Mormons
today maintain a philospohy of history
which, in spirit, is against modern views. "The march of time is not
upward:history is
actually a log downward spiral of decay."(Leone,1979) They reject modern
influences for
a universe directly involved in absolutes and the supernatural. They can
do this
because of their conviction that they are led by a living prophet
and
living apostles. Living prophets give them the confidence to "truly
live
in the modern world and yet be of it, and not harmful
to
their
sacred enterprise."(Alexander,1979)
Latter-day Saints, leader and followers alike, are as hesitant to contradict what an apostle in the 1800’s declared as they are to challenge the writings of Paul.(Underwood,1993) The same supernatural biological and geological changes anticipated then are expected today, "including the abolishment of infant mortality, the herbivorization of carnivores, the unification of the continental landmasses, and the reunion of mortals and resurrected immortals."(www.unity9.com/seers/mormon/mormon.html) But studies show that that the millennium speeches and revelations diminished drastically after 1920. The “Last Days” is still central in Mormon doctrine, but is not central topic at Mormon conferences.
One difference is the term “wicked”. It no longer
applies to all unbelievers. Today it is applied only to the morally corrupt,
and
all the good and honorable of all religions are expected to be alive
after
the
millennium.
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