Stenhouse demonstrates remarkable insight into the gender roles and norms that plural marriage entails. The marriage is qualitatively different than a monogamous one. As Stenhouse notes, the husband "aims to be looked upon more as a ruler than as the head of a family," (149). Flowers confirms Stenhouse's observations, "the practice of polygamy tended to instill in people the attitude of despotism or authoritarianism" (22). Polygamy also reveals a deep contradiction in Mormon philosophy. "The irony is that a gospel of universal brotherhood…is so marked on every hand by borders, boundaries, and radical difference" (Givens 295).
Polygamy in America has almost become synonymous with Mormonism. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been at the center of a national debate that spanned the issues of religious freedom, federalism, and feminism. Plural marriage mirrored an unequal social structure that pervaded Mormon culture and indeed much of the culture of….

Smith claimed that polygamy was practiced by the "pre-Judaic" tribes (Harris). Polygamy was called "celestial marriage," and Joseph Smith claimed that he received his orders to practice polygamy in a religious vision ("The Mormons"). Polygamy was and still is illegal even though it was still a part of the Mormon traditions.
According to the BBC, there are "substantial differences" between the Church of Latter-Day Saints and the Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox Christian Churches. Even though all the Christian Churches are based on the teachings of Jesus Christ, they all differ in their practices and beliefs. The Mormon Church also has a different leadership hierarchy than other Christian Churches, but one that still includes priests, bishops, and clergy. Unlike in the Catholic Church, the Mormon priesthood is not a professional one (BBC).

Besides the practice of polygamy, several things set apart Mormonism from other Christian faiths. The Mormons believe that "human beings….

For example, to attend the temple, advance in the Priesthood, or serve a mission, individuals must adhere to the Law of Chastity (e.g., no premarital or extramarital sexual intimacy) and abstain from alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs. They are also required to promise to care for others, including both family and other church members. Similarly, all physically and emotionally capable young men between the ages of 18 and 27 are expected to serve missions and young women are invited to do so as well. While serving a mission, young people leave all individualistic pursuits (i.e., jobs, scholarships, dating relationships, etc.) behind for an extended period of time (i.e., 2 years or 18 months, for men and women, respectively). During this time they are engaged full time (all day, every day with no trips home to see family) in sharing their beliefs with others and engaging in service projects.

The mission component….

Revision MemoWhat I believe I did well in this assignment:Although this assignment covered a lot of bases, I believe I did well because I addressed each prompt thoroughly using relevant scholarly resources and empirical observations and experiences.What I would work on if I had more time:It would be interesting to learn more about the debates that took place among early Church leaders concerning the Mormons policies about adherence to the Word of Wisdom. The prevailing views about healthful lifestyles in the 19th century and early 20th century clearly had an influence on these debates and learning more about any opposing views that were advanced during these conclaves would be informative for modern researchers.My view on the topic of debate changed as I worked this semester in this way:Upon closer examination of my observations regarding when and how members break the Word of Wisdom in relation to their membership, there may….

plural marriages from the standpoint of the Church of the Latter Day Saints, commonly referred to as Mormons. The writer uses several published works to examine the history and beliefs regarding plural marriages as doctrine through the church. There were four sources used to complete this paper.
Ask most people one fact that defines the Church of Latter Day Saints, (Mormons) and they will answer, plural marriages. The belief that the Mormon church still condones and encourages plural marriages (Polygamy) remains prevalent throughout the nation, even though the practice stopped being sanctioned by the church years ago (Nearly, 2000). Young men still joke about converting to Mormonism so they can enjoy all of their girlfriends as wives, while women who catch their men looking at other women still joke that they are not Mormon so the husband might as well give it up. It has been years since the church….

Instead, it can be observed that the social environment changed, and the Mormons simply adapted to this social environment change in their society (rehm & Eisenhauer, 2006:406).
ased on McConkie and oss's (2006) analysis of Mormon culture at present, it was observed that Mormons still observed the basic theological principles that Mormons of the early years (i.e., fundamentalist years) have practiced. That is, they still subsisted to the belief that "[t]he doctrine that God continues to speak, by revelation, to Apostles and Prophets in this day...An underlying doctrinal theme that men and women are agents of Deity..." (110). This passage illustrated that among Mormons, there is consensus that there is a need 'to change constantly,' because it is only through change that the church of Mormons can grow, which is the ultimate (even central) goal of the religious institution.

Thus, change is already an inherent feature in Mormon culture, even before….

Mormon TV Ads
I Am a Mormon

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, commonly referred to as the Mormon Church, has recently launched as series of advertisements in select American cities which highlight an individual member of the Church. Individual members are encouraged to create a video profile in order to be used as an advertisement for the Mormon Church and its members. The idea behind the campaign is to present the members of the Mormon Church as regular, ordinary Americans and not members of some strange religious cult. This seems to be a response to both the recent legal troubles of Mormon-offshoot organizations as well as the rise of Presidential candidate Mitt omney, who is a member of the Mormon Church.

One particular advertisement which has aired on television is the profile of pro-surfer Joy Monahan who provides a profile in which she describes herself as "2008 woman's long….

The church stresses a well-balanced family life that is characterized by a mother and father at home, as well as the knowledge that the family unit will remain together in the afterlife. According to the church's official Web site, "The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity" (the family, 2008, p. 3). All of this is not to say, though, that Mormons do not know how to have fun or enjoy themselves; in fact, happiness is clearly a primary objective of the church's teaching for its families: "Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and….

In 1846, Young led the church to the Great Salt Lake in Utah, where they established Salt Lake City, yet tensions continued between the settlers and the Federal Government (Church Pp). The Edmunds Act of 1882 countered the Mormon's practice of polygamy, a practice that had prevented Utah being recognized as a state (Church Pp). In 1890 a revelation from God changed church beliefs and practices when the fourth Church president, ilford oodruff, issued the Great Accommodation, which basically banned plural marriages and in 1896, Utah became a state (Church Pp).
During the 20th century, the Church maintained a dominant role in Utah and as of mid-2001, the Governor and all Federal senators, representatives and members of the Supreme Court are all Mormon (Church Pp). During the 1970's the Church received political and economic pressure concerning its institutionalized racism, which prevented males of black ancestry from ordination, thus, the Church….

(Rood & Thatcher, 1)
Even here, the Mormons would be met with considerable challenges. The 'gentile' influence of American military force would ultimately push to confrontation the Mormons and various governmental groups set on obstructing effective settlement of the polygamist groups. Ultimately though, its brief history of reluctant nomadic behavior had prepared it better than such groups to shape the future of the Utah territory. Vying for American statehood in the face of much institutional and practical obstruction, the Mormons would nonetheless be able to out-wait other interested parties. As Rood & Thatcher report, "although the struggle for survival was difficult in the first years of settlement, the Mormons were better equipped by experience than many other groups to tame the harsh land. They had pioneered other settlements in the Midwest, and their communal religious faith underscored the necessity of cooperative effort." (Rood & Thatcher, 1)

These characteristics would precipitate considerable….

theater and particularly its musical performances, have changed dramatically over the years. Their tone and style have reflected historical and cultural changes as well as shifts in attitudes toward musical theater. Recent productions like Book of Mormon and Hamilton would have been inconceivable just a generation ago. Broadway musicals are unique in that they straddle the line between popular and high culture. They have popular culture appeal, packed within the fine art of theater. In some ways, musical theater is a popular culture version of the opera. Broadway theater has matured and expanded its repertoire considerably, moving from the relatively limited domain of Steven Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd eber productions towards a more diverse and creative one. As Lewis points out, "How sadly limiting that was; it surely took some kind of toll on alternative voices trying to break free of cliche expectations," (2). Broadway has broken free, finally,….

On June 27, 1844, hundreds swarmed the jail and brutally murdered the Smith brothers, leading their followers to conclude that they were martyred (Sisk).
At Joseph's death, righam Young was president of the Twelve Apostles of their church and became the leader of the largest faction within (Sisk 1992). Some who separated from Young's group formed their own, called the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, under the leadership of one of the brothers of Joseph Smith. In 1846, Young's group declared that the "saints" would leave Nauvoo and they settled in Utah the following year and, for the next 20 or so years, many moved to Salt Lake Valley to join those "saints (Sisk)." The growth was so tremendous that many ascribe greater magnetism to Young than to Joseph himself in attracting followers. It is noted that the current-day Mormon Church has millions of such followers….

Brigham Young
At first, Young was ambivalent towards the Methodist -- or any other -- Church. He "held back from joining the Methodists" like his brothers had because of an "independent, deliberate personality" that rejected belief under pressure (8). Methodist revival meetings also turned Young off because of their "loud, crowded, and hyperactive" qualities," (8). Yet while living in the Auburn-Port Byron area, during an economic depression, he was "swept up by religious enthusiasm" and joined the Methodist Church in 1824 (13). The conversion turned out to be integral to Young's "program of self-improvement," (14). The Church prompted Young to give up swearing, one of his self-admitted habits. He experimented with vegetarianism, too, in an attempt to live an overall cleaner and healthier lifestyle. The religion also helped him to overcome his shyness and fear of public speaking (14). In addition to helping him on his personal path, the Methodist Church….

Despite what seems as a more permissive approach regarding the consumption of alcohol or coffee, Catholicism and Mormonism both believe that there should be no sex before marriage and that the example of Christ should be a central example to each believer. Additionally, holiness in the world is a message that both religions put one as an objective we should try to have for our lives and at a global level.
Modesty is probably also a common denominator of both faiths. People should be modest, both in terms of how they dress and show around their riches and in terms of the way they decide to live their lives. There is something happy about living a modest life and something that ties into the initial conception of the Christian faith.

Many have labeled Mormonism as a cult and, most likely, it has everything to do with the fact that we sometimes….

Testaments to Truth
Roman Catholicism and Mormonism Compared

There are many varieties of Christianity, some of them very old, and some of them of quite recent origin. The Roman Catholic Church boasts an uninterrupted existence of two thousand years. Its hierarchy, and its beliefs, have adapted to changed conditions. Yet truth is not so easily discovered. Rome may have purified her Church during the Counter Reformation, but not all were satisfied. The Protestant Churches of estern Europe spawned an even greater number of sects in the New orld. Some of these creeds held beliefs similar to those of the Roman Catholic Church, while others developed in remarkably different ways. In mid-Nineteenth Century New York, Joseph Smith was privileged to receive an entirely new Revelation. This Book of Mormon was at odds with the teachings of virtually all other Christian denominations. The followers of this brand new Church of Jesus Christ of the….

Many people are familiar with the word “canon” as it is used when discussing fictional works.  It refers to those books or other works that are an official part of the created world, as opposed to those created by others, like fan fiction.  It also distinguishes the written word from speculation or theories built on that word, but not directly supported by it.  Canon has a similar meaning in Biblical studies of the New Testament.  It refers specifically to those books believed to have been divinely inspired and incorporated into the New Testament.  This makes Christianity somewhat different from many....