Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints, also called Mormons or Latter-day Saints, follow a lot of guidelines for everyday living. Non-members of the LDS church often wonder why there are so many "Mormon rules."
"Mormon Rules" are LDS Commandments
Though non-Mormons may refer to them as rules, the general membership of the LDS church calls Mormonism's set of "do"s and "don't"s the commandments. They believe that God has commanded and forbidden certain practices, which are outlined in scripture and through modern-day revelation to His current prophet.
LDS church official ElRay Christiansen remarks that "there are those who ask... 'If the Lord loves us, why does he then give so many commandments, some of them restrictive in their nature?' Well, the answer is he gives us commandments because he loves us. He wishes to save us from sorrow and remorse and failure, and the worst of all, regret, and from losing our blessings."
List of Commandments (Mormon Laws)
To Mormons, all rules have a spiritual component. Modern LDS scripture Doctrine & Covenants 29: 34 records the Lord as saying: "all things unto me are spiritual, and not at any time have I given unto you a law which was temporal." Mormon commandments are believed to have bearing on one's spiritual well-being, whether directly or indirectly.
Some of the commandments followed by Latter-day Saints include:
- Law of chastity – no physical intimacy before marriage, complete fidelity within marriage
- Word of wisdom – Mormon dietary rules including abstinence from alcohol, coffee, tea, and tobacco
- Tithing – giving 10% of one's income to the church
- Sabbath day observance – worshiping on Sunday and forgoing everyday activities like work and watching television
- Modesty – avoiding wearing revealing clothing
- Garments – wearing temple garments night and day (only for Mormons who have been to the temple)
Along with tithing and Sabbath day observance, Mormons also accept the rest of the Biblical "Ten Commandments" listed in Exodus 20: 1-17.
Other LDS Values
Some people may not know that Mormons celebrate Christmas and birthdays, and are also allowed to dance. Additional Mormon values and Mormon morals are:
- Loving and serving others (including God)
- Being honest and forgiving
- Praying and reading the scriptures
- Getting all the education possible
- Staying out of debt and being self-sufficient
- Gathering a one-year home food storage
- Holding weekly family home evening
- Only watching and reading wholesome media (including avoiding R-rated movies)
- Researching one's family genealogy and doing vicarious temple work for deceased ancestors
- Using good language
Penalty for Breaking the Mormon Commandments
Whenever a person does something contrary to a commandment of God, Mormons believe that repentance is in order. This means:
- Acknowledging what they did wrong
- Asking God's forgiveness
- Abandoning the behavior in the future
Serious transgressions like violating the law of chastity require talking privately with a local ecclesiastical leader, and may prevent temple attendance until the problem is resolved through repentance.
Only in rare instances are Mormons excommunicated from the LDS church. If individuals make and then break sacred promises made in the temple and remain unrepentant, they can be removed from the membership rolls of the church. They may be re-baptized when the behavior is repented of and stopped.
The commandments as taught by prophets of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are a set of guidelines and mandates given by God for the benefit of humankind. Following these Mormon laws is believed to maximize one's happiness both here on earth and in the afterlife.
Sources:
ElRay L. Christiansen, “The Laws of God Are Blessings," Ensign, May 1975.
Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The Holy Bible, King James Version. Salt Lake City: Intellectual Reserve, 1979.
Jenny Evans - Jenny Evans is a freelance writer and editor specializing in parenting and the family. She is also the Mormonism Topic Editor for ...
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