why is it people lie about mormonism?

Question

I'm mormon and i have heard some crazy things people have said about that are just plain lies. i mean if you don't understand it fine but when you lie about it people who maybe want to join here lies and then don't join. we aren't all that bad.
why would they lie

Answer 1

Which lies would you be speaking of? My experience, as an ex-temple goer, is that many LDS folks don't know many things about their faith. You would need to clarify what you think is a lie... some of it may be true and you don't know it.

Answer 2

I think they listen to different ministers and logically take what they say as "gospel" when it's anything but. There's a whole anti-Mormon movement out there and it's always amazed me that people would rather believe in lies than to find out the truth for themselves. I've also wondered if some of it has to do with a paid clergy. If a minister is paid according to how much he or she brings in from the congregation and some of those members leave their church, it's a direct hit in the pocket book. Since the Mormon church has no paid clergy members it doesn't apply in our case.

niet de duivel's answer doesn't even make any sense.

ReeRee got one of two right. The only thing that's documented or even true is baptisms for the dead and that can be addressed by common sense and Corinthians. These people have GOT to start thinking beyond biased TV documentaries that use anti-Mormon writers who call themselves historians. Furthermore, could you really trust an ex-Mormon to tell you the truth about the church? Ah, no. If you were baptized and changed your mind it would either be because you just changed your mind or because you were sanctioned for something - maybe excommunicated even - and had a chip on your shoulder. Merely changing your mind wouldn't create such animosity.

It's also curious that there are so many links to anti-Mormon websites here. Like there's going to be any truth there. Is this the so-called documentation?

A Mormon twice and baptized twice? The only way this would happen is if that person was excommunicated. It's either that or it's a lie. Which is it?

Answer 3

One thing to remember is that not everyone who spreads incorrect information about the Church is doing it intentionally. It's like that gossip game the one person mentioned (though I've always called it the "telephone game," but I digress) - even if it was originally true, it gets told so many times that it tends to mutate into something that isn't 100% accurate anymore, and the most recent person to tell it doesn't realize that (sometimes because someone way down the line swore they checked and found it was all true, and the most recent person figures that there is thus no need to do any reserch to check and see if that's what Mormons really believe; either that, or they just don't know where to go and check for acutal information).

Others might know something that's true, but don't realize the story is out of context (read: pretty much any anti-Mormon piece of literature), and that they don't know the whole story (those who died in the Moutain Meadows Massacre were, among other things, both antagonizing the Native Americans and making blatant death threats against Mormon settlers, saying that they (the members of the party) were going to return from California with help to continue the slaughter of innocent Mormons that had started in the east in places like Hans Mill).

Other people just don't want to admit they just *might* be wrong about what they're saying. They think it's perfectly all right to believe that Mormons are either lying, brainwashed, or who didn't do their reserch into the Church when they believe the pro-Mormon stuff, then cite the basis for their beliefs stricly from the anti-Mormon stuff to back up their claims (which is rather silly, for anyone who knows how to do reserch - the anti-Mormon stuff is about as unbiased as the pro-Mormon stuff; makes you wonder just who the brainwashed non-reserching group is here, doesn't it?).

And to demonstrate the knee-jerk reaction of the anti-Mormons here, take a look not only of the responses already given by anti-Mormons, but of any other such responses that will be given, and to any thumbs down given to any pro-Mormon statement (and to my comments in particular).

Answer 4

You don't need to describe or introduce or explain what those lies are. You'll be throwing pearls to swine.

What it all comes down to is that those who don't want to change from their lifestyle because they're comfortable won't.

But that doesn't change their curious nature and they'll find the most inflammatory, and downright lie and pass it as a, "See, see, I told you so. It must be true! That's why I'm not changing from my comfortable life."

It's an excuse for them because they know that Mormons are dedicated, they're GOOD people and notable citizens. I haven't met one Mormon that I didn't like, I like myself.

How about spreading the word that church goes on for 3 hours. That there are maybe an extra 3 hours a week in which we go to church activities and other extra meetings that are held, that all our clergy is volunteer work, no one is paid...
Who wants to make a religion a full-time and lifetime dedication of work?

People just don't want to put that much effort in a religion and lifestyle. Mormonism is a lifestyle and a tough one to follow. They'll find any little excuse, a half-truth woven into a lie and make it seem as if it's doctrine.

I wouldn't worry. I wouldn't care either.
It's quite interesting that they'll go on the internet and bash, but in real life, I bet they can't hold themselves together, they'd have to look in their notebook of reasons and lies. We'd be standing there, waiting for them to think of more stuff to only be thwarted down by our truth and understanding of our OWN religion and practices.

Answer 5

Fear. People fear what they dont understand. I am sure that the rumors and crazy ideas got started by one person or a small group of people who felt threatened and therefore scared. Because of that they felt the need to say something neagative or derogatory about the Mormon church. From there it just exploded.
Have you ever played the game gossip where you sit in a circle and whisper something around the circle to teach other and when it gets back to the origianl person it has been all jacked up? There you go hun.
I realise that I am in the minority in this world, but I have gone to great lengths to raise my children as color blind and accepting of all religions. Tolerance is the best policy...

Answer 6

Fear that we might be right
Pride that they "know for sure" that Mormons are deceived


Fear and pride are the most important reasons that anyone lies.

Now I know Mormon detractors use parts of scripture and utterances from church leaders -- so they "say" they don't lie. But these are half truths, lies woven into facts to support the lie.

These are time honored tactics of liars and spinners hearkening back to Cain who sought to conceal his murder.

Today we call it spin or yellow journalism, propaganda.

This is why we need to verify truth through the reveal-er of truth -- the Holy Ghost.

We must be worthy to receive His revelations by following the commandments and keeping our selves pure -- then we can ask if anything is true and it will be revealed to us in God's own due time.

D

Answer 7

I'm an atheist. You should hear the things many "Christians" say about us. I think the answer is that most brands of Christianity - including Mormonism - train their victims to be extremely judgmental and small-minded. It's only a small satisfaction to know that different Christian sects are just as vicious in demonizing each other as they are with non-Christians.

Answer 8

Because unfortunatly Satan has a tight grasp on many people. Though they may not know it. He will do anything in his power to keep people from following Christ and returning to Heaven. As the old saying goes misery loves company and satan wants all the company he can get. I often ask my self why don't peopel just get a life and quit trying to run everyone else's life. Its like as soon as any kind of LDS question pops up on here everyone starts to talk about how wrong we are and how they are all polygamists and blah blah blah. No one wants to see us for what we really are, a peace loving people who want to share the happiness that living the gospel of Jesus Christ brings to us.

Answer 9

Because what they don't know they are afraid of and will make up stuff to make themselves feel better. But I don't think most of the people are lying because they are being mean, I think they just don't know what the truth is. There are a lot of anti-mormon sites and people out there who spread wrong information.

Answer 10

Because they are overconfident and don't want to admit they have no idea what they are talking about. I also think it's because they want to try as hard as they can to undermine any religion's validity, in order to more easily handle the fact that they are not a part of that religion (and therefore in serious trouble if that ideology is, in fact, correct). Basically, you do it to ease the suspense of inevitably learning whether or not you bet on the wrong horse.

Answer 11

No. They are a religion. Organized religion is faith based, meaning they believe in a god or many gods in an organization that is a church, a synagogue, a temple or a mosque. As for teaching lies, it's in the eyes of the beholder. Every religion has its tenets, morals, principles and/or rules. Also a religion teaches it's followers teachings and whether they are true or not to someone is your own opinion. As for me I believe the LDS church is the restored church of Jesus Christ. Whether you believe it or not is your choice.