religious authority
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New World Translation of the Scriptures; elders
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Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price (all equally); continuing revelations
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texts
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New World Translation of the Scriptures
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Christian Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price
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God
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one God: Jehovah
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God the Father, the Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are three separate individual beings
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Trinity
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rejected (only Jehovah is God; Son is God's first creation; Holy Spirit is God's active force)
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rejected (Father, Son and Holy Spirit are three distinct beings who are "one in purpose")
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Jesus
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Son of God, Word of God, God's first creation, Archangel Michael
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Son of God. Savior. Originally one of the spirit beings that all humans used to be. Has a physical body.
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Holy Spirit
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God's active force (impersonal)
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A spirit being who is a separate being from God and Jesus.
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results of the Fall
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Physical and spiritual death entered the world
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free will
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free to do good or evil
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Free to do good or evil.
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purpose of Jesus' life
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teach about God, provide a model for right living, die sacrificially for human sin
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teach about God, provide a model for right living, die sacrificially for human sin
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death of Jesus
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crucifixion on an upright stake (no crossbar)
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resurrection of Jesus
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affirmed
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affirmed
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salvation
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accurate faith and good works ("learning about Jehovah and obeying his requirements")
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faith in Christ, good works, baptism, and temple ordinances (for entrance to the celestial kingdom; all are saved from hell)
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second chance after death
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yes
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Yes, during a period of "learning and preparation" after death.
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afterlife
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Heaven for 144,000 chosen Witnesses, eternity on new earth for other Witnesses. All others annihilated. No hell.
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All return to spirit world instruction before resurrection. Then Mormons to heaven with God and families; others rewarded apart from God; hell for those who still reject God.
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hell
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Exists as a place of the dead (Jesus went there), but hellfire does not exist; idea was invented by Satan to turn people from Jehovah; unsaved souls are annihilated
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The wicked enter an unpleasant "spirit prison" prior to judgment; after that, only the most obstinately wicked (like Satan) will be consigned to "Outer Darkness" for eternity.
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house of worship
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Kingdom Hall
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chapel (for weekly worship); temple (for ceremonies)
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doctrine of sacraments
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symbolic acts commanded by Christ
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ordinances are covenants between man and God and a means of grace; some are necessary for salvation
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symbols
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watchtower (cross rejected as a pagan symbol)
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No official symbol; cross is not used; the angel Moroni raising a trumpet is seen atop Mormon temples.
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holidays
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Memorial of Christ's death, celebrated annually. All Christian or other religious-based holidays are rejected as unbiblical and pagan.
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Easter, Christmas, celebrations of events in Mormon history.
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politics
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minimal involvement
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blood transfusions
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rejected
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accepted
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