The community of Christ
member we had hoped to meet with ended up having a conflict and so we have not
yet met with him. But we see him fairly frequently so we have not given up.
There are actually a fair number of Community of Christ (formerly the
Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) members in this area;
we met one in a Wendy’s restaurant last week. In this area people sometimes
confuse us with Community of Christ Church which is very surprising to me
because we are so different.
I have visited with
several people who were former members of the Reorganized Church. One
individual said that they no longer have 250 thousand members reflected on the
websites; their total membership is now more likely 77,000. Someone who
formerly worked in their finance department said they only had about 17,000
tithe payers. Also they have changed their definition of tithing. I suspect they
are and will continue to have great financial difficulties. Of course they can
continue to raise money by selling assets to our Church as they have in the
past. Most of their doctrinal beliefs have changed 180 degrees. From a
doctrinal standpoint they have much more in common with liberal Christian
churches than they do with us.
They seem to want to
abandon their past history, including Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon and even
their version of the Doctrine and Covenants. A person who wrote his Doctoral
Dissertation on the Community of Christ Church described them as going through
“historical amnesia” meaning they have forgotten all of their past. I will post
a blog that compares their beliefs with ours.
One of the Senior
Missionaries that serves in the visitors center across the street from their temple and headquarters, said he
wouldn't be surprised if several years from now, their leadership speaking
of the Community of Christ, asks the question, why are we holding on to these
historical properties, they don't have anything to do with our purpose or
mission today?
