whats the deal with mormons?

[MarkL444]

go at it.

[tdarko]

they are freaks in bed.

[JaBlue]

who the [censored] cares?

[kerssens]

They came to my door the other day....very persistent but I stayed strong.

[MarkL444]

uw_madtown-

ive seen the south park, but i choose to not believe everything tv tells me

[Alobar]

[ QUOTE ]
go at it.

[/ QUOTE ]

They are just a well funded cult thats gained mass acceptance.

Lets put it this way, if you knew nothing about mormons and I walked up to you and said...

"So im thinking about joining this religion that was founded by some guy who found some gold tablets in the groud. Its pretty cool, I get to wear special underwear, women are seen as "unclean" and when I die, I get to be god of my own planet...sweet huh?"

Youd think I was crazy and I was joining a cult.

[MarkL444]

they seriously believe that stuff?

[kerssens]

[ QUOTE ]
uw_madtown-

ive seen the south park, but i choose to not believe everything tv tells me

[/ QUOTE ]

The funny thing is...South Park is usually very accurate. I don't know in this case because I don't know about Mormonism except that a non-Mormon basically owns Utah on Sundays.

[jnalpak]

dont they wear magic underwear? i hear it stops bullets...

[Beerfund]

[ QUOTE ]
women are seen as "unclean"

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, they got one thing right.

[Alobar]

[ QUOTE ]
they seriously believe that stuff?

[/ QUOTE ]

yup

[MarkL444]

[ QUOTE ]
dont they wear magic underwear? i hear it stops bullets...

[/ QUOTE ]

tell me more about this underwear. is it just the men?

[Sponger15SB]

[ QUOTE ]
go at it.

[/ QUOTE ]

THE 17 ERRORS OF MORMONISM:

THE MORMON CHURCH TEACHES

1. The universe is governed by a head god and his council. "The head God called together the Gods and sat in grand council to bring forth the world...In the beginning, the head of the Gods called a council of the gods; and they came together and concocted a plan to create the world and people it" (Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, PP. 348-49).

THE BIBLE TEACHES

1. If there is somebody else up there managing things, the all-knowing God who created all things in the heavens doesn't know about it. Isaiah 42:5 defines Him as "God the lord, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein." In Isaiah 45:12 that same God says, "I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded."

COMMENTS

1. Certainly the Bible was written for the common man, many of them who would never even live to see a TV, much less understand the speculation of multiple universes which do not exist within the same existence as ours. Sure, one could say that these passages refer to our current universe and that God is demonstrating He is the only God of our existence, which doesn't rule out Gods above Him in OTHER existences, but that of course would be opening the door to us being wrong on this point, and we are NEVER wrong!



THE MORMON CHURCH TEACHES

2. God has goddess wives. "This doctrine that there is a Mother in Heaven was affirmed in all plainness by the First Presidency of the Church" (Bruce R. McConkie, Apostle, Mormon Doctrine, p. 516).

THE BIBLE TEACHES

2. There is absolutely no mention of any wives of God. There will be no marrying in heaven (see Matthew 22:29, 30).

COMMENTS

2. Ok, so the Bible wasn't the only text written about God. Sure, John 21:25 declares that the Bible can not possibly contain everything that happened. But the Father having a female counterpart???? Women can't even drive right, much less be Gods.

Oh, and on the no marrying in Heaven, yeah we know it is commenting on the actual marriage ceremony, and does not preclude the actual institution of marriage, but ignore that little fact please.



THE MORMON CHURCH TEACHES

3. God is limited by a physical body. "The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man's" (D&C, 130:22). "If God possesses a form, that form is of necessity of definite proportions, and therefore of limited extension and space. It is impossible for Him to occupy at one time more than one space of such limits" (James E. Talmage, Articles of Faith, p.43).

THE BIBLE TEACHES

3. The one true God is infinite. Any other "god" is a false god (see 2 Chronicles 6:18; Psalm 139:4-8; Jeremiah 23:24).



THE MORMON CHURCH TEACHES

4. There are many gods: "In the beginning, the head of the Gods called a council of the Gods; and they came together and concocted a plan to create the world and people it...In all congregations when I have preached on the subject of the Deity, it has been the plurality of Gods" (Joseph Smith, Founder and First Prophet, History of the Church, vol. 6,pp.308,474).

THE BIBLE TEACHES

4. There was, is, and always will be only one God (see Isaiah 43:10,11; 44:6-8; 45:5,6,18-22; Deuteronomy 6:4; 32:39; James 2:19).



THE MORMON CHURCH TEACHES

5. Jesus and Satan are brothers. "The appointment of Jesus to be the Savior of the world was contested by one of the other sons of God--Lucifer. This spirit-brother of Jesus desperately tried to become the Savior of mankind" (Milton R. Hunter, First Council of Seventy, The Gospel Through the Ages, p. 15).

THE BIBLE TEACHES

5. The real Jesus is the only begotten Son of God. He is God's son (John 1:1-14). Satan was a created angel--not a son of God (Isaiah 14:12). Jesus created all things, and in Him the fullness of God dwells! (see Colosians 1:15-20; Philippians 2:5-11; Hebrews 1:1-13).



THE MORMON CHURCH TEACHES

6. Mary was not a virgin. Christ was begotten by an Immortal Father in the same way that mortal men are begotten by mortal fathers...Christ was born into the world as the literal Son of this Holy Being; He was born in the same personal, real, and literal sense that any mortal son is born to a mortal father" (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p.547,742).

THE BIBLE TEACHES

6. Jesus was begotten by the Holy Ghost. Mary was indeed a virgin (see Matthew 1:19-23; Luke 1:35).



THE MORMON CHURCH TEACHES

7. Jesus was married. "Jesus was the bridegroom at the marriage of Cana of Galilee. We say it was Jesus Christ who was married, to be brought into relation whereby he could see his seed" (Orson Hyde, Apostle, Journal of Discourses, vol.2, p.82).

THE BIBLE TEACHES

7. Jesus and His disciples were guests a Cana (John 2:2). Read John 2:1-12. This Mormon doctrine is generally not taught openly today. Marriage in a Mormon temple (called celestial marriage) is mandatory to progress to becoming a god in Mormonism. To fit the theology of Mormonism, the Mormon "Jesus" has to be married--or He would only be a ministering servant to those in Mormonism's heaven who have "celestial marriage."



"ATTAINING "GODHOOD"

THE MORMON CHURCH TEACHES

8. "God himself was one as we are now, and is an exalted man...I say, if you were to see him today, you would see him like a man in form...like yourselves in all the person, image, and very form as a man...he was once a man like us; yea, that God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth" (Joseph Smith, History of the Church, vol. 6, p. 305).

THE BIBLE TEACHES

8. God was never a man. He created man! God has been God from all eternity to all eternity (see Psalm 41:13; 90:2; 102:25-27; Romans 1:22,23).



THE MORMON CHURCH TEACHES

9. Man may become god. "Here then is eternal life...to know the only wise and true God; and you have got to learn how to be Gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God, the same as all gods have done before you...To inherit the same power, the same glory and the same exaltation, until you arrive at the station of God" (Joseph Smith, History of the Church, vol. 6, p. 306).

THE BIBLE TEACHES

9. The great lie of Satan from the beginning was that man may become a god (see Genesis 3:1-5; Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:1-10).



THE MORMON CHURCH TEACHES

10. Total perfection is demanded. "We also have to forsake the sin and never repeat it, not even in our minds...In order to remain forgiven, we must never commit the sin again" (Discussion F, Uniform System for Teaching Families, pp. 35-36).

THE BIBLE TEACHES

10. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God: (Romans 3:23); "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" (Romans 5:12); and Galatians 2:21: "I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain."



THE MORMON CHURCH TEACHES

11. The black race is a cursed people. "Not only was Cain called upon to suffer, but because of his wickedness, he became the father of an inferior race. A curse was placed upon him and that curse has been continued through his lineage and must do so while time endures. Millions of souls have come into this world cursed with a black skin and have been denied the privilege of Priesthood and the fullness of the blessings of the Gospel" (Joseph Fielding Smith, The Way to Perfection, p. 102). (Although it became expedient for the Mormon church to open the Priesthood to blacks in 1978, the alleged revelation did not change Mormon doctrine regarding the penalty of being black. This revelation also directly contradicted established Mormon doctrine.)

THE BIBLE TEACHES

11. The color of a person's skin has no merit with God: "For there is no respect of persons with God" (Romans 2:11); and "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but to have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, father" (Romans 8:15). That includes all of us here on earth--black, white, red, or yellow, king or slave. All of us are made in God's image.



THE MORMON CHURCH TEACHES

12. The Bible is incomplete and has serious errors. "Ignorant translators, careless transcribers, or designing and corrupt priests have committed many errors--many plain and precious things were deleted, in consequence of which error and falsehood poured into the various churches. One of the great heresies of modern Christendom is the unfounded assumption that the Bible contains all of the inspired teachings now extant among men" (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, pp. 82, 83).

THE BIBLE TEACHES

12. The Bible is God's Word; and the word of God will stand forever (see Isaiah 40:8; 1 Peter 1:25).



THE MORMON CHURCH TEACHES

13. Except for the LDS Church, all churches are false. "I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; and those professors were all corrupt" (Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith 2:19).

"This Church is the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth: (D&C, 1:30). "There is no salvation outside the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 670).

THE BIBLE TEACHES

13. The church is the spiritual body of Christian believers with Jesus at its head. That is the true church--not any specific organization (see Ephesians 1:22,23; 2:11-16; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 12:12; Matthew 16:18).



THE MORMON CHURCH TEACHES

14. Joseph Smith was a holy prophet. "I have more to boast of than ever any man had. I am the only man that has ever been able to keep a whole church together since the days of Adam. A large majority of the whole have stood by me. Neither Paul, John, Peter, nor Jesus ever did it. I boast that no man ever did such a work as I. The followers of Jesus ran away from Him; but the Latter-day Saints never ran away from me yet" (Joseph Smith, History of the Church, vol. 6, pp. 408-09).

THE BIBLE TEACHES

14. No prophet of God ever made a statement like Joseph Smith's. King Nebuchadnezzar had similar pride to Joseph Smith's. He was driven out by God to live with the animals (see Daniel 4:28-33).



THE MORMON CHURCH TEACHES

15. Prophets are above Scripture. "The living Prophet is more vital to us than the Standard Works (Bible, BofM, etc.). The living Prophet is more important to us than a dead prophet (David, Moses, Isaiah, etc.). Those who would remove prophets from politics would take God out of government" (LDS prophet, President Ezra Taft Benson, address at Brigham Young University, Feb. 26, 1980).

THE BIBLE TEACHES

15. In these last days God speaks through His Son (Hebrews 1:1,2). The authority claimed by the Mormon Church is through an "Aaronic Priesthood," which cannot be valid since Jesus abolished it when He took its place (Hebrews 7:11-19; 8:6-13), and a "Melchizedek Priesthood," which never existed as any operative "priesthood." Jesus is our only High Priest in the likeness of Melchizedek--he alone holds this priesthood permanently (see Hebrews 7:15-28; 9:11-15).



THE MORMON CHURCH TEACHES

16. Mormons are also saviors. "We are the only people that know how to save our progenitors, how to save ourselves, and how to save our posterity in the celestial kingdom of God; that we are the people God has chosen by whom to establish his kingdom and introduce correct principles into the world; and that we are in fact the saviours of the world..." (John Taylor, Journal of Discourses, vol. 6, p. 163).

THE BIBLE TEACHES

16. Over 500 verses deal with death, and over 300 deal with salvation. Not one verse even hints that we can be saviors of the dead. The Bible tells us in Hebrews 9:27, "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." Note that this isn't the Mormon concept, which states: "After this comes missionary lessons, a proxy baptism, and a series of Mormon ordinances that will allow you to become gods..."



THE MORMON CHURCH TEACHES

17. Joseph Smith will be our final judge. "No man or woman in this dispensation will ever enter into the celestial kingdom of God without the consent of Joseph Smith. From the day that the Priesthood was taken from the earth to the winding up scene of all things, every man and woman must have the certificate of Joseph Smith, junior, as a passport to their entrance into the mansion where God and Christ are" (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 7, p. 289).

THE BIBLE TEACHES

17. Jesus said we would be judged by His word and made no mention of Joseph Smith. John 12:48 says, "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day." Paul referred to Christ as our judge--not Joseph.

Second Timothy 4:1 states, "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom."

[istewart]

Reading the Bible is noob.

[nolanfan34]

[ QUOTE ]
They came to my door the other day....very persistent but I stayed strong.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ha ha, good work man.

I'm not religious, but I can understand how people believe in Christianity, and whatever else. I have a harder time understanding how people can believe in something that WE KNOW is >200 yrs. old, and can trace back to it's beginnings in semi-recent history.

And how come they all have a trampoline in their backyards. Anyone ever notice that?

[Jazza]

I've heard second hand information (had a friend who had Mormon girlfriend) that they believe in 3 heavens and 1 hell

Top heaven is for good Mormons

Second heaven is for bad Mormons (they still believe in Mormon god and all)

Third heaven is for people who don't believe in Mormon god but haven't done anything real bad

Hell is for murderers, rapists, and other really bad people

[Joe826]

Yeah well technically a cult is just any religion or belief that isn't "orthodox". This one is especially efficient since they are so disciplined and they get massive amounts of money from their followers. If you ask them why they believe what they believe it will ultimately come down to their "feelings". They just feel like God is telling them it's true.

The problem is, It's very easy to conjure these feelings after it's been constantly thrown at you your whole life, not to mention the intense social pressure that goes along with being Mormon.

[InchoateHand]

[ QUOTE ]
they are freaks in bed.

[/ QUOTE ]

and it's easy to get two at the same time.

[Joe826]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
They came to my door the other day....very persistent but I stayed strong.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ha ha, good work man.

I'm not religious, but I can understand how people believe in Christianity, and whatever else. I have a harder time understanding how people can believe in something that WE KNOW is >200 yrs. old, and can trace back to it's beginnings in semi-recent history.

And how come they all have a trampoline in their backyards. Anyone ever notice that?

[/ QUOTE ]

And a mini-van in the drive-way heh. Anyways they claim that Joseph Smith just revealed the truth about a belief that's several thousand years old. This is especially appealing to some people since Mormons claim Christ came to America, which brings it closer to home then just learning about whatever happened in the middle east.

[Alobar]

[ QUOTE ]
Yeah well technically a cult is just any religion or belief that isn't "orthodox". This one is especially efficient since they are so disciplined and they get massive amounts of money from their followers. If you ask them why they believe what they believe it will ultimately come down to their "feelings". They just feel like God is telling them it's true.

The problem is, It's very easy to conjure these feelings after it's been constantly thrown at you your whole life, not to mention the intense social pressure that goes along with being Mormon.

[/ QUOTE ]

throw in the fact that their women are practicaly required to marry before 20, have like 10 children, and it wont be long before they have taken over the world.

[MarkL444]

[ QUOTE ]
I have a harder time understanding how people can believe in something that WE KNOW is >200 yrs. old, and can trace back to it's beginnings in semi-recent history.

[/ QUOTE ]

what are you talking about here?

[tdarko]

mormons are the type that would double up on a dude like me.

[turnipmonster]

joseph smith (http://www.palmercash.com/product.asp?3=106)

[Joe826]

They don't actually have a level that they call "hell", and their worst level isn't even for murders and rapists.. it's for Mormons who once believed in Mormonism (and thus "knew the truth"), but turned away. Yikes.

I can't remember what this is called but it's basically just being completely cut off from God's presence. Also in order to get into the highest level of heaven you have to do lots of [censored] like get married in the temple and do secret temple work that no one knows about except those who actually do it.

[Alobar]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I have a harder time understanding how people can believe in something that WE KNOW is >200 yrs. old, and can trace back to it's beginnings in semi-recent history.

[/ QUOTE ]

what are you talking about here?

[/ QUOTE ]

he got his ">" symbol facing the wrong way.

The moron religion is less than 200 years old. Joseph smith founded it in like 1880 or some such year, when he un convered some gold tablets in the ground.

[uw_madtown]

[ QUOTE ]
And how come they all have a trampoline in their backyards. Anyone ever notice that?

[/ QUOTE ]

How else are you supposed to get to heaven?

I suppose a Ladder to Heaven would work too, but a good trampoline usually does it.

Mark -- I was being mildly sarcastic about the South Park ep, although as someone said, they're actually fairly accurate. Still, the stuff c&p by Sponger is much more factual.

[ChristinaB]

[ QUOTE ]


They are just a well funded cult thats gained mass acceptance.

[/ QUOTE ]

Like all religions:

4000 years ago - "Who are these religious wackos who believe in cutting their baby boys' pee-pee off? Sell them into slavery in Egypt.""

2000 years ago - "Who are these religious wackos who believe they are eating the body and blood of their leader? Feed 'em to the lions."

[trotski]

Doesn't it bother anyone that Joseph Smith was a well-documented con man and spent a lot of time in jail before heading west? And that black people weren't even allowed to become members until the 1970's? yup, cult indeed.

[Joe826]

[ QUOTE ]
throw in the fact that their women are practicaly required to marry before 20, have like 10 children, and it wont be long before they have taken over the world.

[/ QUOTE ]

Exactly. You sound like you have some personal experience with them but for those who don't, the social pressure is very severe. I personally have two good friends who decided not to go on missions (something every 19 year old Mormon guy is supposed to do). They were kicked out of the house and have little to no contact with their family.

[Alobar]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]


They are just a well funded cult thats gained mass acceptance.

[/ QUOTE ]

Like all religions:

4000 years ago - "Who are these religious wackos who believe in cutting their baby boys' pee-pee off?"

2000 years ago - "Who are these religious wackos who believe they are eating the body and blood of their leader?"

[/ QUOTE ]

good point.

[MarkL444]

[ QUOTE ]
They are just a well funded cult thats gained mass acceptance.

[/ QUOTE ]

yeah thats probably a good definition.

i took a couple religion classes last semester. they were general intro type classes where we covered many different religions, some that i had never heard of. i dont think the word "mormon" was uttured once.

[Reef]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
uw_madtown-

ive seen the south park, but i choose to not believe everything tv tells me

[/ QUOTE ]

The funny thing is...South Park is usually very accurate. I don't know in this case because I don't know about Mormonism except that a non-Mormon basically owns Utah on Sundays.

[/ QUOTE ]

dead on accurate. That southpark episode is a must-see

[Alobar]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
throw in the fact that their women are practicaly required to marry before 20, have like 10 children, and it wont be long before they have taken over the world.

[/ QUOTE ]

Exactly. You sound like you have some personal experience with them but for those who don't, the social pressure is very severe. I personally have two good friends who decided not to go on missions (something every 19 year old Mormon guy is supposed to do). They were kicked out of the house and have little to no contact with their family.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've known lots of mormoms, was good friends with some of them (once they get married and stuff tho, you never see them anymore unless you are mormon as well). I live in Phoenix, which is I imagine the most densly populated mormom place outside of utah.

[MarkL444]

[ QUOTE ]
They don't actually have a level that they call "hell", and their worst level isn't even for murders and rapists.. it's for Mormons who once believed in Mormonism (and thus "knew the truth"), but turned away. Yikes.

[/ QUOTE ]

ahahahhahahha. theres no escape!!

[tdarko]

[ QUOTE ]
They don't actually have a level that they call "hell"

[/ QUOTE ]
you are correct they have three kingdoms--celestial, terrestial, and i cant remember the middle kingdom but i believe celestial is the top level and terrestial is for the murderers and rapist's.

my first two gf's in high school were mormon--they were good times /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Jazza]

[ QUOTE ]
and do secret temple work that no one knows about except those who actually do it

[/ QUOTE ]

now i'm curious

what kind of secret temple work?

could i pretend to become a mormon and get in the secret temple stuff-doing crowd?

[tdarko]

when i went to ASU the campus church was LDS which was a big change from Baptist country in Texas where i am from, but then i left there for Nebraska...more Bible belt

[nolanfan34]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I have a harder time understanding how people can believe in something that WE KNOW is >200 yrs. old, and can trace back to it's beginnings in semi-recent history.

[/ QUOTE ]

what are you talking about here?

[/ QUOTE ]

he got his ">" symbol facing the wrong way.

The moron religion is less than 200 years old. Joseph smith founded it in like 1880 or some such year, when he un convered some gold tablets in the ground.

[/ QUOTE ]

What he said. I mean, essentially as I understand it Joseph Smith just created it and people started following him.

[MarkL444]

[ QUOTE ]
The Mormon Church currently claims about 11 million baptized members worldwide (5.2 million U.S., ranking it 5th among the largest 25 U.S. denominations), up from about 2.5 million in 1970. 1970. Over the last decade, nearly 300,000 individuals over the age of eight have joined the Mormon Church every year. Membership is expected to grow to over 23 million over the next two decades. It is growing fastest in Latin America and Asia.

[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]
The Mormon Church collects at least $6 billion a year from its members, and generates at least another $5 billion in sales from its various business enterprises; total church assets exceed $30 billion.

[/ QUOTE ]

[freehat]

dumbdumbdumbdumbdumbdumb

[InchoateHand]

I used to know quite a few Mormons. Pretty much all of them were very strange. I'm not talking about their religious beliefs or anything related to it. They weren't bad people or anything. There was just always something kind of odd or quirky about them, specifically it was mannerisms and the way they relate to other people. Hard to be more specific but they were odd.

[sexypanda]

Anyone have a link to the South Park episode?

[MarkL444]

[ QUOTE ]
THE MORMON CHURCH TEACHES

4. There are many gods: "In the beginning, the head of the Gods called a council of the Gods

[/ QUOTE ]

is it bad if this made me laugh out loud?

[cnfuzzd]

i used to be a mormon. Apparently they dont like it when you say that abortion isnt wrong, women should be allowed to hold the priesthood, and that you engaged in sexual congress (especially anal sex) with your also-mormon girlfriend, and not only do you not think its wrong, but you really cant wait to do it again. yeah, excommunicated. good times.

HAPPY [censored] HANDOVER ME!!!

peace

john nickle

[CheckFold]

anybody read Under the Banner of Heaven by Krakauer? One man's attempt to answer OP's question. I enjoyed it personally.

[Alobar]

[ QUOTE ]
anybody read Under the Banner of Heaven by Krakauer? One man's attempt to answer OP's question. I enjoyed it personally.

[/ QUOTE ]

yeah I bought the book, but havent gotten around to reading it yet. Everyone that ive talked to tho says its a really facinating read.

[Inthacup]

celestial, terrestial, and i cant remember the middle kingdom

I believe it's molestial.

[willie]

anyone who is actually interested in this topic may want to check out john krakeur's "under the banner of heaven"

it's a decent look into the mormon church.

apparently 2 whackos thought that god had told them to murder their brother's wife and daughter---but obviously that is an isolated case

the rest of the book covers the actual innerds of the church.

it's a good read.

[TimM]

[ QUOTE ]
when i went to ASU the campus church was LDS which was a big change from Baptist country in Texas where i am from, but then i left there for Nebraska...more Bible belt

[/ QUOTE ]

I am so glad I live in a blue state completely surrounded by other blue states.

I don't think I have ever met a mormon.

[J.R.]

[ QUOTE ]
I used to know quite a few Mormons. Pretty much all of them were very strange.

[/ QUOTE ]

like the guy in your avatar?

[Alobar]

[ QUOTE ]

I am so glad I live in a blue state completely surrounded by other blue states.

I don't think I have ever met a mormon.

[/ QUOTE ]

They are actualy really good people. I don't think ive ever met a real mormon who was a "bad" person. They are just kind of xenophobic so to speak, if you arent mormon its kinda like they wont ever let you really be close to them, or really consider you on the same level as they are.

Some of their beliefs are really odd, so I worry that in 60 years when they outnumber everyone 2to1, things will change and instead of simply "tolerating" non mormons, they will suddenly change and start to try and "take over the world" so to speak.

[J.R.]

[ QUOTE ]
When a Mormon goes through the temple for the first time they go through an initiation rite where they are ceremonially anointed with oil and water and start wearing the special Mormon underwear. For a man it is a white undershirt and briefs with legs to the knees. For a woman it is a camisole top and nylon panties with legs to the knee. On the breast of both the men’s garment and the woman’s garment are small embroidery stitches that form an L and a V. These represent the compass and square. After they put on the garment they dress in white clothes with a green apron. The men wear a funny shaped hat, the women wear a veil for the ceremony, which includes learning special handshakes and passwords that they need to know in order to get in to the highest LDS heaven. All missionaries and good Mormons that have gone through the temple wear the LDS undergarment . They are buried in the special clothes they wear during the temple ritual. We tell about the garments in our book, Evolution of the Mormon Temple Ceremony.]

[/ QUOTE ]

from here (http://www.utlm.org/index.htm)

[nolanfan34]

[ QUOTE ]
They are actualy really good people. I don't think ive ever met a real mormon who was a "bad" person. They are just kind of xenophobic so to speak, if you arent mormon its kinda like they wont ever let you really be close to them, or really consider you on the same level as they are.

[/ QUOTE ]

To be clear, this is the same for me. I know a few people who are mormon, it's not like they stick out at all. I just don't share their beliefs.

[Jazza]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
When a Mormon goes through the temple for the first time they go through an initiation rite where they are ceremonially anointed with oil and water and start wearing the special Mormon underwear. For a man it is a white undershirt and briefs with legs to the knees. For a woman it is a camisole top and nylon panties with legs to the knee. On the breast of both the men’s garment and the woman’s garment are small embroidery stitches that form an L and a V. These represent the compass and square. After they put on the garment they dress in white clothes with a green apron. The men wear a funny shaped hat, the women wear a veil for the ceremony, which includes learning special handshakes and passwords that they need to know in order to get in to the highest LDS heaven. All missionaries and good Mormons that have gone through the temple wear the LDS undergarment . They are buried in the special clothes they wear during the temple ritual. We tell about the garments in our book, Evolution of the Mormon Temple Ceremony.]

[/ QUOTE ]

from here (http://www.utlm.org/index.htm)

[/ QUOTE ]

that's hot

[J.R.]

[ QUOTE ]
...they will suddenly change and start to try and "take over the world" so to speak.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree they are not generally speaking "bad people" but idealogically and financially the above has been the case for some time. They believe it is their duty to convert others to save them and are the ones running around unabashedly and posthumously baptizing non-mormons (such as jewish holocaust victims)

[MarkL444]

this thread has given me a lot of ammo for the next time some jackass comes up to me on campus and tries to convert me. thanks!

[Joe826]

Idealogically this is how nearly every mainstream religion functions. The difference is, Mormons are much more serious and organized about it.

[J.R.]

[ QUOTE ]
They believe it is their duty to convert others to save them and are the ones running around unabashedly and posthumously baptizing non-mormons (such as jewish holocaust victims)

[/ QUOTE ]

of course all religions have a self-interested desire to increase their followers but i think the mormom church's beliefs and tactics are so extreme in this regard that they go beyond being merely more organized and serious than other comporably or larger sized religions. but you're right in that religions aren't the most tolerant social organizations to begin with

[CrazyN8]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
and do secret temple work that no one knows about except those who actually do it

[/ QUOTE ]

now i'm curious

what kind of secret temple work?

could i pretend to become a mormon and get in the secret temple stuff-doing crowd?

[/ QUOTE ]

nope...u have to get a temple recommend - aka be proven worthy by another man, that's right, not God, another man

[InchoateHand]

[ QUOTE ]
now i'm curious

what kind of secret temple work?

could i pretend to become a mormon and get in the secret temple stuff-doing crowd?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm pretty sure it's all like orgies with goats and stuff.

[Los Feliz Slim]

Read "Under the Banner of Heaven" by John Krakauer.

All I know is Joseph Smith got caught screwing around and went with the "God told me to do it" excuse, and it worked. Good hand.

[willie]

multiple times


it's good to be da prophet.

[Dex]

Fixed your title.

[JDErickson]

Former card carrying (ie Temple Worty) Mormon here. Live in suburb of SLC and have studied LDS Church heavily. I joined basically to keep my family together as my wife was heavily LDS. She has also left now though.

Most of the "strange" beliefs people have listed here are the "deep" core beliefs of the LDS church. Most normal members either have never heard of them or don't agree with them.

God was a man and man will become a God and the Many god's belief id contianed in many of their scriptures but is not taught now. Their "prophet" Gordon Hinckley told an interviewer it was a topic no one knew much about and was something to worry about in heaven.

Polygamy. Currently anyone practicing polygamy is excommunicated. They did away with the practice to become a state. They do believe it will be practiced in heaven though and that it is a requirement for salvation. During the Temple Ceremony the man and wife are given a "secret" name, mine was Daniel that is to be used in Heaven. The wife is required to tell the husband hers, my wife's was Esther but the man can not tell his to her. So, when he gets to heaven he can decide whether to call her to him or not.

3 levels of Heaven, Celestial, Terrestrial, Tellestial

Only 10% of Mormons are Temple Worthy. Requirements are 10% Tithing and other Moral issues. An interview is given once a year to confirm your worthiness.

MLiek most religions 98% of the mormon people are great people. The rest are religious wackos.

Jim

[J.R.]

what's up with the aggressive Proselytizers, especially the one's baptizing people/bodies after death? Is that par for the course, over-sensationalized or the wackos?

[ShawnHoo]

[ QUOTE ]
Exactly. You sound like you have some personal experience with them but for those who don't, the social pressure is very severe. I personally have two good friends who decided not to go on missions (something every 19 year old Mormon guy is supposed to do). They were kicked out of the house and have little to no contact with their family.

[/ QUOTE ]

As a former Jehovah's Witness, this all sounds very familiar.

[JDErickson]

[ QUOTE ]
what's up with the aggresisve prosletyzers, especially the one's baptizing people/bodies after death? Is that par for the course, over-sensationalized or the wackos?

[/ QUOTE ]

All worthy Mormon males are urged to go on a 2 year Mission. It is heavilly stressed. There is a stigma attached to those who don't. If you want to see a movie about these missionaries get "Army of God". It is a bad movie but will give you a good idea about mormon missionaries and how they think. Again, most missionaries are good guys. There are a few that are "wacko" though and they are the ones you most hear about. Most of them just want to get the 2 years over with so they can get home and get married.

Baptism for the dead is practiced by mormons. They believe you must be baptizedinto the mormon (only true) church to go to highest level of heaven. It is a ceremony practiced in temples. Baically it is making sure all your ancestors are baptized. This is why they are heavily into Geneaology.

Here is a good article on the mormon church.

What They Don't Tell You (http://www.exmormon.org/tract2.htm)

[Joe826]

So you never actually believed it, you just joined to make your wife happy? What was it that finally convinced you/your wife to give it up?

[M2d]

You should see them in Hawaii...short sleeve dress shirts, slacks, usually in pairs and with bicycles. they may as well have signs on their backs proclaiming that they are LDS

[JDErickson]

[ QUOTE ]
So you never actually believed it, you just joined to make your wife happy? What was it that finally convinced you/your wife to give it up?

[/ QUOTE ]

I had studied the mormon church heavily before we were married. I knew I didn't believe in all of it. But I also don't believe in any "religion" per se. We were going thorugh a rough patch in our marriage and in order to put some stability into our lives I joined. A couple years later my wife started seeing some of the "strange" beliefs for what they were and not "anti-mormon" propaganda. Probably the biggest reason she left was the Tithing issue. Nothing wrong with tithing to a church but when it is a requirement for salvation and temple wortiness it something different.

Remember that I said most "normal" mormons never hear about these deep core beliefs. They were born mormon and they stay that way. Just like Catholics and Baptists. They have never heard of the Men can Become Gods belief or the Adam-God doctrine. The "strange" beliefs are introduced when they go through the temple. Usually for a woman this is 1-3 days before she is married for "time and all eternity" to her wonderful returned missionary. For men its usually 1-3 days before they are sent on their mission. Most mormon women have reservations about the temple ceremony but whos going to call off their marriage 2 days before because the ceremony was "wierd"?

[KungFuSandwich]

[ QUOTE ]
which includes learning special handshakes and passwords that they need to know in order to get in to the highest LDS heaven

[/ QUOTE ]

Wow, that is some weird wild stuff.

[oreogod]

[ QUOTE ]
dumbdumbdumbdumbdumbdumb

[/ QUOTE ]

http://img98.echo.cx/img98/1160/god2oa4gf.jpg

[JDErickson]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
which includes learning special handshakes and passwords that they need to know in order to get in to the highest LDS heaven

[/ QUOTE ]

Wow, that is some weird wild stuff.

[/ QUOTE ]

They are referred to as signs and tokens. But yes they are basically handshakes and gestures signifying the way you will die if you disclose what happens in the temple.

Garments:

http://home.teleport.com/~packham/garment.jpg



Temple Clothing:

http://www.helpingmormons.org/images/sign-of-the-nail.jpg

[KungFuSandwich]

[ QUOTE ]

Temple Clothing:

http://www.helpingmormons.org/images/sign-of-the-nail.jpg

[/ QUOTE ]
So what hood they reppin?

[Joe826]

[ QUOTE ]
Remember that I said most "normal" mormons never hear about these deep core beliefs. They were born mormon and they stay that way. Just like Catholics and Baptists. They have never heard of the Men can Become Gods belief or the Adam-God doctrine.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually nearly all of the Mormons i've talked to know about the men becoming gods bit. It's not technically considered doctrine but it's something that basically all of them believe. Reading the early history of the church is pretty disturbing too, considering things that Joseph Smith and Brigham Young wrote about. Men living on the moon, killing people to atone for their sins, etc. To be fair this isn't doctrine either, I guess.

[thatpfunk]

[ QUOTE ]


They are just a well funded cult thats gained mass acceptance.

[/ QUOTE ]

You mean exactly what Christianity was? A cult that brain washed a King and suddenly became the religion of the state?

Christianity's cult abilities > Mormon's

[jesusarenque]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
go at it.

[/ QUOTE ]

They are just a well funded cult thats gained mass acceptance.

Lets put it this way, if you knew nothing about mormons and I walked up to you and said...

"So im thinking about joining this religion that was founded by some guy who found some gold tablets in the groud. Its pretty cool, I get to wear special underwear, women are seen as "unclean" and when I die, I get to be god of my own planet...sweet huh?"

Youd think I was crazy and I was joining a cult.

[/ QUOTE ]

And this is crazier than Christianity...how?

[ThaSaltCracka]

did you check out that link from JD?

[KungFuSandwich]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
go at it.

[/ QUOTE ]

They are just a well funded cult thats gained mass acceptance.

Lets put it this way, if you knew nothing about mormons and I walked up to you and said...

"So im thinking about joining this religion that was founded by some guy who found some gold tablets in the groud. Its pretty cool, I get to wear special underwear, women are seen as "unclean" and when I die, I get to be god of my own planet...sweet huh?"

Youd think I was crazy and I was joining a cult.

[/ QUOTE ]

And this is crazier than Christianity...how?

[/ QUOTE ] http://home.teleport.com/~packham/garment.jpg

[Bigdaddydvo]

Ken Jennings is Mormon...you can bet the Church is eager to inhale some of those jeopardy winnings.

[blindu]

look at where i live. my city has the 2'nd largest mormon population in the U.S. next to Salt Lake of course.

pretty neat.

by neat i mean shitty.

[[censored]]

I mean, who were that ad wizards who came up with that?

[InchoateHand]

[ QUOTE ]
Polygamy. Currently anyone practicing polygamy is excommunicated. They did away with the practice to become a state.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is too bad. It's pretty much all the Mormons had going for them.

[Mars357]

[ QUOTE ]
They don't actually have a level that they call "hell", and their worst level isn't even for murders and rapists.. it's for Mormons who once believed in Mormonism (and thus "knew the truth"), but turned away. Yikes.

I can't remember what this is called but it's basically just being completely cut off from God's presence. Also in order to get into the highest level of heaven you have to do lots of [censored] like get married in the temple and do secret temple work that no one knows about except those who actually do it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Outer Darkness....it's called outer darkness.

I know because according to Mormon teaching, this is where I'm going. I was born and raised in Utah but left Mormonism about 5 years ago. I have a brother that still hasn't spoken a word to me since he found out I left.

Mormonism is a very scary thing... I'll post more later when I'm not at work and I've had a chance to read all the the other posts in this thread. If you have questions, post away....

[tpir90036]

I realize the point of this thread was to generate some interesting/fanatical discourse...but all you need to do is check Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org) if you really want to know the deal on anything. It's the best site on the 'net IMHO. You could spend days on there as you jump from one topic to the next. Anyway... here are the pertinent links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormonism

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Smith

[WDC]

Read Under the Banner of Heaven- that will explain it all.

[ArchAngel71857]

Recently (maybe not, in January) I was in Salt Lake City for vacation. One day, I decided to go to the LDS Family Library and research my family tree. It's a side project I have running that I pick up every now and then. For those of you who don't know, the LDS church has the most extensive library on family trees and family records in the world.* Anyway, I stroll in and, as this was my first time here, I walk into the "orientation room" looking for floorplans/card catalogs/computers all that introductory stuff. A very nice (no, that's not what I mean. ummmmmmmmm . . . . . . . ANNOYING, that's it) lady named Sister Margaret came in and offered to show me the Orientation Video. Why the hell not, I wondered. Well after watching it, I'll tell you why. It gives no instruction on where to go. What to do. It tells you how to search (good, because Google has been a [censored] mystery all these years). then it talks about the Mormon church and other events they have going on around the library. So after the video, I say thanks, I can take it from here and I start to walk out, but she stops me and hands me papers, I think maybe its more of the stuff I am looking for: maps, charts, anything to save me time finding the books I need. No, it is a schedule of how often they run some play called. . . oh i don't know let's call it "mormon propafuckinggandaa" (MP for short). Following conversation and my internal thoughts:

"You should really check out the play, it's really good."
"oh, no thanks, I'm going to go research my family history now."
"all right, if you have any questions feel free to ask anyone with these badges on, they can direct you to where you need to go. But you should really think about going to see MP. It's really a good thing. In fact, it starts in 15 minutes."
"No, I'll be fine . . ." (. . . not sacrificing my first born to Lucifer, King of Dancing and Porn)
"Well, it's a really good play and if you miss the next one, you can catch it at 8:30 or all day tomorrow."
"No. . . " (. . . shut the [censored] up, clown.)
"Well, I can call over there and have them save you a seat."
<putting my headphones on and turning on my iPod> "Hold on, ok. no . . ." ( . . . Jesus H Christ, lady. not your twisted Mormon version. The real one. now [censored] off, i don't want to join your cult).
" blah blah blah blah blah" I couldn't hear, I jsut walked away and sat down at a computer. I made extra effort to crumple up the MP schedule and place it in the trash can.

The library itself was tremendous. I found a lot of information on my family tree. I exhausted some resources and it was getting late. There were a few things I was having trouble finding, so I looked around for a 'helper." I saw the person, made a calculation on how much the information was worth to me vs. getting more MP. So I left.

-AA

*The reason they have such an extensive library is they a vital part of their beliefs is legacy. Basically, there is some random verse in Malachi, or Micah, or one of the Minor Prophets, (Christ I can't find it, the hell with it) that says "and fathers shall keep records of their children for the keys to the kingom and Elijah will reward them with goats and fruit." That's a rough translation. Therefore they have a vault carved in one of the salt flats or mountians that keeps all vital statistics of everyone born. They also have many library centers around the U.S. and the world. I drove by the one near me hoping they had more stuff I could use to research my family tree. After seeing the size of center (think Christian Science Reading Room) I decided it was probably just a recruitment cetner that had more MP. Weird [censored] group, man.