Mormonism/LDS

[213th]

My brother recently converted to Mormonism, and announced that when he marries his fiancee, they will be married, or sealed as it is called, in a Mormon Temple.

I began doing research on Mormonism, but most of what I have found is slanted extremely one way or another and doesn't seem completely objective. I was wondering if anyone here was/is or has knowledge of Mormonism. It seems somewhat cultish to me, and I apologize if there are Mormons on here that are offended by that, but that is how it seems. If you feel so inclined as to dispute that observation I made, either for or against it, and provide good solid information on Mormonism, I'd appreciate it.

[Jenna]

Mormonism is just another religion, with the same mix of reasonable and crazy people as any other religion (or atheism or agnosticism, for that matter). Mitt Romney, the candidate for the US Republican Party presidential nomination who has raised the most election campaign funds so far, is a practicing Mormon
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/fea...sullivan1.html , and even though I don't like him I don't think he's crazier than any other Republican!

[Jackalope]

Mormons are great people, but they have some very weird beliefs. One that you need to be aware of is that non-Mormons cannot attend a Mormon wedding.

Part of their faith includes the idea that they have to do a certain number of "good deeds" in order to get into heaven. The result of this is that they're very friendly, and very helpful. I spent some time with a Mormon cop in Utah, and he would stop on the street and talk to complete strangers like they were old friends (this was off-duty).

They also put a lot of emphasis on family. In Mormonism, it's not a choice whether or not to get married. You must find a spouse. They even have singles churches that people start going to from the time they're about 18 until they get married. I'm sure you know that they tend to have a lot of kids, and they have a low divorce rate.

I also attended one of their church services while I was there, and nobody tried to recruit me or do anything weird during the service. I don't consider them to be like a cult at all.

Personally, I'd never want to be Mormon, but I like being surrounded by Mormons.

[Jackalope]

[Willowdared]

One of my mother's best friend's is Mormon....and very good people. She and her husband helped rescue a girl who ran away from that polygamist cult.

The core basis of Mormanism, is that Jesus came back, but to the America's. That's where the Latter Day Saints comes from. He left his teachings on gold plates that Joseph Smith found, and later destroyed.

Your best bet is to read the Book of Mormon....they send them free to anyone that asks for one....then form your own opinion.

[213th]

Mormons are great people, but they have some very weird beliefs. One that you need to be aware of is that non-Mormons cannot attend a Mormon wedding.

Part of their faith includes the idea that they have to do a certain number of "good deeds" in order to get into heaven. The result of this is that they're very friendly, and very helpful. I spent some time with a Mormon cop in Utah, and he would stop on the street and talk to complete strangers like they were old friends (this was off-duty).

They also put a lot of emphasis on family. In Mormonism, it's not a choice whether or not to get married. You must find a spouse. They even have singles churches that people start going to from the time they're about 18 until they get married. I'm sure you know that they tend to have a lot of kids, and they have a low divorce rate.

I also attended one of their church services while I was there, and nobody tried to recruit me or do anything weird during the service. I don't consider them to be like a cult at all.

Personally, I'd never want to be Mormon, but I like being surrounded by Mormons.

They certainly are nice, and have strong family values. They've tried to 'recruit' me once or twice, shortly after I moved up here and my brother hadn't converted yet, when I visited him and the missonaries showed up, they talk to me too. But not anymore.

One of the things they believe is that you become a God when you die, and how big the planet you rule is dictated by what you did in life, ie, must be married to get a planet, more kids on earth, the higher your status in heaven etc etc.

Some of the stuff I was reading last night had to do with temple ceremonies, the special handshakes, your new name which is your password into heaven, etc etc.

I also read some horror stories about how they have tapped phone lines, hacked email accounts, gone through personal files etc at member's homes when they suspect them of certain things such as being sympathetic to ex-mormon's (they have a name that I don't remember for ex-mormon's). This kind of stuff seemed like it was a stretch, maybe angry rantings of an ex member. However, it's not outside the realm of possibility, but to me it seems to be bordering the line of probability. Has anyone else heard of stuff like this or experienced it first hand?

[Michelle]

I do not know much about the faith, but I have dated someone who was Mormon. If my memory serves me correctly,(and please correct me if I am wrong), being married in the Mormon Temple means they will be together/married forever even in the next life.

[213th]

I do not know much about the faith, but I have dated someone who was Mormon. If my memory serves me correctly,(and please correct me if I am wrong), being married in the Mormon Temple means they will be together/married forever even in the next life.

Yes after they are sealed (and you can stand in for deceased parents etc to have them sealed from what I understand) it is a celestial marriage

[jdb91]

Joseph Smith was an alcoholic who at one point in his life was arrested on warrants by LEO's and was found to have a gun under his pillow. He was a self-proclaimed prophet and re-interpreted the Bible to fit his needs.....polygamy being the biggest one. He was killed over a free speech issue because some ex-church members were printing up articles about him that he didn't like. He shut the press down by having the local Marshal destroy it. Use the real Bible as a guide to determine the truth. That's what I do.

[Beans]

Joseph Smith was an alcoholic who at one point in his life was arrested on warrants by LEO's and was found to have a gun under his pillow. He was a self-proclaimed prophet and re-interpreted the Bible to fit his needs.....polygamy being the biggest one. He was killed over a free speech issue because some ex-church members were printing up articles about him that he didn't like. He shut the press down by having the local Marshal destroy it. Use the real Bible as a guide to determine the truth. That's what I do.

I am not moron, but if I was, I think I would be a bit offended by your statement. It is cool to talk of religion, but I will not allow you to bash the founder of a church that some might worship.
If it continues, I will just close the thread down.

[countybear]

A really interesting read is a biography on Joseph Smith himself. I believe that its important to study the founder (or origin) of any religion/denomination, to see what it is that he (or the concept itself) stood for. As with any fact-finding venture, I wouldn't rely upon Mormon/LDS materials or strictly the internet. Objective third-party resources are available. Brigham Young is another interesting read.

It is fact that Mormons have gone to great length over the past decades to more closely align themselves to mainstream Christianity. Much of the history of the LDS faith has been downplayed. Such can certainly also be said of Catholicism, though. I believe that a good study in history will yield volumes of understanding.

[Jenna]

A really interesting read is a biography on Joseph Smith himself. I believe that its important to study the founder (or origin) of any religion/denomination, to see what it is that he (or the concept itself) stood for. As with any fact-finding venture, I wouldn't rely upon Mormon/LDS materials or strictly the internet. Objective third-party resources are available. Brigham Young is another interesting read.

It is fact that Mormons have gone to great length over the past decades to more closely align themselves to mainstream Christianity. Much of the history of the LDS faith has been downplayed. Such can certainly also be said of Catholicism, though. I believe that a good study in history will yield volumes of understanding.

A fair and reasonable post as usual from our resident hostage negotiator!

I think there are limits to how much current religious practitioners (or current members of any social movement) can be held responsible for the wackiness of their historical predecessors, or even their founders, though. Just because Catholics were historically responsible for things like the Spanish Inquisition and the Crusades doesn't mean that today's Catholics are likely to go around torturing and murdering people to get them to convert. On the other hand, Karl Marx was a mild-mannered, nonviolent intellectual, but some practitioners of the Communist movements he started have been anything but nonviolent.

[countybear]

I think there are limits to how much current religious practitioners (or current members of any social movement) can be held responsible for the wackiness of their historical predecessors, or even their founders, though. Just because Catholics were historically responsible for things like the Spanish Inquisition and the Crusades doesn't mean that today's Catholics are likely to go around torturing and murdering people to get them to convert. On the other hand, Karl Marx was a mild-mannered, nonviolent intellectual, but some practitioners of the Communist movements he started have been anything but nonviolent.

Well said. However, whenever a faith practice is based upon the writings and teachings of an individual, and such individual's own accounts and authority forms the very foundation of that belief system (i.e. the very creation of core doctrine itself), I believe the author of that faith should be studied carefully. No one debates that Smith was the founder of the Mormon Church, or that Brigham Young's teachings are honored by the LDS churches to this day. I don't believe that modern-day Mormons should be "held accountable" for anything, per se'. I do believe that before evaluating a faith, the foundation of that faith itself should be explored. In the case of a faith being founded upon the purported revelations of a single person, then that person should be studied.

Nicean origins of the "Holy Roman Church", were ordered by Constantine in 515 A.D., those who refused to convert were executed. This much is documented history, however, the advance of civilization over the course of time since then has been such that I could not reasonably equate modern Catholic doctrine with such actions. Such is not necessarily the case with Mormonism, which had it's origins in 1831, and only rejected polygamy in 1890.

[Willowdared]

My Great-Grandfather's brother became a Mormon. Norwegian immigrants were actively recruited with promises of land due to their reputation as hard-working, honest people.

He stayed in Utah, but he didn't stay a Mormon.

[mavriktu]

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to countybear again.

Sorry guy,I owe you,very intelligent post,You must not be from here originally,either that or you were abel to afford L.S.U.

I have heard that LDS' dont beleive in hell but instead have 7 stages of heaven (hence the expression "I'm in 7th heaven),now ,for someone in my position that sounds pretty good.

[phantasm]

Everything I know about mormons I learned from south park.

[Crimebytes2]

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to countybear again.

Taken care of mav!

[TwanimusPrime]

My best friend is mormon, and I grew up with them most of my life. They are good people. Probably some of the best people I know. I have trouble with my personal faith in general, let alone any particular denominations, so its really not for me. But some of the best people I know are mormon, so you have no worries.

[keith720]

My Great grandmother came over here from Denmark as a mail order bride for a Mormon. She found out he had 2 other wives and children older than her, so she left and settled in Wisconsin.

[Ducky]

My mother in law is mormon, and MrDucky was raised that way although he isn't one now. I've directed him to this thread and he can help answer your questions.