Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Think Amish. They are Anabaptists. In progression of traditionalists Amish -> Hutterites->Mennonites.
Okay. So I'm just wondering... is that, more or less, how you perceive Mormons, as being kind of similar (at least in lifestyle, etc.) to the Amish or Mennonites? Not trying to pick a fight or anything. Just curious.
As a sidelight, when my mom was a young adult and my dad was off serving in World War II, she was living with two roommates: a Mennonite and a Jew. Doesn't that sound like the beginning of a joke or something? A Mormon, a Mennonite and a Jew walk into a bar... The three actually became very close friends.
Location: In a little house on the prairie - literally
10,202 posts, read 7,919,895 times
Reputation: 4561
Quote:
Originally Posted by Katzpur
Okay. So I'm just wondering... is that, more or less, how you perceive Mormons, as being kind of similar (at least in lifestyle, etc.) to the Amish or Mennonites? Not trying to pick a fight or anything. Just curious.
As a sidelight, when my mom was a young adult and my dad was off serving in World War II, she was living with two roommates: a Mennonite and a Jew. Doesn't that sound like the beginning of a joke or something? A Mormon, a Mennonite and a Jew walk into a bar... The three actually became very close friends.
No I I'm well aware that Mormons are not Anabaptists.
Why I referenced Mennonites is because shunning does happen in some communities. (Just as there are various branches of Christianity, there are various branches of Mennonites also or at least the manner that they practice the lifestyle).
It is certainly my strong impression from some of the Mormon communities that exist in the southern part of my jurisdiction, the shunning is something that is not unheard to.
It is certainly my strong impression from some of the Mormon communities that exist in the southern part of my jurisdiction, the shunning is something that is not unheard to.
If that is the case, it would not in any way, shape or form be Church-sanctioned. The practice goes contrary to everything we teach. Not saying it doesn't ever happen, of course. People are people and some will obviously behave in a manner contrary to what their Church teaches.
Please, Katzpu,r and other Mormons out there, do not infer I am trying to convince anyone to question or leave Mormonism. That isn't what our country was founded on, nor is what I espouse. God leads, people follow.
You know, I'll say one thing about Mormonism that I really love... If someone were to convert to our faith from, say, the Baptist Church, the Lutheran Church or the Methodist Church and were inclined to make a video "exposing the truth" about their previous denomination, they would be told to forget it right now and to start behaving the way a Christian ought to behave! People can look all over the internet for videos produced by converts to Mormonism bashing their prior religions and you know what? They won't find any. Sure, you'll find conversion stories, but all of them will focus on what they've found in their new faith and not on what they are so happy to leave behind. In my opinion, if a person has to undercut another person's beliefs in order to make their own beliefs look good, their beliefs aren't even worth my even considering.
Note: Priscilla, this is not directed to you. It's just a general comment about people like Lynn Wilder.
Location: In a little house on the prairie - literally
10,202 posts, read 7,919,895 times
Reputation: 4561
Quote:
Originally Posted by Katzpur
You know, I'll say one thing about Mormonism that I really love... If someone were to convert to our faith from, say, the Baptist Church, the Lutheran Church or the Methodist Church and were inclined to make a video "exposing the truth" about their previous denomination, they would be told to forget it right now and to start behaving the way a Christian ought to behave! People can look all over the internet for videos produced by converts to Mormonism bashing their prior religions and you know what? They won't find any. Sure, you'll find conversion stories, but all of them will focus on what they've found in their new faith and not on what they are so happy to leave behind. In my opinion, if a person has to undercut another person's beliefs in order to make their own beliefs look good, their beliefs aren't even worth my even considering.
Note: Priscilla, this is not directed to you. It's just a general comment about people like Lynn Wilder.
Katzpur being the strong atheist I am, I have an aversion to the hypocrisy that people of faith often exhibit.
Just as I mentioned that it was my strong sentiment that shunning was not an unheard of practice among Mormon communities, I have also seen where a preponderance of Mormon members invariably live the faith they preach as opposed to just talking it.
I'm talking about admirable qualities such as being strong family orientated people, such as preparedness for disasters, and having a strong work ethic. There is little expectation that governments should be fulfilling social needs.
Those things would be wonderful if other religions actually lived it. Sadly, that is not the usual case
One of my best professors at the University of Utah was fired from BYU and kicked out of the church for speaking against it.
Ironically, his class "Anthropology of Mormonism" helped me understand rather than hate the church at a time when I was in the middle of my own "apostasy" and VERY antagonistic about it. The fact he made his peace with the religion/culture he (and I) was born into despite all that had happened was really inspiring to me.
Anyway, I don't necessarily blame the church in general anymore... just like any organization there are all kinds of Mormons with many different perspectives. It is in no way a closed off bunch of isolated, brainwashed wierdos like the outside world tends to assume.
My anger and disgust is reserved for the "Mormon Taliban" (the minority fanatical members who eat, breathe and sleep Mormon doctrine, tend to take things literally and take things to extremes in the name of "righteousness").
The "Mormon Taliban" thinks there can be no middle ground... either you are on their side (which they think is god's side) or satan's side but that's just not true. Life is far more complicated than that!
You know, I'll say one thing about Mormonism that I really love... If someone were to convert to our faith from, say, the Baptist Church, the Lutheran Church or the Methodist Church and were inclined to make a video "exposing the truth" about their previous denomination, they would be told to forget it right now and to start behaving the way a Christian ought to behave! People can look all over the internet for videos produced by converts to Mormonism bashing their prior religions and you know what? They won't find any. Sure, you'll find conversion stories, but all of them will focus on what they've found in their new faith and not on what they are so happy to leave behind. In my opinion, if a person has to undercut another person's beliefs in order to make their own beliefs look good, their beliefs aren't even worth my even considering.
Note: Priscilla, this is not directed to you. It's just a general comment about people like Lynn Wilder.
Thanks for not clawing me to shreds Katzpur. Personally, I don't care what a person believes, as long as they believe in the saving grace of Jesus. You have been very forthright and don't make claims that Mormonism is the only path, the true church, etc.. You don't make false presentations about your church or their beliefs either. I, for one, find that an admirable quality. One of my good girlfriends years ago was Mormon and we shared many an afternoon chatting while our children played together. One time we had an extended power outage in Portland, Oregon and power was out in some areas for several weeks. It just so happened that my hubby worked as an engineer for the power company. Anyway, our power was restored fairly quickly, and my girlfriend's was not. It had nothing to do with the fact hubby worked for the power company but because my girlfriend's street had a huge tree on it that took down two power poles. I ended up doing the laundry for her and her family for two weeks. She told me ahead of time about their undergarments. She said she really didn't like those things. I found them interesting looking.
There is a point to my ramblings. I think oftentimes we judge what we don't understand or based on what we've heard, been told, or read. It goes both ways. Once, our pastor challenged us to bring as many neighbors to church as we could. I asked my girlfriend and she agreed to come. She said her husband would fuss, but she knew how to get him there. He seemed very uncomfortable at first. After the service though, her husband said he really enjoyed the sermon. He was impressed we used the KJV Bible, how everyone had their own, and how everyone could find the books the pastor preached from with ease.
Anyway, I don't necessarily blame the church in general anymore... just like any organization there are all kinds of Mormons with many different perspectives. It is in no way a closed off bunch of isolated, brainwashed wierdos like the outside world tends to assume.
When ex-Mormons like you say things like this, it makes a difference in the way people see the Church, and it's a difference that people like me, who are still believing members, can't make. So, I appreciate your speaking out.
Quote:
My anger and disgust is reserved for the "Mormon Taliban" (the minority fanatical members who eat, breathe and sleep Mormon doctrine, tend to take things literally and take things to extremes in the name of "righteousness").
As you have probably figured out by now, those types drive me nuts, too.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The three actually became very close friends.
