For Non-Mormons who know Mormons only!?

Question

I'm not a Mormon, and want to start this off by saying I don't care or want to know what they believe. I do know a few Mormons though, so I did a little search on Yahoo Answers of "Mormon" to find out a little more. I was surprised because everyone on here made them sound so weird, and the people I know all seem pretty normal.

So, I'm wondering if people who made them sound like crazy cult people actually know anyone, or that's just what they've heard about the religion, or perhaps the people I know are just hiding the craziness/weirdness? I don't want any Mormons to answer this, or people who don't PERSONALLY know any Mormons:

What's your take/impression of actual Mormon people? Does it match what you hear about the religion from people who aren't Mormon?

Again, I don't care what they believe, I've just been observing, reading, and am curious.

Thank you for all the good answers. I guess I was just surprised by a lot of what I read on here because it just didn't seem to fit my experience with and observations of the few Mormons I know. Good to know that most others seem to get a similar impression that I do. Thanks again for your responses.

Answer 1

In my experience, Mormons are terribly nice people, though often pretty naive. There ARE some fairly eccentric bits to the religion, but the Mormons that I have met don't talk about those things unless asked.

Answer 2

The Mormons I have known have been pretty normal. The religion I consider weird though.

If you read the writings of the earlier Mormon prophets you will see what I mean. Especially Brigham Young, who was the second prophet/president of the Church after the founder, Joseph Smith. There is a series of books which you may be able to find in a library, called "Journal of discourses / by Brigham Young, his two counsellors, the twelve apostles, and others ; reported by G. D. Watt."

Although there are some "breakaway" Mormon sects that still practice polygamy. When you see them on TV they look pretty weird. They seem to live out in the boondocks and still dress like it's 1850.

Answer 3

I live in Utah, so I know quite a few Mormons. I would say that the ones I know are some of the most genuine, kindest people I know. They are very big on family values, and if they are active in their church fully believe in what their church teaches.

While I do feel that I get a bit of the strange brainwashing vibe from them. It is refreshing to find people that when you ask them about their beliefs you can tell they truly believe, with their whole hearts, what they are telling you is true.

I would say that calling someones beliefs crazy simply because it does not jive with your own is crazy in its self. Just for an example Catholics believe that the bread and wine actually transform into the body and blood of Jesus, but do we say they practice cannibalisms because of this? The same can be said of the Mormon beliefs in god planets, ect.

Answer 4

I lived in Vegas from 1980 to1996 where many people were Mormon. I didn't know for a very long time that I had a dozen friends who were Mormon. I found out at a funeral. So, they don't shove their religion on people no more then my Christian friends do and no more then my atheist friends do with their beliefs.

They are the same. At least the people I know are. But then again, I have some pretty wonderful, good hearted friends.

Answer 5

I just want to add one thing if I can... don't believe any of it if you want since I am a Mormon. But it sounds like you already got what you were looking for... so maybe I can add this...

Any religion or idea will sound wierd when explained by people who don't believe it or who don't like it. If you talked to an atheist about what Christians believed, as he described it to you (especially if you didn't know anything about it) it would sound totally wierd to you too... If a Mormon explained the Mormon beliefs in our own words and the way we see it, then it would most likely not sound anywhere near as wierd as most of these other people who explain it. When I read most of these explanations of my faith by others, I think to myself, 'Hey, that doesn't represent what I believe. It distorts it.' just a thought. Good Luck

Answer 6

This is tough, some people are different than others. The Mormons I know were not "normal", in fact, they were downright nutty. I don't judge all Mormons based on them alone, but these people were related to me, and I had to be around them. They did a lot of weird things that didn't make sense to me. My dad (a Catholic (he converted after marriage)) made jokes about them preparing for the apocalypse every year and not drinking coke (or pop, what ever).

I don't know if this was true, but judging by his mother's letters to me, she was completely nutty about that stuff.

Like I said, I don't think all Mormons do this... I just think there are some queer people out there.

Answer 7

I was friends with a Mormon in college. We never really discussed her beliefs (or mine--I was kind of in between religions at the time), and she seemed to be just a nice, sweet girl. The only thing that was a little odd was that she wouldn't drink any soda or coffee--nothing with caffeine--or anything alcoholic, but she never made a big production out of it or told any of the rest of us we were wrong.
The one thing she did tell us about her religion was that her church required all young people to go on some kind of a missions trip--not a bad idea, if you ask me, going out somewhere to help others or plant a church where one is needed. I don't agree with everyone's beliefs, but I truly believe that all religions have something to teach everyone, if we'd just be open-minded.

Answer 8

You have to understand, like all religions not all mormons remain in the church and are active in their religion. A good example of this is Salt lake, where the youth, both mormon and non-mormon party like anywhere else....at least until it's time for the boys to go on missions....Not all mormons are straight, super-religious etc...being mormon is not just a religion, it has become also a specific culture, not all cultural mormons are religious...does that make sense?

Answer 9

I am ex-mormon and grew up mormon in UT. I heard all the lastest theology coming from the presidency, such things about the earth having a soul and getting babtized when the flood came, and they taking the journal of discourses seriously, while mormons not so close to SLC, UT, did not take it as scriptural truth. I have seen the prophets men-in-black, who protect him from snipers. I asked my brother who is an atheist about what goes on in the temples and he says it is the same as the what the anti-mormon websites say. ect.

Answer 10

Keeping in mind that the plural of anecdote is *not* evidence: I've known a few *well* --- one was one of the most outstandingly nice people I've ever known. She was very modest and shy but was just extraordinarily kind and I have to admit that I was shamed by her goodness.

The other was fairly -- er -- well, weird would be kind. He just seemed insanely repressed. I'm not saying this is because of Mormonism, necessarily, but I admit that it did seem connected. He seemed to enjoy irritating people (well, at least me) and seemed like one of those dudes who is obsessed with sex but not getting any (and just by the way, I am a Christian who does not believe in premarital sex --- but I know you know what I mean).

#1 and #2 dated --- #1 was a doll and #2 (the guy) treated her like crap.

But we were 19 years old then --- who can you really expect to be mature at that age? Who *isn't* a jerk when they are 19?

I wouldn't say normal as I define normal --- but neither of them wore tinfoil hats for sure.