I visited the Reorganized Church Of The Latter Day saints, recently the name has chenged to the Community Of Christ.They claim to be a main stream traditional Christian church. I only went to Sunday school.They were teaching on the history of the doctrines and covenents of Joseph Smith the 3rds writings and the communal living of early Mormons and Christians.

The only difference between them and regular church is a couple of Mormon beliefs,the beliefs that we were all spirits before we were born and God gave us a body to make us get closer to him and the other Mormon thing they do is to read and preach on The Book Of Mormon and also the writings of Joseph Smith and the doctrines and covenents of Joseph Smith the third.

What say you, is it a traditional church or not? They ahd regular praise and worship for worship service I know that, i dont believe they have any rituals I dont know about.

Personally i liked the Sunday school class cause I thought it was ineteresting, but I havnt decided if I want to go back. I m not really interested in any other traditional christian church.

Rideonthastorm, the Mormon church, or any church branching off them, aren't any traditional Christian church. There is a lot you need to learn about them before you make up your mind. And if you are seeking the One True God, the God that Jesus Christ came to reveal to us, stay away from all belief in reincarmation. That's not what God teaches. I won't speak ill of any church,or of any person's beliefs, but be sure you find out everything you can before you commit yourself. I know for a fact that the high leaders in the Mormon Church do have rituals and practices that the church members don't know about.

spudette wrote:

Rideonthastorm, the Mormon church, or any church branching off them, aren't any traditional Christian church. There is a lot you need to learn about them before you make up your mind. And if you are seeking the One True God, the God that Jesus Christ came to reveal to us, stay away from all belief in reincarmation. That's not what God teaches. I won't speak ill of any church,or of any person's beliefs, but be sure you find out everything you can before you commit yourself. I know for a fact that the high leaders in the Mormon Church do have rituals and practices that the church members don't know about.

Neither the LDS nor the RLDS (CoC) believe in reincarnation. They do believe that we existed as spirits with God prior to the creation of the Earth. Numbers 16:22 says God is the God of the spirits of all flesh, and Job 38:7 says that the sons of God shouted for joy at the foundation of the world. Eccl 12:7 says that the spirit of God will return to the god who gave it, strongly implying we did once reside with God as spirits. But Mormon theology says explicitely that there is only one Earthly life and we do no go back to the same spirit world but instead await judgement and resurrection.

As for rituals. CoC does not have temple rites like the LDS church does. In fact their worship is essentially the same as a protestant service. They do have two temples, but they are essentially fancy worship centers, open to the public. LDS do have rituals, but they are no more elaborate than a high and holy mass or other liturgy, although they are not the same, and they are not done publicly. They are easily described mostly in anti-Mormon websites and made to see evil or bizarre, but no more than any ritual found in any other religions, Christian or otherwise. It's just a matter of perspective. And the church makes no effort to shut down such sources, although they have every legal right to do so. They are not like scientology who supresses information, although they are offended that their sacred matters are mocked. (By the way, if these "upper rites" are so secret, how do you know about them so easily, but the Mormons are so in the dark?)

As for the CoC being traditional, they certainly have altered their doctrine to conform to traditional Christianity.  They have accepted the creeds and the traditional definition of the trinity, despite Joseph Smith's specific rejection of both.  They do use the Book of Mormon, which is their biggest distinction, in additon to their version of the Doctrine and Covenants (revelations given to modern prophets).  The LDS church has their own version of the D&C which has some overlap with the CoC version.

spudette wrote:

Rideonthastorm, the Mormon church, or any church branching off them, aren't any traditional Christian church. There is a lot you need to learn about them before you make up your mind. And if you are seeking the One True God, the God that Jesus Christ came to reveal to us, stay away from all belief in reincarmation. That's not what God teaches. I won't speak ill of any church,or of any person's beliefs, but be sure you find out everything you can before you commit yourself. I know for a fact that the high leaders in the Mormon Church do have rituals and practices that the church members don't know about.

O.K. you got my attention. Please do tell.

What does the RLDS/CC think about the Trinity? Because LDS doesn't believe in a Trinity, and also believes that God has a physical body, and is a separate being from Jesus, and other non-normative Christian teachings.