BeenThereDunnThatExMo asked if hardline Mormonism is dying out.
It reminded me--a friend mentioned that one of the highlights of the recent conference was one of the GA's singing the praises of other religions?

Really? Did anybody else hear this?

The LDS church I grew up in said that "so-called" Christianity was a big pack of lies, the Church of the Devil, abominations to God, etc. Protestant Ministers were in the employ of Satan hisself the last time I went to the Temple.

Who was it that is singing the praises of these churches?

It is no longer in their best interest to steal members from each other. They need to cooperate to battle the growing number of people who realize they do not need religion.

N/T

http://www.mormontimes.com/article/1475/lifestyle/studies/research%20&%20discoveries

Holt also said that some Mormons fear interfaith dialogue because they think they will either be tainted by false ideas or be completely offensive when discussing differences, and that it's easier to be like everyone else.

"This is not the purpose of interfaith dialogue from an LDS perspective; we don't seek ecumenism, we seek interfaith relationships and dialogue, but we do not seek ecumenism, because the purpose of it is to bring the churches together," Holt said. "That's not an LDS teaching, and we must be honest about it."

And with that, Holt said, lies the dichotomy: While Mormons do have some sort of exclusivity when it comes to correctness of belief, they're also supposed to recognize the value of other churches. In fact, Mormon revelation says that adherents of other faiths will be found in different kingdoms in the afterlife, not because of their beliefs, but because of the honorableness of their lives. Mormons believe through the Prophet Joseph Smith that people of other faiths can attain different kingdoms of glory.


"For Latter-day Saints, Jesus Christ is 'the way, the truth, and the life' (John 14: 6) and the Church is 'the only true and living Church upon the face of the whole earth" (D&C 1:30),' Holt said. "These truths and the validity of the Restoration are the basis of any starting point for interfaith dialogue. These can be seen to be arrogant claims to make, however, for Latter-day Saints to begin from another position would base the dialogue on dishonesty.