ALL: Don't judge the Mormons by the comments of one person. They really are nice people, despite this question

Question

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070718215706AAMWBlL&r=w#R4F1InPUD3D5dBfqLthn

I generally am the first to criticize the mormon faith, but I distinguish between the faith and the people, who are usually adorable. I am afraid, however, that all of the many God-fearing Mormon people on this forum are going to take it in the shorts for the comments of one guy who's having a bad day. Please understand that most Mormons (both believing/active and doubting/leaving) really are genuinely nice people. There are just some bad apples in the bunch, like there are in every religion.

What can we do to keep our criticisms from being "personal" on this board?

Answer 1

I am usually the first one to be critical of Mormon "doctrine" on here...I've been known to be very harsh...and - I think - deservedly so....

But I never engage in personal attacks.

I think just about every Mormon I have met in my life (I'm fifty years old) has been a very nice person.

Horribly deceived by a dangerous non-Christian cult....but very nice, nonetheless.

Answer 2

Thank you for being respectful, norrispenguin. It's nice to see people show a little tolerance and respect for other beliefs.

And to answer your question,...I think it's all about respect. It seems the "agree to disagree" notion is non-existent these days. Instead of looking down on others by saying, "Oh they are a cult and they are NOT good people", I wish we could say things more along the lines of..."Well, I don't agree with you, but I respect your opinion".

Kelly Kapowski, how is saying Mormonism is a cult a "fact" when the definition of a "cult" is so fuzzy in the first place? According to the dictionary definition, ANY religion could be a "cult". Also, The questioner didn't say ALL Mormons were perfect little angels. You are right...there are rude, disrespectful Mormons out there just like any adherents to a belief system. He was just talking about his own personal experience. I don't see how that is generalizing. In fact, I applaud norrispenguin for being such a class act. It's not often that you see genuine respect for other belief systems on here.

Answer 3

It's nearly impossible to separate the faith from the faithful. When you ask someone "What are you?" they either respond with a denomination or job title. The question isn't very good to begin with, but the answer is not surprising.

We seem to be either defined by what we believe or what we do (unless you're a priest of some sort - then it's obvious).

If we were all in a group face to face, I bet we'd have a great discussion and less impersonal affronts, but in this format, it's post and run. That's the down part.

However, the longer we (all) hang on here, the more ideas will get transferred, and standing in the other guys shoes won't seem so uncomfortable.

Answer 4

Guilt is of the devil. Freedom is cutting-edge in Christ Jesus. I grew up mormon, and knew many a advise mormon. do no longer project. i'm advantageous your description suits as many. There are additionally many advantageous mormons. they had decrease your throat merely as rapid because of the fact the advise ones if their chief commanded them to do it, too. Make no mistake. Obedience to the church is greater suited than godliness, to a mormon. God is 2nd. you're able to correctly be thinking i'm no longer being very advantageous. i'm being reasonable. Blood atonement, a mormon theory, is coming. yet sure, i've got met others who're greater actual than mormons. greater actual, too. and that they did no longer even prefer Prozac to get by using their day with a vapid smile on their face.

Answer 5

Thank you. I saw that question, and it took me a few hours to answer (mostly because I'm at work and was busy) The whole question didn't seem very "Mormon" or Christian.

It is difficult to keep criticism of religion from being personal. I don't know if there is a way to do that.

Answer 6

While the concessions toward niceness are evident, let's not forget about how the 'protestant minister' had traditionally been portrayed in the temple endowment ceremony: As a Hireling of Satan. Someone tell me why this is "sacred" and not stereotyping a complete religious standard?

Sorry to see someone spew off, but how many times have mormons been reminded of how evil protestants are for the past 170 plus years?

Answer 7

I try to give reasonable answers to reasonable questions. I appreciate your comment. Those questions/comments that are unreasonable/personal in nature, generally don't deserve a response. It is best to just ignore them and move onto other questions that are more deserving of our time. It is impossible to keep up with all the questions anyway. Have you noticed that by the time you finish answering one question, the whole list of questions has turned over when you click for another one?
I will make one last comment here. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not a "cult". It is the most Christian religion available and as such is demanding in its requirements for spiritual development. In order to become Christlike in our behavior, conduct, personality and characteristics, we must discipline ourselves over a liftetime of study, prayer, practice and sacrifice of self for the service of others. Only then can we hope to become as He is. What manner of men ought ye to be? Even as I am. Be ye therefore perfect. We cannot achieve that without a lifelong commitment.

Answer 8

I never met a mormon I wasn't friends with, my roomate in the marines was mormon and he introduced me to the beauty of beer.


Most people have some wacky beliefs, mormons however tend to live and let live except when they're doing their silly door to door selling.

Answer 9

It takes all kinds, doesn't it? But I think what we could do to keep our criticisms from being "personal" is to decide to let each other have our own beliefs. We are not masters over each other. We all have to reconcile our own lives, not the lives of others, and certainly not the lives of countless strangers on the Internet.

Answer 10

Thank you! I try to take it easy with all this comments... but I'm getting tired of all this, I even moved from category and don't answer as many Mormon questions as before, 7/10 are mean and that is sooo not nice.

Answer 11

Do I agree with their theology? No. Do I agree that they are children of God just like everyone else, and deserve a certain amount of human dignity and respect? Yes.

One does not have to agree with a denomination's "Articles/Statement Of Faith" to have a love for the individual people of that affiliation.