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It surely has, and in some ways we have drawn closer than ever before.
Other LDS may not share my view but I personally think that today is a time of sifting. The Lord is separating from the righteous those whose choices have proven that they are so wicked they cannot abide the change this world will experience when the prophesied Millennium is ushered in. (Sheep from the goats, wheat from the tares, right hand/left hand, etc.)
I think all Christian churches work to lift people from a state of wickedness to a state of righteousness. Mormons believe that they are commissioned to add to that righteousness (for those who so choose) the apostolic sealing power to create eternal families.
No church needs to give up the doctrines and religious practices that specifically define them, but all Christians in my opinion should cooperate to teach the whole world about Jesus Christ, his atonement for us, and the lifestyle "love thy neighbor as thyself" teachings in the Beatitudes.
Does the church pres require any kind of prerequisite lineage to qualify for the job?
There is no prequisite lineage to qualify to be an Apostle of the Lord, such calls come by revelation to the living Prophet and Quorum of Twelve Apostles.
Faithful Latter-day Saints are entitled to a personal revelation from an ordained patriarch that reveals among other things specific gifts and foreordinations (things they were sent to this world to accomplish), and their lineage. In America most LDS are either descendents of or adopted into the tribe of Ephraim or Manasseh, with some exceptions. These blessings are always contingent on faithfulness.
Interestingly there is scripture that a descendent of Levi could serve as a bishop without needing to be ordained to that office, though there would obviously be worthiness qualifications and some other considerations; I don't know of anyone currently serving in that category.
I really appreciate your comments. What with a Catholic bishop defending the Saints who supported Proposition 8 in California and a Rabbi writing because of the same event "we are all Mormons" it has been quite pleasant in some ways lately.
I found links to the Catholic bishop and the Rabbi remarks mentioned above regarding the LDS stand for traditional marriage:
Actually the evidence does suggest that Joseph Smith was a con man. He was convicted in 1826 of FRAUD for his magic treasure seeking. It is on public record. You can look it up.
When I was in college, I took a very interesting religion course. We looked at four religions. Christianity, Jehovah's witnesses, mormons and Islam but instead of looking at the religions, we studied the lives of the founders from a perspective of whether or not they were credible. I left this course just shaking my head WRT Joseph Smith. There is no way I'd follow that man nor would I follow Mohamad.
I was suprised to find that, while I still disagree with the interpretations and beliefs, I can actually understand where the Jehovah's witnesses get their beliefs from. Joseph Smith's revelations from rocks on his head are just too wacky for me. Especially since some are so self serving for him.
And as a mormon, you'd consider yourself to be Christian?
Everything religious that members of The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints do is centered around our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and his teachings.
But we are Restoration Christians, not Trinity Christians. We do not accept the non-biblical manmade creeds of the 3rd and 4th century that are commonly accepted by some other Christian churches today. By those standards even the original apostles called directly by the Lord would not qualify as "Christians".
Have a look at what Latter-day Saints have to say about Jesus Christ:
You don't think the nature of who God is, is pretty basic to the definition of your religion? I mean...I can call my dog Jesus, and claim to follow his teachings, and it all sounds pretty good....until we define who Jesus is.
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