It's official: This ain't no Bible Belt town! (Phoenix: vehicle, bicycles)

[DetroitN8V]

Isn't the reason you see the Mormons riding around on bikes with matching shirts and nametags is because they're going door to door "educating" people about Mormonism? Showing up on my doorstep uninvited to tell me something I don't want to hear is pretty aggressive IMO.

[Desertspiritsteve]

The Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints is one of the fastest growing religions in the world. The missionaries are doing this "On their own time" probably financed mostly by their families, but it is all arranged by the church. I think I heard that the church is allowing female members to go on missions now. There are also those who are baptizing the departed (gentiles) into the church. It's a different approach than the Pentecostals and witnesses, but it's the same thing. I have a gay ex-Mormon friend who is coming over to visit this evening. He did his mission in France. I'll get his take on this.

[azriverfan.]

Originally Posted by DetroitN8V

Isn't the reason you see the Mormons riding around on bikes with matching shirts and nametags is because they're going door to door "educating" people about Mormonism? Showing up on my doorstep uninvited to tell me something I don't want to hear is pretty aggressive IMO.

Most of the time, they go to certain community organizations or sponsored events. I've never had one knock on my door. The only ones who ever knocked on my door were Jehovas Witnesses. I think you will find that most residents will echo my sentiments on this and acknowledge they've never had a Mormon knock on their door proselytizing. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but it's rare. However, when I lived in the South, it was a normal occurrence with Christian flyers on my door about some new church opening.

[DetroitN8V]

Originally Posted by azriverfan.

Most of the time, they go to certain community organizations or sponsored events. I've never had one knock on my door. The only ones who ever knocked on my door were Jehovas Witnesses. I think you will find that most residents will echo my sentiments on this and acknowledge they've never had a Mormon knock on their door proselytizing. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but it's rare. However, when I lived in the South, it was a normal occurrence with Christian flyers on my door about some new church opening.

Interesting. I always assumed they were knocking on doors like the JW's.

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by DetroitN8V

Interesting. I always assumed they were knocking on doors like the JW's.

Mormons do knock on doors. That is not the primary way by which they find converts these days, though. Most of the people they end up teaching are people who know other Mormons and have asked for more information. Door-to-door proselytizing is not particularly effective and is done more or less in situations where there are few Mormons in the area. In Phoenix, it's probably not necessary because there are enough Mormons for the missionaries to get "referrals."

[Desertspiritsteve]

I'm not sure that they're knocking on doors unless they have been invited back. My experience has been that if you're working in your yard and they come along, you're doomed. In the inner city they appear to approach people on the street. Maybe even feed them. They are almost always attractive, intelligent and charming. I can spot them at a quarter mile away and get into the house in a hurry.

[Potential_Landlord]

Originally Posted by azriverfan.

But to illustrate what I'm referring to, this is what I experienced when I lived in Oklahoma, Texas and Tennessee.

(1) I was asked what church I attend on a constant basis
(2) I was told by some individuals that I need to be "saved."
(3) I was invited to attend someone's church on several occasions even though I made no inclination that I wanted to attend their church or that I shared their conservative beliefs.
(4) I would constantly hear references to Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam as being "devil worship"
(5) I heard numerous derogatory comments about homosexuals and homosexuality made openly.
(6) I heard numerous comments about Catholicism and that it was an evil religion because they couldn't communicate with God directly and that they worshipped popes and idols.
(7) My daughter was in school at the time and she told me how they openly prayed to Jesus during home games and other public school events.
(8) They would avoid teaching evolution and Darwin in public schools because it would offend too many of the families.

I've never experienced any of this in Arizona including rural areas.

AZRF: thanks for giving me some perspective here. Being from Europe, I found the religious presence rather strong in Phoenix. But I had no idea how extreme it is in the Bible Belt. This is a whole different ball game from what I experienced in Phoenix. So definitively, this is not a Bible Belt city here, fortunately. It's actually hard to believe people would behave like they apparently do in the Bible Belt. Even with the Muslims in Europe I have never had any experience like this.

[chazk14]

Originally Posted by DetroitN8V

Great topic and proof that the future is bright for the Valley!

if a city has no morals or values the future is everything but bright.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by CinSonic

if a city has no morals or values the future is everything but bright.

"Cities" CAN'T have morals or values. The people living in them, inlcuding those who run them, can. If you are making the blanket statement that the people in Phoenix or the surrounding cities don't have morals or values, I suspect you will get a fair amount of disagreement. And, that discussion is really for another thread.

[chazk14]

Originally Posted by observer53

"Cities" CAN'T have morals or values. The people living in them, inlcuding those who run them, can. If you are making the blanket statement that the people in Phoenix or the surrounding cities don't have morals or values, I suspect you will get a fair amount of disagreement. And, that discussion is really for another thread.

where the heck did i say Phoenix doesn't have morals or values?