Why are people prejudiced against Mormons?

Question

I was going to do the Mormon thing but can't deal with all of the prejudice against them. It's mental suicide and they don't deserve that. The media always likes to show the negative aspects about Mormonism (ie. polygamy, cult aspects, racism, etc.). They never mention that some Mormons don't believe in those things. I really feel sorry for the Mormons especially the LDS Mormons because they have nobody to defend them.

Answer 1

I dont know! I didnt know they did. But I dont, most of my poly friends are Moromon but no one really cares. You cant really just not be in a certain religion just beacause of what other people think though. Your not living for them!

Answer 2

I live in a city filled with LDS--most of the ones I've known are very good family oriented people (no polygamists--that is not happening with the LDS). They believe that when the end of the world happens Jesus will come down through the ceiling (it is beautiful) of this church in Independence, MO (a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri). So for starters, that seems kind of weird to most of the rest of us Kansas Citians.

I think because they tend to isolate themselves socially, they give the air that they think they are better than the rest of the world. They are very involved in their own church community and don't have lots of outside social contact.

Also because they do send people around trying to convert you--it can get a little overwhelming at times. Once I was hit up by two separate pairs in one week, surely just a logistics thing, but I am more tolerant of it than most.

And then I think there is the whole American West Joseph Smith prophet thing going--what is up with that?

There, I hope I didn't disparage any LDS Mormons personally!

Answer 3

A joke for the beginning. Two years ago I visited my friends, who live in Canada. I often went sightseeing to Vancouver, Victoria , White Rock, Kelowna , etc....wonderful places. Always there was somebody who took me there. I sometimes went with a young , hot tempered Canadian. He is a good driver, so wherever he saw somebody disobeying the driving rules, he used to murm...to himself .....saying ...mormons ...mormons......I was really puzzled ( I knew the people / word - the Mormons) . So while having dinner with my friends and their guests I took my courage and asked them '' Why do you, Canadians, hate these Mormons this much, that every time somebody makes the slightest mistake ... you call them ........Mormons.........''?
Everybody stopped eating...staring at me ......and then they all burst into laughter ( I felt embarrassed ...) Now I know the difference between Mormon and moron .......haha!!!
Pesonally I have got a very good friend in the States who is a Mormon, the brightest, the most sincere , the most intelligent and a lot more personality.

Answer 4

I grew up around them, they would let their kids play with us because we didn't go to their church.
They believe some VERY strange things! Why doesn't the Bible mention anything about the Joesph Smith...false prophet! What it did say...don't add or take away from this book. The book of Mormon? where does that fit in? They believe in Satan being Jesus brother, baptizing for the dead....You better know what they are about and see if that is something you want to be involved with! This may be God's way of giving you an out! Check it out!!! Don't be fooled they are not right, they may have some good people, but them good people are fooled in to that belief!
The one thing that matters is Jesus and the Bible, anything else will get you misguided!

Answer 5

It was September 11, 1857. A wagon train of 160 settlers on their way to California was massacred by a bunch of Mormons dressed in Indian clothes. 17 children under the age of 8 were spared and lived to tell their story.
1st. They dressed as Indians but after five days they changed tactics.
2nd. Then they went a bit away ,dressed back into normal clothes and acted like the Rescue Party who had negotiated a deal with the"Indians".
3rd, Then confiscated all the guns as part of the deal for "saving" the travellers and Mormon dissidents( who were the reason for the attack in the first place).
4th. Took everybody off a mile or so and shot them all. 2 men got away but were eventually tracked down and killed a day or so later.
5th. Took the 17 children they had not killed back with them to Salt Lake City.
6th. Got away with it. After a publicized trial, with the childrens own testimony admitted into the court, only 1 man was convicted and shot, John D. Lee. ( pardoned by Church 1960) The church even protected over 100 other killers involved in this massacre from Federal prosecution. Then they say "Thou Shalt Not Kill " doesn't apply to them . Only everyone else.

It ended up being called the Mountain Meadows Massacre. The first time in U.S. history that U.S. citizens were massacred on U.S. soil by religious wackos. This event is even more significant because the total U.S. population at the time was much smaller.(I dont know the exact numbers, maybe only 30 million or so) In todays numbers it would be around 1400 dead.

Answer 6

Read up on their history... its funny. Especially the hat thing and spirit children etc...

Also, it is mental suicide if you believe mormon teachings, a lot of it just doesn't make sense if you investigate it. As for the polygamy etc... that used to be normal for Morman groups (the church officially gave it up for political reasons not ideological ones. Utah wanted to become a state...) even though it is a lot less offesive now that a lot of groups have officially given up some of their less reputable actions many mormon communities still live according to their old ways.

Theres also the way they treat those who leave their church....

Answer 7

People tend to develop irrational biases against things and people they don't know or understand.

I met a lot of Mormon guys while I lived in Japan -- mostly young American guys who were there for their missionary obligation.

Nice guys. I used to have this misconception that Mormons were racist (I'm black-hispanic) but they were always nice to me.

I think they could tell I was a pretty serious Catholic, though, so they never gave me the "pitch" on joining their church.
.

Answer 8

Don't worry about the mormons - the church maintains a huge legal department that will jump on you for using the name "moroni" on an unapproved teeshirt.

The mormon mythology is not undeserved, and their history and social comments in the past will always show the church in a freakish light. There is a complete disregard for scientific inquiry and a demonetization of intellectualism.

While the people are 'Nice', the church's educational and spiritual teachings are underhanded and deceitful.

Don't take my word for it - I got out after 50 years in this demented cult. Don't ever feel sorry for them.

Answer 9

Well that's all I heard about them being in cults and sexual child abuse. But I don't hold all Mormons accountable for that. I don't like groups who go out actively and try to convert people. Changing peoples against their will they hold the same opinion still.

Answer 10

It is their history, and the ones that are still polygamist claim they are Mormon. There are many good people in the Mormon church, they are misguided but very sincere none the less. Anyone that claims to love Jesus is under attack in case you haven't noticed, not just the Mormons.

Answer 11

Most Mormons don't believe those things, because they are not taught or practiced. Polygamy is not practiced, I don't know what you mean by "cult aspects", and racism has NEVER had a place in our church, despite how you interpret what past leaders have said.