We are not LDS/Mormon will we be accepted in Utah?

Question

Will our children be shunned?

Please give specifics other than yes or no, have heard that you are an outsider if you are not LDS and children are not accepted into group activities i.e. sports etc.

Answer 1

Why are you asking this question? The LDS people are extremely friendly and accept anyone. I have never heard of any LDS people excluding people in all the LDS communities I have been in. Though there are several million of us, so it probably does happen.

Normally it is the other way around. LDS are shunned though by several "christians", just one example: My sister has this friend who invited my sister and her children to go a christian play group with. The "christians" tolerated them there for about a week, Then started to complain loudly that my sister and her children were not sufficently "christian" to attend their playgroup. Then they forbidded my sister from coming anymore and told her friend that she was not allowed to talk or be friendly to my sister anymore or she would also be exculded and excommunicated from their church. Her friend wisely chose to leave that church. This is hardly an isolated incident, I have heard and seen many like it around the states.

LDS people are extrmemly friendly and accepting. The Cathlics, who are the majority in Utah, are also very friendly. I expect your children will be well off, the church has high family values that keep the family strong, and has great programs for the children. The Cathlics also have high morals and family values. I don't know about their family programs though.

Answer 2

I think you will be just fine. Mormons are encouraged to be kind to everyone. In Salt Lake the majority of residents are not Mormon. Their are two Mosques that I know of, two Hindu Temples, at lease 4 Buddhist temples, and hundreds of Catholic and Protestant churches throughout the Wasatch Front. No matter your denomination you should be able to find and practice your religion.

As for acceptance, I went to high school in West Valley City Utah. I am an active member of the LDS (Mormon) faith, and was almost an outsider as such.

I now work at the University of Utah, and the diversity in my office, as well as the campus in general is amazing. in my office of seven we have a Muslim from Pakistan, A Hindu from India, a former Catholic turned Atheist from Salt Lake, a Baptist turned Lutheran, and three Mormons including myself. I think I am pretty average, and I get along with everyone great. To tell you the truth I am most likely to associate and socialize with the non-LDS group, most likely due to personal personality preferences.

If you live in Salt Lake you will find only 30% or fewer of the population to be active Mormons. As you move further south or north the percentage will increase, but anywhere you go along the Wasatch front will have a healthy mix of diversity.

Answer 3

I live in Utah and I've lived here all my life. I grew up Atheist and when I was young my neighbors would do things like try and make me eat dirt simply because I drank coffee. They were always pressuring me to go to church with them and once they realized I wouldn't go they did kinda shun me.
Through comparing my experiences with other Utah natives I found that although it did happen once in a while Mormons don't usually go to such extremes. I guess I was a relatively rare case.
Today I'm a Satanist and I have my own little niche in the locale. While the populace is predominently Mormon, it's not %100. You will undoubtedly find friends and such who share similar beliefs.
I do have to warn you, though, that even if the Mormons aren't quite as nuts as they're made out to be in media, they do act just like any other subculture in that they share similar characteristics in behavior. This is a generalization, however. It is unfair to say that every Mormon in the world thinks and acts the same way. I assume you understand me in that.

Answer 4

I live in Utah and am mormon.

The LDS church is a very active community within itself. On Sundays there are 3 hour meetings, on Mondays we have "Family Home Evenings. On Tuesdays (I think) is young womens. Wed or Thursday is Relief Society. Add that to other social and school events and our lives get filled up quickly.

I think that some feel like they're not part of the club. Most wards (aka congregations) have about 350 members within a certain area (usually 4 or 5 square blocks). You and your family will be welcomed at any activity or function to attend or participate. These will include the activities listed above, scout camps, youth activities, book clubs, etc.

Many of us feel like we don't want to force our religion on you and that you all ready know as much as you want to know about mormons and are involved as much as you want to be. Probably to our collective fault is that we don't invite non-lds individuals to church sponsored activities. There are some great ones. Look for them, ask about them, and ask one of your neighbors to keep you informed of things for you or your kids. Do this and I think you'll have a fabulous experience.

A couple of things that are taboo for many mormon families: R-rated movies, swearing, vulgar jokes, beer, cigarettes. If you use those, you may want to keep them to yourself and try to respect the values of your neighbors. For example, if you have a video party, choose a movie that's rated appropriatly and let their parents know the movie and the rating. Not that we're perfect, but outside of utah those are pretty normal things.

We have some good friends that are Australian and very well traveled. They Utah for 2 weeks and upon leaving hoped to live here someday. The couldn't believe how friendly people were, how clean the city was, how light the trafic was, and how safe it seemed.

Finally, if you do feel like you're experiencing this, consider asking one of your neighbors if you're doing something that isn't acceptable by mormon standards.

The church teaches that if you get married in the temple and live rightously you can be married forever. Only 2 worthy member can marry in the temple. You'll hear the saying "you marry who you date" come up. It's generally discouraged to date people outside of the church or members who don't share your standards. When your kids start to date, this will inevidibly come up at some point. (BTW, most mormons wait til 16 to date).

There are of course mormons that will date non mormons and there are plenty of non-mormons. (Salt lake is about 50% LDS).

I anticipate you'll have a fabulous experience.

....and I hear that the movie theaters and restaurants have no lines and are almost empty on Sunday nights! Some people love that fact!

Answer 5

Of course you will be. I am LDS, and I love people of all different faiths. Don't believe the rumors you hear they simply aren't true. Besides, only 50% or so of the state is LDS, the rest is a varied mix of religions.

Answer 6

The Church of Jesus Christ has many activities for youth during the week, such as activities for the young women and Boy Scouts. Because of these activities, latter-day saint youth are sometimes too busy to spend much time with their friends of other faiths. Nevertheless, the Church encourages its members to reach out to those of other faiths in a nonjudgmental way. If your kids feel lonely, they are welcome to participate in the Church's activities, with no obligation to join.

Answer 7

No. The entire population isn't Mormon.

Answer 8

You will be tarred and feathered, Those Mormons are crazy, beware the Mormons.

Answer 9

You'll be OK.