What you like and don't like about Mormons and Mormonism (hell, church)

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by magoomafoo

like-family values, family togetherness-it's nice to see kids who make good choices-makes for a positive educational experience

A lot of people are making similar comments. Thanks for the comment.

dislike-one mormon family moves in a small community and soon after only mormons are moving in-nothing wrong with new families but do schools, banks and clinics have to be influenced by lds money?

You don't say where you live, but I'm assuming it would almost have to be somewhere in Idaho, Arizona or Nevada for the LDS influx to have much of an influence. Could you explain how the schools, banks and clinics in your area have been negatively influenced by LDS money?

Also, yes, lds values are more morally correct but us "non-Mormons" are not evil and by all means not terrible unclean people.

I'm sorry that's your impression. We definitely don't see non-Mormons as "evil... terrible unclean people." I can guarantee you that this is not the message we hear from our leadership. If that's how the Mormons you know are coming across, they should be ashamed of themselves.

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by BendBeav

2. I don't like that they have fallen for easily the biggest religious con of the past 1400 years...

It's interesting you'd say 1400 years. Why that number?

and then impose their will of homophobia, racism and misogyny on legislatures outside of Utah.

I wouldn't personally use the word "homophobia" but it's obvious you're referring to Prop 8. I agree with you that the Church should never have gotten involved in that issue. As far as racism and misogyny are concerned, what issues are you referring to and how have we imposed our will on legislatures outside of Utah?

[BendBeav]

Originally Posted by Katzpur

It's interesting you'd say 1400 years. Why that number?

Muhammed the prophet came along around 600 AD as I recall. That's arguably a bigger con.

I wouldn't personally use the word "homophobia" but it's obvious you're referring to Prop 8. I agree with you that the Church should never have gotten involved in that issue. As far as racism and misogyny are concerned, what issues are you referring to and how have we imposed our will on legislatures outside of Utah?

Why not homophobia? People always use "the children" as their reason for restricting rights of homosexuals. They're scared. Ergo, it's a "phobia." Not complicated.

You seriously don't understand why racism and misogyny are central to the Mormon church? Perhaps you should read the book of Mormon?

People of color are considered smited by God in the Mormon religion. Until the late 1970s, blacks were not even allowed into the priesthood. That's more than a decade after the civil rights act.

As for misogyny, that should be the most obvious fact of all. Polygamy is fine for men, illegal for women. Women are still not allowed into the priesthood. They're considered little more than chattel by the Book of Mormon (and the Old Testament for that matter).

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by BendBeav

Why not homophobia? People always use "the children" as their reason for restricting rights of homosexuals. They're scared. Ergo, it's a "phobia." Not complicated.

Okay, you're probably right. At any rate, I would agree that the Church should stay out of politics, and I don't oppose same-sex marriage myself.

You seriously don't understand why racism and misogyny are central to the Mormon church? Perhaps you should read the book of Mormon?

I am a Mormon.

People of color are considered smited by God in the Mormon religion.

People of color were considered "smited" (?) by God by most Protestant religions for hundreds of years. Today, African-Americans Latter-day Saints have every right and privilege Caucasian Latter-day Saints have, and there has never been a time when we had segregated congregations.

Until the late 1970s, blacks were not even allowed into the priesthood. That's more than a decade after the civil rights act.

True and unfortunate. However, this was not a civil rights issue. It was a religious rights issue.

As for misogyny, that should be the most obvious fact of all. Polygamy is fine for men, illegal for women.

Polygamy isn't "fine" for anyone and hasn't been for well over 100 years. Any Mormon man who is found to have more than one wife is promptly excommunicated.

Women are still not allowed into the priesthood.

Nor are they in the Catholic Church, which is roughly 100 times the size of the Mormon Church. That's not misogyny. That's a religious doctrine that has nothing to do with hatred of women.

They're considered little more than chattel by the Book of Mormon (and the Old Testament for that matter).

I don't even know how to respond to such an idiotic statement. But again, it sounds like you are pretty much just anti-religion. If this thread had been about Catholicism or Protestantism, I suspect your answers would have been much the same.

[Ball Pean]

I am not a huge fan of Joseph Smith. But I must admit that some of the Latter Mormon "prophet's" teachings are fascinating. And I can't help connecting with it. I was always kind of confused as to what actually constitutes a Prophet, and I believe EVERYONE is capable of being a Prophet. I was always drawn to Buddhism because of the openness talk of the spirit, and I feel much safer to know that people of spiritual power don't get worshipped. I think that can be a real problem with claiming the name of "Prophet" to gain the love of the world. I can't help but think that Smith and Muhammad used the title of "Prophet" to gain confidence and love of the world, while everyone in the world can be steered and used by the Spirit of God at any moment. Not just THEM. That is where Mormonism scares me. I'd rather proclaim the title of "Buddha". That is the only title I want to view anyone who is enlightened. That's not to say that some of the Later Dayers aren't phenominal in some of their ideas. I guess I'm torn on it. I don't know what to think of Mormonism. Worshipping Prophets is a HUGE no-no, but at the same time, I would trust someone and I would cast my vote(give power to) somebody to whom I know is a close and personal friend to God, and who is fully enlightened to the spirit. So there you have it. I'm torn. I believe Buddha to be the Prophet of Prophets and I wish to take him to influence over that of Smith. That is my personal choice. Instead of teaching you should mindlessly follow a Prophet that you can never become, Buddhism teaches that EVEYONE has the potential, and it is because of that phylosophy that some spiritual gifts are gained. jmo. That phylosophy makes you listen to other people with your spiritual ears. Prophecy can slip through anyone's lips without them even knowing it. I'm afraid of people listening to a Prophet INSTEAD of God through the spirit.

[Ball Pean]

I took Mitt Romney to influence. His speech on freedom of religion was interesting. I don't agree with a lot of it today, but at the time it got me interested. I also saw him in an interview where he said that in Mormonism it is encouraged to look into all the religions, and it is because of him I decided to get more into religion. He inspired me and I thank God for him.


Romney =="I believe that every faith I have encountered draws its adherents closer to God." Not true of Islam

Romney =="There are some who would have a presidential candidate describe and explain his church's distinctive doctrines. To do so would enable the very religious test the founders prohibited in the Constitution. No candidate should become the spokesman for his faith. For if he becomes President he will need the prayers of the people of all faiths."---I think this is downright dangerous. Keeping your mouth and ears off to God? eek.

[Moorhen3]

I am a Latter-Day Saint too.
What I like about being Mormon: too numerous to type out.
What I dislike about being a Mormon: I can't think of anything

[Moorhen3]

Originally Posted by Thomas R.

Dislike - Agree with nimchimpsky on their view of American Indians as it seems pretty obviously untrue or at least unlikely.

To expand on that, see below, as I understood it there is something in the Book of Mormon about American Indians being descended from Jews who turned away from God and were so "cursed" with darker skin than Jews normally have and that their descendants will become a "light-skinned and winsome people" on converting. I might be wrong on the cursed part, but I'm pretty sure the idea that at least some American Indians descend from a Jewish tribe (one that had horses and chariots) is in there.

And I just find that really unlikely. True there was a period where there were horses and people in the Americas at the same time, but that ended like 8,000-10,000 years ago or so. And I just think it's unlikely a Jewish civilization could have been here without having clearer evidence. The closest I've heard of is some cave drawings that look like the Hebrew alphabet, but at most that maybe justifies a small group of Jewish people landing here. Like the failed Viking colony, only Jewish, and I think Mormons believe in something more than that.

I just want to comment on this statement made by Thomas R.:
I am a Mexican Mormon. And I have to say that when we read the Book of Mormon, we don't think of the people in there as American Indians, as in from the United States Indians but rather as natives from the Americas. We, as Mexican LDS have this kind of appreciation and pride (for lack of a better word) that we have ancestors who probably came from the Book of Mormon times. I remember being a teenager and having some group activities in which we had to give our group a name and many times we would name our group something that had the Lamanite word in it. As far as the dark skin comment, I don't think about it because it is what it is. When I face the Lord I'll ask him why he made people with different looking eyes, hair, skin, etc. But for me that is not important in how I believe and how I demonstrate my faith.

[11thHour]

I plead the 5th in order to not get banned from this site.

[Ball Pean]

I like the idea of speaking openly about the spirit and sharing personal revelations about prophecy, and talking openly about visions. I have shared the same visions Mormon Prophets. I absolutely connect with it in some profound ways, not all I agree with or fully understand. Buddhism allows for the higher speech as talking openly about visions and powers of prophecy, and I dig that about Mormonism. If sharing personal experiences I have with the Spirit makes me a Mormon Prophet, in that respect I wish to be a Mormon Prophet. I will gladly absorb that deity.