5 Things I Like About Mormonism

• John Vandivier

After reading through the Book of Mormon, I recently gave six reasons that I prefer a relatively traditional form of Christianity inclusive of the doctrine of Sola Fide to Mormonism.

In this article, I'd like to highlight five things I love about the LDS Church and its members.

  1. Focus on the Family
    1. In contrast to the traditional Christian view, LDS members view the family as eternal.
    2. The LDS Church ends up being a stronger proponent of traditional marriage than do many Christian denominations.
  2. Hopeful Universalism
    1. From what I can tell, the LDS does not ascribe to a final destruction of the spirit or soul. Instead, the worst possible situation is self-selection by the sinner into Outer Darkness.
    2. This article makes a strong argument from current LDS scripture against the possibility of anyone actually going to Outer Darkness.
    3. Because the LDS Church has an open canon, even if universalism were denied today it might become official teaching in the future.
  3. Emphasis on Mission Work
    1. If the Gospel is true, then Christians ought to have an incredibly high value for sharing the Gospel. It seems to me that the LDS Church and its members engage in a higher volume of mission work per capita compared to many Christian denominations.
  4. Unity of Belief and Hope of Reconciliation
    1. The LDS Church accounts for more than 98% of all Mormons, and two denominations account for more than 99.5% of all Mormons. This means Mormons are much more unified in their doctrine compared to Christians in general.
    2. A hope of global reconciliation of all Christians under a single set of correct doctrines seems to be a teaching of the LDS Church. This is a refreshing contrast to some denominations of Christianity that seem to have a heart of contempt for other denominations.
      1. Here's a related joke
  5. Plain Character
    1. It seems to me that one of the best arguments against Christianity is Christians. The values of the religion seem perfect to me, but Christians like me continuously fail to live those values out.
    2. In contrast, the people that I know who are Mormon are a great argument in favor of LDS membership. The Mormons that I know are hard working and geniunely kind.