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93-551: Anthropologists commonly regard claims of chosenness as a form of ethnocentrism . In Judaism, "chosenness" is the belief that the Jews , via descent from the ancient Israelites , are the chosen people, i.e., chosen to be in a covenant with God . The idea of the Israelites being chosen by God is found most directly in the Book of Deuteronomy , where it is applied to Israel at Mount Sinai upon

186-469: A plan of salvation whereby they could progress and "have a privilege to advance like himself." The spirits were free to accept or reject this plan, and a "third" of them, led by Satan rejected it. The rest accepted the plan, coming to earth and receiving bodies with an understanding that they would experience sin and suffering. In Mormonism, the central part of God's plan is the atonement of Jesus Christ. Mormons believe that one purpose of earthly life

279-454: A belief that Jesus began his atonement in the garden of Gethsemane and continued it to his crucifixion, rather than the orthodox belief that the crucifixion alone was the physical atonement; and an afterlife with three degrees of glory , with hell (often called spirit prison ) being a temporary repository for the wicked between death and the resurrection. Additionally, Mormons do not believe in creation ex nihilo , believing that matter

372-829: A chronicle of early Israelites who left the Near East and traveled to the Americas . The book begins c.  600 BC with the departure from Jerusalem of the family of the prophet Lehi at the urging of God , and their sailing c.  589 BC to the Americas. It tells of people in the Americas (i.e., First Nations Americans ) with a belief in Christ hundreds of years before his birth ; their witnessing his personal visitation to them after his resurrection ; and of their eventually losing Christianity after generations of wars and apostasy . The Book of Mormon and continuing revelations would be

465-640: A council of three distinct divine persons consisting of God the Father, Jesus Christ (his firstborn Son , whom Latter Day Saints refer to as Jehovah ), and the Holy Ghost . Latter Day Saints believe that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are three distinct beings, and that the Father and Jesus have perfected, glorified, physical bodies, while the Holy Ghost is a spirit without a physical body. Latter Day Saints also believe that there are other gods and goddesses outside

558-884: A culture. In order to study these cultures, many anthropologists will live among the culture they are studying. Cultural anthropologists can work as professors, work for corporations, nonprofit organizations, as well government agencies. The field is very large and people can do a lot as a cultural anthropologist.   Some notable anthropologists include: Molefi Kete Asante , Ruth Benedict , Franz Boas , Ella Deloria , St. Clair Drake , John Hope Franklin , James George Frazer , Clifford Geertz , Edward C. Green , Zora Neale Hurston , Claude Lévi-Strauss , Bronisław Malinowski , Margaret Mead , Elsie Clews Parsons , Pearl Primus , Paul Rabinow , Alfred Radcliffe-Brown , Marshall Sahlins , Nancy Scheper-Hughes (b. 1944), Hortense Spillers , Edward Burnett Tylor (1832–1917) and Frances Cress Welsing . Mormonism Mormonism

651-484: A degree of orthodoxy by excommunicating or disciplining its members who take positions or engage in practices viewed as apostasy. For example, the LDS Church excommunicates members who practice polygamy or who adopt the beliefs and practices of Mormon fundamentalism. One way Mormon fundamentalism distinguishes itself from mainstream Mormonism is through the practice of plural marriage . Fundamentalists initially broke from

744-559: A license for special privilege, it entailed additional responsibilities not only toward God but to our fellow human beings. As expressed in the blessing at the reading of the Torah, our people have always felt it to be a privilege to be selected for such a purpose. For the modern traditional Jew, the doctrine of the election and the covenant of Israel offers a purpose for Jewish existence which transcends its own self interests. It suggests that because of our special history and unique heritage we are in

837-454: A light unto the nations.'" Likewise, Rabbi Lord Immanuel Jakobovits views the concept of "choseness" as God choosing different nations, and by extension individuals, to perform unique contributions to the world, similar to the concept of division of labor . "Yes, I do believe that the chosen people concept as affirmed by Judaism in its holy writ, its prayers, and its millennial tradition. In fact, I believe that every people—and indeed, in

930-632: A more limited way, every individual—is "chosen" or destined for some distinct purpose in advancing the designs of Providence. Only, some fulfill their mission and others do not. Maybe the Greeks were chosen for their unique contributions to art and philosophy, the Romans for their pioneering services in law and government, the British for bringing parliamentary rule into the world, and the Americans for piloting democracy in

1023-421: A pluralistic society. The Jews were chosen by God to be 'peculiar unto Me' as the pioneers of religion and morality; that was and is their national purpose." In Mormonism , all Latter Day Saints are viewed as covenant , or chosen, people because they have accepted the name of Jesus Christ through the ordinance of baptism. In contrast to supersessionism , Latter Day Saints do not dispute the "chosen" status of

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1116-400: A position to demonstrate that a people that takes seriously the idea of being covenanted with God can not only thrive in the face of oppression, but can be a source of blessing to its children and its neighbors. It obligates us to build a just and compassionate society throughout the world and especially in the land of Israel where we may teach by example what it means to be a 'covenant people,

1209-535: A shift in the twenty-first century United States with the rise of forensic anthropology. In the United States, as opposed to many other countries forensic anthropology falls under the domain of the anthropologist and not the Forensic pathologist . In this role, forensic anthropologists help in the identification of skeletal remains by deducing biological characteristics such as sex , age , stature and ancestry from

1302-541: A spouse. Mormons also perform other ordinances, which include the Lord's supper (commonly called the sacrament ), naming and blessing children , giving priesthood blessings and patriarchal blessings , anointing and blessing the sick , participating in prayer circles , and setting apart individuals who are called to church positions. In Mormonism, the saving ordinances are seen as necessary for salvation, but they are not sufficient in and of themselves. For example, baptism

1395-636: A temple and correctly processed there before the ordinance ritual is performed. Only ordinances for salvation are performed on behalf of deceased persons. Mormons believe in the Old and New Testaments, and the LDS Church uses the Authorized King James Version as its official scriptural text of the Bible . While Mormons believe in the general accuracy of the modern day text of the Bible, they also believe that it

1488-781: A term found in the Book of Enoch and Genesis Apocryphon II, 4. Based on Jewish biblical tradition and Ethiopian legend via Kebra Nagast , Rastas believe that Israel's King Solomon , together with Ethiopian Queen of Sheba , conceived a child which began the Solomonic line of kings in Ethiopia, rendering the Ethiopian people as the true children of Israel, and thereby chosen. Reinforcement of this belief occurred when Beta Israel , Ethiopia's ancient Israelite First Temple community, were rescued from Sudanese famine and brought to Israel during Operation Moses in 1985. Sun Myung Moon taught that Korea

1581-607: A tributary of the Great Salt Lake the Jordan River . The LDS Church has a Jerusalem Center in Israel , where students focus their study on Near Eastern history, culture, language, and the Bible. There has been some controversy involving Jewish groups who see the actions of some elements of Mormonism as offensive. In the 1990s, Jewish groups vocally opposed the LDS practice of baptism for

1674-419: A vision in the spring of 1820. Called the " First Vision ", Smith said that God the Father and his son, Jesus Christ , appeared to him and instructed him to join none of the existing churches because they were all wrong. During the 1820s, Smith chronicled several angelic visitations, and was eventually told (by the angels) that God would use him to re-establish the "true Christian church." Joseph Smith said

1767-594: A wider range of professions including the rising fields of forensic anthropology , digital anthropology and cyber anthropology . The role of an anthropologist differs as well from that of a historian . While anthropologists focus their studies on humans and human behavior, historians look at events from a broader perspective. Historians also tend to focus less on culture than anthropologists in their studies. A far greater percentage of historians are employed in academic settings than anthropologists, who have more diverse places of employment. Anthropologists are experiencing

1860-595: Is artificial intelligence . Cyber anthropologists study the co-evolutionary relationship between humans and artificial intelligence. This includes the examination of computer-generated (CG) environments and how people interact with them through media such as movies , television , and video . Culture anthropology is a sub-field of anthropology specializing in the study of different cultures. They study both small-scale, traditional communities, such as isolated villages, and large-scale, modern societies, such as large cities. They look at different behaviors and patterns within

1953-507: Is projected to increase from 7,600 to 7,900 between 2016 and 2026, a growth rate just under half the national median. Anthropologists without doctorates tend to work more in other fields than academia , while the majority of those with doctorates are primarily employed in academia. Many of those without doctorates in academia tend to work exclusively as researchers and do not teach. Those in research-only positions are often not considered faculty. The median salary for anthropologists in 2015

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2046-483: Is a person engaged in the practice of anthropology . Anthropology is the study of aspects of humans within past and present societies . Social anthropology , cultural anthropology and philosophical anthropology study the norms, values, and general behavior of societies. Linguistic anthropology studies how language affects social life, while economic anthropology studies human economic behavior. Biological (physical) , forensic and medical anthropology study

2139-583: Is eternal, and creation involved God organizing existing matter. Much of the Mormon belief system is geographically oriented around the North and South American continents. Mormons believe that the people of the Book of Mormon lived in the western hemisphere , that Christ appeared in the western hemisphere after his death and resurrection, that the true faith was restored in Upstate New York by Joseph Smith, that

2232-578: Is incomplete and that errors have been introduced. According to Mormon theology, many lost truths are restored in the Book of Mormon , which Mormons hold to be divine scripture and equal in authority to the Bible. The Mormon scriptural canon also includes a collection of revelations and writings contained in the Doctrine and Covenants which contains doctrine and prophecy and the Pearl of Great Price which addresses briefly Genesis to Exodus. These books, as well as

2325-605: Is it connected with specific Christian denominations . Its theology promotes a racial interpretation of Christianity. Christian Identity beliefs were primarily developed and promoted by American authors who regarded Europeans as the "chosen people" and Jews as the cursed offspring of Cain , the "serpent hybrid" or serpent seed , a belief known as the two-seedline doctrine. White supremacist sects and gangs later adopted many of these teachings. Christian Identity holds that all non-whites (people not of wholly European descent) will either be exterminated or enslaved in order to serve

2418-510: Is manifest), visions, visitations of divine beings, and others. Joseph Smith used the example of the Lord's revelations to Moses in Deuteronomy to explain the importance of continuous revelation: God said, "Thou shalt not kill"; at another time he said, "Thou shalt utterly destroy." This is the principle on which the government of heaven is conducted, by revelation adapted to the circumstances in which

2511-517: Is not limited to church members. For instance, Latter Day Saints believe that the United States Constitution is a divinely inspired document. Mormons are encouraged to develop a personal relationship with the Holy Ghost and receive personal revelation for their own direction and that of their family. The Latter Day Saint concept of revelation includes the belief that revelation from God is available to all those who earnestly seek it with

2604-508: Is one of the most specialized and competitive job areas within the field of anthropology and currently has more qualified graduates than positions. The profession of Anthropology has also received an additional sub-field with the rise of Digital anthropology . This new branch of the profession has an increased usage of computers as well as interdisciplinary work with medicine , computer visualization, industrial design , biology and journalism . Anthropologists in this field primarily study

2697-485: Is required for exaltation , but simply having been baptized does not guarantee any eternal reward. The baptized person is expected to be obedient to God's commandments, to repent of any sinful conduct subsequent to baptism, and to receive the other saving ordinances. Because Mormons believe that everyone must receive certain ordinances to be saved, Mormons perform ordinances on behalf of deceased persons . These ordinances are performed vicariously or by "proxy" on behalf of

2790-526: Is revealed through a patriarch by the power of the priesthood. Smith hired Joshua (James) Seixas, son of Gershom Mendes Seixas and Hebrew school teacher at Congregation Shearith Israel , to teach Mormon leaders Hebrew. Smith himself attended some of these classes and went on to use his basic Hebrew in teachings. For example, Smith named the largest Mormon settlement he founded Nauvoo , which means "beautiful" (pl.) in Biblical Hebrew . Brigham Young named

2883-563: Is that each person may receive confirmation that particular doctrines taught by a prophet are true, as well as gain divine insight in using those truths for their own benefit and eternal progress. In the church, personal revelation is expected and encouraged, and many converts believe that personal revelation from God was instrumental in their conversion. Mormonism categorizes itself within Christianity , and nearly all Mormons self-identify as Christian . For some who define Christianity within

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2976-500: Is the "only true and living church" because divine authority was restored to it through Smith. In addition, Mormons believe that Smith and his legitimate successors are modern prophets who receive revelation from God to guide the church. They maintain that other Christian religions have a portion of the truth and are guided by the light of Christ . Smith's cosmology is laid out mostly in Smith's later revelations and sermons, but particularly

3069-631: Is the chosen nation, selected to serve a divine mission and was "chosen by God to be the birthplace of the leading figure of the age" and was the birthplace of "Heavenly Tradition", ushering in God's kingdom. The traditional religion of the Maasai people from East Africa maintains that the Supreme God Ngai has chosen them to herd all cattle in the world, and this belief has been used to justify stealing from other tribes. Anthropologist An anthropologist

3162-665: Is the theology and religious tradition of the Latter Day Saint movement of Restorationist Christianity started by Joseph Smith in Western New York in the 1820s and 1830s. As a label, Mormonism has been applied to various aspects of the Latter Day Saint movement, although since 2018 there has been a push from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) to distance itself from this label. One historian, Sydney E. Ahlstrom , wrote in 1982 that, depending on

3255-448: Is to learn to choose good over evil. In this process, people inevitably make mistakes, becoming unworthy to return to the presence of God. Mormons believe that Jesus paid for the sins of the world and that all people can be saved through his atonement. Mormons accept Christ's atonement through faith, repentance, formal covenants or ordinances such as baptism, and consistently trying to live a Christ-like life. According to Mormon scripture,

3348-502: Is written about these topics in rabbinic literature . The three largest Jewish denominations— Orthodox Judaism , Conservative Judaism and Reform Judaism —maintain the belief that the Jews have been chosen by God for a purpose. Sometimes this choice is seen as charging the Jewish people with a specific mission—to be a light unto the nations , and to exemplify the covenant with God as described in

3441-653: The Adam–God doctrine and Trinitarianism. Mormonism describes itself as falling within world Christianity , but as a distinct restored dispensation ; it characterizes itself as the only true form of the Christian religion since the time of a " Great Apostasy " that began not long after the ascension of Jesus Christ . According to Mormons this apostasy involved the corruption of the pure, original Christian doctrine with Greek and other philosophies, and followers dividing into different ideological groups. Additionally, Mormons claim

3534-463: The Book of Abraham , the Book of Moses , and the King Follett discourse . Mormon cosmology presents a unique view of God and the universe, and places a high importance on human agency . In Mormonism, life on earth is just a short part of an eternal existence. Mormons believe that in the beginning, all people existed as spirits or "intelligences", in the presence of God. In this state, God proposed

3627-496: The Book of Mormon was translated into English from writings he found on golden plates in a reformed Egyptian language; they were translated with the assistance of the Urim and Thummim and seer stones . He said an angel first showed him the location of the plates in 1823; they were buried in a nearby hill . With the assistance of Martin Harris , an early follower, Smith began dictating

3720-552: The Church of Christ that Smith established. Other than differences in leadership, these groups most significantly differ in their stances on polygamy, which the Utah -based LDS Church banned in 1890, and Trinitarianism , which the LDS Church does not affirm. The branch of theology which seeks to maintain the practice of polygamy is known as Mormon fundamentalism and includes several different churches. Other groups affirm Trinitarianism, such as

3813-576: The Community of Christ (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints), and describe their doctrine as Trinitarian Christian restorationist . Cultural Mormonism is a term coined by cultural Mormons who identify with the culture, especially present in much of the American West , but do not necessarily identify with the theology. The doctrines of Mormonism began with

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3906-700: The Garden of Eden was located in North America, and that the New Jerusalem would be built in Missouri . For this and other reasons, including a belief by many Mormons in American exceptionalism , Molly Worthen speculates that this may be why Leo Tolstoy described Mormonism as the "quintessential 'American religion ' ". Although Mormons do not claim to be part of Judaism , Mormon theology claims to situate Mormonism within

3999-482: The Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible , have varying degrees of acceptance as divine scripture among different denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement. In Mormonism, continuous revelation is the principle that God or his divine agents still continue to communicate to mankind. This communication can be manifest in many ways: influences of the Holy Ghost (the principal form in which this principle

4092-532: The White Horse Prophecy , which argues that Mormons will be called upon to preserve the Constitution as it hangs "by a thread". In Mormonism, an ordinance is a religious ritual of special significance, often involving the formation of a covenant with God. Ordinances are performed by the authority of the priesthood and in the name of Jesus Christ . The term has a meaning roughly similar to that of

4185-433: The biological development of humans, the application of biological anthropology in a legal setting and the study of diseases and their impacts on humans over time, respectively. Anthropologists usually cover a breadth of topics within anthropology in their undergraduate education and then proceed to specialize in topics of their own choice at the graduate level . In some universities, a qualifying exam serves to test both

4278-563: The ecumenical creeds and the definition of the Trinity . (In contrast, the second-largest Latter Day Saint denomination, the Community of Christ , is Trinitarian and monotheistic .) Mormons hold the view that the New Testament prophesied both the apostasy from the teachings of Christ and his apostles as well as the restoration of all things prior to the second coming of Christ. Some notable differences with mainstream Christianity include

4371-663: The martyrdom of the Apostles led to the loss of Priesthood authority to administer the Church and its ordinances. Mormons believe that God re-established the 1st-century early Christian church as found in the New Testament through the restoration of Joseph Smith. In particular, Mormons believe that angels such as Peter , James , John , and John the Baptist appeared to Joseph Smith and others and bestowed various Priesthood authorities on them. Mormons thus believe that their Church

4464-447: The skeleton . However, forensic anthropologists tend to gravitate more toward working in academic and laboratory settings, while forensic pathologists perform more applied field work. Forensic anthropologists typically hold academic doctorates , while forensic pathologists are medical doctors. The field of forensic anthropology is rapidly evolving with increasingly capable technology and more extensive databases. Forensic anthropology

4557-431: The tribe of Manasseh . Christian Identity is a belief which holds the view that only either Germanic , Anglo-Saxon , Celtic , Nordic , or Aryan people and those of kindred blood are the descendants of Abraham , Isaac and Jacob and hence the descendants of the ancient Israelites . Independently practiced by individuals, independent congregations , and some prison gangs , it is not an organized religion , nor

4650-422: The white race in the new Heavenly Kingdom on Earth under the reign of Jesus Christ . Its doctrine states that only "Adamic" (white) people can achieve salvation and paradise. Mandaeans formally refer to themselves as Nasurai ( Nasoraeans ) meaning guardians or possessors of secret rites and knowledge. Another early self-appellation is bhiri zidqa meaning 'elect of righteousness' or 'the chosen righteous',

4743-509: The 'Chosen People' doctrine. The Torah and the Prophets clearly stated that this does not imply any innate Jewish superiority. In the words of Amos (3:2) 'You alone have I singled out of all the families of the earth—that is why I will call you to account for your iniquities.' The Torah tells us that we are to be "a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" with obligations and duties which flowed from our willingness to accept this status. Far from being

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4836-499: The 19th century, but vigorous opposition by the United States Congress threatened the church's existence as a legal institution. Further, polygamy was also a major cause for the opposition to Mormonism in the states of Idaho and Arizona. In the 1890 Manifesto , church president Wilford Woodruff announced the official end of plural marriage. Due to this formal abolition of plural marriage, several smaller groups broke with

4929-473: The Americas centuries before the birth of Jesus Christ are considered to be among the ancestors of pre-Columbian Native Americans . Joseph Smith argued that the millennial New Jerusalem was to be built in America (10th Article of Faith ). In the Doctrine and Covenants , Smith records God as saying "it is not right that any man should be in bondage one to another. And for this purpose have I established

5022-470: The Book of Mormon and the Bible. Personal prayer is encouraged as well. The LDS Church is by far the largest branch of Mormonism. It has continuously existed since the succession crisis of 1844 that split the Latter Day Saint movement after the death of founder Joseph Smith, Jr. The LDS Church seeks to distance itself from other branches of Mormonism, particularly those that practice polygamy. The church maintains

5115-578: The Book of Mormon, the early Church of Christ faced persecution from residents of several towns when they tried to gather and "establish God's kingdom on the earth". To avoid confrontation in Palmyra, New York the members moved to Kirtland, Ohio , and hoped to establish a permanent New Jerusalem or City of Zion in Jackson County, Missouri . However, they were expelled from Jackson County in 1833 and fled to other parts of Missouri in 1838. Violence between

5208-500: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The two broad movements outside mainstream Mormonism are Mormon fundamentalism , and liberal reformist Mormonism. Mainstream Mormonism is defined by the leadership of the LDS Church which identifies itself as Christian. Members of the LDS Church consider their top leaders to be prophets and apostles , and are encouraged to accept their positions on matters of theology, while seeking confirmation of them through personal study of

5301-400: The Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose, and redeemed the land by the shedding of blood" (D&C 101:79–80). To Mormons, this places America as the originator of religious liberty and freedom, while noting a need to expand these American values worldwide. Although officially shunned by the LDS Church, fundamentalist Mormons believe in

5394-542: The Earth's creation was not ex nihilo , but organized from existing matter. The Earth is just one of many inhabited worlds, and there are many governing heavenly bodies, including the planet or star Kolob , which is said to be nearest the throne of God . Mormon theology teaches that the United States is a unique place and that Mormons are God's chosen people , selected for a singular destiny. The Book of Mormon alludes to

5487-502: The Godhead, such as a Heavenly Mother —who is married to God the Father—and that faithful Latter-day Saints may attain godhood in the afterlife. Joseph Smith taught that God was once a man on another planet before being exalted to Godhood. This conception differs from the traditional Christian Trinity in several ways, one of which is that Mormonism has not adopted or continued to hold

5580-450: The Jewish people. Most practicing Mormons receive a patriarchal blessing that reveals their lineage in the House of Israel. This lineage may be blood related or through "adoption;" therefore, a child may not necessarily share the lineage of her parents (but will still be a member of the tribes of Israel ). It is a widely held belief that most members of the faith are in the tribe of Ephraim or

5673-410: The LDS Church after that doctrine was discontinued around the beginning of the 20th century. Mormon fundamentalism teaches that plural marriage is a requirement for exaltation (the highest degree of salvation), which will allow them to live as gods and goddesses in the afterlife. Mainstream Mormons, by contrast, believe that a single Celestial marriage is necessary for exaltation. In distinction with

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5766-424: The LDS Church and formed denominations following what they called Mormon fundamentalism . However, the LDS Church has experienced the most growth out of any of the churches following Mormonism, with a current membership of over 16 million. In orthodox Mormonism, the term God generally refers to the biblical God the Father , whom Latter Day Saints refer to as Elohim , and the term Godhead refers to

5859-597: The Missourians and church members resulted in the governor of Missouri issuing an "extermination order" against the Mormons, as they were called, which again forced the church to relocate. The displaced church fled to Illinois, to a small town called Commerce. Under Smith's direction, the church bought the town, renamed it Nauvoo , and lived with a degree of peace and prosperity for a few years. However, tensions between Mormons and their neighbors again escalated and in 1844 Smith

5952-453: The Torah. This is first prominently outlined in Genesis 12:2. While the concept of "choseness" may be understood by some to connote ethnic supremacy , Conservative Judaism denies this, as it claims that as a result of being chosen, Jews also bear the greatest responsibility, which incurs the most severe punishment upon disobedience. "Few beliefs have been subject to as much misunderstanding as

6045-614: The United States as being the Biblical promised land , with the Constitution of the United States being divinely inspired , and argues that America is an exceptional nation . In Upstate New York in 1823, Joseph Smith claimed to have had a vision in which the Angel Moroni told him about engraved golden plates buried in a nearby hill . According to Smith, he received subsequent instruction from Moroni and, four years later, excavated

6138-402: The acquisition of consent, transparency in research and methodologies and the right to anonymity. Historically, anthropologists primarily worked in academic settings; however, by 2014, U.S. anthropologists and archaeologists were largely employed in research positions (28%), management and consulting (23%) and government positions (27%). U.S. employment of anthropologists and archaeologists

6231-450: The breadth and depth of a student's understanding of anthropology; the students who pass are permitted to work on a doctoral dissertation. Anthropologists typically hold graduate degrees, either doctorates or master's degrees. Not holding an advanced degree is rare in the field. Some anthropologists hold undergraduate degrees in other fields than anthropology and graduate degrees in anthropology. Research topics of anthropologists include

6324-568: The children of the Kingdom are placed. Whatever God requires is right, no matter what it is, although we may not see the reason thereof till long after the events transpire. Mormons believe that Smith and subsequent church leaders could speak scripture "when moved upon by the Holy Ghost." In addition, many Mormons believe that ancient prophets in other regions of the world received revelations that resulted in additional scriptures that have been lost and may, one day, be forthcoming. In Mormonism, revelation

6417-563: The condition of their acceptance of the Mosaic covenant between themselves and the LORD God. The decalogue immediately follows, and the seventh day sabbath is given as the sign of the covenant, with a requirement that Israel keep it, or else be cut off. The verb ' bahar ( בָּחַ֣ר   ( Hebrew ) ), and is alluded to elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible using other terms such as "holy people". Much

6510-636: The context of Judaism to an extent that goes beyond what most other Christian denominations claim. The faith incorporates many Old Testament ideas into its theology, and the beliefs of Mormons sometimes parallel those of Judaism and certain elements of Jewish culture. In the earliest days of Mormonism, Joseph Smith taught that the Indigenous peoples of the Americas were members of some of the Lost Tribes of Israel . Later, he taught that Mormons were Israelites, and that they may learn of their tribal affiliation within

6603-568: The context, the term Mormonism could refer to "a sect, a mystery cult, a new religion, a church, a people, a nation, or an American subculture; indeed, at different times and places it is all of these." A prominent feature of Mormon theology is the Book of Mormon , a 19th-century text which describes itself as a chronicle of early Indigenous peoples of the Americas and their dealings with God . Mormon theology includes mainstream Christian beliefs with modifications stemming from belief in revelations to Smith and other religious leaders. This includes

6696-488: The dead on behalf of Jewish victims of the Holocaust and Jews in general. According to LDS Church general authority Monte J. Brough, "Mormons who baptized 380,000 Holocaust victims posthumously were motivated by love and compassion and did not understand their gesture might offend Jews ... they did not realize that what they intended as a 'Christian act of service' was 'misguided and insensitive ' ". Mormons believe that when

6789-444: The dead are baptized through proxy, they have the option of accepting or rejecting the ordinance. Many Mormons are believers, experiencers, or promotors of UFOs as an interstellar or non-human phenomenon. Matthew Bowman, scholar of Mormon Studies , writes that while some people use this to try to make Mormonism look silly, "a good number of Latter-day Saints" have welcomed being associated with UFOs. "Latter-day Saints have pointed to

6882-421: The dead. In accordance with their belief in each individual's "free agency", living or dead, Mormons believe that the deceased may accept or reject the offered ordinance in the spirit world , just as all spirits decided to accept or reject God's plan originally. In addition, these "conditional" ordinances on behalf of the dead are performed only when a deceased person's genealogical information has been submitted to

6975-440: The discovery of human remains and artifacts as well as the exploration of social and cultural issues such as population growth, structural inequality and globalization by making use of a variety of technologies including statistical software and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) . Anthropological field work requires a faithful representation of observations and a strict adherence to social and ethical responsibilities, such as

7068-466: The doctrine of the Nicene Creed , that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are of the same substance or being. Also, Mormonism teaches that the intelligence dwelling in each human is coeternal with God. Mormons use the term omnipotent to describe God, and regard him as the creator: they understand him as being almighty and eternal but subject to eternal natural law which governs intelligences, justice and

7161-568: The doctrines of Catholicism , Eastern and Oriental Orthodoxy , the Churches of the East , and Protestantism , Mormonism's differences place it outside the umbrella of Christianity. Since its beginnings, the faith has proclaimed itself to be Christ's Church restored with its original authority, structure and power; maintaining that existing denominations believed in incorrect doctrines and were not acknowledged by God as his church and kingdom. Though

7254-539: The eternal nature of matter (i.e. God organized the world but did not create it from nothing). The Mormon conception of God also differs substantially from the Jewish tradition of ethical monotheism in which elohim ( אֱלֹהִים ) is a completely different conception. This description of God represents the Mormon orthodoxy , formalized in 1915 based on earlier teachings. Other currently existing and historical branches of Mormonism have adopted different views of god, such as

7347-404: The evolution of human reciprocal relations with the computer-generated world. Cyber anthropologists also study digital and cyber ethics along with the global implications of increasing connectivity. With cyber ethical issues such as net neutrality increasingly coming to light, this sub-field is rapidly gaining more recognition. One rapidly emerging branch of interest for cyber anthropologists

7440-487: The farmboy Joseph Smith in the 1820s in Western New York during a period of religious excitement known as the Second Great Awakening . Smith, at 14 years old, was determined to find out which church taught the "true" doctrine of God . He believed that God existed, but was confused by what he believed to be contradictions in the beliefs of churches available to him. In Joseph Smith-History , he wrote: "While I

7533-422: The intent of doing good. It also teaches that everyone is entitled to personal revelation with respect to his or her stewardship (leadership responsibility). Thus, parents may receive inspiration from God in raising their families, individuals can receive divine inspiration to help them meet personal challenges, church officers may receive revelation for those whom they serve. The important consequence of this

7626-453: The means of establishing correct doctrine for the restored church . Smith, Oliver Cowdery , and other early followers began baptizing new converts in 1829, and formally organized in 1830 as the Church of Christ . Smith was seen by his followers as a modern-day prophet . Historical accuracy and veracity of the Book of Mormon was, at the time of its publication and continuing to the present day, hotly contested . Along with disputes over

7719-405: The phenomenon as either entirely consistent with their faith or even proof of it. ... These folks are the heirs to a strain of theology going back to Brigham Young that peaked with the early 20th-century writings of church leaders like B.H. Roberts or John Widtsoe ." Mormon theology includes three main movements. By far the largest of these is "mainstream Mormonism", defined by the leadership of

7812-428: The plates and translated them from " reformed Egyptian " into English; the resultant Book of Mormon —so called after an ancient American prophet who, according to Smith, had compiled the text recorded on the golden plates—recounts the history of a tribe of Israelites , led by the prophet Lehi , who migrated from Jerusalem to the Americas in the 7th century BCE. In Mormonism, these Israelite tribes who migrated to

7905-439: The religion quickly gained a large following of Christian seekers, in the 1830s, many American Christians came to view the church's early doctrines and practices as politically and culturally subversive , as well as doctrinally heretical, abominable, and condemnable. This discord led to a series of sometimes-deadly conflicts between Mormons and others who saw themselves as orthodox Christians. Although such violence declined during

7998-565: The term sacrament in other Christian denominations. Saving ordinances (or ordinances viewed as necessary for salvation) include: baptism by immersion after the age of accountability (normally age 8); confirmation and reception of the gift of the Holy Ghost , performed by laying hands on the head of a newly baptized member; ordination to the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods for males; an endowment (including washing and anointing ) received in temples ; and marriage (or sealing ) to

8091-531: The text of the Book of Mormon on April 12, 1828. Despite interruption of translation work by persecution , Smith's continued employment in order to support his family, and Harris's loss of 116 pages , the Book of Mormon manuscript was finished in June 1829. Smith said the plates were returned to the angel after he finished the translation. During the time Smith said he possessed the plates, 15 people were allowed to witness their existence . The Book of Mormon claims to be

8184-430: The twelve Israelite tribes. Members of the LDS Church receive Patriarchal blessings which declare the recipient's lineage within one of the tribes of Israel. The lineage is either through true blood-line or adoption. The LDS Church teaches that if one is not a direct descendant of one of the twelve tribes, upon baptism he or she is adopted into one of the tribes. Patriarchal blessings also include personal information which

8277-483: The twentieth century, the religion's unique doctrinal views and practices still generate criticism, sometimes vehemently so. This gives rise to efforts by Mormons and opposing types of Christians to proselytize each other. Mormons believe in Jesus Christ as the literal Son of God and Messiah , his crucifixion as a conclusion of a sin offering , and subsequent resurrection . However, Latter-day Saints (LDS) reject

8370-549: The use of and belief in the Bible and other religious texts, including the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price . Mormonism includes significant doctrines of eternal marriage , eternal progression , baptism for the dead , polygamy or plural marriage , sexual purity , health (specified in the Word of Wisdom) , fasting , and Sabbath observance . The theology itself is not uniform; as early as 1831, and most significantly after Smith's death , various groups split from

8463-497: Was $ 62,220. Many anthropologists report an above average level of job satisfaction. Although closely related and often grouped with archaeology, anthropologists and archaeologists perform differing roles, though archeology is considered a sub-discipline of anthropology . While both professions focus on the study of human culture from past to present, archaeologists focus specifically on analyzing material remains such as artifacts and architectural remains. Anthropology encompasses

8556-510: Was killed by a mob, precipitating a succession crisis . The largest group of Mormons followed Brigham Young as the new prophet and, under his direction, emigrated to what became the Utah Territory . There, the church began the open practice of plural marriage , a form of polygyny which Smith had instituted in Nauvoo. Plural marriage became the faith's most sensational characteristic during

8649-450: Was laboring under the extreme difficulties caused by the contests of these parties of religionists, I was one day reading the Epistle of James , first chapter and fifth verse, which reads: 'If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.'" After praying about which denomination he should join, Smith said he received

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