The other day I was surfing the web came across Deseret Book’s web site. It was there I found this child’s bookmark, as you can see in colorful letters it says: I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ.
At first glance this may seem harmless and not worth acknowledging, but we have to remember everything Mormons do and say has a specific meaning. When we realize this we’re able to take a second look and read between the lines to see what they’re really trying to say.
There are two things about this bookmark I wish to bring to your attention.
First is the part that says “the Church of Jesus Christ”. This is very deceptive, Mormons don’t normally use that phrase when they’re talking with each other. The only time I’ve heard them use it is when they’re talking to non-members, and is done in the hope of convincing the non-member that Mormonism is just like any other Christian church.
The Church of Jesus Christ is the body of Christ. Christians are part of this church, no matter our denomination we’re all part of His Church, His body. Mormons are not part of that body, and to hear them use this phrase should be like nails on a chalk board to the Christian ear. When we see or hear them playing this game we need to call them out on it, immediately.
The second thing that caught my eye is the use of the word “belong”. For me to say I belong to the Baptist Church doesn’t carry as much meaning for me as it does for a Mormon to say I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ, meaning the Mormon Church.
A Christian would never go around saying, almost praising I belong to___________ Church. It’s just not in our culture, if anything we would go around praising that we belong to Jesus Christ. The word belong here in reference to a religion gives the implication that the church owns you, therefore it can control you. This isn’t too far from the truth in regards to Mormonism.
Mormon prophet Ezra Taft Benson said:
“Membership in the Lord’s Church is a gift and a blessing which the Lord has given us in mortality, and He expects us to share that blessing with those who do not have it.”
Membership in the Mormon Church is hardly a gift or blessing, if anything it’s a loss and a curse. What about sharing Jesus? He is a wonderful gift and blessing given to us all. It’s Jesus we should desire to share and belong to.
It makes me sad to see how children are indoctrinated in this church. They’re taught from a young age to think that nothing else matters but their membership in this church. Desiring to belong to Jesus isn’t something they teach the children. Instead they’re taught to boast in belonging to a religion, than belonging to Jesus Christ.
As always I pray for the Mormon people to wake up to what they’re doing, to what they’re teaching their children. Jesus is so much better for you and your family than membership in the Mormon Church.
In Christ,
Melissa Grimes
Gal 6:4 Boasting in Jesus!
Great post! The LDS takes great pains to look like a ‘real’ Christian church. You are correct in that we Christian don’t say ,”I belong” to a certain church. We ask,too, “Are you a Christian? Do you know Jesus?”
Jesus is the whole point of our lives, faith, and trust.
I am not an official spokesperson for the LDS church in any way shape or form. However, here are some additional thoughts from a different perspective, which I think is fair when you start imputing motives and beliefs to other people.
The bookmark mirrors a phrase in a children’s song. There are two points I would like to make. 1) The full message of the song (that is in the full lyrics) is not about “the church,” but about following Christ, of which this bookmark is a memory trigger to the full song. Those lyrics are as follows, and I have put in brackets [ ] the things I have heard, myself, the children taught in connection with these lyrics:
I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
I know who I am. [I am a child of God. We are all children of God. We are all special.]
I know God’s plan. [God wants me to be happy, to serve him and others, to return to Heaven]
I’ll follow him in faith.
I believe in the Savior, Jesus Christ. [Jesus Christ is my personal savior. I cannot return to heaven except by Him.]
I’ll honor his name. [Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior. Also, I will not take his name in vain.]
I’ll do what is right; [Yes, we do teach that you should do your best to obey the commandments and follow the example of our Savior.]
I’ll follow his light. [Jesus Christ is the light of the world. He inspires us and helps us to be better. He answers our prayers. He is the Way.]
His truth I will proclaim. [I want others to have this happiness, too.]
Those are the messages of this song and the bookmark that reminds them of the song.
My second point is this: This song was written in 1989. At that time, the Mormon church was facing two issues. One issue is the point of your post (and so we still face this issue)–people are out there who make it their mission to convince as many as possible that Mormons are not Christians, that somehow, we are confused about the concept of Jesus Christ as the Son of God and as our Savior. Children hear what adults say. So, yes, we are helping them know how to answer these unkind assertions. “Yes, I do believe in Jesus Christ, I go to a church that teaches me about Him (as opposed to a place of worship that does not). We can talk about it, if you want.” As far as indoctrination, certainly you are aware that teenagers will question and reevaluate things for themselves. The second issue the church was dealing with was that Mormons referred to themselves as Mormons. They, themselves, knew what they meant by that term, but it was not clear to other people that Christ was the cornerstone of our church. So, the church was trying to change a habit and mannerism of speech to more accurately reflect the truth to those not as familiar with our church. Basically, we had to confront the judgment of people, people giving themselves the remarkable ability to know the thoughts and intents of our hearts, those who apparently know how and what we pray, our prayers that are between us and God.
We do not judge your intentions, your motives, your heart. We leave that to God. May we work together to make this world a better place, to relieve suffering, to bind up the wounds, and bring peace to the broken hearted.
Let me start by saying, my “intention” isn’t to judge your heart, it’s to judge Mormonism. I was a Mormon for many years. I was temple worthy, and held various callings from Nursery Leader to Stake Missionary. Given my history with the church I have a good understanding of its workings and the way it teaches its members to think.
Whether it be intentional or unintentional, when a Mormon uses the phrase I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ it’s deceptive. It’s been my experience that Mormons and their church leaders don’t want to come out of the gate saying they’re different from another Christian religion. They don’t want to share too much too soon about their religion with non-members.
They want to make it sound appealing at first, and Christian to anyone they talk too. So by the time someone has their feet in the quick sand and a better understand of Mormonism it’s almost too late to pull away from it.
Your leaders have made plenty of judgments on Christians and Christianity over the years. So don’t start playing the victim-persecution card it’s not going to work here.
Only Jesus can make this world a better place, He’s the only one who can heal hearts and make them whole. He does this through the Holy Spirit working in the hearts of the believer, to motivate them and to do things to help others. This is all done for His glory and not for the glory of a religion, church or individual.
You’re not the first Mormon to expect Christians to toss aside their beliefs so they can work side by side with them, and follow them into service. However Jesus doesn’t want His flock to be yoked with unbelievers. For that reason we can never and should never work side by side and unite with Mormons, Jehovah Witness, Muslims, or any group who doesn’t believe He is God.
I did not play “the victim card.” I explained how we responded to a need that was created by people who say things such as are in your post.
I am sorry you had a negative experience. I am sorry you are angry. I am glad you have found a home where you are being spiritually nourished and growing in your relationship with our Savior.
Originally, I really did believe you to actually have good intentions. But, your last paragraph really shows that you put limits on love. I don’t believe Christ limits love or service to our fellow brothers and sisters. I believe Christ would want us to reach out and help others who are in need–especially if it means growing in love for people who are not exactly like me.
In fact, how do you reconcile your views on service-but-not-with-THEM with the story of the good Samaritan; or with the vision of Peter to take the gospel to Gentiles? It was okay for a Samaritan to save the life of a Jew, but it would not have been okay for the Jew and the Samaritan to both cooperate in saving the life of a third individual? It was okay for Peter to teach the gospel to Gentiles, but not okay for him to associate with unconverted Gentiles or Jews to help someone who was suffering?
I believe Christ wants us to reach out to each other (and with each other!), in love before and beyond anything else.
If I saw you in need, I would help you. If I saw a loved one of yours in need, I would be right there beside you, helping you to help them.
May you have a day filled with light, good things, and above all, love, today. I wish nothing but the best for you.
I’m sorry if I wasn’t very clear in my previous message. I do think we should help everyone. However I don’t think Christians should hold hands and stand shoulder to shoulder with non-believers just because we share a belief in a social issue.
Christians should do all we can to help others, but we can’t unite with non-believers even if it’s for a common goal. I don’t put limits on love, but I do put limits on those I allow myself to be yoked with. I can’t partner and stand with those who refuse to stand on sound biblical teachings.
I truly wish you well. Mormonism is a very sticky and harsh thing to be involved in; it can literally destroy you if you let it. A relationship with Jesus and a testimony of what He’s done is so much better than anything Mormonism has to offer.