come back and "feast at the table of the Lord and taste again the sweet and satisfying fruits of fellowship with the Saints."
In his first address to the entire 13-million member Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the newly sustained 16th "prophet, seer and revelator," Monson echoed sentiments of welcome and inclusion that were hallmarks of his recent predecessors.
He spoke during the Sunday morning session of the church's 178th Annual General Conference, held in the Conference Center in downtown Salt Lake City and beamed via satellite to LDS chapels across the globe.
Monson encouraged Mormons to show kindness and respect "for all people everywhere. The world in which we live is filled with diversity. We can and should demonstrate respect toward those whose beliefs differ from ours."
The new president said he was overwhelmed by church members' symbolic gestures of support offered Saturday. "As your hands were raised toward heaven, my heart was touched. I felt your love and support, as well as your commitment to the Lord," he said.
Monson has enjoyed meeting with Mormons in many nations, he said, and he plans to continue traveling, as the late President Gordon B. Hinckley did.
"I pledge my life, my strength
Other speakers on Sunday discussed prayer, finding spiritual light, forgiveness and resurrection, the courage to uphold LDS standards and the role of the apostles. Many reiterated their support for and allegiance to Monson.
"I cannot help but feel that the most important privilege [of this historic conference] has been to witness the settling of the sacred prophetic mantle upon [Monson's] shoulders, almost by the very hands of angels," said Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, in an emotional and unscripted comment.
In his speech, Holland took on the church's Christian critics who condemn Mormonism for using extra scriptures beyond the Bible, including the Book of Mormon.
"The fact of the matter is that virtually every prophet of the Old and New Testament has added scripture to that received by his predecessors," Holland said. "Continuing revelation does not demean nor discredit existing revelation."
Apostle M. Russell Ballard focused on the "essential" and "eternal" role of mothers.
"There is no one perfect way to be a good mother," Ballard said, acknowledging that every situation is different. Some are full-time homemakers, and many others would like to be. Some women work full or part time. Some work at home; some divide their lives into periods of home and family and work.
What matters, Ballard said, is that "a mother loves her children deeply and, in keeping with the devotion she has for God and her husband, prioritizes them above all else."
Quoting New York Times writer Anna Quindlen, Ballard urged young mothers to live more in the moment, enjoying each stage of their children's development.
He discouraged over-scheduling children's activities, while encouraging mothers to take time for themselves. He urged husbands to help their wives with the children, even providing a "day away" for her from time to time.
Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Monson's second counselor in the governing First Presidency, who hails from Germany, represented the international members, many of whom are the only Mormons in their families.
"I claim the legacies of modern-day church pioneers who live in every nation and whose own stories of perseverance, faith, and sacrifice add glorious new verses to the great chorus of the latter-day anthem of the kingdom of God," Uchtdorf said.
pstack@sltrib.com
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* JESSICA RAVITZ contributed to this report.
Between the two Sunday sessions of the 178th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the three women named Saturday as new leaders in the church's Young Women organization described their approach and priorities regarding the 554,600 Mormon girls between 12 and 18 years old in 170 countries.
When asked how they planned to cope with the fact that as many as 80 percent of the single Mormon women between 18 and 30 are no longer active in the LDS Church, Elaine Dalton, Young Women president, said: "That is the question of the day . . . I don't know that we have all the answers right now."
Dalton said she and her two counselors plan to "reach out and strengthen those young women . . . to help them understand who they are and the divine mission they have on earth."
As I read the above article targeting single mothers who have left the church, I felt a smart ass comment coming out. Basically the reason why those women left the church is because they don't want to give up their children. The church teaches that single mothers are horrible terrible sinners. They are really good at shaming and coercion of their single mothers. Don't believe me ~ read Camira Bailey's story, Shawn McDonald's story, Cody O'Dea's story, Bryn Ayre's story, and the countless others who are fighting this church's family and social services programs.
There are several comments that startle and shake a person to their core.
One commenter:
On Sunday Morning Tom Monson told my family that I was:
the less-active, the offended, the critical, the transgressor.
I want to clear something up. I am none of those things - I left because of the following reason:
1) The church lies. They lie about their history, they lie about their motives, they lie about what they know and don't know.
2) It is the most boring, uninspired church imaginable. Instead of talking to members about peace, feeding the hungry, etc. - they talked about me.
3) They are unaccountable - they account to no one about the millions and millions they take from people too poor to give, but coerced through false promised and guilt.
4) They constantly change their story. First Adam is god, then man can become God, then we we promise to avenge the deaths of Joseph Smith in the temple, then we just promise to slash our throats, then that all changes - as if their god is whimsical and flighty.
Another commenter:
'm not wayward yet...just a matter of time. It's good to see that when I do leave, this 'prophet' will be just like all of the others and classify me with his neat little lable. It couldn't be that I'm going to leave because I can't stomach the thought of Joseph Smith marrying other people's wives and little girls as young as 14. We mormons openly condemn the FLDS, yet they are only trying to follow the example of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young. If LDS would make the connection on why the FLDS are practicing their religion like they are, I think there would be lots more offended 'saints'. If the LDS church weren't trying to hide something, then why can't I post comments like this on their newspaper comment section?
So - Tommy, don't tell my family - like you know something - who I am and what my reasons were for leaving.
You are the wedge between those of us who have left and our Mormon families. Your church is the most divisive and damaging church to families imaginable.
In your attempt to be kind, you revealed yourself.
Another commenter:
It is unfortunate that there is so much antagonism towards "The Church"; however, I DO understand why. The reason "why" is that Utah Mormons are much like like die hard liberals; namely, they think they can shove their opinions and life styles down other peoples' throats.
This mindset is what gets people PO'd; NOT what they believe about a "God", Jesus, the afterlife, etc. People believe in the Tooth Fairy and Santa Clause; however, no one gets upset (angry) about it because those people don't force their beliefs and life style on anyone else.
The "Church" should keep its nose out of politics; if it did so, I believe that there would be little (if any) "feelings" (good OR bad) towards it; it would be just another church (among many). Most people could care less what another person believes - UNLESS (like radical Islam) that person's beliefs (and practices) impact "me" and my life. It is apparent "here" that many people feel just that; namely, the church's beliefs (and practices) are impacting THEIR lives - and they are sick of it.
I believe President Monson is a good egg; I believe he does have the best interests of people (not just Mormons) at heart. With a few exceptions, most Mormon leaders are decent people. They will "win over" most non members (and ex LDS) if they just "live and let live".
There was over 300 when I last checked. The Mormon church may not practice polygamy like the FLDS does. They both still however still worship the same profits. It really makes you think. From what I understand of those whose children have been placed without their consent, they want additional followers that they can train from birth. Really scary if you ask me.
Adoption needs to be about the children not the adults or their religion.
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