S05.E05: Growing Up Polygamist

[LazyToaster]

I think any parent would be at least somewhat disappointed if your faith matters and your kids don't follow it. But, I don't see Kody rejecting his kids over it. For one thing it seems like he saw the hurt that his Dad caused.

[ladle]

I can't answer that from the Mormon side, but I grew up in a Christian church and Mormons were always referred to as if they were a completely different religion.

 

But then there was that episode in which they went to that historical village and Christine got all bent out of shape because one of the characters questioned how they could be polygamists and Christians.  So they have definitely self-identified as "Christian" before.

[Ladystardust]

But then there was that episode in which they went to that historical village and Christine got all bent out of shape because one of the characters questioned how they could be polygamists and Christians.  So they have definitely self-identified as "Christian" before.

Yeah, I think someone posted above that Christians don't really consider Mormons to be Christian, but Mormans DO consider themselves as a sect of Christianity...or something like that. It's kind of interesting. I've never personally seen a Christian denomination consider Mormons to be Christian.

[WimminWinning]

I didn't know it was this complicated. If you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you can't be anything but Christian. I think that's implied in the term "Christian" whether the Browns or other Christian denominations agree or not. If Christine refused to acknowledge this, then she should be informed that a spade is a spade.

[Rhondinella]

I think because Mormons also use the same (more or less) Old Testament that the Jews and Christians do as part of their Scriptural canon they consider that makes them "Christian."  But as mentioned above, the one distinguishing belief that has always been the mark of whether you were a Christian or a heretic through all of Christian history has been if you believe that Jesus was divine as well as human and that his death was somehow efficacious for the forgiveness of human sin.  If you believe those things, you are "orthodox" (in the sense of in line with traditional belief). If not, technically  you're not no matter how many other tenants of Christianity you may agree with.

 

While, again, I'm not an expert on Mormonism, my understanding is that the Mormon church does believe in Jesus's death as being an "atonement" that took care of sin.  Where the difference lies is in the question of who Jesus was.   They believe he was the "Son of God" in a literal sense, meaning he was actually literally born of God the way a child is born naturally.  But orthodox Christian theology (and the Bible) hold that Jesus was "co-eternal" with God, meaning he was not created or "born'--he has always existed and always will, just like God.  Making Jesus into a "creature" (something created by God) presents problems for basic Christian theological belief, which I could go into but only if you guys pay me $350 a credit hour. :-)

 

So, yeah, that's why Christians have trouble accepting Mormons as one of them (as well as the fact that they don't believe in the Trinity).  Of course, whether the Browns actually follow official Mormon belief and practice or not is clearly questionable.

[Featherhat]

I didn't know it was this complicated. If you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you can't be anything but Christian. I think that's implied in the term "Christian" whether the Browns or other Christian denominations agree or not. If Christine refused to acknowledge this, then she should be informed that a spade is a spade.

 

Well the main branches of Christianity have been arguing over whether this is true or not for 2000 years. 

 

As for the Browns, it seems they were very involved in their church before they moved to LV, but probably not as much now, though it looks like some of the kids care more than others do. 

I think Rhondinella has laid out most of the arguments. From what I’ve read the main points of contention for considering it a new Abrahamic faith do seem to be the nature of Jesus as the son of God and the trinity, not that there aren’t or haven’t been theological differences about that within “mainstream” Christianity, but they do now by and large agree on the basics of these fundamental points. Another big point as already mentioned is the reverence for Joseph Smith. There does seem to be a lot less Jesus in general looking through some of the literature and liturgy than many denominations but that can also vary.

 

I think the wives who grew up AUB do (or did) care but I'm always a little suspicious of the motivations for teenage conversions to polygamy like in Kody's case, although that's obviously a lot to do with his father as well. 

[Rhondinella]

I think Rhondinella has laid out most of the arguments.

 

 

Well, it's time I did SOMETHING useful with my seminary education :-)

[wrestlesflamingos]

I've got a kick starter going to fund the lecture on the divinity of Jesus. It's not going as well as the potato salad. :(

[Red Fields]

 

As for the Browns, it seems they were very involved in their church before they moved to LV, but probably not as much now, though it looks like some of the kids care more than others do.

 

Perhaps their church served as more of a social outlet than a religious need. Now that they are ''out'', the kids have been able to make friends at public school, like most people do. The older ones have really blossomed. They are so unlike the Duggars and it is very refreshing.

Edited July 4, 2015 by Rhondinella

[Twopper]

 

Where the difference lies is in the question of who Jesus was.   They believe he was the "Son of God" in a literal sense, meaning he was actually literally born of God the way a child is born naturally.  But orthodox Christian theology (and the Bible) hold that Jesus was "co-eternal" with God, meaning he was not created or "born'--he has always existed and always will, just like God.  Making Jesus into a "creature" (something created by God) presents problems for basic Christian theological belief, which I could go into but only if you guys pay me $350 a credit hour. :-)

 Well, I don't have a spare $350 but I did want to add a little to what you said.  The books of 2 Corinthians and Galatians both have warnings about a different gospel. The one in Galatians even mentions an "angel" bringing this different gospel and the Mormons have their angel Moroni and their book of Mormon(another gospel) and the section in Corinthians warns about a different Jesus which you just covered for us.  And most churches  don't recognize Mormon baptism.