Can Reform Mormonism Work?
Fred the Younger says:
Can Reform Mormonism work?
It strikes me that many bloggernacklers and other Mormons who crave open discourse on the Internet are really Reform Mormons or even New Order Mormons (although NOMs strike me more as jackmormons, inactive or afraid to leave for various reasons).
There are so many posts on various blogs these days on why church is boring, uninspiring, too long, too restrictive, etc.
Do you ever see a day when Reform Mormonism will be a bigger draw than the institutional church? Why, or why not?
This is the first I’ve heard of Reform Mormonism, and I kinda like the idea. I obviously don’t know much about it, but it seems somewhat analagous to Reform Judaism.
I don’t think it’ll make a lot of inroads for two related reasons. First, the Mainstream Church does such a good job of creating the us/them distinction–there are relatively few who are in the middle. Second, although the Mainstream Church has a strong cultural element, I don’t think it’s strong enough (currently) for people to identify as “Mormon” culturally, but not “Mormon” religiously. Compare, for example, Reform/Orthodox Judaism. Maybe someday the Church will become so dominate culturally that this won’t be a problem, but the Church is just too young right now.
Comment by Pris — August 2, 2005 @ 5:05 pm
Going by their definition:
http://www.reformmormonism.org/youmight.htm
I’d say a lot of the Mormons I know are already there.
Comment by Belinda J — August 2, 2005 @ 5:13 pm
I hadnt ever heard of Reform Mormonism, so I went and looked at their website, and I have to say it looks pretty wishy washy from a doctrinal viewpoint. Their version of the Articles of Faith look like its been edited by a gnostic, no mention of Jesus at all. They also track closely with all of the trendy pop cultural stuff (e.g., race issues, feminism, homosexuality, etc.) that outsiders like to carp about, so it seems like a milquetoast version of the LDS Church more fit for public consumption. Cant see much future for these guys as it undercuts everything that draws people to the LDS Church in the first place.
The New Order Mormons I can understand their POV, as there are plenty of people in the Church who like to complain about one thing or another, but theyre culturally Mormon and dont want to make waves with the extended family. Cannot see them organizing to any real degree as these are people fleeing, or at least who are not all that favorably disposed towards, a highly organized form of religion. But, there will always be people in the Church who complain about one thing or another.
Comment by Kurt — August 2, 2005 @ 5:19 pm
No. “Reform” Mormonism would be no more than just another man-made religion. Being “liberal” hasn’t helped Mainline Protestant churches grow in membership; I don’t think this will fly either.
And, if it did…that, IMO, would simply be proof that “the” Enemy had found another plot to mix scripture with mortal philosophy/culture to lead people away from the whole truth by giving them little bits of it.
Sum: Very, very, very scary group which completely repudiates the source of their insights (i.e. the Restored Gospel), while attempting to keep the parts of it that don’t offend them.
Comment by lyle stamps — August 2, 2005 @ 7:34 pm
To me, it sounds like another label that will divide, just like conservative Mormons, liberal Mormons, Jackmormons, etc… I just don’t understand the need for labeling. Maybe it’s human nature. It doesn’t create better understanding between differing individuals, it just creates another way to distance ourselves from each other.
Comment by Dallas Robbins — August 2, 2005 @ 8:19 pm
As the Church becomes more mainstream it will lose a lot of its attraction for people who are looking for a religion that demands sacrifices of its members. Growth trends in religion show that the religions that are the most dynamic and growing the fastest are those that are really hard core. That is one of the reasons that the Church has grown so well. If salt loses is savor, it is good for nothing.
Comment by John W. Redelfs — August 4, 2005 @ 7:11 am
But John, it is for the opposite reason I see Reform Mormonism going nowhere. The SLC church continuously improves, reforms, mellows, whatever you want to call it. The church I’m a member of today isn’t the same church I grew up in (thank G-d, or I wouldn’t be here). Yeah, some needed reforms (like an improved hymn book that includes more classics and modern stuff, more variation in worship services and making the WofW a good practice, not a requirement) are slow, but my complaint list is so much shorter than it used to be. I’m sure the other branches of Mormonism continuously reform too. It’s sort of like the dead Reform party, they weren’t doing anything that couldn’t be accomplished within the major parties; so what was the point?
Comment by Steve EM — August 4, 2005 @ 2:18 pm
I find it odd that nobody is claiming credit for Reform Mormonism or even for writing their scripture, The Book of Michael. Seems to me that this is less transparent than the authorship of certain correlated materials put out by the Church…
Comment by a random John — August 10, 2005 @ 7:50 pm
Reform Mormonism encompasses ideals I have been taught and value since childhood. I don’t see why being gay has anything to do with my morality or character. As I see it, I am more intelligent, moral and godlike than most so called “mormons” that I have grown up with. I have always thought it a challenge to excel in all endeavors. As a result of this attitude, I have become a successful real estate agent with a bachelors degree in communications from the University of Utah (1996). I am mormon and have struggled with my contemporary life and historical mormon dogma for many years. There must be others!!
Comment by don — October 5, 2005 @ 8:43 am
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Comment by critically — November 29, 2005 @ 10:23 pm
I was a reform Mormon for years. My definition- A Mormon who forgets about the basics and gets caught up in Mormon Culture. A Mormon who needs to strengthen their faith in the Savior. Without faith in Christ, the church will not make sense to you. I was a kind of “reformed Mormon”, I liked the church and the good it did, but lived pretty much the way I wanted to. After 10 years of Hell, I finally went back to the basics, mainly because of so called “anti-Mormon” literature which states that we are not Christian. I reread the Book of Mormon to prove to my evangelical friends how Christian the Book of Mormon is, and how Christ centered the church is, and lo and behold, the church made sense to me for the first time. It isn’t about politics or who is gay or not, or tank tops, it is about the Savior. And once you find your faith in the Savior, everything else makes sense and you only want to serve rather than being served. This is from a divorced feminist former ex-Mormon!! I have never been happier in my life.
Comment by Amber — December 31, 2005 @ 5:29 am
Kurt wrote: “trendy pop cultural stuff (e.g., race issues, feminism, homosexuality, etc.)” I don’t think civil rights are a matter of trendy pop cultural stuff!
Reform Mormonism is not related to the LDS Church. The Church of Rome might have the same source as Protestant churches, but they are a world away from one another. Reform Mormonism takes the most radical points of the Nauvoo era and developed a new faith. These points are those that have been/are played down by the LDS Church.
As for no mention of Jesus, it’s because Reform Mormonism is not a Christian faith.
Comment by FrenchExpat — March 25, 2008 @ 8:45 am