Monday, August 27, 2018

Pope Francis and the cover-up concerning the Cardinal McCarrick sex abuse scandal


Over the weekend, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, the former apostolic nuncio to the United States, released an 11-page statement that implicates Francis and a number of high-ranking Cardinals concerning the Cardinal McCarrick sex abuse scandal. The entire "Testimony" in English can be accessed via THIS LINK.

If Viganò's accusations are true, it sure seems to me that a massive cleansing of the hierarchy of the Catholic Church needs to be implimented.


Grace and peace,

David

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: President Russell M. Nelson's recent official statement


Six days ago, the current President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Russell M. Nelson, released the following official statement:

The Lord has impressed upon my mind the importance of the name He has revealed for His Church, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We have work before us to bring ourselves in harmony with His will. In recent weeks, various Church leaders and departments have initiated the necessary steps to do so. Additional information about this important matter will be made available in the coming months. (LINK ; alternate source HERE)

From the Newsroom topic, "Style Guide - The Name of the Church", we read:

• In the first reference, the full name of the Church is preferred: "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."

• When a shortened reference is needed, the terms "the Church" or the "Church of Jesus Christ" are encouraged. The "restored Church of Jesus Christ" is also accurate and encouraged.

• While the term "Mormon Church" has long been publicly applied to the Church as a nickname, it is not an authorized title, and the Church discourages its use. Thus, please avoid using the abbreviation "LDS" or the nickname "Mormon" as substitutes for the name of the Church, as in "Mormon Church," "LDS Church," or "Church of the Latter-day Saints."

• When referring to Church members, the terms "members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" or "Latter-day Saints" are preferred. We ask that the term "Mormons" not be used.

• "Mormon" is correctly used in proper names such as the Book of Mormon or when used as an adjective in such historical expressions as "Mormon Trail."

• The term "Mormonism" is inaccurate and should not be used. When describing the combination of doctrine, culture and lifestyle unique to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the term "the restored gospel of Jesus Christ" is accurate and preferred.

• When referring to people or organizations that practice polygamy, it should be stated that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not affiliated with polygamous groups. (LINK)

Concerning Nelson's official statement, and the related information provided in the online "Style Guide - The Name of the Church", I would like to share a couple of my initial thoughts:

First, this seems to be a 'conservative' development advanced by the current leadership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Personally, I find it to be somewhat refreshing, given what I have perceived to be a liberal/progressive trend among a good number of Latter-day Saints—especially by many of their scholars—over the last couple of decades.

Second, I suspect that the implementation of the guidelines delineated in the "Style Guide - The Name of the Church" will take a good deal of time, due to the fact that the positive use of the terms which are now to be avoided—e.g. LDS, Mormon, Mormons, Mormonism—has been a long held tradition among many Latter-day Saints, including General Authorities.

Now, with the above in mind, I have made the decision to adopt the guidelines presented within the "Style Guide - The Name of the Church" for future posts concerning The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints here at AF.  I have also changed the 'LABEL', "Mormonism" to "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.


Grace and peace,

David

Thursday, August 2, 2018

Mormonism and Margaret Barker - Part 6


In my five previous posts under the label, "Margaret Barker", I have referenced a number of Barker's interpretations of the Bible that directly conflict with promulgated Mormon doctrine. In this sixth installment of the series, I bring to the attention of AF readers a thread from a website that I discovered earlier today:


The above contribution is an excellent supplement to the third installment of this series, and brings back to mind the somewhat odd obsession that many Latter-day Saints have with Margaret Barker.


Grace and peace,

David