Mormons

[TheVictors]

Anyone know much about the faith?

I've done a lot of business in Utah, Idaho & Arizona over the years with folks of the Mormon faith. And while the notion of family, religion and sobriety are very noble, I have had completely bizarre experiences with some members of the faith and if you're "not one of them," you're at a huge disadvantage, in terms of business dealings.

More openly racist expressions in Provo than I ever heard in Alabama or Mississippi

Odd sexist beliefs that subordinate women to men

Certain signs of 'inbreeding' based on Mormon/LDS exclusivity

Hypocritical disconnect between Brigham Young's Church and the modern one ... (taverns were common at one point until a Church leader - akin to Prohibition - banned alcohol)

Banning caffeine until investment in Coca-Cola proved profitable and a sudden change of heart

Overtly exclusive vs Inclusive Christianity

Some of the best basketball courts and players ever are in Churches

Marriott Hotels - Mormon family, not in Utah but DC-based and Ibahn, the Marriott ISP is SLC-based and Mormon. Also, only hotel chain with both a Gideon Bible & Book of Mormon.

"Lost tribe of Israel" found in upstate New York with an angel and magic rock for translating Tablets (not those of Moses) and Commandments that somehow addressed issues of that time, versus Biblical times and Utah as the " Land of Milk & Honey."

Main intersection in SLC has HQ for GOP/Orrin Hatch, a financial building with Merrill Lynch, Morgan-Smith Barney/etc, the Mormon Temple & a New Mall -- Republicans, Money, the Church & Consumer Discretion all at one stop light....

Quite a few anecdotal stories of secret sexual encounters, drug use and alcohol all done in reaction to oppression.

And while no longer common, self-proclaimed prophets and polygamists and egomaniacs like Jeffers.

Stated previously, I am a PK and was exposed to everything from Chicago southside Baptists to Jewish Temple to Missouri Synod Lutherans. The Mormon Church is just plain weird, IMO.


Special Mormon underpants, anyone?!

 

[zonietigerfan]

The LDS Church has several differences of note from "traditional" Christianity: they reject the Trinity, added several of their own books (Pearl of Great Price, Book of Mormon, etc), and are, essentially 'polytheistic'...that is...they believe in gods (i.e., Heavenly Father was once like us, and we could be like him some day...), not one God. They attempt to deny this, but it's true. Now, they tend to reject/restrict/stay apart from outsiders; not as bad as old Amish, worse than Roman Catholics & mainstream Protestants. They have rituals that mimic Masonic rites. They believe theirs is the only true church and traditionally have rejected other churches as apostates, but this is more traditional and there's less of this as time goes on and there's genuine interrelationships between mainline churches, Jews & Moslems and LDS folks.
Now, a word of caution: you will see many, many subtle and not so subtle attacks from ABC, NBC, msnbc & CNN & CBS, but this is a blindside attack against Romney. In fact, most media types are ambivalent or hostile toward most religions and this wave is caused as a political attack from the Left, nothing more. For example: Harry Reid & some others are Left Democrat pols but they'll get a pass, as did Mo Udall years back. The LDS church does some dumb things (calling others apostates), bad things (baptizing the dead--especially bad concerning victims of the Holocaust of WWII) and very good things (they have their own form of internal welfare for poorer members, they do many good works throughout the world). Bottom line: Ask yourself why the alphabet networks refuse to yack about Obama's old preacher Rev Wright but yack about the LDS folks NOW and you'll have your answer to many questions...like...why the hell anyone who isn't a Mormon should care NOW about Mormons.

 

[redandguilty]

I know a Mormon. Got a chance to catch up with him many years ago in college. We both had girlfriends and he called his to see if the 4 of us could go bowling. I heard his half of the conversation. At one point he said, "No they're not Mormon, they're normal."

He's a Facebook friend. He posts political stuff frequently. Seems pretty liberal.

 

[TheVictors]

Fuck the "liberal media" nonsense. I don't care about that any more than I do FoxNews obsessing over Rev Wright, Obama "really being a Muslim" or whatever other smear campaign ANY biased media outlet engages in during an election year.

Of course there is a hightened sense of curiousity now because of Romney, but its also because if you stop an "average American" on the street and ask what they know about the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints, the first reply is probably going to involve polygamy and beyond that, probably little else. This, in part, is due to the exclusivity and secrecy of the Mormon Church.

Sounds like you're LDS, Zonie? Like Red posted, we have friends who left the Mormon Church because of the ...outdated social aspects, and have a friend who jokingly describes herself as in rehabilitation because while her father left the Church, her mother didn't and having three daughters herself, can't get past the sexist overtones and subjugation of women.

 

[johnny2x2x]

Nobody mentioned the Magic Underpants yet, or the fact that American Indians were turned red because god was punishing them for killing Jesus.

All religions have some strange rituals or beliefs, Mormonism is no better or worse, just different. Christians believe in the divinity of Christ, Momons don't believe this therefore they are not Christians. Not a big deal to me, but I don't like how all of the sudden Mormons are trying to downplay this fundamental difference between their beliefs and Chirstian belief.

 

[Michchamp]

...

All religions have some strange rituals or beliefs ... .

yeah that's true. the tenets of some are more or less compatible with the "real world" and the political structure though, and these are the ones that tend to become the most widely held and "mainstream." the real extreme ones, like the Branch Davidians for example, tend not to survive for very long.

and also, despite almost universal claims to being divinely inspired, all religions experience changes in their tenets, practices, etc., as political or economic conditions dictate.

for example, the LDS was universally polygamist at first, and then the Feds started their policy of seizing all property of polygamists as being forfeited due to being held by an "illegal" marital arrangement under existing state law, and lo and behold, the mormon elders had another "divine revelation" and declared polygamy not one of the tenets of the faith.

not to pick on them... every other religion has similarly compromised things over the years. kinda makes the motives of the whole "organized religion" business a little more transparent, eh?

#WHY_I'M_AN_ATHEIST...

 

[TheVictors]

So, from a political vantage a la 2004, Mormons are Flip-Floppers?!

They were for the Polygamy before they were against it.

 

[Slick]

Im waiting for an Atheist to run.....or a Scientologist.

 

[Thumb]

Im waiting for an Atheist to run.....or a Scientologist.

John Travolta - Jason Lee - 2016!

What could go wrong with a country run by Vinny Babarino and Earl Hickey?

 

[Diggler Cometh]

I saw the Joseph Smith South Park episode.

Boom. Expert

 

[Michchamp]

I saw the Joseph Smith South Park episode.

Boom. Expert

Dumb-dumb-dumb-dumb-dumb!

 

[MalFunkShun]

Im waiting for an Atheist to run.....or a Scientologist.

Basically, this is what's wrong with the country. A majority wouldn't accept an atheist or Scientologist regardless of their political standpoint. This country is full of fucking idiots. I wouldn't give a shit if a gay atheist socialist ran for president... if they believed in what I did, I'd vote for them. But too many people depend on the media to tell them who to vote for. In 12 years I think there will be enough support for a 3rd party in elections... it REALLY needs to happen now, but unfortunately it won't.

 

[zonietigerfan]

Fuck the "liberal media" nonsense. I don't care about that any more than I do FoxNews obsessing over Rev Wright, Obama "really being a Muslim" or whatever other smear campaign ANY biased media outlet engages in during an election year.

Of course there is a hightened sense of curiousity now because of Romney, but its also because if you stop an "average American" on the street and ask what they know about the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints, the first reply is probably going to involve polygamy and beyond that, probably little else. This, in part, is due to the exclusivity and secrecy of the Mormon Church.

Sounds like you're LDS, Zonie? Like Red posted, we have friends who left the Mormon Church because of the ...outdated social aspects, and have a friend who jokingly describes herself as in rehabilitation because while her father left the Church, her mother didn't and having three daughters herself, can't get past the sexist overtones and subjugation of women.

No, I am not LDS. Presbyterian. I find LDS, Muzzies, many Baptists and others who think that THEY have the only true answer to the Universe to be quite bigoted. My take about there being a big push now against the LDS folks is, truly, against Romney. Nothing more. I am far right (almost a Ron Paul kind of guy) who feels that Obummer is fukcing up the country big time. Will Romney be much better? Marginally. But we're in such a sucky mess after W and BO that we're close to Rome, c150-200. Waitin' on the Barbarians. They're at the gates.

 

[TheVictors]

Ah, gotcha. Just wondered.