What is Mormonism and what would a Mormon in the White House mean for US politics and the world?
Mormonism is a truly American faith. It was founded in the 1830s by Joseph Smith, a charismatic American frontiersman who grew up in an area of New York State known as the Burnt Over District because of an intense period of religious revival there. Smith's family was poor and made a living as money diggers, going out to look for buried treasure. Smith claimed that an angel named Moroni - whose golden image now adorns the top of Mormon temples - came to him in visions and guided him to golden plates buried in an earthen mound. Smith translated the plates with the help of scribes and published the Book of Mormon in 1830. It tells the story of ancient Israelites who left Jerusalem before the Babylonian conquest, traveling to the Americas and building an advanced civilisation before it was wiped out by warfare.
Smith proclaimed himself a prophet who was going to restore the uncorrupted Christianity practiced by this Nephite civilisation and bring God's government to the world.
In Mormon theology, America occupies a special place. According to Smith, Adam and Eve settled in Missouri, near the small town of Gallatin, after they were expelled from the Garden of Eden. Smith also revealed that Jesus will return to Missouri to plan for his second coming.
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