Chapter 26
Belief Systems: The good, the bad & the ugly
26 a) Review of major belief systems & the LDS
I have a feeling this topic is really going to get me in hot water. I would like to start with the most recent “major” belief systems. There are literally thousands. The ones I intend to explore are: Source: http://www.infoplease.com/toptens/organizedreligions.html
Rank Religion Members Percentage 1. Christianity 2.1 billion 33.0% 2. Islam 1.3 billion 20.1 3. Hinduism 851 million 13.3 4. Buddhism 375 million 5.9 5. Sikhism 25 million 0.4 6. Judaism 15 million 0.2 7. No specific belief system 2.4 billion 36.8 %
Just a bit under 2/3’s of the world’s people subscribe to an organized belief system.
I will break off LDS (14 mil) from Christianity as it has a quite different belief system and also Roman Catholic (1.2 Billion) for obvious reasons.
LDS (Mormons): While promoted as an updated version of Christianity, those of us who have taken the time to read the Book of Mormon and have bothered to do a bit of research realize that it is quite a different animal. This is the most recent belief system of significant consequence. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormons
“It was initiated by Joseph Smith in 1820 and advanced by Brigham Young after Smith’s demise (murder) in 1944. Primary church doctrine: “Mormons have a health code that eschews alcoholic beverages, tobacco, coffee, tea, and other addictive substances. They tend to be very family-oriented, and have strong connections across generations and with extended family, reflective of their belief that families can be sealed together beyond death and throughout eternity. Mormons also have a strict law of chastity, requiring abstention from sexual relations outside of opposite-sex marriage and strict fidelity within marriage. Mormons have a strict law of chastity, requiring abstention from sexual relations outside of opposite-sex marriage and strict fidelity within marriage. All sexual activity (heterosexual and homosexual) outside of marriage is considered a serious sin, with marriage 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, and 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.[104] Many practicing adult Mormons wear religious undergarments that remind them of covenants and encourage them to dress modestly. Latter-day Saints are counseled not to partake of any form of media that is obscene or pornographic in any way, including media that depicts graphic representations of sex or violence. Tattoos and body piercings are also discouraged, with the exception of a single pair of earrings for LDS women”
stay tuned for more on this next week