The LDS Commandments, Sacrament Prayer

In his teaching, Shawn McCraney critiques the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints' approach to communion, emphasizing that their sacrament, which includes bread and water instead of the historically significant unleavened bread and wine, adds a man-made covenant to keep commandments, which he sees as an unnecessary religious imposition on believers. He argues that this practice contrasts with the biblical intent of communion, which is a remembrance of Jesus without additional commitments, and criticizes the LDS for blending religious systems in a way that mirrors other denominations but ultimately focuses more on ritual than the essence of faith.

Mormonism uniquely enforces a system of commitment, requiring members to make and renew covenants from baptism onward, including taking upon themselves the name of Christ and keeping His commandments, as a means to sustain members' participation and ensure compliance through obligatory weekly church attendance and sacrament renewal, beginning from a young age. This approach, according to Shawn, imposes a significant control over members' lives by instilling a sense of dependency tied to their spiritual worthiness and access to Christ's Spirit, deeply entwining religious devotion with institutional loyalty.

Shawn presents a critique of LDS teachings, emphasizing that the essence of Jesus's commandments is simplified to "believe and love," contrasting this with the complex and extensive list of requirements and activities expected from LDS members, which he argues burdens adherents with a multitude of practices beyond the simplicity of Jesus's original message. He highlights the transformation of Jesus’s command to remember Him through communion as overshadowed by an overwhelming number of practices, teachings, and expectations imposed on members, suggesting that this complexity could detract from spiritual focus and vitality.