Mormons

[Russinating]

Are there any Mormons here? There was a C4 documentary on last night, obviously relatively 'biased' as any religious documentary goes but the facts were quite shocking and it just seems like the best business idea ever disguised as a religion.

As far as I know:

- It was only invented 180 years ago buy a guy who claims to have translated a book he was directed to by Jesus: The Book of Mormon.
- No sexual activity of any kind or self-pleasuring before marriage
- You have to donate 10% of your income to the church
- You have to, for two years, become a missionary whereby you pay £6,000 to take on another name, not see your family for that time and have a target of recruiting 4 other people to the faith per year

There's a few other weird bits (but no weirder than any other religion) like baptising the dead, wearing underwear that looks like 1940s swimsuits, plus the whole thing being quite secretive (no non-Mormons allowed in their churches etc).

Anyone a Mormon, have any direct experience or thoughts? Just seems like Scientology for the not-so-rich-and-famous but it's apparently growing exponentially.

 

[phonemonkey]

I watched that too. Felt very sorry for the guy they followed, seemed like he was really struggling.

I would have liked to have seen them explore the beliefs of the church a little bit more, but perhaps they weren't allowed. Perhaps it would have been seen as 'questioning' their accepted doctrine.

 

[Danthus]

It sounds like a big ponzi scheme to be honest.

I can also tell you that the no sexual activity is ignored by some.

 

[cainer]

i prefer the documentary south park did about the mormons

 

[Erich Kriegler]

They should remove the second M

 

[Danthus]

You really have to wonder why a religion needs something like this.

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

 

[One]

I learnt everything I needed to know about Mormonism from Sherlock Holmes.

 

[bitslice]

You can trust me

Just look at how white my teeth are.

 

[vincent1989]

Are there any Mormons here? There was a C4 documentary on last night, obviously relatively 'biased' as any religious documentary goes but the facts were quite shocking and it just seems like the best business idea ever disguised as a religion.

As far as I know:

- It was only invented 180 years ago buy a guy who claims to have translated a book he was directed to by Jesus: The Book of Mormon.

The book of Mormon maybe, but Christianity has been around a lot longer than 180 years, I'm sure protestants were viewed the same way once though.

- No sexual activity of any kind or self-pleasuring before marriage

This bit is true, however you aren't meant to self pleasure even once you're married.

- You have to donate 10% of your income to the church

You don't have to donate anything at all but many members do, Jesus taught that we should render unto Caesars what is Caesars and unto the lord that which we owe him.

Interestingly the early Mormon church tried living the 'law of consecration' whereby all members gave of all they possessed (not just 10%) and then received back that which they needed, essentially communism. The president and his councillors still practice this.

- You have to, for two years, become a missionary whereby you pay £6,000 to take on another name, not see your family for that time and have a target of recruiting 4 other people to the faith per year

You don't have to but again a number choose to do so, it 'costs' £6000 on average however many mission areas cost more than this, the difference is made up by the church. You also don't have to baptise 4 people per year, my friend went to a mission in the Philippians where he was expressly told not to baptise but to reactivate.

There's a few other weird bits (but no weirder than any other religion) like baptising the dead, wearing underwear that looks like 1940s swimsuits, plus the whole thing being quite secretive (no non-Mormons allowed in their churches etc).

Anyone can enter our churches, and many pe do walk off the road in to them on Sundays especially, there's no secret there, our temples however are exclusive to members but what happens in there is not really secret, its all in the book of Mormon / bible. We do practice baptisms for the dead by proxy, I do wear 'strange' undies although they're actually surprisingly comfortable.

Anyone a Mormon, have any direct experience or thoughts? Just seems like Scientology for the not-so-rich-and-famous but it's apparently growing exponentially.

It's got 15 Million members, so it's no small fry and it's been battling back and forth with the JWs for fastest growing religion in the states, although the figures are a bit misleading in that many of those are not 'active' ie attending church frequently.

 

[Dave M]

You really have to wonder why a religion needs something like this.

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

Just fitting in

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

or even

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

 

[Pudney]

It's got 15 Million members, so it's no small fry and it's been battling back and forth with the JWs for fastest growing religion in the states, although the figures are a bit misleading in that many of those are not 'active' ie attending church frequently.

I have to admit, when I saw the program yesterday my first thought when I saw the missionaries at peoples doors was what happens when they bump into JWs.

 

[Pete19s]

i prefer the documentary south park did about the mormons

Orgazmo?

 

[vincent1989]

I have to admit, when I saw the program yesterday my first thought when I saw the missionaries at peoples doors was what happens when they bump into JWs.

Quite an amicable conversation usually, well in my experience anyway, often we're just glad to meet people with similar convictions and beliefs, I get on quite well with both my JW and catholic co-department managers. Of course I don't represent all those of my faith and that's usually where the problems start

 

[Danthus]

Just fitting in

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

or even

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

 

[Danthus]

This bit is true, however you aren't meant to self pleasure even once you're married.

It might be true, it isn't followed religiously.

 

[vincent1989]

It might be true, it isn't followed religiously.

I never said it was did I

 

[Danthus]

So it is just another one of those things that religious people choose to ignore then, when it suits.

 

[SexyGreyFox]

It's got 15 Million members, so it's no small fry and it's been battling back and forth with the JWs for fastest growing religion in the states, although the figures are a bit misleading in that many of those are not 'active' ie attending church frequently.

Why did you choose Mormon?
What was the deciding factor that said 'That's the one for me?'

 

[Danthus]

When his mother and father indoctrinated him?

 

[vincent1989]

So it is just another one of those things that religious people choose to ignore then, when it suits.

Well if none of us sinned we wouldn't have needed the atonement would we, I don't think anyone consciously chooses to 'ignore' it, I think societally it's become very acceptable so is more difficult now than it ever was but there are people with conviction enough not to act contrary to their beliefs even in this day and age

Why did you choose Mormon?
What was the deciding factor that said 'That's the one for me?'

I didn't really choose it as such, I was raised a Mormon, I accepted it was true based on my parents understandings as is the case with most people and as is the case with most people I had a crisis of faith when I reached my mid-late teens. To some greater and lesser degrees I went my own way for a time, but I didn't find that nearly as fulfilling as 'my' faith.

I suppose the reason I like Mormonism over many of the other choices is that I feel it's still a religion of action and many of the individual's in it are also people of action, they really do belief in salvation by faith and works.