Why are so many anti-Mormon? (Latter-Day Saints, reincarnation, Buddhism, Mormons)
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I have read most of the recent posts that deal in favor or against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. And as much as I wish I could respond, I need to have one question answered: why the dislike, or hatred, or whatever towards this church, towards what we believe? I think once I get answers to this question, it'll help me to see your point view and then perhaps answer appropriately. I might answer, I might not, I'm not good at debating. But I really would like to know, cause I do not involve myself w/anti-Mormon discussion on a daily basis and am very curious why there is so much attack against my church.
I have read most of the recent posts that deal in favor or against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. And as much as I wish I could respond, I need to have one question answered: why the dislike, or hatred, or whatever towards this church, towards what we believe? I think once I get answers to this question, it'll help me to see your point view and then perhaps answer appropriately. I might answer, I might not, I'm not good at debating. But I really would like to know, cause I do not involve myself w/anti-Mormon discussion on a daily basis and am very curious why there is so much attack against my church.
Moorhen3 !!! ... Great Subject matter !
Unfortunately ... it truly appears that there are some CDF folks who take a great deal of pleasure in stating their vile & shameful hatred regarding anything and anyone who would dare mention the greatest of all names ... Jesus Christ !
The title of the great Mormon Church contains that greatest of names and of course the unprecedented hatred spews forth from those who interpret God's wisdom as foolishness !
Not to worry Moorhen3 ... Jesus stated long ago that these persecutions must come to pass from those whom are perishing !
I do not get it either, maybe some people are afraid that they might be wrong. So instead of dealling with that,they attack others. Or they might have a close mind on anything that is different from them,maybe some of them are just mean spirited.No matter what their reasons. Many of them, like all of us must be dealing with something in their lives to make them act like that(not that its an excause to be mean). To bad because they are missing out on a whole bunch of really good people who really do belive in God.
I like Mormons but I just disagree with a lot of their beliefs but to be fair I am that same way with the majority of Christians, I feel most them are off in their beliefs.
Thats the the thing Hilgi you are kind when you say what you belive more people need to be like that. I have no clue what you would call me I belive in God and Christ. Then again I belive that Christ had to have gone to the far East for some of his education. Many of the dieties in other religons concide with saints from catholic belifes if you compare them(wich drives my ex catholic DH nuts) A lot of Christanity belives in the first earth age in wich we were all there but they do not belive in reincarnation. Maybe I am lost maybe I am not I just try to be a good person.
I have read most of the recent posts that deal in favor or against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. And as much as I wish I could respond, I need to have one question answered: why the dislike, or hatred, or whatever towards this church, towards what we believe?
Knowing the sensitivity .... I'll try to explain since I'm probably the poster child for many Mormons for the hate label:
1. It's not "hate" of any Mormons ... it's the articulated opposition to the message of Mormonism that is considered "hate" by Mormons and sympathizers.
2. Too many now in our general population consider Mormonism "Christian" when it historically never considered itself that. Many people today just no longer know what "Christian" is anymore, so they just assume that when a group calls itself "Christian" that well it must be.
3. Mormonism uses Christian terms but have different meanings to them ...which is can only be substantiate by articulated opposition. Katzpur said as much when she said " the word salvation may mean one thing; to a Baptist, it may mean something different; to a Latter-day Saint, it may mean something different still."
4. Non-Mormons get insulted when the convenient argument is used that "if you're not one of us...you don't understand" especially when that is used for Mormons who leave the LDS despite multiple decades of actively envolvement and holding many highly respected offices within the LDS church.
5. What many misunderstand is that there are only two religious views for the afterlife. The urgency for belief in the true God that is revealed in the Bible must be present before death ... and those who belief that after death the opportunity exists for belief.
Those of us who understand the urgency do so because of sincere love for the lost. The other message is not loving...offering false hope is evil.
As Jesus revealed :
Romans 12:9
" Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good."
2 Corinthians 6:2 For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you."I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation."
2 Timothy 4:8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing."
I have read most of the recent posts that deal in favor or against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. And as much as I wish I could respond, I need to have one question answered: why the dislike, or hatred, or whatever towards this church, towards what we believe? I think once I get answers to this question, it'll help me to see your point view and then perhaps answer appropriately. I might answer, I might not, I'm not good at debating. But I really would like to know, cause I do not involve myself w/anti-Mormon discussion on a daily basis and am very curious why there is so much attack against my church.
Well, I haven't posted anything "anti-Mormon" on this forum, or feel particularly anti-Mormon, but I'd like to respond in any case. Who knows, maybe it'll help with your concern/question.
My personal biggest issue, as somewhat reflected by your question "Why the dislike....towards what we believe?", is that people of your faith that I encounter have ZERO, or nearly zero, respect for what I believe.
-- It's automatically assumed that I must be wrong in my own views because I do not follow your faith or set of beliefs.
-- It's furthermore assumed that your views are correct, and that I should be "enlightened" until I agree with your views.
-- LDS people, in particular, seem to have so little respect for me and my views that they intentionally intrude upon my personal time and space in order to tell me so. And if I politely decline, they feel, and have felt, the need to disrespect me again by intruding at some future date.
-- Anyone who may have tried this before will understand what I mean by this, but just trying to have a conversation with an LDS person about your beliefs, if different than theirs, is an exercise in incredulity. In every case where I've tried to have a 2-way conversation with an LDS member "in person"....they have become extremely, and I mean extremely, affronted/flustered/offended. To the point of simply ending the conversation and walking away. The complete hypocrisy of this reaction annoys me to no end.
-- I currently live in an area with a fairly substantial LDS population (I think it's roughly 50% or so of the total population, and no we don't live in Utah). When we moved here 2 years ago, one of the very first questions we were asked (in our very first social contact, at that) was "which ward do you belong to?". I don't think those neighbors have spoken to us more than a few times ever since, and they seem (to me) to go out of their way to avoid us. [Anecdote: They have twin boys who are about the same age as my son (3). It's amazing to me that if my son and I go outside while they're out playing, they're always back inside their own house in less than 5 minutes. Always. No, really....always. Personally, I do not find this to be coincidence in any way.] This type of "anti-social" reaction has repeated itself multiple times since, with other people (all LDS) in the area. I don't know if this is specifically a LDS thing or if these people are/were just jerks, but I've never encountered such a thing in any of the other places I've ever lived.
-- There are some other social nuances I've noticed as well, but I'll have to let that go because I don't think I can put it into words properly.
-- There are some specifically doctrinal issues that I disagree with the LDS Church about as well, but that's probably another post or thread.
I suppose it could be argued that most of these aren't necessarily exclusive to LDS people/faith, and I can sort of see that. However, your compatriots seem to me to be especially fervent about it. And that, in my humble opinion, is why people supposedly "hate" you or your Church so much. You are so vocal about your beliefs, so insistent that others believe what you believe, that there's bound to be pushback. An "equal and opposite reaction", if you will.
*** As an aside, while I truly understand what you mean by "I'm not good at debating", I believe that you do yourself a disservice in your quest to find "answers" if you opt not to participate in the discussion beyond the OP. It gives the appearance (either rightly or wrongly) that you simply wish to avoid facing opinions you find distasteful, while at the same time confirming in your mind that there are all these people out there who "hate" you. What better way to sort through various opinions than to talk about them with others? Maybe you have an insight others haven't thought of before? Or vice-versa? Of course, I've expressed my experiences on such a back-and-forth up in point #4, but here's hoping for some constructive conversation. Who knows, maybe you'll find what you're looking for.
I would say many Christians see Mormonism as not a Christian denomination so much as an offshoot religion that varies drastically on some basic points of theology. (Mormon views of the Trinity, Posthumous Baptism, Eternal marriage, post-Apostolic revelation, preexistence, etc) Offshoot religions, or religions deemed to be offshoot, are often in a state of tension with the parent. For example Islam's reaction to both Ahmadiyya and Baha'i. The Sunni/Ahmadi tension is a good analogy, in a way, as Ahmadiyya was founded by a nineteenth century Prophet but unlike Baha'i they deem themselves to be Muslims. Islam itself was once deemed, at least to some, to be a heretical offshoot of Christianity. This inspired some tension. Lastly there's also historically been tension, at times, between Hinduism and Buddhism.
That maybe doesn't explain why there is such a tension. One reason is the "offshoot religion" either sees itself, or is seen by others, as claiming to supersede the parent. I believe Mormonism does or did deem other churches to be "apostate" and claimed for itself the mantle of restored Christianity. This real or alleged judgment of older forms of Christianity creates or inspires hostility. Also the "offshoot religion" might be seen as being in rebellion or apostate to the "parent religion." When Protestantism was as old as Mormonism is now us Catholics were still generally hostile to it.
Lastly there are just hostilities or irritations based on present or current beliefs of Mormonism. The LDS view of blacks from the late-nineteenth to mid-twentieth century caused some hostility among blacks and anti-racists. The current view with regard to homosexuality inspires hostility/anger among gay-rights supporters. The beliefs concerning horses and Jews in Pre-Columbian America seem weird or laughable to most of us who like history. (Although I wouldn't say they offend or anger us as such, but possible implications in the BoM that American Indians are cursed by God is offensive to me if that's so) And those who reject religion in general will reject Mormonism as well as any faith.
Well, I haven't posted anything "anti-Mormon" on this forum, or feel particularly anti-Mormon, but I'd like to respond in any case. Who knows, maybe it'll help with your concern/question.
My personal biggest issue, as somewhat reflected by your question "Why the dislike....towards what we believe?", is that people of your faith that I encounter have ZERO, or nearly zero, respect for what I believe.
-- It's automatically assumed that I must be wrong in my own views because I do not follow your faith or set of beliefs.
-- It's furthermore assumed that your views are correct, and that I should be "enlightened" until I agree with your views.
-- LDS people, in particular, seem to have so little respect for me and my views that they intentionally intrude upon my personal time and space in order to tell me so. And if I politely decline, they feel, and have felt, the need to disrespect me again by intruding at some future date.
-- Anyone who may have tried this before will understand what I mean by this, but just trying to have a conversation with an LDS person about your beliefs, if different than theirs, is an exercise in incredulity. In every case where I've tried to have a 2-way conversation with an LDS member "in person"....they have become extremely, and I mean extremely, affronted/flustered/offended. To the point of simply ending the conversation and walking away. The complete hypocrisy of this reaction annoys me to no end.
-- I currently live in an area with a fairly substantial LDS population (I think it's roughly 50% or so of the total population, and no we don't live in Utah). When we moved here 2 years ago, one of the very first questions we were asked (in our very first social contact, at that) was "which ward do you belong to?". I don't think those neighbors have spoken to us more than a few times ever since, and they seem (to me) to go out of their way to avoid us. [Anecdote: They have twin boys who are about the same age as my son (3). It's amazing to me that if my son and I go outside while they're out playing, they're always back inside their own house in less than 5 minutes. Always. No, really....always. Personally, I do not find this to be coincidence in any way.] This type of "anti-social" reaction has repeated itself multiple times since, with other people (all LDS) in the area. I don't know if this is specifically a LDS thing or if these people are/were just jerks, but I've never encountered such a thing in any of the other places I've ever lived.
-- There are some other social nuances I've noticed as well, but I'll have to let that go because I don't think I can put it into words properly.
-- There are some specifically doctrinal issues that I disagree with the LDS Church about as well, but that's probably another post or thread.
I suppose it could be argued that most of these aren't necessarily exclusive to LDS people/faith, and I can sort of see that. However, your compatriots seem to me to be especially fervent about it. And that, in my humble opinion, is why people supposedly "hate" you or your Church so much. You are so vocal about your beliefs, so insistent that others believe what you believe, that there's bound to be pushback. An "equal and opposite reaction", if you will.
*** As an aside, while I truly understand what you mean by "I'm not good at debating", I believe that you do yourself a disservice in your quest to find "answers" if you opt not to participate in the discussion beyond the OP. It gives the appearance (either rightly or wrongly) that you simply wish to avoid facing opinions you find distasteful, while at the same time confirming in your mind that there are all these people out there who "hate" you. What better way to sort through various opinions than to talk about them with others? Maybe you have an insight others haven't thought of before? Or vice-versa? Of course, I've expressed my experiences on such a back-and-forth up in point #4, but here's hoping for some constructive conversation. Who knows, maybe you'll find what you're looking for.
WOW, this is my experience as well. Even as far as the kids not playing together.
I have lived in Mesa Az for 14 years now, and the profile is the same, no matter the neighborhood.
WOW, this is my experience as well. Even as far as the kids not playing together.
I have lived in Mesa Az for 14 years now, and the profile is the same, no matter the neighborhood.
Go over to the Salt Lake City and Utah forums and see what the non-LDS posters have to say. They love their LDS neighbors and their kids have lots of LDS friends.
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Great Subject matter !
