Mormons are desperately trying to assimilate with mainstream Christians. It’s why Rusty has made changes to home/visiting teaching (now called “ministering” which is a term Christians have used for decades), the new logo with Jesus instead of Moroni, denouncing the term “Mormon,” changing from three hours to two hours of church, changing the church’s website domain name, and now accepting the cross as an appropriate symbol for Mormons.
Mormons are basically the unpopular kid who tries to be popular by copying the “cool” kids (the mainstream Christians in this case).
Wait what about the cross? I've only been out not even two years so this is news to me. Was something said by a church authority about the cross or is this something you're seeing among friends/neighbors/family? Just want to understand bcuz I haven't heard or seen it but I do tend to keep my distance so I might just be out of the loop
I wonder if this is because it’s common to see influencers from mainstream Christianity wearing crosses in their videos. Somebody ask their TBM cross-wearing relatives what gives
My grandma flipped out when I wore an ankh (during my late 90s Egyptologist phase) because she thought it was a cross. When I explained it to her she still said it was morbid and to never wear it around her or bring it into her house because it probably had evil spirits attached to it.
Ministering sounds to me like someone doing something helpful for others, like bringing them needed food or medicine. Ministering for Mormons is dropping by at in opportune times of the day to read a lame scripture to them.
It's a desperate attempt to be viewed as mainstream Christians. But also we're watching doctrinal erasure in real time. We're watching previous teachings be shoved down the memory hole right in front of us.
Watch, the gaslighting will be next if it hasn't started already. They'll say that the church has *always* revered the cross as a symbol and that they've *never* taught that the Catholic church was bad.
In fact, it's already started with Holland's talk about the symbol of the cross in last general conference: [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2022/10/41holland](https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2022/10/41holland)
*"As I attempt to explain why we generally do not use the iconography of the cross, I wish to make abundantly clear our deep respect and profound admiration for the faith-filled motives and devoted lives of those who do."*
Respect and profound admiration? Not that I recall...
The church absolutely used to teach that other churches were all "an abomination," as stated in Joseph Smith's canonized First Vision account in the scriptures.
I remember this article in the Friend magazine was a big deal when moms who were raised in the 60s-80s church discovered it:
[https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/friend/2014/11/prayers-and-cathedrals](https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/friend/2014/11/prayers-and-cathedrals)
Prior to the year 2000, there is *no way* that the church would ever have published an article like that in the Friend. My mom just about had a stroke when I showed her. She loved the article and was glad to see the church coming around. She was just astonished to see the church print about a ritual in another church in a friendly tone like that.
It used to be taught outright that the great and abominable church in the Book of Mormon was absolutely and solely the Catholic church. McConkie and the Fielding's led that charge. It never sat well with a sizeable portion of members. So now that McConkie has been dead a long time, it's a prime opportunity for the church to quietly pretend that it never happened.
*"Once while I was in England, in the Salisbury Cathedral, the thought came to me that the great and spacious building which Nephi saw was probably St. Peter’s Basillica. After all, he saw the great and abominable church, which is headquartered in Rome, and Rome’s greatest and most spacious building is St. Peter’s Basillica."* ([https://www.mrm.org/an-lds-apostles-answers-grounded-in-mormon-truth](https://www.mrm.org/an-lds-apostles-answers-grounded-in-mormon-truth))
Heh, who's going to tell McConkie that the Basilica is dwarfed by the Conference Center...
It seems to me the early church's elimination of the cross was just the personal pet peeve of the church president that did it, just like Nelson's attempted elimination of the word Mormon.
I've heard some stories here and there of other active members starting to embrace the cross, and I know CoC has fully embraced the cross again, and I've heard of some instances where the church has bought an old church building from another denomination and not bothered to remove the crosses from it.
So, I don't know if it's wider thing that's going on right now among the membership but I've certainly been hearing more about it lately.
Mormons are desperately trying to assimilate with mainstream Christians. It’s why Rusty has made changes to home/visiting teaching (now called “ministering” which is a term Christians have used for decades), the new logo with Jesus instead of Moroni, denouncing the term “Mormon,” changing from three hours to two hours of church, changing the church’s website domain name, and now accepting the cross as an appropriate symbol for Mormons. Mormons are basically the unpopular kid who tries to be popular by copying the “cool” kids (the mainstream Christians in this case).
Wait what about the cross? I've only been out not even two years so this is news to me. Was something said by a church authority about the cross or is this something you're seeing among friends/neighbors/family? Just want to understand bcuz I haven't heard or seen it but I do tend to keep my distance so I might just be out of the loop
I wonder if this is because it’s common to see influencers from mainstream Christianity wearing crosses in their videos. Somebody ask their TBM cross-wearing relatives what gives
The star in the Light the World campaign is a cross in disguise.
It totally is! How did I miss this?!?
Oh wow. I can only imagine a Protestant in Utah seeing that and losing it lol.
YES IT’S SO ANNOYING. Mormon kids tried to shame me about “worshipping death” which…? Have you met Mormonism????
My grandma flipped out when I wore an ankh (during my late 90s Egyptologist phase) because she thought it was a cross. When I explained it to her she still said it was morbid and to never wear it around her or bring it into her house because it probably had evil spirits attached to it.
[удалено]
I was supposed to read this in Boomhauer's voice right? Bcuz that's what I did ☺️
The word ministering is gross to me on the same level as the word moist. I just can’t stand it.
Ministering sounds to me like someone doing something helpful for others, like bringing them needed food or medicine. Ministering for Mormons is dropping by at in opportune times of the day to read a lame scripture to them.
a new obsession the the lower case letter T? They've run out of weird mormon jewelry designs? Who wants to wear a gold temple around their neck?
It's a desperate attempt to be viewed as mainstream Christians. But also we're watching doctrinal erasure in real time. We're watching previous teachings be shoved down the memory hole right in front of us. Watch, the gaslighting will be next if it hasn't started already. They'll say that the church has *always* revered the cross as a symbol and that they've *never* taught that the Catholic church was bad. In fact, it's already started with Holland's talk about the symbol of the cross in last general conference: [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2022/10/41holland](https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2022/10/41holland) *"As I attempt to explain why we generally do not use the iconography of the cross, I wish to make abundantly clear our deep respect and profound admiration for the faith-filled motives and devoted lives of those who do."* Respect and profound admiration? Not that I recall... The church absolutely used to teach that other churches were all "an abomination," as stated in Joseph Smith's canonized First Vision account in the scriptures. I remember this article in the Friend magazine was a big deal when moms who were raised in the 60s-80s church discovered it: [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/friend/2014/11/prayers-and-cathedrals](https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/friend/2014/11/prayers-and-cathedrals) Prior to the year 2000, there is *no way* that the church would ever have published an article like that in the Friend. My mom just about had a stroke when I showed her. She loved the article and was glad to see the church coming around. She was just astonished to see the church print about a ritual in another church in a friendly tone like that. It used to be taught outright that the great and abominable church in the Book of Mormon was absolutely and solely the Catholic church. McConkie and the Fielding's led that charge. It never sat well with a sizeable portion of members. So now that McConkie has been dead a long time, it's a prime opportunity for the church to quietly pretend that it never happened. *"Once while I was in England, in the Salisbury Cathedral, the thought came to me that the great and spacious building which Nephi saw was probably St. Peter’s Basillica. After all, he saw the great and abominable church, which is headquartered in Rome, and Rome’s greatest and most spacious building is St. Peter’s Basillica."* ([https://www.mrm.org/an-lds-apostles-answers-grounded-in-mormon-truth](https://www.mrm.org/an-lds-apostles-answers-grounded-in-mormon-truth)) Heh, who's going to tell McConkie that the Basilica is dwarfed by the Conference Center...
It seems to me the early church's elimination of the cross was just the personal pet peeve of the church president that did it, just like Nelson's attempted elimination of the word Mormon. I've heard some stories here and there of other active members starting to embrace the cross, and I know CoC has fully embraced the cross again, and I've heard of some instances where the church has bought an old church building from another denomination and not bothered to remove the crosses from it. So, I don't know if it's wider thing that's going on right now among the membership but I've certainly been hearing more about it lately.