Questions for Mormons?

Question

I was wondering if you could expand on some things I've been told about your religion. For example, I've heard that you believe that women should be subservient to men. And that a woman's place is at home, and that she should be raising as many kids as she is biologically capable of having. I've also heard that marriage doesn't mean "monogamy." And, I know a Mormon who has stockpiled food, supplies AND weapons in his backyard for what he believes he will need because we are living in what he calls "the last days." I asked him what the weapons were for, and he said it was so he could "defend" his food supply. He said it's what Mormons believe they have been commanded by God to do. He said he would shoot anyone who tried to take his family's food. Is "kill thy neighbor" one of the Ten Commandments? I'm just curious as to what your ideas are about these concepts. Are they for real? I'd love to hear your insight.

Answer 1

Wow, there's some interesting stuff out there!

We don't believe that women are subservient to men. We believe that men and woman have different gender roles but are to be equal partners in marriage and in life. We believe that whether or not women work outside the home is a matter of choice for each couple. No one forces a woman to stay at home, or forces a woman to enter the workplace. Children are another decision that is left to each family. We do believe very strongly in families and family ties, but our religion does not regulate when we have children or how many you have. Our church leaders have advised us not to put off children for reasons that aren't as important-such as when I buy my first home, or when I get tenure at my job. We're advised to begin our families when we are financially, emotionally, and spiritually ready to provide for their needs while still caring for our own. This comes at different times for every couple.

Marriage as a Mormon does mean monogamy. Our religion not only forbids polygamy, but excommunicates anyone who practices it.

I've never heard of anyone stockpiling weapons to protect their food storage! LOL That sounds a little weird to me. Mormons are encouraged to have food storage because we're encouraged very strongly to be prepared for anything unforseen and practice self-reliance. I lost my job in November and wasn't able to find a new one until April and BOY was I glad that I had some food in storage! We're not counseled to stockpile food because the end of the world is coming, or to defend it with an AK47, but we are counseled to be prepared. My friend who lived near New Orleans was very grateful her family had food storage when Katrina went through. Her family fed the entire neighborhood for almost a week. While I don't know of all the specific reasons my church leaders counsel me to have food storage, those two reasons are good enough for me.

Mormons do not believe in killing their neighbors. But just like there are weird people and normal people in every religion and culture, there are weird and normal people who are Mormons. I think your neighbor might be one of the weird ones...LOL

Answer 2

If you get raped by thugs during that 'last times" don't you wish someone had a gun to rescue you and kill the thugs?
Mormons were commanded as far back in the 70s to stockpile food and supplies. Weapons no.
Mormons have been practicing monogamy for over 100 years now and women aren't subservient to men unless you think all other Christian churches are the same way.
Paul said that no woman is to lead in the church but is to be saved in childbearing. Marriage is an equal contract between man and woman. Man has his roles and women have their roles and yes women can work outside the house, most in the LDS church actually do.

Answer 3

We are advised to store up a year's worth of food (but NO WEAPONS) for times when we might need it, like if someone losses a job, or a natural disaster o whatever.

Women are NOT taught tat we should be subservient to men, not any more than any other christian woman is taugh to be subservient to men. Also, we are encouraged to have as many children as we feel we can adequately handle. In my case, we decided that three was a good nmber. any more and they wouldn't get the proper care they deserve. Others believe one or two, others think five or six. No one sould have more than they can handle or afford.

We do not, at this time, practice plural marriage. We also firmly believe in total chastity before marriage and total fidelity within marriage.

Answer 4

Men are the head of the household, as the providers and priesthood holders. Husband and wife are EQUAL. They are a team.
We are told God wants us to have families. How many we have is up to us. How often we have them is up to us. We don't even have to have families, but we are encouraged to. We believe that Family is the most important unit on this Earth. We believe Families last forever,and that our families are our first priorities.
Some moms stay at home. Some dad's stay at home. Some parents have to both work for one reason or another. I am going to school, and my daughter is two and is loving daycare. I would love to stay home, but my finances require that my husband work while I finish my education. My huusband has already finished his degree. I have one child by the way. How many more I have, I have not decided yet. I make that decision WITH my husband. Neither of us would ever do anything that would effect our family without consulting and making that decision with the other. It's called marriage. It requires TWO people for all things. Otherwise it is not a partnership.
We practice monogamy. I have one husband, he has one wife. (me obviously) We did practice polygamy in the 1800's. We do not now.
We are told to be prepared for natural disaster by keeping food storage so we can take care of our families. We are told to have a minimum of 72 hours kits. (Food, water, basic medical and hygene supplies, as well as clothes and blankets.)
note: the man with the guns and the food, he sounds a little paranoid to me. we are told to be prepared. I have never heard anything about weapons, and I do not allow weapons of any kindin my own house.
I know that my parents have a good food supply, and have said they have as much as they can so they can help everyone they care about and their neighbors. They even share their garden with their neighbors.
We are commanded, Love thy neighbor as thyself. That is from the Bible by the way.
We do not believe in killing other people. Thou shalt not kill. This would result in excommunication. However, defending our families is a different matter. If someone was hurting my daughter, I would not want to be the assailant. I would defend my family with my life. How about you? I would NOT kill someone over a bag of flour.

Answer 5

My mormon dad has weopons, but he liked to hunt. He had his weopons locked up.
Women are given a new name in the temple and they are called that name by the men and therefore cannot be saved without the men calling the name (ex-mormon) in the temple the women are told to listen to the men. Women are told to get an education until she meets mr. right and then she needs to have as many kids as she can, because the many wives God has alot of spirit children waiting in have bodies and they want as many children to be born mormon as possible,
Mormons are taught ot make things from scratch, how to have a garden and keep a rotating food supply incase of armagedeon.

Answer 6

You've got the 'dark side' of mormonism in a nutshell. None of this is actually taught so much as implied, and yes, killing an innocent person because the prophet has commanded has already occurred, and was quite likely Brigham Young's preferred method of excommunication.
My cousin in SLC has enough arms for a small army, and has mentioned many times he's ready to 'take back Missouri'.
And he has a temple recommend.

Answer 7

I'm not a Mormon, but have lived amongst them my whole life so I can answer this question with some objectivity.

First thing first: "For example, I've heard that you believe that women should be subservient to men."

This is a common theme in Christianity in general.

Ephesians
5:22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

5:24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

This is not a "Mormon" thing, but a Christian thing in general. This is not from The Book of Mormon, it's from The New Testament.

In Deuteronomy in The Old Testament God sees women as possessions of men, just like his house and animals:

5:21 Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ***, or any thing that is thy neighbour's.

Again, not a "Mormon" thing, but a Christian thing in general.

Second: "And that a woman's place is at home, and that she should be raising as many kids as she is biologically capable of having."

Genesis 3:1 - I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee."

Genesis 30:1 - And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.

Obviously a woman's only reason for being is to serve her husband and have children, or she is worthless in the eyes of God.

Third: "I've also heard that marriage doesn't mean 'monogamy.' "

Wow, we can go on and on with this one.

Lamech is the first of a long line of biblical men with more than one wife. It seems that God approves of such marriages:

Genesis 4:19 - And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.

Also in Genesis, Sarai is the first of a long line of barren women who were desperate for children. She sends Abram into her handmaid, Hagar, so that she can "obtain children by her." Abram of course gladly complies.

Genesis 16:1 Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.
16:2 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.

16:3 And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.

16:4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived.

Genesis 25:6 - But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts...

Esau takes two wives:

Genesis 26:34 - And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite.

Esau takes another wife:

Genesis 28:9 - Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife.

Jacob had four wives:

Genesis 31:17 - Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels;

In Exodus is God's instructions for taking another wife:

Exodus 21:10 - If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish.

Judges 8:30
And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.

1 Sam.1:1-2
Elkanah ... had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah.

2 Sam.12:7-8
Thus saith the LORD God of Israel ... I gave thee ... thy master's wives....

1 Kg.11:2-3
Solomon ... had seven hundred wives ... and three hundred concubines.

1 Chr.4:5
And Ashur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah.

2 Chr.11:21
Rehoboam ... took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines.

2 Chr.13:21
But Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives....

2 Chr.24:3
Jehoiada took for him two wives....

Mt.25:1
Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

1 Tim.3:2
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife....

Titus 1:6-7
If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. For a bishop must be blameless.

Overall, there are 20 passages between The Old and New Testaments in support of polygamy. So once again, a "Mormon" thing, or more to the point, a Christian thing in general.

Lastly: "And, I know a Mormon who has stockpiled food, supplies AND weapons in his backyard for what he believes he will need because we are living in what he calls 'the last days.' "

Read Revelation in The New Testament. The end is always near according to Christianity. Many Christians await The Apocalypse. There is even a video game for PS2 and X-Box being distributed by conservative Christian groups about it. It's called "Left Behind" where Christians that are left behind after the Apocalypse must redeem themselves by killing all "non-believers" to get into Heaven.

Again, the "end of time" being a "Mormon" thing and preparing for it with food, water and guns? I think not.

Answer 8

that's what happens in CULTS!!! sad ---------- i found this interesting ---- http://www.polygamy.org/