Official Discussion on the Mormon/LDS influence in Idaho (Idaho Falls: middle school, tax)

[cleosmom]

Originally Posted by JustinFromBoise

Liquor stores are ran by the state exept in small towns, and no one sells alcohol past 2 am. You can still get whatever, and there is no 3% near-beer like in Utah.

Beer and wine can be purchased any day of the week; hard liquor is not sold on Sundays.

[jufrbo]

Originally Posted by cleosmom

hard liquor is not sold on Sundays.

It is now, at least in Boise.

But back to mormons...

[suzee]

Originally Posted by Sierrita

You go girl--no more scary survivalists unless you are up in the Rockies by Canada!

Where do you think Sandpoint is? It's only 50 miles from Canada....

Even then, they're scattered about in the woods and mountains individually, not in a group like there was in Hayden several years back. They just want to raise their families like anyone else.

[MajorHart]

Originally Posted by joelbella2007

But religion does make a difference in people not being happy here for a number of reasons. I would say its a valid reason to consider when moving to a place like Rexburg.

I grew up in a community with every kind of religion. We all got along. Some of those folks were LDS. I have no problem with their religion, their practices or them as people. One of my good friends growing up was LDS. However, there is a difference between having LDS friends in say NYC and living in a town that is 95%. Yes, some are wonderful and some are quite pushy and judgmental. Like all religions, its a mixed bag. Someone non-LDS notices this more in a town where most people are the same religion like Rexburg. Some people especially the young will feel out of place. People bring up religion on the job which I never experienced much in a diverse place. It can be quite overpowering. Then there are those that won't date someone of a different religion.

Also if you are from a city and you are a twenty-something single, you won't find a bar, coffee shop or live entertainment. And before someone makes a comment that "oh that's what makes Rexburg wonderful" I'm not agreeing or disagreeing. However, I could see where some people would hate it here because of that.

I believe there are more cons than pros for non-LDS people living here. I also think age plays a part in it. If you are young, you might have more problems relating and mixing in. If you are older and a married couple without teenagers, you will be much happier.

If I knew what I knew now, I wouldn't have taken the job. Not because LDS people are horrible people or I dislike them because I like many. But I don't want to live in a town ran by religion. I loved having all my friends from different religons, walks of life and political parties because everyone can fit in and be themselves. Here, there isn't something for everyone. I miss that.

My wife and I spent several years in Mesa Arizona. She went to work for a Mormon owned Insurance Agency - recruited by the owner - who was going on a mission - her job as an experienced office manager and commercial lines supervisor was, as he put it - to keep his "not too work oriented son" doing the work of leading the Agency while he was gone.

It seems like a good opportunity and the owner was very optimistic that she could keep the agency doing well. Over time though, the son became impossible to lead - so she contacted the father and told him his son was no cooperating.

A short time later the son fired her - she contacted several other insurance agencies in the area (all Mormon) and none would hire her. One told her that if you are not mormon and have trouble with any Mormon and it is known - you won't work again in this town. He said she should not have told the father about his son's failings.

I don't know if this would have become Phoenix wide but after applying all over for awhile and in spite of having tremendous qualifications - company and agency - and not being hired - we had to move away, so she could find work.

So I don't know but it sure seemed like prejudice to us.

Also while we were living there - we went to several local pizza places and were popular with the managers. A lot of mormons came there also and they stayed together and hardly ever talked to anyone not mormon. Mesa was our first experience with them - I can imagine what it would be like to be in a town with almost all Mormons.

I imagine it might be the same or similar if they were any conservative denomination ? But the more moderate churches -Presbyterian, Methodist, Lutheran would probably be more tolerant. ?again <G>

MajorHart

[jimjetearl]

New to this forum. I actually found it when I was trying to find any Mormon Biker Clubs.

I am a Mormon. And I fully understand where those of you who aren't are coming from. While living in Pocatello My wife and and our 2 daughters at the time were new to the area. I was an Army Recruiter at the time. That was one strike against us. But what was really eye opening to how narrow minded Many Latter-Day Saints can be really hit us when we were treated as outcasts because we had no relatives in the ward. Being a career Soldier I am use to being LDS in predominantly Non LDS area's. The funny thing My wife and I have never used a religious Gage to determine who our friends would be or who we invite to a BBQ.

So in Pocatello I found out many Latter Day Saints are LDS in name only. I found out that they didn't practice the doctrine that is taught by the Church. I won't get into the doctrine here only to say what I just did. We were eventually reassigned in the Army and moved to FT Belvoir Virgina. Our neighbors are all our friends And they don't care that we are LDS and we don't care that they are not.

I explained this Phenomenon to my Brother who was Born and Bred in Utah and has only been outside the state for Vacation and His Mission. I tounge in cheek said to him one day "The Church is true every where except Utah and Idaho.' Guess what, he got very offended at that. So you are all right Many of my fellow Latter-Day Saints in UTAH and Idaho cannot see where they are wrong. They remind me of Pharasee's

[Syringaloid]

never mind.

[Mapper]

jimjetearl,

My brother that lives in CA says the same thing about the church being true outside of UT and ID. I think it has more to do with the fact that people in UT and ID go to church just for the social aspect of it.

If you were to take any given ward in either state, move them out of UT or ID the attendance would drop dramatically, BUT you would still have many GOOD members attending weekly. Our problem here is that our "would be less actives" attend church. They can't hide from the church so easily.

We just have to remember it is the church doctrines that are true, not the people in it.

[jimjetearl]

That' right. What's interesting is that those who live outside of Utah and Idaho and are actively attending thier meetings usually make great neighbors and they live what they believe and invite all to come unto Christ. Whether it is thruogh a back yard BBQ or a Sunday supper or through giving service to their nieghbors and becomeing known as a person of integrity and deppendability. I just hope people who are not LDS and move to Utah or Idaho can look past the flaw.

[JAJA]

What I have read is that there are FLDS people in the panhandle and according to LDS friends, they are not the same.

I am curious though, if there is FLDS in the panhandle, and they dont have passports, how are they getting accross from Canada to Idaho and back? And, how come they receive welfare payments?

Anyone knows?

[norcalmom101]

Why would they need to go back and forth?