Why are Mormons so hated?

Question

I am a non-theist, who has spent alot of time in Mormon country. I was never treated badly by these people. As a matter of fact, I think I respect them more than most religious people that I have been in contact with. I am baffled with the whole concept of religion in the new millenia anyway, I just think it's a little bit silly (no offense-that is just my opinion).
What is it? I, like so many others, love conflict.
Gimme some details, please!

Oh yeah, it's pretty obvious to me that you don't have to be Mormon to be a pervert or a pedophile.

I have spent alot of time in Utah. I did not have any experiences with fanatics.

Answer 1

Most other Christians hate them because they're a sect that happens to have some canon in addition to the Holy Bible, going so far as to call them "not real Christians". Non-Christians hate their proselytizing (which you have to admit, a number of Mormons do).

Personally, I've never had any real-life problems with Mormons. I've had some co-workers who were Mormons and I got along fine with them. Two Mormons on the street came up to proselytize me once, but they were polite, and when I told them I already had a religion, they said "OK" and moved on. No back-handed insults either. I've run into a few individual Mormons I hated, but I always take my personal hatred on an individual, case-by-case basis, and not collectively.

Remember, a religion's first 199 years are always the toughest!

Answer 2

Evangelical Christians hate them because their religion contradicts their version of Christianity and has its own scriptures. Secularists hate them because they seem like fundamentalists to them, and they tend to be socially and politically conservative. For example, Mormons are a major source of recruits for the FBI and CIA. Finally, there are the matters of polygamy and their historical exclusion of nonwhites, African Americans in particular.

Polygamy, while not practiced by mainstream Mormons, remains a live issue, and the Mormon leadership's efforts to sweep it under the rug only make the whole thing look more suspicious. The racism issue is overblown, but Mormons are still seen as a predominantly lily white organization in spite of their increasing diversity. The joke is that any black person in Utah not carrying a basketball is arrested on sight. A *slight* exaggeration, no doubt...

But overall, I agree, they're no worse than many other religionists, and a good deal better than some. The religious right rhetoric against them almost makes me want to become Mormon out of spite, LOL.

Answer 3

People don't like what they don't understand that goes for many religions. It's sad really if they only took the time they would find their is so much more to people and their different religions. I would recommend attending a church of another faith you willl find that most are decent people who love and respect others beliefs. I have done this and i found that they are just as devoted to their religious beliefs as i was to mine. Take the time to get to know others and you find their is much more then just what you see.

Answer 4

Jealousy! :)
Seriously, a lot of people are threatened by stuff which is "different" and if you know us at all, you know that our docterine is that!
Some people hear strange docterines which are partly true and expound on them.
Some people misinterpret the Bible and then base their "findings" of our religion on that.
Some people need science to back everything up and there is not at this time scientific data to back up everything we believe.
Some people leave the Church because people have been unkind or they feel slighted.
And then some people are just snotheads.

Answer 5

Unfortuantley there are a lot of people out there who have hatred in their hearts. People don't like different. We are different. We believe in living, and following Christ's examples and His teachings and not just saying that we believe in it, thinking that will be enough. People don't like that. They don't want to believe that they must actually have to do something with their faith, and that they will be judged on their actions. So instead of looking into it, to see for themselves if it is true, they throw stones to make it easier for themselves to dispell the truth. People have always critized the different, and LDS (mormons) are no exception. I just wish people would get there facts straight before they go making accusations. I don't know of anyone who can say bad things about most of the individuals because it's unfounded. So instead we must be so nice because we are a cult. Because us being nice and caring for others merly because we strive to live christ like lives and serve others as Jesus did would be ludicrous! But those that continue on there crusade to destroy the faith of the members and to spread lies and half truths to those inquiring are the only ones that are being hurt. Their lives are being affected by their own poison, not us. The testimony of the truth is too strong to be shaken by an angry person's tyrad. Too bad they don't know it, they are wasting their time.

Answer 6

I don't hate Mormons, just know the belief system makes no sense to me and is a bit scary

Answer 7

I don't hate them. I am Christian, and even though I don't agree with the adding of the Bible, they are really nice. I actually get mad when I hear "Christians" at my school yelling at mormons when they lie, telling them that mormons aren't supposed to lie, I want to yell to the "Christian" you shouldn't judge. Mormons are much better people than a lot of people at my school that claim to be Christians...

Answer 8

Probably boils down to a fear of "the mysterious other." The same people would be afraid of Hindus if they met any or gave it some thought.

Answer 9

There is, firstly, the immediate tendency to dislike what is unlike yourself. Then there are the misconceptions (i.e. they aren't polygamists anymore). Then there's the fact that outside the misconceptions, people feel they misrepresent facts to support their faith ("I believe in the Trinity..." while radically redefining it). Lastly, there is a lot of bad history. Mormonism didn't start out peaceful and tolerant. Joseph Smith fancied himself an emperor and made statements that indicated he accepted the killing of non-Mormons. naturally, they ran them out of Missouri when they thought he might turn violent (this is the side of the persecution of early Mormons that isn't often told).

All these things combine to create a very passionate dislike. It's often irrational, but it is there.

Answer 10

I grew up near a mormon church, had planty of mormon friends, never had any trouble with them,

I like seeing them riding a bike in a really nice suit on a day when it is 110 degress................................