Prophets, Presidents and a Post, OH MY!

Posted bycasey coombsPosted inI'm a Mormon!

You may not like Mormons all that much, you may enjoy thinking we’re big bunches of crazy more than acknowledging that we share the same air as you, but woo ha you’ve gotta love that we are organized little buggers. (And by “we” I certainly don’t mean “me”, I mean all the people responsible for running the LDS church.)

You may have heard on the news that our Prophet, President Gordon B. Hinckley, passed away January 27 at the age of 97. Now, the Catholics may not like this, but the Pope to the Catholic church is what the Prophet is to the LDS church. The only higher authority than the Prophet is God Himself.

And this is where I get to the organization part. And again, it’s not to make you a Mormon, or make you like us even more than you already should. It’s just a little (true) information about my church. Because if you’re not totally hip to the Mormons you may still think of us as a bunch of screwy, cult like polygamists. And really I don’t blame you if you choose to be naive. The false, screwy, cult-like polygamist stereotype is way more interesting than the completely normal God fearing family oriented truth.

On to my point.

Everyone who is a member of this church has (for the lack of a better phrase) someone to answer to. As a family we answer to each other. We in turn answer to a bishop who presides over our ward. (A ward is a congregation made up of people living in a certain area. (For example, back in Utah our ward was all the LDS members living in a six-block radius; out here our ward is all the members living in about a ten-mile radius.)) The bishop then answers to the stake president (a stake is a collection of wards in the same area; our ward out here makes up a quarter of Indianapolis. Back in Utah our stake covered about three square miles.) The stake president then answers to an area authority (Do I need to explain that an “area” is a collection of Stakes within a city, state, country or nation? Because I just did.) The area authorities report to the Quorum of the Seventy (there’s actually more than one Quorum and there’s a whole lot more than Seventy people in it, but that’s not important.) The Seventies then report to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, which are Twelve (generally older) men who are kind of like a board of directors. Above the Quorum of the Twelve is the First Presidency, made up of three men and led by the Prophet. (Think CEO, COO and CFO, only to God, not to a company.) The Prophet answers to God himself.

Now this is where the LDS church is unique. We believe in and sustain a living prophet who receives modern revelation through God. (Still with me here? How’s the crazy meter?)

All of our clergy members, be they bishops, stake presidents or the Prophet are unpaid and they are called to their positions by a revelation from God. This is another way our church is unique. None of our clergy are formally trained for their callings and they generally have another job outside their church duties. We had one bishop who was a retired three-star general. We had another one who was a mechanic for the FAA. Normal guys volunteering their time to watch over the affairs of the church and its members.

President Hinckley was the fifteenth prophet of our church (a lifelong duty once called), and today his counselor became the new prophet. His name is Thomas S. Monson and he’s a swell guy.

You still with me? Gosh, that was kind of you to make it through such a long post. I know, I KNOW. There’s someone reading this simply seething with righteous indignation. I don’t need you to tell me all the mean things that I’ve been told before. I’m a good person and I very much enjoy my religion. I’m not expecting anyone to agree with me, I’m just putting information out there in case anyone was curious or confused. If you weren’t curious or confused, then this post wasn’t meant for you, so click elsewhere and keep your mean opinions to yourself.

Thanks.

54 thoughts on “Prophets, Presidents and a Post, OH MY!”

  6. Wow, great job. It would have taken me forever to put that all together. I want to add that none of these people who put hours and sometimes more time than most do into their full time jobs get paid. Not one.

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  7. Thanks for the info. I admire your commitment. Unfortunately, I don’t see as many people in our denomination who are willing to make the church (or at least it’s philosophies) the center of their lives.

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  11. “I’m a Mormon, yes I am!” I believe that used to be a primary song back in the day. Anywho, you impress me with yo mad skillz and your ease of explaining gospel subjects. Things I am not very good at myself. You are so smart! That is why I love you so!

    Kimmie’s last blog post..Feeling Bloggily Challenged

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  13. Hmm, I realize that my total knowledge of the LSD is based on the HBO series Big Love and that guy I met one time who refused my offer of a Coke (Cola!) on the grounds that he was Mormon. I couldn’t get much more information out of him as I recall. Do you have a book you recommend that tells about your church? I’m wary of asking as I break out in hives at the full press preaching style but I would like to know more. Or maybe you could just blog it? Whatever you feel comfortable with. Thanks.

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  15. Thank you. Because I still haven’t been able to figure out the 70 and the apostles and how it all worked until now. Newbie Mormon gets a lesson 🙂

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  19. I think it’s great that they don’t pay the upper clergy. I know it’s time consuming, but something about learning my pastor makes $100,000 per year was a real turn off to me. Think of all he could do for charity with that money… that’s 2 times the average household income in our area… Anyway. Good for the LDS!

    Amy C.’s last blog post..Happy Birthday, Will!

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  20. Very interesting post! I grew up Catholic and am loving learning about your religion. Anything that can broaden my horizons is a good thing!

    Thank you.

    (PS — I just found you and enjoy your blog greatly. Go Moosh!)

    Mitch’s last blog post..A Clumsy Little Cuss

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  21. I am a Southern Baptist turned Lutheran living in the south. Thank you for this post. When I was a kid, our Sunday School teachers told us about Mormans and how they were “wrong”. Well all that did was make me curious, so thanks for helping. I think that knowledge, whether you agree with it or not, beats out ignorance every time. You are very brave and I am learning from you.

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  24. Mymsie-
    That’s a whole other post that’s coming. But frankly I’m fine with no women. The priesthood that the men hold is such a responsibility that most of the women I know don’t really want any more responsibility than we already have as daughters, wives, mothers, friends and sisters.

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  27. Growing up as a Methodist preacher’s kid, I haven’t been exposed to many other religions. I find your explanations of Mormonism very interesting. Thanks for sharing.

    dee’s last blog post..32 Weeks

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  28. Hey there, I just read Mymsie’s comment and your response and had the same thought in mind: even if most women you know aren’t interested in a position, what if one of them is “called” anyway? Or is the assumption that Mormon women aren’t called to positions other than mothers, wives, friends?
    I’m really interested in your take on this…I have problems with the Catholic Church because women are left out, aside from nunhood, and am coming around to the Episcopals because they are ordaining women (much to the chagrin of many).
    Anyway, thanks for taking on this topic so publicly!

    Must be Motherhood’s last blog post..Feed Me Seymour!

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  29. You know, you’re really sucking all the crazy out of Mormon. If you keep it up, I’m going to have to pick some other religion to make fun of.

    (Thanks for teaching me stuff without making me feel stupid for not knowing in the first place!)

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  31. FWIW, I love Mormons. I’m not one, but I love them. I attended a Mormon church for two years and I honestly think that you will not find a niftier, nicer group of people anywhere. I know that sounds condesending but I actually mean it.

    Jen’s last blog post..How I lost 6 pounds in one day

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  33. Have you ever thought of writing users’ manuals for setting up electronics too? 🙂 Seriously, my husband and I lived in Utah for three years as a non-Mormon I never understood the hierarchy of your church until reading this. And I have to agree, I know a lot of nifty nice Mormons (also not being condescending) and after reading your blog would say you fit into that category too!

    andrea’s last blog post..Why I Am a Geek – Reason 429

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  36. I love your morman posts. You always explain things so well. I remember in elementary school my best friend who was morman being subjected to videos another friend of ours got from her church trying to convince jennifer (the best friend) that she was part of a cult. I really wish the people at that church knew people like you and actually understood a little bit about the religion they were bashing, because then perhaps they wouldn’t have spred such horrendous lies to the easy to influence children who attended their church.

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  38. Wow you just inspired me to unsubscribe from your blog. Don’t think that I am just another Mormon hater because I am not. I grew up in a Fundamental LDS home, so I am sorry but I can’t imaging why anyone would subject themselves or their children to that.

    Sarah’s last blog post..Alex and Caitlin watching a movie

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  39. I’m Morman, too, and just started reading the blog. Way cute!

    Must be Motherhood – you have to be a worthy priesthood holder (adult, male, ordained by someone with authority, with no major unrepented sins) to be called to a bishopric (bishop + councilors), stake presidency, 70 (BTW multiple quorums, no more than 70 per quorum), apostle or 1st Presidency. Women *are* called to positions of authority in the Relief Society (oldest women’s organization in the world! 🙂 ) and the Primary (the children’s program). Women are in fact the only ones allowed to govern those two bodies.

    Sarah – LDS and FLDS are veeerrrrrrrry different in doctrine, habits. and culture. Please don’t judge us by your unfortunate experience.

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  41. Very interesting, thanks for sharing. I just moved from Memphis to St. Louis and I am starting to meet a lot of Mormons. (Not a lot in Memphis!) I’ve always been taught that LDS is wrong and isn’t Christianity so I find your posts very educational. Do y’all believe that the Prophet has a higher connection to God than everyone else? Just wondering since you compared him to the Pope.

    Ashley’s last blog post..Poor Baby!

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  42. Ashley-
    Pretty much. It’s as if everyone in the world has God in their phone book and can call him anytime but the Prophet has a hard line wired straight to Him.
    Maybe Bluetooth is a better analogy?

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  44. Ditto to what was said before. Great post! For all your readers who want to know more about the LDS Church, mormon.org is a great web resource put out by the Church.

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  45. Wow, I not only learned so much from your post, but was inspired and enlightened by the comments alone. I’m grateful that you’re clarifying our faith for all your viewers/readers. I can recommend a great book for anyone further interested in learning more about our beliefs… The Book of Mormon. The introduction provides great insight to who we are and what we stand for.

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  46. I never did get the antipathy towards the LDS church. I really feel it’s at least partially chalked up to ignorance.

    It’s sad that more people don’t realize that the LDS looks at the US as a country in need of missionaries just as much as any other country on this planet. I found this out during a time of need, naturally–I wound up with 4 young men helping someone they’d never met move herself and her baby to a new apartment, just because someone who knew us asked them to.

    Personally I think that’s the coolest thing, that the US is included as an LDS mission assignment. Most religions just overlook the need around them while shouting from pulpits for money to shovel into overseas missions.

    Sorry for hijacking your comments–found you thru cre8buzz.

    PandoraWilde’s last blog post..Countdown

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  50. Great post Casey! My book club just got done reading Escape by Carolyn Jessop (pretty freaky stuff there!) and the discussion turned to the Prophet passing and the way a new one was chosen of course none of us are Mormon so your explanation was very timely!Now if I could just fine someone to explain Scientology in a normal way I’d be all set!

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