S/O Mormonism... I just don't get it...

[Anonymous]

Many people are drawn to LDS because it really focuses on the family unit. When you join the church, you join a group that is very nice, very caring, and very helpful. It is a laypeople-run church, so when you go to church on Sunday, the people on the pulpit are friends and neighbors, who generally go up and tell a story about how Jesus influences their lives. Everyone is very nice and welcoming. The women like it because they get to be active in the women's group - motherhood is raised up as an ideal and young mothers are supported instead of isolated at home. SAHMing paired with a hard-working husband is encouraged, and I think most women like that model. Its fine and dandy until something goes "wrong", like your brother turns out to be gay or Jane doesn't want a husband. Then its a little harder for the group to work for them and they get people leaving. Its not the most flexible of groups right now, but on the other hand other religions don't do much better. And the LDS church has shown flexibility over time, such as banning polygamy and changing their stance on African Americans. Maybe things will continue to evolve in the religion and there will be more room for non-core groups in the future.

[Anonymous]

"SAHMing paired with a hard-working husband is encouraged, and I think most women like that model."

Huh?

[Anonymous]

They banned polygamy because it was politically convenient at the time. Utah wanted statehood and the church had to ban it to get that.

They changed their stance on African-Americans AFTER the civil rights movement (1978), ostensibly to see where the chips fell. The LDS church makes changes when they are politically needed for survival. Also, in the late 70s and early 80s, they were spreading their missions in Africa and South America. It doesn't really work to be anti brown people if you are trying to get them to convert.

Yes, every faith has crazy creation stories and such, but the fact that the LDS church was founded by a crook who continued to be a crook after he discovered the golden plates makes me question them a lot more than say, Baptists or Lutherans.

[Anonymous]

Lesson Learned - fully check out a religion before converting.

[Anonymous]

I'll say that some of the kindness, most generous, most genuine people I have ever met have been Mormon. They have a commitment to hard work and family that I admire. I think we could learn a lot from Mormons about taking care of our families and about being prepared for challenges. Mormons maintain an emergency supply of food and water at all times, for example. They don't depend on the government to step in and "rescue" them every time life throws them a curve ball.

Having said that, I do believe the church is a cult. I think all religious have their share of weird doctrine and over-zealous followers. But the Mormon Church takes crazy to a whole new level.

And in the interest of transparency, I am a practicing Catholic.

[Anonymous]

As a member of the LDS church I have read this thread with interest. I will not go into detail here, because it obviously isn't a very open or welcoming thread for me and my religion, but I want to state that many of the "facts" presented here are either entirely false or very wrongheaded interpretations of our beliefs. If anyone here is interested in what members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints actually believes and practices, I encourage you to ask your LDS friends and neighbors about their religious life, or visit mormon.org for answers to some common questions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Me neither. And please, tell me what's in it for the women?

Men who work, and who usually do not have sexually transmitted diseases.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What a nasty post, OP. Are you a bigot about every religion you don't "get" or are you just bringing this up because there are a couple of possible republican presidential candidates who are mormon? I happen to be a liberal democrat and whichever your reason, I'm appalled.

Oh get over yourself.

1. If people believe a bunch of ludicrous stuff then other people are inevitably going to question it.
2. This Church's beliefs has real-world impacts. For example they played a significant role in the battle against same-sex marriage in California and elsewhere. So they aren't some quiet little religion minding their own business. They are taking their bat-shit crazy nonsense out into the public sphere, and they deserved to be called out on their bullshit.

I couldn't agree more with this. Once they got seriously involved in politics, the gloves come off. But how anyone can take this religion seriously (as a religion, not as a lobbying group) is beyond me. They just can't be that smart, and yet, they seem to be. They are believing shit that flies in the face of actual fact (and by that I mean modern day accounts, etc. I get that other religions do that too; I don't follow any religion for this reason) but in this case, it's doubly weird since there's so much evidence - actual evidence - there to show who Joseph Smith actually was as a person - a convict who is laughing his ass off at anyone who actually buys this bullshit.

[Anonymous]

Look, the early days of Christianity probably looked a lot like this too.
We are getting to see how a religion evolves.
Lots of people were asking about the crazy Christians in 75AD. They were laughing at the walking on water, the virgin birth, the whole Moses thing and so on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, it is just that the Mormon story seems so much more far fetched than some other religious "stories". This dude, Joseph Smith was led to these golden plates by the angel Mornoni and the ONLY witnesses to these plates existence are Joseph's father, brothers and brothers in law....and let's not even get started on the crazy shit in the book of Mormon, like how Indians and Africans were "cursed" with a dark skin, because being white is clearly better (for any religion started in the US pre Civil war)

You're right! It's totally nutty! You know what else they believe? That an angel named Moroni gave these golden tablets to Joseph Smith! An angel! Who the Hell believes in angels?!? Oh, and that there's this omnipotent being that lives up in the sky who listens to you when you talk to him in your head! And he'll do stuff for you! The Creator of the universe! Don't even get me started on the whole "people who don't do what 'God' wants them to get punished forever and ever in 'the afterlife'". "The afterlife"!!! Ha!

It really is the most ridiculous shit you could imagine!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many people are drawn to LDS because it really focuses on the family unit. When you join the church, you join a group that is very nice, very caring, and very helpful. It is a laypeople-run church, so when you go to church on Sunday, the people on the pulpit are friends and neighbors, who generally go up and tell a story about how Jesus influences their lives. Everyone is very nice and welcoming. The women like it because they get to be active in the women's group - motherhood is raised up as an ideal and young mothers are supported instead of isolated at home. SAHMing paired with a hard-working husband is encouraged, and I think most women like that model. Its fine and dandy until something goes "wrong", like your brother turns out to be gay or Jane doesn't want a husband. Then its a little harder for the group to work for them and they get people leaving. Its not the most flexible of groups right now, but on the other hand other religions don't do much better. And the LDS church has shown flexibility over time, such as banning polygamy and changing their stance on African Americans. Maybe things will continue to evolve in the religion and there will be more room for non-core groups in the future.

Those have got to be the two worst, and by that I mean hysterically funny, examples of "flexibility" I have ever read.

[Anonymous]

that is idiotic. your example is the worst one out of the new testament, because Jesus was nailed to a cross and died a torturous death. that is a historical fact that all historians accept. the Romans would routinely crucify their prisoners when they wanted to make a point. and unlike most other religions, Jesus wasn't in it for the chicks or the money - clearly the motivating factors for Joseph Smith. Yes, all religions have faith based angles that require you to suspend disbelief, but Mormonisn takes it a step too far with assertions in their book that go beyond faith are are completely factually impossible

I have no vested interest in defending Mormonism, but I just can't let hypocrisy like this slide by. What about transubstantiation? Turning water into wine? The resurection, for cryin' out loud? Parting the red sea? Those all seem "completely factually impossible," right? How abot Noah's Ark? Jonah being swallowed by a great fish? How is anything in Mormonism more fantastic than that?

I suppose I understand the insecurity - after all, christianity isn't really a faith in and of itself, but a collection of rituals and practices "borrowed" from pagan religions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'll say that some of the kindness, most generous, most genuine people I have ever met have been Mormon. They have a commitment to hard work and family that I admire. I think we could learn a lot from Mormons about taking care of our families and about being prepared for challenges. Mormons maintain an emergency supply of food and water at all times, for example. They don't depend on the government to step in and "rescue" them every time life throws them a curve ball.

Having said that, I do believe the church is a cult. I think all religious have their share of weird doctrine and over-zealous followers. But the Mormon Church takes crazy to a whole new level.

And in the interest of transparency, I am a practicing Catholic.

I don't disagree with you at all. Mormonism is totally a cult.

As is Catholicism, and all other forms of organized religion.

"That place out on the highway is a 'titty bar'; this place in the high rent district is a 'burlesque club'! There's *no* comparison!"

[Anonymous]

Their efforts and resources spent on banning same-sex marriage kind of goes against all the family values. They may say they believe in the family unit, but the actions speak to something else.

And, to the PP claiming Mormon men "work and usually don't have STDs", you realize that describes the majority of the non-Mormon population, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All religions have bizarre narratives--it's what you are used to.

Judaism: burning bushes, tablets from God, a man who almost sacrifices his own child because God told him to. Don't forget the circumcision business, too. It's weird.

Christianity: Macabre. A father--omnipotent, omniscient-- allows his son to die a torturous death--he's nailed to wood. Uh huh, exactly.

Your point is?

Really? You don't get the point?

My point is that a lot of people--not just Mormons--have "drunk the Kool Aid," as OP worded it. All these religions have bizarre narratives, but we are accustomed primarily to the Jewish and Christian ones to the point where we don't see how strange they are.

All adults should take a college level religion course. It is eye-opening.

that is idiotic. your example is the worst one out of the new testament, because Jesus was nailed to a cross and died a torturous death. that is a historical fact that all historians accept. the Romans would routinely crucify their prisoners when they wanted to make a point. and unlike most other religions, Jesus wasn't in it for the chicks or the money - clearly the motivating factors for Joseph Smith. Yes, all religions have faith based angles that require you to suspend disbelief, but Mormonisn takes it a step too far with assertions in their book that go beyond faith are are completely factually impossible.

Where can I get this made into a bumper sticker?