Im curious about the Mormon religion

[TexasWife25]

I'm curious about Mormonism. I keep hearing references to, magic underwear, God is a man who loves on another planet, and other strange things. Some people compare it to Scientology. Yes, I googled, but I'm not really sure what to trust. From what I can tell, the Mormon church in the 70's went through a change similar to the Catholic church, so .. just wondering if anyone has any actual knowledge of what Mormons believe today.

 

[Peregrinator]

I spent an hour or two in Deseret Books in Logan, UT. I asked a lot of questions. It's a very strange culture.

 

[JackLuis]

I once tried to read the book of Mormon, it had more holes in it than sense. The folks are pretty nice but clannish, and generous one on one.

I questioned the magic glasses story though.

 

[mercury14]

They've posthumously baptized Anne Frank nine times and counting.... And they put Elie Wiesel on the "ready" list for posthumous baptizing even though he's still alive and has told the Mormon Church "don't fucking do that to me assholes".

That's incredibly fucked up.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/21/mormons-posthumous-baptism-anne-frank_n_1292102.html

 

[TexasWife25]

They are very secretive, coupled with the changes they made in the 70's, makes it hard to tell what modern Mormons believe vs the Mormon zealots.. I know they dont hate black people anymore, lots of small changes to some of there religious texts... but other then that .. Im at a loss. All this, "if your a good Mormon couple when you die you get your own planet" and such has me at a loss.

 

[TexasWife25]

They've posthumously baptized Anne Frank nine times and counting.... And they put Elie Wiesel on the "ready" list for posthumous baptizing even though he's still alive and has told the Mormon Church "don't fucking do that to me assholes".

That's incredibly fucked up.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/21/mormons-posthumous-baptism-anne-frank_n_1292102.html

Didnt they recently apologize for posthumously baptizing Jews who were murdered during the Holocaust?

 

[mercury14]

Didnt they recently apologize for posthumously baptizing Jews who were murdered during the Holocaust?

They've been apologizing for years while still continuing the practice anyway. According to the article Anne Frank was just baptized again last weekend.

 

[John Doe]

I realize I've said this many times before and yet every time the topic comes up I feel compelled to say it again: I don't see what about Morman religious culture is any stranger than most other religious cultures.

 

[TexasWife25]

I realize I've said this many times before and yet every time the topic comes up I feel compelled to say it again: I don't see what about Morman religious culture is any stranger than most other religious cultures.

I think overall, its the newness of it. Lots of people are willing to believe amazing miracles happened a long long time ago, but when your talking things like 100 years? People start to question.

Also, Ive said it before, but I will say it again, in this thread. I cant imagine whatever they believe is any odder, then any other organized religion. I just want to know what exactly they believe.

 

[John Doe]

I think overall, its the newness of it. Lots of people are willing to believe amazing miracles happened a long long time ago, but when your talking things like 100 years? People start to question.

Also, Ive said it before, but I will say it again, in this thread. I cant imagine whatever they believe is any odder, then any other organized religion. I just want to know what exactly they believe.

Ditto.

 

[HornyHenry]

Think about this

Their whole religion is based on the golden tablets with Egyptian Hyroglypics that were found, allegedly, in upstate NY, decoded mysteriously into English, then LOST! So no one saw them but John Smith. And all the Morman books he wrote, from the Egyptian stuff, seem to benefit him and his friends only.

I spent 4 years up there and had a completely open mind about them before I went there. Yes, they help each other, but not outsiders. The first time I went up there, I saw a pamplet in my hotel room. It was pushing the Morman beliefs. Of course, I questioned them. The thing told me where to go to find out and prove that all their teachings are true. I went there and it said, "Pray and you'll see." I didn't and still don't see.

There were good reasons they were ran out of NY, and later, Indiana (or Illinois, I forget). I am amazed at how many people can be brainwashed into believing that garbage, and afraid of their missionary techniques that work like a pyramid sceme to feed new weak souls their phony gospel.

 

[Wrong Element]

I realize I've said this many times before and yet every time the topic comes up I feel compelled to say it again: I don't see what about Morman religious culture is any stranger than most other religious cultures.

I guess what bothers people, and maybe this is a little bit hypocritical, is that the LDS church was founded in the relatively recent past, and by a specific person. I think it's pretty obvious that Joseph Smith was a con artist who wrote the Book of Mormon himself, but one man's con is another man's true faith.

I don't think Mormons are Christian except in the very broadest sense, but I understand why they would want to be seen that way.

 

[warrior queen]

All I know about Mormons is their pamphlets make brilliant firestarters.
Must be a special ink or something, but by heck they burn well!

 

[The_Trouvere]

I have been proselytized by several pairs of Mormon missionaries. I enjoy talking to them. I like them. They are nice people.

I have read The Book of Mormon, The Doctrines and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price.

The Book of Mormon claims to be a detailed history of pre Columbian America from 500 BC to 300 AD. Nevertheless, there is no evidence that any of the events in The Book of Mormon happened, and much evidence that none of the events happened.

The great majority of people who convert to Mormonism are poorly educated, not very intelligent, and credulous. Nevertheless, among those who are born into the faith are some people who are very intelligent and well informed. They fascinate me by composing complex and sophisticated arguments in favor of what is obviously not true.

If one has no interest in cigarettes, alcohol, and sex outside of marriage, and wants assurance about the existence of God, and life after death the Mormon faith can be very appealing. I wanted to become a Mormon myself, and was disappointed to discover that Joseph Smith was a religious charlatan.

This is what the Smithsonian Institute has written about The Book of Mormon:

http://www.godandscience.org/cults/smithsonian.html

This is a response:

http://www.jefflindsay.com/LDSFAQ/smithsonian.shtml

Mormon apologetics is complex and difficult to follow. I suspect that few Mormons understand it, but they they mistake turgidity for profundity.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I havent read anything about them. When they stop at my house we talk about my garden after I make it clear I'm not conversion material.

That said, its helpful to read the autobiography of Peter Cartwright, the Methodist circuit rider. Back when he was working most denominations were as violent and militant as Muslims are today. And all denominations were clannish. They murdered non-members rather than recruit them.

 

[Liar]

They've posthumously baptized Anne Frank nine times and counting....

It didn't stick the first times?

 

[doctor_insanus]

Joseph Smith was called a prophet!

Dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb!

 

[JohnnySavage]

It didn't stick the first times?

She was dead. It's unlikely she was as upset about it as Merc seems to be.

Kinda funny seeing Christians, Jews and Muslims calling Mormans the crazy ones though.

 

[JohnnySavage]

Joseph Smith was called a prophet!

Dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb!

So was Adam Smith!

 

[rosco rathbone]

Say what you want about the often creepy Mormons....SLC is one of the nicest cities I've ever visited.

 

[RAddams]

They knocked on my door the other day and I think they wanted to sell me a vacuum cleaner or something.

 

[KRCummings]

I like some things about their faith. Other things are well into odd territory. The modern church is mostly harmless as religions go. Baptizing dead people isn't hurting anyone regardless of religious belief. They're dead. Either the baptism works and they're saved so there's nothing to bitch about or it doesn't work because they're dead so there's nothing to bitch about.
The missionaries don't really bother me too much. Annoying but they go away easy enough.

 

[RAddams]

http://jeroenr.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/mormon.jpg
What a shame

 

[busybody..]

All I know about Mormons is their pamphlets make brilliant firestarters.
Must be a special ink or something, but by heck they burn well!

but you wouldnt burn a KOO KOO RAN, wouldya?

 

[TexasWife25]

It didn't stick the first times?

Apparently. the dead can reject the baptism. So maybe they thought they were giving her another chance?