Posted on 08/18/2010 1:22:01 PM PDT by Normandy
By Elder Quentin L. Cook
Earlier this year, Cardinal Francis George, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, spoke to a crowd of 13,000 students at Brigham Young University about the importance of working together to preserve religious freedom. The cardinal's eloquent and poignant speech at the flagship university of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was evidence of significant progress in the growing relationships between our faith and other faiths that share similar concerns regarding issues of tremendous importance.
Cardinal George said, "I'm personally grateful that after 180 years of living mostly apart from one another, Catholics and Latter-day Saints have begun to see one another as trustworthy partners in the defense of shared moral principles and in the promotion of the common good of our beloved country."
Becoming partners in the defense of shared moral principles starts with sincere efforts by religious faiths to understand and learn from each other. One of the sweetest experiences I've had is to accompany other faith leaders on tours of our newly built temples, our most sacred buildings, when they are open to the public. As a result, these religious leaders come to know and understand us better. Likewise, we gain a greater understanding and appreciation for their beliefs. It's heartwarming that those of other faiths would take the time to appreciate something that is deeply personal and meaningful to me and other Latter-day Saints.
With this newfound understanding, no faith has a desire to compromise on its doctrine or beliefs. These relationships are not ecumenical; that is, we are not trying to come to an agreement on principles of doctrinal practice, but instead there is a mutual respect for each other's beliefs and a desire to collaborate on important issues where we find common ground.
Finding common ground has translated into interfaith initiatives having lasting, positive effects throughout the world. For three decades, we've worked with other faiths and aid organizations to provide humanitarian aid in 178 countries to those in critical need. As we've partnered with Catholic Charities, Muslim organizations, the Red Cross, and many others, there is joy and excitement that comes from putting into action what we jointly view as good and needed for our fellow men and women.
These interfaith efforts are not limited to Church leadership. The most humbling experience for any ecclesiastical leader is seeing the gospel of Jesus Christ being lived through the membership of the Church. Recently, we sponsored a project where hundreds of thousands of volunteers from community and faith-based organizations worked together in an unprecedented single day of service across eleven Southern states to bring relief to those struggling because of the economic downturn. In one project, half a dozen religious leaders worked together to build a home for Habitat for Humanity.
Similarly, when Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, members of our Church and other faiths spontaneously rose to the occasion to help relieve the suffering. This was so fittingly illustrated when a United Methodist congregation in Slidell, Louisiana, graciously offered their church as a place to sleep to Mormon volunteers from Houston, Texas. When the congregation arrived for services on Sunday, they found that the Mormons had cleared trees and other debris from their churchyard. As a show of thanks, our members also mounted their hurricane-damaged flag as a keepsake and flew a new banner from the flagpole. During the shared worship service, the pastor voiced a feeling of unity shared by those of both denominations: "The Mormons are now our friends."
Whether it is helping the victims of disaster through humanitarian aid, providing relief to communities in economic need, or supporting religious liberty, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its members often stand shoulder to shoulder with other faiths. The future of Mormonism in the public sphere will, in part, be a shared one as we work with other like-minded faiths to follow the gospel of Jesus Christ in reaching out to our fellow citizens.
Elder Quentin L. Cook has served as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since October 6, 2007. Prior to being called to full-time church service, he was a business lawyer, a managing partner of a law firm in the San Francisco Bay area, and a healthcare executive. He has also been a board member of several profit and not-for-profit corporations. He received a B.A. in political science from Utah State University, and a J.D. from Stanford University.
The “partnering with other faiths” thing kinda cracks me up. I don’t say this often, but, WWJD?
The “partnering with other faiths” thing kinda cracks me up. I don’t say this often, but, WWJD?
He sure didn’t partner with the Jews or any other religion.
The Catholic Church sees Mormonism as it’s own, different religion, not a Christian church.
“The “partnering with other faiths” thing kinda cracks me up.”
Why am I not surprised?
>>Why am I not surprised?<<
You are aware of my vast knowledge of scripture?
;)
Glenn Beck will post it too .. he is all into ecumenical things with Christians even if we do have different gods
180 years of living apart......well that could be because lds think of Catholics as “whores of Babylon”, by the way when did that attitude change?
Hi svcw,
I think LDS and Catholics find they have a lot in common and enjoy working together to make a positive difference in the world.
Are you willing to repudiate your prophets and apostles teachings on the Catholic church in the process?
I agree with Elder Cook when he says,
“With this newfound understanding, no faith has a desire to compromise on its doctrine or beliefs. These relationships are not ecumenical; that is, we are not trying to come to an agreement on principles of doctrinal practice, but instead there is a mutual respect for each other’s beliefs and a desire to collaborate on important issues where we find common ground”
Your prophets and apostles historically have displayed - shall we say - far, far, less mutual respect. Are you going to repudiate them?
Which prophets and apostles, and which teachings are you referring to, Godzilla?
“Both Catholics and Protestants are nothing less than the ‘whore of Babylon’ whom the Lord denounces by the mouth of John the Revelator as having corrupted all the earth by their fornications and wickedness. Any person who shall be so corrupt as to receive a holy ordinance of the Gospel from the ministers of any of these apostate churches will be sent down to hell with them, unless they repent.”
- Apostle Orson Pratt, The Seer, p. 255
“After the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized, there were only two churches upon the earth. They were known respectively as the Church of the Lamb of God and Babylon. The various organizations which are called churches throughout Christendom, though differing in their creeds and organizations, have one common origin. They all belong to Babylon.”
- Apostle George Q. Cannon, Gospel Truth, p. 324
“... all the millions of apostate Christendom have abased themselves before the mythical throne of a mythical Christ.... in large part the worship of apostate Christendom is performed in ignorance, as much so as was the worship of the Athenians who bowed the Unknown Gods.”
- Apostle Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, pp. 269, 374-375
Just to name a few norm.
Well I think you’ll find that current thoughts and statements from LDS leaders are very conciliatory towards Catholics and Protestants.
As you know I am firm in my Latter-day Saint faith, and I believe in my Church so we are going to disagree on doctrinal matters, but there are many things people of different faiths have in common and by supporting one another in dealing with many of the problems we see in society we can do a lot of good together.
Really? Have they changed the text of 1 Nephi 14:10? Have the missionaries stopped telling everyone that their church is apostate and that the mormon church is the only true church? Didn't think so.
As you know I am firm in my Latter-day Saint faith, and I believe in my Church so we are going to disagree on doctrinal matters, but there are many things people of different faiths have in common and by supporting one another in dealing with many of the problems we see in society we can do a lot of good together.
Only by being dishonest in the representation of those doctrinal differences and seeking out the more liberal corners of those other religions who don't care about their own doctrine, let alone lds.
BTW norm, you still haven't answered my question - are you going to repudiate these statements by your prophets and apostles?
“Well I think you’ll find that current thoughts and statements from LDS leaders are very conciliatory towards Catholics and Protestants.”
Catholics and Protestants worship ONE God. So do Jews.
Mormons have 4 earth gods and trillions of gods on other worlds. They also think they themselves can become gods.
Their polytheistic/henotheistic religion has nothing whatever to do with Christianity.
They do, however, steal the words of Christianity and redefine them to mean things that are not present in the Bible whatsoever.
best,
ampu
Ampu, as a Latter-day Saint, I know very well whom I worship.
“But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him”
May, 1977: “It is true that many of the Christian churches worship a different Jesus Christ than is worshipped by the Mormons.” – LDS publication, Ensign Magazine, p. 26
Tell us Normandy...if the Lds (rightly) claimed in 1977 that they worship a "different Jesus" than we do, then how many jesuses were being worshiped in Slidell, LA @ that United Methodist congregation as Mormons joined in their "worship service?"
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