Do Mormons really affect you?

[Tippster]

Why would you wear a crucifix or display one in your home if you're not Christian? That's a bit strange, no? Do you also have a Star of David somewhere?

[Conundrum]

Mormons do some weird shit but I guess a lot of people do:

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=40191

I'm just stoked they use Sunday as their biggest day of worship and rest...that is usually one of my bigger ski days of the week!

[Mybad!]

It's an interesting thing when viewing any religion from the outside...for instance wearing a crucifix seems perfectly normal to me (I am not Christian), even having a cross or two on the wall at home, but the reality is that it is/was an instrument of torture. With knowing the backstory, if I described a religious group that worshipped a symbol of what killed their prophet, it might sound a little Branch Davidian to most people.

There was another Boulder vs. SLC post the other day. In terms of tolerance and living with people accepting of differences, being a vocal Bush supporter in Boulder who takes frequent hunting trips, but who is overall a nice Joe, might get you every bit as alienated from your fellow man as taking the Lord's name in vain and drinking whiskey on your lawn in Draper.

Yea, living in Boulder can take a tough stomach sometimes. The overly PC fuckos are more judgmental than most religious secs including the Taliban. If you even hint that you believe in some of the Bush gang's policies (and I mean only some) you might get pepper sprayed or patchoulied.

[72Twenty]

Ok, this is quickly becoming a dead horse, but I want to add one or two or three more things...

1. I think my theory is proven - the missionaries knocked yesterday and we didn't answer... just now the lady from another department who's husband in a home teacher just came back to "chit chat" again. I usually dodge it by looking really busy...

2. I mean no disrespect to anyone here personally. I live in kind of a strange place and the mormons that I see most (here) are a little strange and may not best reflect the mainstream members. Frankly, just about everyone in Laramie is a kook in one way or another, including me. And I've known some fanatical catholics, bible thumpin baptists and far right wing conservatives in my day as well. I also have some ties to both mormons (wife) and Utah (wife's whole family and my sister live there) and I have my own personal reasons for feeling the way I feel. I realize that I can get kind of douche-baggy with some of my posts and I appologize.

3. I will always hate BYU with everything that I have. I think their athletes are cocky and smug and every so often their football team comes up to 7,220 feet to play the University of Wyoming in November and it is 10 below and they absolutely get the living shit kicked out of them. It doesn't happen very often, but it happens enough. Enough for them to dread coming to Laramie just enough for the players to constantly look over their shoulder at a crowd that makes them more than a little nervous for their personal safety. Fuck you, BYU. Go Pokes.

There, I'm done.

[teledave]

Lots of good stuff and a lot of bullshit in this one. It does amuse me that the Southern Baptists recently adopted Salt Lake City as one of thier major home mission emphasis' for the millenium, gotta go convert those infidel Mormons you know? The missionaries trying to convert you stuff, well those people are actually concerned for you eternal well being whether the theology behind them is correct or not their intentions are only for your best interest. The Mormon missionary kids show up in my neighborhood about 3-4 times a year, I give them something to drink tell them I'm not interested, tell them I have several friends in SLC chat for a minute and send them on their way. I guess just like here in East TN you probably get subjected to some Mormons that are very extreme in their interpretation of what their religion would call them to do. Look at the Dem's and Repub's they have the same type of people in their camps, their are going to be wackos in any group and it's best not to judge the body as a whole by those outliers. Of those on here that have revealed themselves as Mormon none of them has tried to convert me.

(Handled)

[snow_slider]

The whole polygamy thing has made me question my anti-mormon sentiments.
That doesn't sound too bad. "Yeah, I have 18 wives, and I'm doing it for God".

Yeah, that'd be great. Then you could have 18 women telling you to take out the trash.

[steve]

I started reading this thread agreeing with the "mormon bashing" folks.. but as I read the stories, I realized they're not as bad as the hacidic jew stories I get living here in Rockland County, NY. And while they affect local politics, I've found that as long as you don't either live in one of their neighborhoods (they do everything they can to kick you out) or visit walmart (don't get me started), it's definitely livable.

Then I got to thinking about where you can go to avoid annoying people - and the answer is "you can't.. people will annoy you whereever you go."

Makes UT living seem a lot more palatable.

Plus mormons can actually be friends with you.. and won't drink all your beer.

[Jer]

TDave, post a book review if you get through the whole thing.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=...%20of%20mormon

Search TTips, it's a perennial thread there too.

[MassLiberal]

If you even hint that you believe in some of the Bush gang's policies (and I mean only some) you might get pepper sprayed or patchoulied.

Oh my god, that was hilarious.

[Tippster]

Gotcha. Was cornfused there for a second.

Yes, it's an implement of torture. It was also the means used to kill their religion's founder. Seems like a no-brainer to me, especially since it's so simple.

Maybe in a few years Trackhead's disciples will start wearing little miniature Dynafits around their necks.... or some stylized third lung.... "Believe in the UP!"

[smolakian]

Well, It’s interesting if you think about it as a social “organism”. Because, that’s what I really believe how most religions behave. (BTW: I’m the oldest of seven from a Catholic family) A lot of the conventions and rules exist to grow the church body and spread just like any living creature. Why do you think they were polygamists? Why do you think birth control is frowned upon by most major religions? Also, why do you think they instill such an “us verse them” mentality? So they can get as many bodies to pay tithes, spread their culture and fight the culture war. Is there even a culture war? There has to be some polarizing force to inspire fundamentalist attitudes. The dangling carrot of heaven sometimes isn’t enough.

I believe the Mormons have been extremely effective at using these tactics. They also pretty much have a place to call their own and form a tight knit community. Living and working and playing with people just like you is very comforting. Also, I realize all the good things that the church does for people. But, seriously, none of it is given without a healthy dose of prosthelytizing. So, the motivation for missions and outreach is not entirely altruistic.

That said, people should be able to live how they want and do what they want to make themselves happy. I hold no ill will towards anyone for their beliefs and I would never treat anyone differently because of them. But, I think there are a lot of people that can’t see the forest for the tress. Things are probably the way they are not because God told Joe Smith/Paul/Mohammed how to run things. But because they work to keep the social mechanisms of the group going. Occams Razor

[Viva]

One of the differences is that the Bible has gone through several translations, losing some information and detail by the hand of man in the process.

Well, no.

The King James (KJ) text is certainly corrupted, but many, if not all, of the Orthodox churches use an ancient version of the Bible that is largely unchanged from the past 1500+ years. These versions harbor many Books and passages deleted from the KJ and are significantly more voluminous than the Catholic Bible.

[MacDaddy]

OK I havent nor do I have the time to read all this but it looks interesting!


I have to go skiing with my boy now!! Free ski after 3!! at ALTA! This is reason enough to forget about the MOs

I'll check in tomorrow

[Trackhead]

Maybe in a few years Trackhead's disciples will start wearing little miniature Dynafits around their necks.... or some stylized third lung.... "Believe in the UP!"

Pffft, you doubt me. Watch out for dark, ominus clouds.

I WILL CONVERT ALL OF YOU MINIONS TO THE WAYS OF THE UP! Believe in me and my prophet Dynafit, or I will strike thee down in a torrent of fury!!!!!!!

[kadeater]

Ok, this is quickly becoming a dead horse, but I want to add one or two or three more things...

1. I think my theory is proven - the missionaries knocked yesterday and we didn't answer... just now the lady from another department who's husband in a home teacher just came back to "chit chat" again. I usually dodge it by looking really busy...

2. I mean no disrespect to anyone here personally. I live in kind of a strange place and the mormons that I see most (here) are a little strange and may not best reflect the mainstream members. Frankly, just about everyone in Laramie is a kook in one way or another, including me. And I've known some fanatical catholics, bible thumpin baptists and far right wing conservatives in my day as well. I also have some ties to both mormons (wife) and Utah (wife's whole family and my sister live there) and I have my own personal reasons for feeling the way I feel. I realize that I can get kind of douche-baggy with some of my posts and I appologize.

3. I will always hate BYU with everything that I have. I think their athletes are cocky and smug and every so often their football team comes up to 7,220 feet to play the University of Wyoming in November and it is 10 below and they absolutely get the living shit kicked out of them. It doesn't happen very often, but it happens enough. Enough for them to dread coming to Laramie just enough for the players to constantly look over their shoulder at a crowd that makes them more than a little nervous for their personal safety. Fuck you, BYU. Go Pokes.

There, I'm done.

Can I get an amen?! When I lived in Wyo we loved to go to those games. I'm Mormon and can't stand BYU I have my own stereotypes for Y guys that I won't get into.

I just wanted to comment on a few things.

I think when people get on here and spout off huge generalizations about Mormons and how oppressive and closed minded we are, need to look in the mirror. Aren't you being just as closed minded as you claim we are? Just a thought.

I served a mission in Oklahoma and loved it. I was out there trying to share a message with people. Not to convert them to my way of thinking but to share with them something that is so important to me, something that I believe is of value to all people. When people said they weren't interested I respected that and left them alone. If the missionaries keep coming back to your house don't get all pissed off and hide just tell them your not interested. They have devoted two years to share there message with others that is all they do day in and day out.

There is a reason why we like to share what we know. It has helped us in our lives and we know it can help others plain and simple.

[mojorisin]

don't know much of anything about the mormon faith, but that South Park episode was hillarious. can't argue that.

[skifishbum]

You might want to do a search on "SLC- Utah, moving" this has been rehashed to the death.

Its more than beer here. Its about education, lack of separation between church & state, oppressive gov, neighbors that wont let your kids play with their kids, nasty republicans, weird changes in dates of holidays, no SNL on NBC. Its getting better however, and the real estate market is hot, so you best make a decision soon.

I haven't read the whole thread yet, but this pretty much pegged it for me.
A decade ago these type things made me belive "This was not the place for me" That and no gambling, oh yeah the Chicago Bulls tattoo didn't help make friends at the time.

Then it snowed repeatedly
Then I started fly fishing
Then I visited Zoin and Escalante
Then I realized how centrally located to a huge amount of awsome western splenders it is

Then I realized It Is What It Is be it a religion, a cult, a group of people with different views than mine, whatever. Wasting energy hating on others is wasting energy.
ITS ALL GOOD.
and its better when it dumps

My Stake bishop and I have an agreement he doesn't send the prostlizing bicycle boys (calling themselves elders ) to convert me.
And I don't try to convert/corrupt his flock, parish,steakheads or whateverthey refer to themselves as


Itzabher let jah be praised

[72Twenty]

I haven't read the whole thread yet, but this pretty much pegged it for me.
A decade ago these type things made me belive "This was not the place for me" That and no gambling, oh yeah the Chicago Bulls tattoo didn't help make friends at the time.

Then it snowed repeatedly
Then I started fly fishing
Then I visited Zoin and Escalante
Then I realized how centrally located to a huge amount of awsome western splenders it is

Then I realized It Is What It Is be it a religion, a cult, a group of people with different views than mine, whatever. Wasting energy hating on others is wasting energy.
ITS ALL GOOD.
and its better when it dumps

My Stake bishop and I have an agreement he doesn't send the prostlizing bicycle boys (calling themselves elders ) to convert me.
And I don't try to convert/corrupt his flock, parish,steakheads or whateverthey refer to themselves as


Itzabher let jah be praised

You coulda just moved to Wyoming.

[Cono Este]

Mormon chix were surprisingly easy back in the day....

They were. I went to an international schooll with some hardcore mormons whose parents were overseas working for the church. Their parents were so strict they all went bananas. The only two girls i ever knew to get pregnant in HS were mormon. All their parents blamed the other families for having no discipline, but their kids were the ones getting knocked up and puking every frin night.

[grizzle6]

Well, no.

The King James (KJ) text is certainly corrupted, but many, if not all, of the Orthodox churches use an ancient version of the Bible that is largely unchanged from the past 1500+ years. These versions harbor many Books and passages deleted from the KJ and are significantly more voluminous than the Catholic Bible.

That's good. I have the KJ version, and I still believe it is a book of God. If you have a more detailed version, great.

[brutah]

Another mormon joke:

Why do you always bring two mormons with when you go fishing?

Because if you just bring one, he'll drink all your beer.


The faction that mormons are completely devout or not practicing at all is just bullshit. I have spent most of my life in utah and have seen tons of mormons drink. In high school they will drink around anyone be they mormon or not, as they get older mormons tend to be very secretitive about their drinking. For example most will only drink when no other mormons are around.

That is what pisses me off about mormons is how secretitive they are about everything. The deception is unbelievable but I guess that is true of all organized religons.

On a funnier note, I dated a girl that told me that when mormons get married in the temple they make the bride and groom have sex right there on the altar to ensure that the bride was a virgin and that is why the marriage is closed to only practicing card-carrying mormons. So many bizarre rumors go around.

I'd really like to see what goes on in the missionary training centers. I have a good buddy that went to MTC and left after a month cause he fell into total depression (that is all he will tell me) because of it. I have also harked on mormon friends to sell me their garmets but they never give in

[Schmear]

I served a mission in Oklahoma

Further proof that Oklahoma is a foreign country.

[Tippster]

The logistics of moving the fence were too prohibitive.

[Lurch]

I don't know the whole story because I generally ignored a lot of my grand father's stories when I was young. But my great great grand father and grand mother were among the founding settlers of SLC, my great grandfather was one of the first to be born there. They only lived there a short while before coming around and realizing they had made a big mistake. The part of the story that really freaks me and that I remember clearly is that the others would not let my family and a few others leave. Several of the original families including my own had to pad their wagon wheels and escape SLC in the middle of the night. They went on to join the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ and LDS which I was baptized into but never really believed in.

[kadeater]

Further proof that Oklahoma is a foreign country.

I agree.