Connecting With the Mormon Community

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Mormonism: Delving into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

According to statistics gathered by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the formal name for the Mormon Church), more than two-thirds of Utah’s inhabitants are Mormon. The current Church membership is almost 13 million people worldwide, and Mormonism is allegedly the second fastest growing U.S. religion. The Church is the most affluent church per capita in the United States. Despite all these facts and figures, the Church remains shrouded in much mystery and misrepresentation, though the presidential run of Mitt Romney has given Mormonism much more public attention. This guide will teach you about Mormon beliefs, practices, and history; introduce you to Mormon news sources and illustrate the religion’s place in current events; and help you connect with the Mormon online community.

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Mormon Beliefs and Practices and Church Structure

As aforementioned, Mormon beliefs are not well known internationally or even in the United States, ... read more »

The History of the Mormon Religion

Mormonism is a fairly young religion. It was founded by Joseph Smith in the first half of the ... read more »

Mormon News, Current Events, and Contemporary Issues

Mormonism has existed for more than 175 years now, but recently it has spent significant time in ... read more »

Connecting With the Mormon Community

There are many more ways to become a part of the Mormon community besides staying on top of the news. Once you find a place of worship or a Mormon meetinghouse, you can get involved in a more specific Latter-day Saint community. The sites below can direct you to places of worship as well as online communities for Mormon women and minority groups. There are also sites for Mormon humanitarian efforts worldwide. Make the most of this vast Mormon network.

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Blogs are also an integral part of the Mormon online community; there are so many interesting ones out there that the following section, “Mormon Blogs” is entirely devoted to them.

Many of the “community” sites in this section are also gateways to other resources. Use these links as a starting point, and the sites should lead you to forums, discussions, blogs, articles, and more.

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For finding a place of worship …

The Meetinghouse Locator for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is provided by LDS.org and makes finding fellow Mormons easy. Find places of worship throughout the world with this tool and access driving directions, a map, and general information for each meeting place.

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For specific Mormon communities …

The LDS Woman is a fantastic resource for women in the Mormon community. Read about a variety of topics, like entertainment, humor, health, politics, and parenting. Share your artwork, novels, poetry, and short stories, and read what others think. Join in the forum discussion or start a conversation in the chat room.

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The Genesis Group is a resource for African-Americans who are Mormons or are considering conversion to the faith. In the past, African-Americans have had a contentious relationship with Mormonism; until 1978, they were not allowed to join the priesthood. The site contains a newsletter and various resources for reaching out to the African-American Mormon community. With regard to the historical treatment of African-American Mormons, a New York Times article has this noteworthy line: “Racism is also an issue, since it was not until 1978 that the church opened its priesthood to blacks. But don’t forget that it was only in the 1990s that many Southern churches asked forgiveness for their segregationist stance—and received it.”

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Affirmation: Gay & Lesbian Mormons confronts the controversial and taboo topic of homosexuality in Mormonism. Historically, Mormonism has not been open to the idea of homosexuality, but the fact that homosexual Mormons exist has become inescapable. This organization, which began in the late 1970s, has become a huge network with chapters throughout the world. The Web site contains news, blogs, learning tools, and plenty of information about the organization.

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For humanitarian efforts …

Provident Living outlines many of the humanitarian and welfare efforts of the Church. The “Training Materials” section, particularly “Basic Welfare Lessons,” explains the principles behind Mormon humanitarian efforts around the globe. On this site, you can either donate to the Church or learn more about becoming an active participant in Mormon humanitarianism.

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