Mormons and Wyoming? (Evanston, Lovell, Basin: college, living, legal)

[emeraldsky]

I think the best way to learn about a religion is to ask an active member of that faith, or go to a source produced by that religion.

If you are curious what members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe, ask an active member, or go to lds.org or mormon.org:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Mormon.org

Both sites are run by the LDS church.

I mean, if you wanted to learn more about Catholicism, you'd ask a Catholic, right? Not a Baptist or a Methodist. And probably more than one Catholic, to get the clearest, most accurate understanding. If you wanted to learn more about Judaism, you'd ask a member of the Jewish faith, not a Muslim or a Lutheran. I would at least. Same goes for trying to better understand what members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) believe, and how they live. The best expert on any religion should be a person who actually lives it, right? Makes sense to me anyway...

Otherwise, don't assume you're getting accurate information...

Just for the record, the LDS church discontinued polygamy in 1890 (thank goodness) and even up to that time it was not widely practiced. The LDS church is in no way affiliated with any FLDS or other polygamous groups of today. In my opinion, the FLDS have no part in a discusson about "Mormon influence" as "Mormon" is a nickname given to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the LDS church).

For me, it's comparable to, say, the Protestants being an offshoot off Catholicism. Neither represent the other. They are separate entities.

I thought that was a good link Wyomama, that first one which quoted several people sharing their thoughts and feelings at the time the change was made in the LDS church in 1978, allowing "all worthy male members" as they put it, to hold the priesthood. I think the first person quoted summed things up well when he said... that at the time of the announcement, he was not aware of anybody within the LDS church who did not receive the news with anything but a sense of joy and relief.

From what I've ever heard, it was like a collective sigh of relief at the time. Often whenever I've heard that change spoken of at church, it's a very emotional issue in the sense of people feeling very grateful for the change, and sad that it had ever been otherwise.

For me personally, I have several close friends who are black. But I don't characterize them by their skin color. I value them for who they are individually, and am grateful for their friendship. I imagine they see me the same way.

p.s. I love BYU. Well, except the testing center...

[thomasjefferson]

Originally Posted by emeraldsky

I do wonder what people mean by Mormon influence. And is it all bad?

Prejudism goes both ways I guess. But it gets old. No matter what direction it comes from. We can all live better than that.

I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and I think I'm not such a bad person or neighbor to have around.

I don't preach to anybody, don't talk religion to any of my neighbors, help out where I'm needed. I have friends of lots of different religions, non religions, don't know their religions, races, skin colors, political affiliations, ages...

I only spent time in UT when I was at BYU, but I have family there who I know are fair and friends with people of diverse backgrounds. In fact my grandparents, professed athiests, are 2 of the most generous and good people I know, and they live smack dab in the middle of UT and are happy to be there. (moved there several years ago from the east to be closer to my mom). They go out to lunch and dinner with neighbors and don't feel threatened in anyway. (wow, huh, don't fall out of your seats )

Anyway, just had to add my 2 cents. I appreciate Psykokustomz's fair perspective. I don't care for radical either, in any group. Live and let live...

I currently live in Utah, snab dab in Utah County and I am not Mormon. I have witnessed, yes witnessed, the fundamentalist nuts in this part of the country...they preach about faith and rightousness, then act in direct contradiction. It all became clear when I heard about Church Court. I grew up in the East and with many differing religions. Raised Catholic, I never imposed my faith on anyone else. My town had a lot of Catholics and I never heard or saw advertisements for Fish Friday. Yet in Utah, it is all controlling and dominates everything. The local, "Bishop"...whatever that means told me the church and town are ONE! At least he was being honest...nice guy..though. I have a few very good friends who are Mormon but their worldview is of the distinct minority. The issue here is that the church dictates all of life, not just private matters and on Sunday. I have found many Mormons to be extremely intolerant and a few who are open and accepting. Fact is..I can't wait to relocate to independently minded Wyoming...!!!!

[thomasjefferson]

Originally Posted by emeraldsky

I do wonder what people mean by Mormon influence. And is it all bad?

Prejudism goes both ways I guess. But it gets old. No matter what direction it comes from. We can all live better than that.

I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and I think I'm not such a bad person or neighbor to have around.

I don't preach to anybody, don't talk religion to any of my neighbors, help out where I'm needed. I have friends of lots of different religions, non religions, don't know their religions, races, skin colors, political affiliations, ages...

I only spent time in UT when I was at BYU, but I have family there who I know are fair and friends with people of diverse backgrounds. In fact my grandparents, professed athiests, are 2 of the most generous and good people I know, and they live smack dab in the middle of UT and are happy to be there. (moved there several years ago from the east to be closer to my mom). They go out to lunch and dinner with neighbors and don't feel threatened in anyway. (wow, huh, don't fall out of your seats )

Anyway, just had to add my 2 cents. I appreciate Psykokustomz's fair perspective. I don't care for radical either, in any group. Live and let live...

Originally Posted by emeraldsky

I think the best way to learn about a religion is to ask an active member of that faith, or go to a source produced by that religion.

If you are curious what members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe, ask an active member, or go to lds.org or mormon.org:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Mormon.org

Both sites are run by the LDS church.

I mean, if you wanted to learn more about Catholicism, you'd ask a Catholic, right? Not a Baptist or a Methodist. And probably more than one Catholic, to get the clearest, most accurate understanding. If you wanted to learn more about Judaism, you'd ask a member of the Jewish faith, not a Muslim or a Lutheran. I would at least. Same goes for trying to better understand what members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) believe, and how they live. The best expert on any religion should be a person who actually lives it, right? Makes sense to me anyway...

Otherwise, don't assume you're getting accurate information...

Just for the record, the LDS church discontinued polygamy in 1890 (thank goodness) and even up to that time it was not widely practiced. The LDS church is in no way affiliated with any FLDS or other polygamous groups of today. In my opinion, the FLDS have no part in a discusson about "Mormon influence" as "Mormon" is a nickname given to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the LDS church).

For me, it's comparable to, say, the Protestants being an offshoot off Catholicism. Neither represent the other. They are separate entities.

I thought that was a good link Wyomama, that first one which quoted several people sharing their thoughts and feelings at the time the change was made in the LDS church in 1978, allowing "all worthy male members" as they put it, to hold the priesthood. I think the first person quoted summed things up well when he said... that at the time of the announcement, he was not aware of anybody within the LDS church who did not receive the news with anything but a sense of joy and relief.

From what I've ever heard, it was like a collective sigh of relief at the time. Often whenever I've heard that change spoken of at church, it's a very emotional issue in the sense of people feeling very grateful for the change, and sad that it had ever been otherwise.

For me personally, I have several close friends who are black. But I don't characterize them by their skin color. I value them for who they are individually, and am grateful for their friendship. I imagine they see me the same way.

p.s. I love BYU. Well, except the testing center...

Hi...no offense, but polygamy is alive and well in Utah. Guess you'll have to visit Nephi to buy kitchen cabinets...it is well known that the polygamist make them....

[thomasjefferson]

Originally Posted by shadowwalker

Thriftylady. I would like to let you know about my personal reference of Mormon Influence. Not gettin a loan for a house, but having that ability in a town 35 miles away. For almost twice the loan amount,to live in the town you couldn't get one in. Watching people not get hired at private and public jobs, again not mormon. Jobs were filled by lesser qualified church members. Watching people not get professional licenses in the city. Because of church. I mean like chiropractor, palmastry,construction contractor,watkins distributor,grocery store. Watching church members get extra days off, paid time off, extensions on vacations. Not offered to non mormon employees with more time and higher positions on the ladder of management. Having mormons get new equipment to do their jobs, and again. Non mormons with more time and higher job positions at company got left overs or used stuff. Watched mormon members get higher wages or padded time clock hours, because of church. I personally was told at one job that I was not to question mormon time cards when they "wrote in their time" on the cards. I had to make non members cards were non questionable for the boss to o.k.
Higher prices on private sales of material things to non mormons. Housing rentals closed off to non mormon members-yah, just try to prove this sometime. Hunting on private land closed to non members. Or charged for when non mormon, and free to chuch members. The sale of houses and land higher to non mormons. I have seen public and private businesses give contract and bids to mormon members, and the non mormons had lower bids and just as good work ethics and reputations.
I could go on. But is that enough. I have personally seen or been subject to all this in northwest wyoming. And eastern utah.

All I can say is that you hit the nail on the head. Ditto.

[WyoMama]

Don't fool yourself, TJ - polygamy is alive & well in parts of Wyo too - including the Big Horn basin (the east side near the big horns).

[RockyMtnr]

While all the above is true about LDS being shown preference - I want to take a moment here to point something out - and it has a bit of importance to it:
Not all people of LDS lineage are bad.
Some are very supportive (in an honest way), some will give you the shirt off their back (if the Church hasn't already taken it), some would give you their bottom dollar (less 10%).
Some will feed you, take you in, fix your car, speak on your behalf, introduce you to someone who can help you in some way and give you an endorsement.
In Short, folks are folks - and folks in the Rocky Mountains are like one big family - and it doesn't matter if they're LDS 7th generation or Atheist. It's sort of the "code" of the region.
That being said, the LDS got to Salt Lake City and set about settling the entire area clear to California and the Northwest and the Southwest ... and they settled these little tiny towns in the middle of nowhere and glommed onto the resources ... and they're still there and they run it like they own it - which, basically, they do. They, as a group, will help you beyond a normal extent until they find that you can't be converted - and then, you are in the cold with a unified "Tsk,Tsk" coming from the town.
But don't feel too rained on - sometimes, in the absense of new blood, they persecute their own too - just like the rest of the world!

[WyoMama]

Originally Posted by RockyMtnr

While all the above is true about LDS being shown preference - I want to take a moment here to point something out - and it has a bit of importance to it:
Not all people of LDS lineage are bad.
Some are very supportive (in an honest way), some will give you the shirt off their back (if the Church hasn't already taken it), some would give you their bottom dollar (less 10%).
Some will feed you, take you in, fix your car, speak on your behalf, introduce you to someone who can help you in some way and give you an endorsement.
In Short, folks are folks - and folks in the Rocky Mountains are like one big family - and it doesn't matter if they're LDS 7th generation or Atheist. It's sort of the "code" of the region.
That being said, the LDS got to Salt Lake City and set about settling the entire area clear to California and the Northwest and the Southwest ... and they settled these little tiny towns in the middle of nowhere and glommed onto the resources ... and they're still there and they run it like they own it - which, basically, they do. They, as a group, will help you beyond a normal extent until they find that you can't be converted - and then, you are in the cold with a unified "Tsk,Tsk" coming from the town.
But don't feel too rained on - sometimes, in the absense of new blood, they persecute their own too - just like the rest of the world!

Excellent point - esp. at the end there...but I do have a LOT of friends who are LDS - we just don't talk religion!!! PERIOD!!! But many are good ppl although many of the women I know personally are QUITE dominated & accept it. I believe the man is the leader of the family but the bible does say he is to take his wife's thoughts into consideration when making decisions & I have not seen that a lot with several families I know. Though several families is HARDLY even much of a minority. But if ppl think that in a small town a newbie moves into town & the bishops/etc in the community don't know if you are LDS or not U are DEFINITELY fooling yourself. They know the names & if you skip sacrament & meetings your name will be checked on the rosters. WAY too easy to find out - and many do as shadowwalker has found.

[jarson04]

I am really interestest in Salt Lake City,Utah I am from Florida.
But I am a traveling this summer as a ultrasound locum. I want to take my next assignment in Denver or SLC.
I have no problem with the LDS. But it does concern me of my children being treated poorly.I have seen so many threads,,which some say no worries and others are saying its a horrible place because of it.
I looked at Park City is there some place like that but not as expensive that would be close to town,,(I must be within a half hour when I take call).
Nice place to raise you children and Im looking for a non denominational church That has a Awesome pastor and youth program.

[ElkHunter]

Originally Posted by jarson04

I am really interestest in Salt Lake City,Utah I am from Florida.
But I am a traveling this summer as a ultrasound locum. I want to take my next assignment in Denver or SLC.
I have no problem with the LDS. But it does concern me of my children being treated poorly.I have seen so many threads,,which some say no worries and others are saying its a horrible place because of it.
I looked at Park City is there some place like that but not as expensive that would be close to town,,(I must be within a half hour when I take call).
Nice place to raise you children and Im looking for a non denominational church That has a Awesome pastor and youth program.

You might want to pose those questions in the Utah or Denver forums.

[Miborn]

Move to CO.......