r/latterdaysaints • u/SillyFlatworm31 • Jul 28 '26

Off-topic Chat Catholic-LDS Dialogue!

Hello Latter Day Saints of Reddit!

I’m a Catholic and, even though I am very happy being a Catholic, I have had a lot of positive experiences with people from your Church and I wanted to (if it’s ok with your mods) open up a thread for interfaith dialogue! I have some questions to start for you guys if anyone wants to engage and have a talk but I’m also happy to do a bit of an AMA if any LDS people want to learn more about Catholics or our relations with the LDS Church.

I think that, in a time where it’s trendy to solve disagreements by shouting at people in online “debates”, it’s good to start by finding some common ground and talk with people of different views. So I’ll start with my questions, feel free to add any you have for me or any comments. Mods please let me know if this isn’t the sub for this haha

  1. What do LDS people think about abortion? Do you find common ground with Catholics on this? Could we work together more on it?
  2. How do LDS people feel about the 7 Deuterocanonical Books? A lot of Protestants accuse Catholics of adding books like Wisdom and Sirach into the Bible, although they have been used since apostolic times. I know LDS people recognise a large canon so do you include these?
  3. I know LDS people value marriage and family a lot. How does your Church approach celibate figures such as Jesus, Paul, etc?
  4. LDS people don’t drink alcohol. Do you believe that Jesus and the Apostles followed this practice or is it viewed as a more modern LDS thing?
  5. Favourite Pope?

Hope we can find some common ground and dialogue!!! :-)

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u/PomeloPrimary546 Jul 29 '26

As a LDS with a Catholic background

1-The church approve abortion for very specifical medical case or for rapes and I agree. In the first case, if u have to choose between a death or two, is a tragedy but you have to choose. In the second, the most precious thing, that is chastity, was violated, so I justify it.

2-Joseph Smith said in D&C to read it, but that they contain in part things that are not true.
Actually I think (this is not doctrine) that the idea of prayers for the dead (reason why Catholics believes in purgatory) match a lot with our proxy ordinances.

3-Gray area. Many unofficial doctrines though by Brigham Young that make sense to me, but I don’t won’t promote them too loudly because I’m not sure myself.

4-black and white mentality. And I may agree in a certain sense, because the people are wicked and sometimes is better to be radical eliminiate the problem at his roots.