The sickening allegations against Burrell Mohler Sr. and four of his sons have brought unwelcome attention to the Community of Christ, a church that's headquartered in Independence. Mohler and two of his sons, David Mohler and Jared Mohler, are lay ministers in the church. (Saying the allegations were being taken seriously, the church suspended the individuals' "priesthood licenses.")
At times like these, it's perhaps helpful to remind ourselves what the Community of Christ is and is not. When the story broke, NBC Action News referred to the church as "a cross between Christian Orthodox" -- huh? -- "and Mormonism."
The Community of Christ and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or the Mormon Church, share the teachings of Joseph Smith. But they are not the same. The fork developed after Smith, the movement's original prophet, was killed by a mob in Illinois in 1844. Brigham Young led a group of followers to Utah. Smith's widow, Emma Smith, meanwhile, remained with her family in Illinois. Eventually, her eldest son, Joseph Smith III, reported receiving a calling from God to head a new church, which in 1872 became known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The church moved to Independence in 1920.
The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints changed its name to Community of Christ in 2001. The church has 250,000 members in 50 countries.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or the Mormon Church, claims 13.5 million members. While based in Salt Lake, the church has a visitors center in Independence, which Smith held to be a promise land. Five hundred feet away stands the striking Community of Christ headquarters and temple. To anyone with low familiarity with the angel Moroni, the placement of the two landmarks can seem a bit confusing.
In some ways, Community of Christ is the more "modern" church. Joseph Smith III rejected such Mormon practices as baptism for the dead and polygamy (Mormons officially ceased plural marriage in 1890). In the Community of Christ, women play roles at the church's highest levels, which is not the case in Salt Lake.
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Dear ed:
I was not aware that a preacher is a mandatory reporter of abuse. Can you let the public and the 'churches' know where you obtained this fact?
It has been personal experience, that many church preachers and officials do not know how to respond, let alone report abuse. I know first hand that the Community of Christ has set in motion several mandatory seminars to teach about this very topic. If ministers do not respond to this teaching, then their lisence within that Church, will be...suspended. Hats off to their attempts to work through a difficult problem!
Some respond with twisted interpretations of the scriptures and some with bias toward women.
I recommned to churches, victims and perpetraors the newly formed organization:
peaceandsafetyinthechristianho....
Or: PASCH.com.
This organization teaches ministries how to not only detect abuse, but to assist the victims and the abuser and how to bridge the gap between steeple and public officials/authorities with handling abuse issues, which are often crimes. This organization has met with many, who when going through 'spritual abuse' are told to 'submit' and 'pray' or be a better wife, somehow. Most women, abused...will go to a minister, first. So, ministers have a great duty and responsibility to heed the warnings and alert needed law officials.
The L.D.S, the R.L.D.S, and the Community of Christ have all had a history of God speaking to individuals; which often times can be damaging and open the doors to renegades answerable to no one.
The Mohler case, the Paul Cool case are only tips of a greater iceberg, that must be melted into a sea of truth...
I think the key here isn't this religion, it's any religion that pushes "forgiveness". That "forgiveness" is all too often a license to do as you please, then pull out the "ace", forgive me, I'm a sinner. Think my favority line is "all sin is equal". Also, in many of these situations, it is likey the Church wants to keep this quiet, take care of it themselves,and, avoid the publicity. That is why priest in Missouri are mandatory reporters of abuse. The only thing that will fix this is to start criminally prosecuting preachers that don't report abuse.
I am not a member of the Community of Christ. It seems wrong to me to impute responsibility for wrongful actions of a member of a church (whether the Community of Christ, Mormonism, Catholicism, Judaism, Atheism, Agnosticism, Hinduism, Islam) to the church as a whole, if the church's doctrine, teachings, and practice do not encourage the wrongful actions. The act of mocking another's faith at any opportunity demonstrates an inferior and simple mind. Does it not seem wrong to do that?
sis you guys. have some respect - these people really try their best not to abuse their children. it wasn't them, it was the devil, they really fight hard to resist his deliciously naughty temptations. i do like some of the suggestions though
Blimpy is all wrong, a name change is probably not required. Since these allogations happenned over ten years ago, a simple sign stating that "No child molestations in 3650 days" could be located at every church. Each day without a child rape, they can bump the number
After what happenned with the Mohler family in Missouri, they may want to consider calling themselves "Village of Christ", or "Community of non-sadistic pedophiles who are buds with Christ" or something with a little better name recognition.
If people would actually think for themselves and question what they're being told all religions would cease to exist. None of them stand up to scrutiny. Why don't people want to think for themselves?
They are psychopathic simpletons like the majority of crispies and muslims. outdated relics of a dark age and inventors of evil
M Dove,
Your comment is unfounded, insulting, unnecessary, and not the least bit witty. It is unfortunate what these 5 men allegedly did. Their behaviour is inexcusable.
Nonetheless, the actions of 5 indiviuals, belonging to one family do not warrant the systematic judgment that you place on my church. Community of Christ has done exactly what should be done in this situation, by suspending their priesthood liscences, and revoking all youth worker certifications for the accused. Our leadership has acted responsibly, as they should have done.
Personally, I commend the leadership of the church for responding swiftly and justly in the face of this adversity. Well done!
I didn't ask for in depth detail, I asked for something about who they are, which is what the title said but the post essential didn't address at all, this post didn't say a thing about who they are, which for a faith tradition involves the things I stated.
M Dove, what these men are accused of is completely against the teaching of any Christian tradition that I know of, and of any other major faith tradition that I know of. In reality what church an accused person belongs to is not important unless that church promotes the activity which that person is accused of. Not the case here
wtf, donna, why would he have to give equal space to describe other religions in a post specifically about Community of Christ? that's nonsense.
David, you have done a good job with this. I appreciate the clarification...simple, direct, quite accurate.
judy
Thank you for clarifying a little more what the Community of Christ is and is not. One thing is certain, as a member, I am appalled by this behavior and it is in no way reflective of the church's beliefs or theology, just as child abuse by Catholic priests is not reflective of Catholicism.
No, your post is NOT meaningless! Good grief, if you'd gone into the kind of detail Ross asks for, it would have been more information than most of us desires. And of course, you'd owe it to the thousands of other denominations to give them equal time and space. Not to mention muslims, hindus, etc.
Umm, you still have yet to say who they are... Community of Christ is a prophetic tradition with a sense of call to build community, to seek peace and justice in the world...
You didn't mention anything of their beliefs, of their core values / enduring principles...
nothing about their theology. Nothing about what they do, what they strive to be. Thus your post is meaningless
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