Since its inception in 1830, Mormonism has continued to gain prominence on the world stage as a unique form of Christianity embedded in the Judeo-Christian tradition. Mormonism not only claims that the Mormon Church was literally ôrestoredö to the earth by 'God' through direct revelation to its founder Joseph Smith, making it therefore the ôonly trueö church of Jesus Christ, but regards itself as a ôrationalö theology, and a way of life that is beneficial to the social and psychological well-being and welfare of its adherents and society at large.