To clarify one statement, you said, "I don't understand the meat of your belief like storing up food for weeks." While it is true that our prophets have encouraged us to have a supply of food, water, and other necessities so that in times of trouble, famine, earthquake, drought and other problems we can be self-sustaining, that certainly is a valuable directive from our leaders, but it is not "doctrine" of the Church. Doctrine includes all of the principles and ordinances of the gospel.

Regarding your question about why everyone can't view a temple wedding, it is simply because of the sacredness of that ceremony in the lives of those who participate. There is nothing so secret about it, it's just that it is very sacred. The ordinances of the temple are for individual members who are willing and ready to take upon themselves promises and covenants with the Lord relative to how they will conduct their lives. We consider the temple to be the House of the Lord and so those who have not entered into this covenant relationship with him are not yet ready to enter these sacred buildings, even to witness a temple marriage. The temple ordinances are so sacred and personally meaningful that to open them up to casual observation by those who do not believe or would mock, would tend to make them common and cheap, and, as a consequence, only faithful members of the Church are invited to attend.

You also asked why some people can be married in the temple and others not. The answer to that is that it depends on their worthiness. In order to be prepared to go to the temple and to participate in the sacred ordinances there, one must be a faithful, active member of the Church, one who not only attends his meetings on a regular basis, but who lives life in accordance with the standards of the gospel, including being totally chaste, abstaining from alcohol, tobacco, coffee, tea and other harmful substances. They must also show their worthiness by being regular and full tithe payers, as tithing is a great principle of the gospel, as preached through the centuries by Christ and his prophets (see Malachi 3:8).

You asked what makes the Mormon religion different than the Christian or Catholic church. First of all, we are Christians, as you can see from what I have said above, but I presume you mean the Protestant religions, as well as Catholics. There are many differences that time and space in this e-mail do not permit a discussion of, but I will try to discuss some of the basic differences. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, there are both apostles and prophets who lead and guide the Church, who hold the same priesthood that Christ gave his apostles when he was on the earth some 2000 years ago. We believe that this is the same organization which was restored to the earth through the prophet Joseph Smith.

We believe not only the Bible to be the word of God, but also that the latter-day scripture "The Book of Mormon" is also the word of God. Also, we believe in baptism by immersion and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. Furthermore, we believe that the baptism of infants does not please our Heavenly Father since little children cannot make decisions for themselves which would disqualify them from the grace of Christ. We believe that little children are not held accountable for their actions until they become eight years of age. It is then that they are baptized.

We also believe in a law of health which we call "The Word of Wisdom," in that members of the Church are directed to abstain from coffee, tea, alcohol, tobacco, and harmful drugs. We know from the scriptures that our bodies are the temples of God and that if we should do harm to those temples, God will be displeased.

There are many other differences but these are just a few. You asked why Mormons are called a cult, and I couldn't guess why, since the word "cult" as used in common, everyday English suggests a strange, secret, even something "faddish" or uncommon. On the other hand, maybe some of those words do describe us in that many of our beliefs are very different from traditional Christian doctrine. For instance, we believe that God, our Heavenly Father, and his Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are three separate and distinct beings. Tenets of the Catholic Church, on the other hand, do not state that but rather that God, Christ, and the Holy Ghost are one conglomerate being. But we know from our study of the scriptures, which you might want to ponder, that the doctrine of the separateness of the Trinity is true (see Matt. 3:17-18, John 17:9-11, John 17:20-23, Acts 7:55-56, and Hebrews 1:1-3).

Our doctrine also includes the great blessing of temple marriage which seals families together for time and all eternity. Other Christian religions do not espouse such doctrine. Additionally, we believe that if men and women do not have the opportunity to hear and understand the gospel of Jesus Christ, they will be given that opportunity in the Spirit World after they die. That is one of the many reasons why we build temples all over the world, so that faithful members of the Church can go to the temples and perform sacred ordinances such as baptism for the dead so that all of Heavenly Father's children will have the great blessing and privilege of knowing the gospel and accepting it before they come to that great day of judgment (see 1 Cor. 15:29, 1 Peter 3:18-19, 1 Peter 4:6).

There is so much more to it than what I've explained here. It might be helpful for you if I sent a couple of our representatives to visit with you to explain exactly what it is that we believe and why. After you have had an opportunity to hear and understand those things, you'll know for yourself whether any of this is worth pursuing. If you would like me to do that, please email me your address and phone number and I will have them call on you.

Sincerely,

Donny Osmond


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