Mormons set to build new temple in Rome, Italy

The Mormon Church has been on an ambitious temple-building spree for the past 30 years. With 134 currently operating temples and nine under construction, the group recently announced 14 new temples, including one in the Eternal City. This, of course, is something they consider to be a milestone in their expansion, in part because Italy has been a country where Mormon missionaries have not had great success in finding converts.


The two major reasons for their overall lack of proselytism progress there is, in my view, 1) because Italy is more than just ostensibly a Catholic nation and, 2) because Mormonism is so very, very “American” that Italians, as with other Europeans who tend to look down on America and Americans, are even less interested in buying what the Mormon missionaries are selling than they might otherwise be.

In any case, I am disappointed but by no means dispirited by the news of this new temple. It may well be that Catholics in Italy who are still serious about explaining, sharing, and defending the True Faith will see in this development an opportunity to renew their efforts to reach out and evangelize Mormons and others. I certainly do pray for that and hope that the appearance of this new Mormon temple in Rome serves as a much-needed catalyst for Catholics to stand up for the Truth in the face of a Made-in-America theological off-brand.

Dinne s’alcun Latino è tra costoro

che son quinc’ entro, se l’unghia ti basti

etternalmente a cotesto lavoro.  — Dante

Coming soon to a doorbell near you: Mormon missionaries

Here's yesterday's "Catholic Answers Live" radio show in which I discuss some general principles for Catholics who want to evangelize Mormons, especially their missionaries who will, sooner or later, show up on your doorstep, ready to talk religion. Be ready for them!

Also, as an aside, here's a tract I wrote on this subject many years ago, and here's an article on "The Great Apostasy" that I mention during the show. (It's a crucial Mormon doctrine which Catholics should clearly understand so they can zero in on it when missionaries show up at the door).

The term "Mormon" is back in vogue among Mormons

I have studied Mormon theology and history for nearly 25 years now (yes, I know that's an uncommon hobby for a Catholic), during which time I've seen a marked shift in the attitudes of many Mormons toward the moniker "Mormon."

While it was for many decades a generally accepted name for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (A.K.A. the Mormon Church), I recall meeting increasing resistance to the name from members of that Church. Many times I was gently admonished by them for calling them Mormons, rather than the preferred "Latter-day Saints" or, for short, "LDS."

Well, times they are a changin'. I was fascinated to read today about how the name "Mormon" is now back in vogue, mainly because the Mormon Church's study of search-engine data shows that, by far and away, more people search for "Mormon" than for any other variant.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports:

After a decadelong moratorium, Mormon is back. The name, that is. It will be on display everywhere this weekend as thousands gather for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' 180th Annual General Conference in Salt Lake City.

Where LDS leaders once were pushing members to call themselves Latter-day Saints, rather than Mormons, now the church-owned Deseret News has created the Mormon Times. "Mormon Messages" is on YouTube. The "Mormon Channel" is on the radio. And the faith's missionary Web site is mormon.org.

So what has changed for the nearly 14 million-member church? The Internet.

Last year, some 26.8. million people searched for the word "Mormon," 5.3 million hunted for "Mormons," and 1.3 million scouted for "Mormonism," noted Michael Otterson, managing director of LDS Public Affairs.

Although about 32 million searched for "LDS," church officials believe most of those were members. Few search for the official name.

"It's simply a reality that people think of Mormons, they don't think of Latter-day Saints," Otterson said Thursday. "Mormon is here to stay."

In fact, this weekend's two-day conference will be followed closely on blogs such as "Feminist Mormon Housewives," "Mormon Matters" and "Mormon Stories." (In the so-called bloggernacle, "Mormon" outpaces "LDS" in blog names by 3-to-1.)

Some wonder why the Utah-based church tried to jettison the nickname in the first place, especially after spending years and untold millions creating a "Mormon" brand. The tag line for its award-winning "Homefront" TV spots, for example, was, "Brought to you by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- the Mormons."

"Branding is a very difficult, lengthy and taxing process of attempting to influence the consumer mind at a basic level," said Kenneth Foster, a marketing research expert in Salt Lake City and a Mormon. "The church can't really back away from the use of the term Mormon, given the ingrained history of the term and resources the church used to establish it. A better strategy may be to embrace and revitalize it." . . . (continue reading)

Read my earlier blog posts about Mormons and Mormonism here.

Read various articles and essays I've written about Mormonism here.

Listen to an MP3 of my 1990 public debate with an official Mormon leader.

Listen to an MP3 of my 1992 public debate with an official Mormon leader.

Irresistible Force Meets Immovable Object and Vice Versa

What would happen if a pair of Mormon missionaries showed up on the doorstep of a dedicated Jehovah's Witness? This humorous but insightful fictional dialogue is what it might sound like.

Elder Hawkins grinned as he approached the door. He and Sister Sarah had placed the Book of Mormon in four homes already this morning, and it wasn't yet noon. He rang the doorbell and stepped back. A tall, balding man wearing a large smile opened the door. Elder Hawkins saw the Watchtower magazine in the man's hand and his grin vanished.

— By David Washburn, This Rock Magazine, 1992 —

"Come in, come in," the man bellowed. "Don't just stand there. Come in and let's get acquainted."

Hawkins ushered Sister Sarah in and followed. They sat on a couch that the man indicated. "Hello. I'm Elder Hawkins, and this is Sister Sarah. We're from the Church of-- "

"I know. I can read your little name tags. Tell me, what do you think of the situation in the Middle East? Do you think it's leading anywhere?"

Hawkins shrugged. "Actually, Mr.-- ?"

"Call me Jack. Jack Overton's my name."

"Jack, then. We're here to ask a few questions. Do you believe family is important in today's society?"

"Sure do," Jack nodded. "That's why me and my family are preparing ourselves to live forever in paradise on Earth. Are you?"

Hawkins blinked. "I hadn't really thought about --"

"You need to."

"Tell me, Jack. Do you believe that today's society is trying to tear down the fabric of the family?"

"They're tearing everything down. It's no accident that blood transfusions transmit AIDS, you know."

"Blood transfusions. Tell me this, Jack. Do you believe that life goes on after death?"

"No. When you die, consciousness ceases. The only way to come back is if Jehovah raises you again to live in paradise on Earth."

"Oh, then you do believe we can return and live with Heavenly Father."

"What does that mean?"

"Don't change the subject. Do you believe it or not?"

Jack considered. "Well, not exactly with him, but we can return here."

"And be exalted to live with Heavenly Father."

Jack shrugged. "If you insist on putting it that way. But not everybody will get to."

Hawkins took a breath. "You mean some people will go to hell."

"Hell no, I don't mean hell! There's no such thing."

Hawkins smiled. "So all can return and live with Heavenly Father."

"I'd still like to know what that means, but the answer is no. The ones who reject the truth go to oblivion. After they get their second chance, if they still reject it, they stay in oblivion."

"Second chance?"

"Don't you read your Bible? At the Last Judgment, where it says 'the books were opened.' That means --"

"Oh, you mean when our Brother Jesus returns."

"He's already here."

Hawkins flinched. "Where?"

"Here. On Earth."

Hawkins smiled at Sister Sarah. "Really? Where does he live?"

"Don't be silly. You can't see him. He's invisible, just like he was when his spirit rose from the dead."

"When his spirit-- Tell me this. Do you believe that God gave the Scriptures, insofar as they are correctly translated, to teach us how we can live with Heavenly Father?"

"Oh, yes. And we have the correct translation. It's called the New World Translation. "

"You have Joseph Smith's inspired translation?"

"Joseph who?"

"Sister Sarah is good at explaining prophecy. Go ahead, Sister."

Sarah cleared her throat. "Heavenly Father gave us the Scriptures through prophets who spoke for him. But the Bible wasn't enough."

"It's enough," Jack said, "But it's hard to understand without Watchtower study materials to interpret it."

"It isn't enough," Sarah said. "There's another Testament of Jesus Christ."

"Why do I want another one when the two I already have tell me all I need to know?"

Sarah frowned. "Because God gave it."

"Why would he do that?"

"Because he wanted to, I guess. It's called the Book of Mormon."

"It was written by a moron?"

"No, Moroni gave it to Joseph Smith."

Jack blinked. "The city councilman?"

"No, the prophet."

"I hear Councilman Smith makes lots of profits, that's for sure."

"Not profit, prophet." She gathered herself and tried again. "When he was fourteen, Joseph Smith had a vision of two personages. One pointed to the other and said, 'This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.' Who do you suppose that was?"

"This is all nice, but we really should be talking about Armageddon."

Hawkins said, "Yes. The final battle when Jesus returns."

"I told you, he's already here. He returned in 1914 and established the millennial kingdom."

Sarah stared. "But that's supposed to be when all the Jews return to Palestine and all the Mormons return to Missouri."

JACK laughed. "I don't know where your misery comes into it, but Jesus returned invisibly in 1914. He's in the process of driving out the devil's minions. The devil is the author of the Trinity doctrine."

Hawkins said, "You don't believe in a Father, Son, and Holy Ghost?"

"I do, but they're not all gods."

"Of course they are. There are lots of gods. The Father has a glorified body, so does the Son. He took up his exalted body and returned to Heavenly Father after he died on the cross."

"It wasn't a cross. It was an upright stake."

"I beg your pardon?"

Jack sighed. "At any rate, his death and spiritual resurrection gave us the prospect of eternal life on a restored Earth."

"Spiritual resurrection? What do you mean?"

"He didn't rise bodily. When he appeared to the disciples, he used different bodies as he pleased."

Hawkins shook his head. "You've got it all wrong. He laid down his life and took it up again, just like Heavenly Father did in ages past."

"You're saying Jehovah died and rose, too?"

"Not Jehovah, the Father."

"Isn't the Father Jehovah?"

"No, he's Adam."

"Adam who?"

"Adam, the first man in the Bible."

"You're kidding."

"Not at all. Brigham Young told us--"

"Who?"

"Brigham Young. He was the spiritual successor to Joseph Smith."

"The city councilman?"

Hawkins slapped the arm of the couch. "Will you stop that? I want to tell you what God revealed to us through his prophet, Joseph Smith!"

Jack leaned back. "Don't get so excited. Tell away."

HAWKINS took a deep breath. "Now, the Angel Moroni appeared to Joseph and told him where he could find some golden plates containing a book that told of an ancient American civilization. He found them and translated them. They were written in Reformed Egyptian."

"What's Reformed Egyptian?"

"A language that nobody knows."

"Did your Joseph know it?"

"No."

"But he translated it."

"Yes!"

Jack scratched his head. "Where are these plates now?"

"The angel took them back to heaven."

Jack smiled. "That's too bad. It would have been nice to have a New World Translation of the Christian Reformed Egyptian Scriptures."

"Why? Joseph Smith translated them perfectly under God's inspiration."

"How do you know that?"

"I prayed to Heavenly Father and he showed me."

"How did he show you?"

"When something is true, don't you feel it? Isn't that feeling you get how you know it's true?"

"Oh, yes. That's how I know my Watchtower is true and this isn't."

"You're wrong. I feel that we're the true church."

"Your feeling is wrong. I feel that we're the right one."

"Your feeling is wrong."

"Is not."

"Is too."

"Is not." Jack stood. "I'm thirsty. Would you like some coffee?"

"We never pollute our bodies with coffee unless our church owns the company. Do you have any tomato juice?"

"I never buy tomato juice. It looks too much like blood, and the Scripture says you're not supposed to eat blood. It's no accident that blood transfusions transmit AIDS, you know."

Hawkins stood. "Tell you what. We need to be going. Just let me leave you with a thought. If you became convinced that these things are true, would you be baptized in the Mormon Church?"

"I've already been baptized into Jehovah's kingdom. Have you?"

"Not that I know of."

"That's too bad. You need to be baptized into his kingdom and then sell books and magazines so you can avoid oblivion. But don't worry. He'll give you a second chance when the books are opened, anyway."

Hawkins shook his head and opened the door for Sister Sarah. "Goodbye, Jack. Thanks for talking to us."

"Same to you," Jack said as he followed them to the door. "By the way, if you're going door-to-door, watch out for the lady two doors down. She's a Christian Scientist. Now there's a strange religion."

Hawkins glanced at Sister Sarah. "Thanks for the tip. We all need to be on guard against religious fruitcakes, don't we?"

Jack nodded. "Yes, don't we all."

Source: This Rock Magazine

---

David Washburn freelances from Powell, Wyoming. Reprinted with permission from The Door, P.O. Box 530, Yreka, CA 96097

Nancy Gave Me My Christmas Present Early This Year

Whoever said Catholic apologetics isn't cool?

The all-new "PatMan Ultra-Glide Jet Pac" is a new addition to a steadily expanding array of of high-tech apologetics tools that I've been assembling for awhile. Sometimes, I just have to get somewhere in a hurry to debate a Protestant minister, thwart a pair of Mormon missionaries, or stymie a cadre of JWs.

That's just how I roll.

London Calling

The clash between what the Mormon Church teaches and what some Mormons think it teaches can be a curious thing to observe. Case in point: "Richard from London" called my Open Line radio show last week to berate me for my critical comments on an earlier show regarding Mormon theology.

Richard identified himself as a former Catholic who converted to the Mormon Church, largely, he said, due to the many "disturbing" chapters in Catholic history. I pointed out that, whatever good or bad things Catholics have done over the centuries (and, to be sure, there are innumerable examples of Catholics doing both), none of it is at all relevant to the truth claims made by the Mormon Church.

Once of those claims which the Mormon Church has made (one which, understandably, Richard denied), through the teachings of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, as well as official LDS scripture, is that God "cursed" certain people by changing their skin color from white to black and, in some cases, brown — an issue I had discussed with a different caller on an earlier show. Take a listen and see what you think.

Regarding the larger question of whether or not the Mormon Church did/does, in fact, officially teach the doctrine that God has cursed certain people by making them black or brown, I wrote an article addressing this issue in This Rock magazine, back in 1991, in response to a similar line of argumentation from another Mormon who was very squeamish about this issue being brought up. I wrote:

As for the question about racism in the doctrines and practices of the Mormon Church, your indignant comments fly in the face of the facts. For the last century and a half the Mormon Church has preached a message of racial inequality based on the theory that God has "cursed" certain people with dark skin. As you well know, this curse applies both to blacks and those of "Lamanite" descent, although for different reasons. To make my point I'll focus just on the Lamanites.

THE BOOK of Mormon says God "cursed" the Lamanites (whom Joseph Smith alleged were originally white-skinned Palestinian Jews from the family of Laman, son of Lehi, who settled in the New World around the year 600 B.C.) in retaliation for their sins by turning them into Indians with dark skin and hair (1 Nephi 12:23; 2 Nephi 5:21-24; Jacob 3:3-5; Alma 3:6; Mormon 5:15).

The Mormon Church teaches that the Lamanites were the forerunners of North American Indians as well as of Mexicans and other Latin Americans. These are described in the Book of Mormon in unflattering terms: "dark," "filthy," "abominable," "loathsome," "idle," "wicked," "sorely cursed with skins of darkness," and "beyond the description of that which hath ever been amongst us."

If this weren't enough to demonstrate that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints teaches that certain races are inferior because of the color of their skin (isn't that the definition of racism?), please recall that the Book of Mormon repeatedly emphasizes the notion that white skin is "pure and delightsome" and that brown skin is "filthy and loathsome."

TO BE FAIR, I should mention that the Mormon Church does hold out hope to Indians, Mexicans, and all those who have been tainted by the Lamanite curse. The Book of Mormon explains that "Lamanitish" people who accept the Mormon gospel can hope to have their skins turned white.

In Jacob 3:8 the white-skinned Nephites are warned about the wages of sin: "O my brethren, I fear that unless ye shall repent of your sins that their [the Lamanites'] skins will be whiter than yours, when ye shall be brought with them before the throne of God." If you need more convincing about this issue see also 3 Nephi 2:15, 2 Nephi 30:6, and Alma 23:18.

Notice that I quote from the Book of Mormon--I'm not sneaking in "obscure comments," although I could have quoted zillions of 'em, and you know it, from "obscure" Mormon leaders such as the prophets Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, plus Bruce R. McConkie and Mark E. Peterson, both former members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

Truth or consequences, Robert. Do you believe God "cursed" people by giving them dark skin, or don't you? The ramifications of your answer seem agonizingly clear: If you don't believe it, you deny an explicit teaching of the Book of Mormon and over 150 years of official Mormon doctrine promulgated by prophets, apostles, and general authorities. If you do believe God curses some people with dark skin, you'll have a hard time convincing people Mormon theology isn't racist. . . . (continue reading)

Real Mormons Don't Want Fake Mormons to Be Called "Mormons"

The following message (though not this picture) was posted yesterday on the Mormon Church's public affairs blog. It explains the group's unhappiness with recent news reports that refer to "splinter groups" which hive off from the Salt Lake City-based "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" (AKA "the Mormon Church") as "Mormons."

These splinter groups (AKA "Mormon Fundamentalists") assiduously devote themselves to the practice of the doctrine of polygamy (which was renounced by THE Mormon Church in 1890) and around whichever Viagra-addled alpha male has set himself up as the prophet, seer, and revelator for that particular harem.

Yes, it's kind of weird, especially since the real Mormon Church used to officially teach (and practice with gusto) the doctrine of "plural marriage" (c.f., D&C 132:51-52, 61-64). But when you consider this issue from the standpoint of the LDS Church, their concern makes sense. And in any case, I personally find the whole wild and wonderful world of Mormonism rather fascinating anyway.

During the past few years most journalists in the U.S. have done an excellent job in clarifying the differences between The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and small, polygamist, splinter groups that often call themselves "Mormons" but have no connection with the Church. Since these groups are covered in the press frequently, we appreciate journalists' efforts to make this distinction.

However, today The Times in London ran a story about a polygamist group, not at all associated with the Church, with the headline "Mormon polygamist Raymond Jessop on trial after raid on sect's compound." Journalists who use the word "Mormon" in relation to polygamist groups unassociated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints cause enormous amounts of confusion in the minds of their readers. Particularly internationally, readers do not distinguish between these groups and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, of which there are over 13.5 million members worldwide.

A few weeks ago I was in Korea and spoke with some of the Church's Public Affairs media representatives there. They expressed frustration with international wire services that inappropriately use the term "Mormon" in their stories in association with fringe polygamists groups. The Korean press often reruns these stories with the wire service inaccuracies. The effect of such misinformation in Korea, and other countries where the Church has fewer members and is less well known, is much greater. . . . (continue reading)

In Search of the "Great Apostasy": A Catholic Response to Mormon Claims

Since its inception in 1830, the Mormon Church (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) has denied any continuous historical connection with Christianity.

Mormonism's founder Joseph Smith, claimed that in 1820 God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him in the woods near his home in Palmyra, New York. Jesus said that for the proceeding 1700 years (give or take a century — Mormonism can't say exactly) the world had been living in the darkness of a total apostasy from the gospel.

This was the answer to a question young Smith had been pondering. "My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of these sects was right, that I might know which to join. . . .I asked the personages who stood above me in the light, which of all these sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong), and which I should join. I was answered that I must join none of them for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me [Jesus] said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that their professors were all corrupt"

Smith convinced his credulous followers, most of them simple rural folk, that he'd been chosen, in what Mormons have come to call the First Vision, to be the first post-apostasy prophet — God's hand-picked agent charged with restoring the true gospel.

Over the next several years Smith purported to have received additional revelations from "heavenly personages." He claimed that after establishing his church in Palestine, the resurrected Jesus appeared in South America to the Nephites (Jews who, Smith said, had migrated to the New World between 600 and 592 B.C.) and organized a parallel church there (3 Nephi 11-28).

The new prophet seized on Jesus' words in John 10:16 ("I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd") as proof of the Lord's impending South American travel plans. The exegesis might impress one unfamiliar with the New Testament, but the usual understanding is that the "other sheep" Jesus referred to were the Gentiles, to whom the gospel also was extended.

Smith claimed the Nephite church had the same hierarchy and ordinances as its sister church in Palestine — living prophets, twelve apostles, seventy disciples — but things didn't go well for either church. Both collapsed under the weight of pagan influences, dissolving into complete apostasy.

The late Bruce McConkie, a Mormon apostle and, during his life, perhaps Mormonism's leading theologian, explained things this way: "This universal apostasy began in the days of the ancient apostles themselves; and it was known to and foretold by them. . . .With the loss of the Gospel, the nations of the earth went into moral eclipse called the Dark Ages. Apostasy was universal. . . [T]his darkness still prevails except among those who have come to a knowledge of the restored Gospel."[1]

Mormons believe the church Jesus established in Palestine, before its disintegration, was identical to the Mormon Church of today, with ceremonies such as baptism for the dead, a polytheistic concept of God (including eternal progression, the notion that God was a man who evolved into a god and that worthy Mormon males can evolve into gods), and other peculiar Mormon beliefs. The fact that no historical evidence exists to corroborate this position doesn't put much of a dent in the average Mormon's mental armor. . . . (continue reading)

A Hitchhiker's Guide to Kolob

A Fictitious Discussion Between a Mormon Missionary and a Catholic Layman

"Now let me get this straight, Elder Kimball. Are you trying to tell me God the Father lives on a planet named Kolob somewhere out in space?"

"Well, yes, and no. Actually, he lives on a planet near a star called Kolob, but we don't know exactly where it is."

"How can you people possibly believe God lives on a planet near a star named Kolob?"

"Well, the prophet Joseph Smith received a revelation from God in which. . ."

"...How? Did God transport him to this Kolob so he could get a good look at it?"

"No. Joseph Smith received this revelation in the form of a divine record contained in an ancient Egyptian papyri which he translated by the gift and power of God. The message is now known as The Book of Abraham."

"How can I get to Kolob?"

"You can't. God wouldn't permit it."

"Then how can I find out more about Kolob?"

"As I said, the bulk of the information is in The Book of Abraham."

"Where could I get a copy?" . . .

(continue reading in PDF form)

Coming Soon to a Doorbell Near You: Mormon Missionaries

Last week, during my EWTN "Open Line" radio show (Thursdays at 3:00 p.m. ET), I took a call from "John in Harrisburg, PA." He wanted my advice regarding his growing doubts about the Catholic Church which have arisen since he began studying with Mormon missionaries who've been trying their best to convert him to Mormonism. And their efforts have been paying off big time. Their discussions with John have left him feeling confused and doubtful about his Catholic beliefs and increasingly drawn toward the Mormon Church. Click the image above to launch the 11-minute MP3 audio clip of our on-air conversation (or click here).

Also, be sure to book mark and take a look at the online version of Jerald and Sandra Tanner's monumental (and monumentally helpful) exposé of the manifold problems with Mormon theology, The Changing World of Mormonism. Please be sure to share it with any Catholic you might know who has sucumbed to the wiles of the Mormon missionaries or who may be studying with them now and is on the road to sucumbing.

Senator Ted Kennedy Will Not Become a Mormon Any Time Soon

The late Senator Kennedy's funeral has not even taken place yet, and already someone who is either a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (a.k.a. Mormons), or someone who would simply like to embarrass them, has been making preparations to share the "restored gospel" with the senator in the afterlife. Read on, and you'll see what I mean.

One of the interesting and exotic features of the Mormon Church is its temple ritual of baptism for the dead. No, they don't baptize dead bodies. Rather, church members who possess "temple recommends" (a document which officially certifies them for up to one year as being worthy) are encouraged to visit any of the 130+ Mormon temples around the world and are themselves baptized on behalf of deceased persons, who may not have ever been Mormon in this life. (For additional info, see this Catholic Answers tract adapted from an article I wrote in 1989 about Mormonism's baptism for the dead).

Mormons sincerely believe that they can be baptized for deceased people who, the LDS Church teaches, are waiting in "spirit prison" for celestial Mormon missionaries to visit them, preach the gospel to them, and thus enable them — if the prisoner accepts the gospel message — to leave spirit prison and move upward along the path of eternal progression into the various levels of the celestial realm.

To wit, this comes from today's Salt Lake Tribune:

It's not certain whether the late Sen. Ted Kennedy would be more palatable to conservative Utah Republicans if he were a Mormon, but it appears someone tried to make that happen.

Just one day after Kennedy died, someone apparently posted his name on an LDS Church database to have him placed on the list to be posthumously baptized.

That posting was uncovered by researcher Helen Radkey, who has been critical of the church practice.

But, alas, Kennedy won't become a Mormon anytime soon. Whoever placed his name on the list was not authorized to do so, and the church's database security system put a block on it.

According to church policy, a person is not eligible to be baptized posthumously until a year after death. It also is against the policy for anyone to place someone's name on the list who is not related to that person.

The security system also is set up to catch the listing of famous people, like Ted Kennedy, who may be placed on the list as a hoax. (Source)

Looking for God in All the Wrong Places . . . Like Kolob

Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Mormon Church, taught that not only is God our Heavenly Father an "exalted" man who evolved into godhood, but he lives with his wives on a planet near the star Kolob (Abraham 3:2-3, 16). There, from a distance, he reigns over the earth. Seriously.

— By Brian Saint-Paul, Envoy Magazine, www.envoymagazine.com —

In three short months, Joseph Smith would be dead — murdered at the hands of an angry mob. But on this day in April of 1844, his followers were assembled in a lush grove to pay homage to one who had already passed beyond the veil. The crowds settled into the wooden benches surrounded by a line of trees, and fell silent. All eyes followed the Prophet as he stood up, walked to the fore, and began to deliver a sermon that would be etched deeply into the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS).

Smith proclaimed: "That he [God] was once a man like us; yea, that God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth, the same as Jesus Christ himself did. . . . Here, then, is eternal life - to know the only wise and true God; and you have got to learn how to be Gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God, the same as all Gods have done before you” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Press, 1938], 343, 345-346).

And so went the King Follett Discourse, named after the Latter-Day Saint whose death they were gathered to remember. It’s unknown how the crowd reacted to the Prophet’s words. There seems to have been no great disturbance - not surprising, since the teachings were, for Mormons, nothing new. For Catholics, though, these claims are shocking if not offensive. This raises an important question: What is the Mormon view of God and how does it compare with that of classical Christianity? The answer may surprise you.

The late B.H. Roberts, the most influential scholar in the history of the LDS church, boiled the main differences down to three:

“First, we believe that God is a being with a body in form like man’s; that he possesses body, parts and passions; that in a word, God is an exalted, perfected man. Second, we believe in a plurality of Gods. Third, we believe that somewhere and some time in the ages to come, through development, through enlargement, through purification until perfection is attained, man at last, may become like God - a God” (Mormon Doctrine of Deity [Infobase Collector’s Library, Infobases, Inc.], chapter 1). Let’s examine the three points.

One god, two god, three god, four. . .

It’s a big universe out there - plenty of room for a plurality of gods. Well, at least that’s what LDS would have us believe. One of the central tenets of Mormonism is that while this world has but one God (Heavenly Father), there are countless other gods out there, each governing his own world or system of worlds. This position can be best labeled “henotheism,” that is, the belief in many gods, coupled with the worship of only one. The idea of a plurality of gods is found clearly in the Book of Abraham, one of Mormonism’s inspired writings. In it, the Genesis creation story is restated, with a significant modification:

“And they (the Gods) said: Let there be light; and there was light; And they (the Gods) comprehended the light, for it was bright. . . . And the Gods called the light Day, and the darkness they called Night” (Abraham 4:3-5). It goes on from there, adding “Gods” to every action in the original Genesis account. . . . (continue reading)