Mormons

[MrUKBum]

What is the deal with these people and this church? I was raised Mormon, I'm not longer involved in it but so many still are and continue to join it. Why? Why do people get involved in it and why do people stay in it??

 

[palakaorion]

Many are attracted to the strong family vibes.
Some are attracted to the traditional gender roles and many children.
Some appreciate having a checklist or to-do list to gain God's favor.
The few who are aware of the deeper theology want to experience eternal progression.
But mostly people join a church because it confirms what they want to hear and believe.

 

[halcyondays]

Two men in my huge extended catholic family became Mormons bc the women they wanted to marry were. Several others--male and female--switched to protestant churches for the same reason.

Isn't that living a lie? Why would anyone trust a spouse who jumped faiths just to be married? Wouldn't you always wonder what they really stood for?

I jumped ship in my youth for the ocean of freedom in which I swim.

 

[njersey]

Two men in my huge extended catholic family became Mormons bc the women they wanted to marry were. Several others--male and female--switched to protestant churches for the same reason.

Isn't that living a lie? Why would anyone trust a spouse who jumped faiths just to be married? Wouldn't you always wonder what they really stood for?

I jumped ship in my youth for the ocean of freedom in which I swim.

I think there’s a lot of variation in the reasons a person adheres to a religion. What I see in most people is a cultural or community attachment, rather than actual faith in the mythos of some sect.

For instance, I’m Jewish, an atheist, an obnoxious liberal, and gay; and the only one of those that my rabbi cared about growing up was the first one. Like there’s no reason for me to leave the faith because the benefit of community way outweighs the hokey way values are sometimes expressed. (I totally think a kosher diet is healthier than most; but that it technically prohibits tacos is a crime against humanity.)

I think getting to know someone on a personal level means stripping away a lot of labels we apply to others. I know what my friends stand for because of what they do, not what they worship.

 

[deleted4911161]

What is the deal with these people and this church? I was raised Mormon, I'm not longer involved in it but so many still are and continue to join it. Why? Why do people get involved in it and why do people stay in it??

If you were raised Mormon, wouldn't that mean you have ppl you can ask that question directly to?

I see Mormonism as the quintessential American religion. Jesus doesn't just show up in the Middle East. He comes here to America. The book of mormon is like an American version of the old testament. Even the names sound similar.

With all due respect, the whole thing cant stand any scrutiny. It is illogical and completely ridiculous. Unlike the Old Testament, there is 0 evidence of any of these folks ever existing. It is like 100 years of solitude: the wind came in and erase them from the face of the Earth.

Having said that, Mormons build a city in the dessert, carved out a state and built a powerful church. Some Mormons are the nicest ppl you could ever meet and they work hard. They even have what is probably one of the best language schools in the world. Cool stuff.

So IDK what attracts ppl to Mormonism but I have alwayd guess that to Buddhist or Muslims, Christians must be as far off and silly sounding and fictitious as Mormons are to me.

It is all relative. Where you grow up often determines your religion.

 

[halcyondays]

(I totally think a kosher diet is healthier than most; but that it technically prohibits tacos is a crime against humanity.)

What!? Tacos aren't kosher? There's another faith scratched off my list.

I think getting to know someone on a personal level means stripping away a lot of labels we apply to others.

I agree. But formally joining and practicing a religion just to marry is taking on a label not stripping one off.

Stripping labels works only if they are all stripped away.

 

[Acratopotes]

Many are attracted to the strong family vibes.
Some are attracted to the traditional gender roles and many children.
Some appreciate having a checklist or to-do list to gain God's favor.
The few who are aware of the deeper theology want to experience eternal progression.
But mostly people join a church because it confirms what they want to hear and believe.

Is this written from the perspective of being a member yourself? I was thinking of the third line, in particular.

Among versions of Christianity, it seems to me the main difference is in how narrow or liberal the rules are and I think people in general tend to have an affinity for a certain level of structure. Some like quite a rigid structure where everyone in their immediately community behaves in a very predictable way according to narrow rules and others are fine with people doing almost whatever they want, except for relative few rules and a few more general principles.

I tend to be more liberal myself but there certainly is value in discipline and commitment. Given the forum in which this was asked, I do see value in children being raised by parents who are in a comiitted and stable relationhip that lasts at least as long as it takes the children to grow up. On the other hand, given the world is not exactly short of people, if other people aren't interested in a tradional family, are perhaps more focused on their career and prefer to satisfy themselves with whatever mix of short relationships, casual sex and/or masturbation suits them then it really doesn't help for someone to say they shouldn't as "that is not God's way".

 

[LQC]

What is the deal with these people and this church? I was raised Mormon, I'm not longer involved in it but so many still are and continue to join it. Why? Why do people get involved in it and why do people stay in it??

Hmmm, I would think that since you were raised in it, you would have some of that insight?

 

[palakaorion]

Is this written from the perspective of being a member yourself? I was thinking of the third line, in particular.

I am a Jesus follower, but not part of the LDS church.

 

[MrUKBum]

Hmmm, I would think that since you were raised in it, you would have some of that insight?

Well I know why I don't believe it in anymore as I feel it's a cult. Just wanted to see if someone looking at it from a different perspective or viewpoint could shed some of that in here. I think a lot of it has to do with "feelings" and this is what people in the church associate with God speaking to them. Or it could just be their mind but their not sure how to explain it, so God seems like the likely conclusion to just have an explanation for something. Our minds are very powerful and complex. It's no surprise that a lot of ex Mormons become atheist because the indoctrination is so engrained in our brains, a lot of time from a very young age. What they teach in the church complete changes how you view this life, everything really.

 

[Sagittarius84]

Though I don't think this of all(or most) Mormons, I do think there is something to the mythology/ideology of Mormonism appealing to the construct of an American white ethnostate, and those whom would feel more comfortable in it, even if they're not keen on the background ills required to establish/maintain it.

 

[wizard1]

I lost my virginity to the daughter of a Mormon family. Boy did she like to fuck......

 

[WilliamG]

I married a born again Mormon (her parents joined when she was 10). Two years ago we sent a letter to the Bishop to never come by our home again. It worked. A few years back we went to the play "Book Of Mormon" (done by the SouthPark writers). Almost everyone around us used to be Mormon! And we all laughed pretty much all the way thru it.

I don't think this needs to be in the AAM section.