Ask a Mormon....almost anything.

This is called networking. Not an exclusively Mormon trait, although we are pretty good at it, but we got nothing in comparison to the Jews.

Interesting site. But then again, I live in Idaho and my social circle comprises them. But we also have our own employment specialists as well. Again, networking, nothing more. College fraternities do the same thing, so do the Free Masons.

Not impossible, but certainly difficult if they all don't like you. Depends on the business, I might dislike the guy at the gas station, but I have a powerful need to get to work. And he has a product I need.

I can see why, and even agreed that it isn't exactly brotherly. But at the end of the day, there could be a number of reasons why they chose to not shop there. But one thing is clear, conversion is not forced. Social pressure is not force.

 

Starving a man out unless he converts is forcible conversion. When Mormons refuse to do business with non-Mormons, they are using their economic power in coercive fashion to force conversions. If Catholics did that, we could bring every non-Catholic business down to its knees.

Yes, its true that smaller groups network, like Jews. But Jews are only a tiny percentage of the population.

When Mormons act this way in a city where they are the great majority it is no longer networking, it is a sinister form of jihad.

 

Not really, but if she did say she wouldn't sell beer than she not only lied, but was called out on it. In such a case I would say she earned it.

But she is a business owner, she can make her own decision provided she isn't breaking any laws of the land. She is also free to dismiss this man from her store. Granted if it went down the way you describe it I would say the man behaved in a manner rather beneath him, he could have pulled her off to the side and spoken with her rather than cause a scene, that would be a better way to convey an idea.

Busybodies are the worst sort of human beings, regardless of religion and race.

If I were her I would prioritize carefully about what matters more and then act on it. Because this seems to be a flaw in a business model and the host environment for her business model.

I think this isn't as big of a problem as you think it is, she is perfectly capable of dismissing harassing people from her store and making her own decisions. Neighbors may squawk about it, but that is about it. They can choose whether or not to support a store or not. Not supporting a store because they sell beer is perfectly within their rights. And so is the owner to sell beer. If needed get the police involved, that is what they are for.

If you are going to go against the grain on purpose, you should do so with your eyes wide open to the potential results.

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I know a Jewish insurance salesman in the heart of Salt Lake City, he does quite well - with mormon clients. It isn't the massive problem you think it is.

 

So are mormons. The majority of our membership lies outside of the US. Weird eh? But it isn't forcible conversion no matter how much you may think it is.

Not really, it is simply choosing which businesses the population wants to succeed. Nothing holy or unholy about it. It is simply a matter of business and customer desires. If you don't supply the customers wants and needs you go out of business.

Another thing you need to keep clear is that it isn't the Church, but its members. Remember the distinction between the two.

 

I saw a video store in St. George. It had a big sign that said "PG movies only!!!"

Do you think that morality that is forced on other people is real morality?

Like the religious police in Saudi Arabia, arresting couples who hold hands in public.

Aren't the Mormons doing the same thing, albeit at a less extreme level?

 

Does this sign carry the force of law? If not than it isn't force, kinda like big gravel trucks saying "not responsible for chipped windshields" - total crap, yes they are responsible, but nobody calls them out on because they don't think to. They just assume that is the way it is. It is simply clever conditioning.

Show me an internment camp where we store out captives and churn out new recruits. Psst...you can stop looking because they don't exist. The whole organization is voluntary. Were it forced do you think I would be a member? Definitely not.

Completely disconnected, there is no force of law behind it in any way. It is not the way of the church to force people to do things. The church will certainly encourage certain behaviors but it cannot and will not force them.

So do you have any other questions?

 

So your typical Mormon girl who attend BYU and wants to get married at the age of 18 and have five or six babies hasn't been brainwashed in any way?

 

I see what you're doing, but hey, I'll play...

I have noticed that those who disapprove of another's cultural or religious belief often accuse them of brainwashing their membership. I wonder, why only focus your gaze on the LDS crowd and not Islam? They tend to have similarly high birthrates as well.

Girls of different locales tend to have different desires. Any other questions Blackrook? I got time...

 

I see many similaries between LDS and Islam.

Both use aggressive tactics to increase their membership.

Both encourage their membership to have large families to increase their numbers.

Both religions were started by a "prophet" who used his religious influence to seduce large numbers of women, i.e. Charlie Manson.

I am not saying LDS is nearly as bad as Islam, I'm just saying there are similarities.

One might say, well "the Mormons make good neighbors." They leave clean lives and are usually very productive members of society. They raise their children with good values.

But the "good values" comes with a cost -- enforced conformity. Mormons are required to act and dress like the Cleavers by Church law. They do not have the option of dressing like slobs like the rest of us.

And there is "family night" when Mormons are required to play games with their children. I could not abide that kind of micro-management in my family.

And really, do Mormons make good neighbors? I'm not so sure.

I have noticed that Mormons are polite, but they will never let outsiders into their world. There is always an invisible wall between them and anyone who is not Mormon.

And if a Mormon gets married in the Temple, his or her non-Mormon friends and family will be excluded. I find that to be outragous.

And Mormon missionaries are not really up front about the odd teachings of the Mormon religion. They cloak themselves as Christians, and only after you've been in their Church for a while do they reveal the kooky stuff.

 

Here is an interesting website I found, full of horror stories about aggressive Mormons:

http://www.mormoncurtain.com/topic_unwelcome.html

I was in a Mormon lawfirm and they never tried to convert me.

That was probably because they knew I was a devout Catholic, and there was no point in trying.

The thing is, if you try to convert me, I might try to convert you back.

So you're walking a thin line starting this thread.

You are in danger of losing your Mormon faith.

Do you really want to take that chance?

 

The thing I've noticed about Mormonism is that they expect you to put their Church above everything else in your life, including your career and family.

At the firm I worked for, one of the partners was President of a stake (that's like a parish) and he used firm time and office supplies to do work for his church. I found that to be totally inappropriate, but all the partners were Mormon so there was no one to complain.

After I left, one of the partners was sent to Chicago for three years to hold a high position in the church. He just dropped his legal practice and went, and his income will be reduced drastically while he is in this position.

And a missionary, who is usually a boy of only 18 years, his family must pay the entire cost of a two year trip to a foreign country.

So really, you have to be very well off to be a good Mormon.

 

Right.....And you don't find anything weird about a nunnery?

These can be traits of anybody, of any faith and culture.

Optional obedience actually.

Recommended actually. There isn't a home inspection. But the church does think spending one night a week with your family is important enough to not have any church meetings being done one monday so it can happen. Even the temples shut down.

And really, what is so wrong with wanting to spend time with your family on a regular basis? Or more than one night a week? And it isn't a forced activity, if you don't want to do it, don't. Every family situation is different.

This is asymptomatic of religion, one of my best friends and neighbors growing up was a catholic, another an athiest.

You are aware that there is a fleet of missionaries inviting people into "our world" right?

If you don't pay you don't get to play as the saying goes. Of course they can always have a reception later, or be civily married so all can attend. But you're right, not everybody gets to just waltz into the temple, not even some members due to other reasons of worthiness.

Milk and oatmeal before meat and potatoes. That is how it is for everything of all faiths. With rare exceptions. The "kookiness" factor is all a matter of opinion. Surely there are those who think catholic mass and weddings are "kooky" as well.

So you've decided to haggle which is superior then?

 

I am non-religious and somehow I saw the "light". I want give Christianity a go. Give me one good reason why I should choose Mormonism.

 

You're entirely off topic at this point.

Not terribly worried. But if you want to, make another thread and I'll happily participate. Been a while since I talked religion with another.

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Not a single question, entirely off topic. Are you here just to rag on Mormons? Because you could create a thread for it.

 

I think you'll find it fairly consistent. But I am not here to convert you. Conversion is something wrought about by a higher power then that of a mere man.

What is your question?

 

If it's not up to mere men to convert, why do mere men land on my doorstep on Saturdays?

 

Gemini_fyre, take a look at my thread:

http://www.politicalforum.com/relig...nt-tell-you-but-you-should-probably-know.html

 

They show up to see if you are willing to hear a message. And thru that message the spirit does its work of conversion. No man can convert another. Persuade to listen and agree to follow tenets maybe, but not convert. It also requires consent, the spirit will not go where it is not wanted.

 

I disagree. I will convert you to an apostate Mormon if you look at my other thread. Come, take a look at it.

 

This is not my experience with Mormons. Allow me to explain.

My wife is a development aid worker. In 2003 she put her hand up to project manage an education project for AusAid in Laos. She also wrote the bid and negoiated (in country) with the Lao government 12 months previously. A project that was suppose to last for 12 months, but because of its success, ended up lasting four years. She spent four years in Laos while I was home being both father and mother to our two girls, 18 and 24 at the time. I was without my wife, best friend and lover,, although I did spend a few months with her each year and she came home for the Christmas/New Year holidays. This was our choice and a decision made by our entire family.

Around about 2005 or 2006 I returned from Laos about five months previously and had been on the 'phone to my wife on the Friday evening, pretty normal for us. Saturday morning a knock on my door, two Mormon lads. Before I could even say hello, one said (and I quote) "What have you sacrificed for the poor of this world?", I'll never forget these words. I fired a broadside at the smug bastard.

 

In all truth, I likely would have too. But the truth is I think you were pounced upon by a fairly retarded set of missionaries. Most of them are just kids without a lick of common sense in the world. It sounds like their presentation skills needed a complete overhaul.

So what is your question? Not trying to patronize you or anything, but it is a Q&A thread with primarily a doctrinal focus. Or atleast that was the hope anyways.

 

Now living in Laos, the last six months or so I have been seeing Mormons,, getting around on bicycles, collar and ties, name tags with Elder So and So etc etc.

A couple of questions. Have Mormons signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Lao government? Who are they trying to "convert" to Mormanism,, the ethnic group Animists, the Theravada Buddhist locals, or expats living and working in Laos?

 

Since you are not particularly well versed in the OT, NT or LDS exclusive scriptures, according to your post, why should we find much credibility in the "A" side of your Q&A session?
Are LDS people generally gullible as a rule so they do not require people of expertise as instructors in all things, or just in Mormonism?

 

Haven't the foggiest to my knowledge. But I do know that the church has to comply with the laws of the land, so if they are there, they are either really lost, or the government is cool with it. Whether anything was signed or not, remains a mystery to me. You'd be in a better position to tell me in all honesty.

Like most religions, everyone who is willing to listen.

 

Said I didn't know them like the back of my hand. Also admitted that I am a fallible human being just like the rest of us. But really, I don't have to be a genius, Google is pretty good at confirming or denying what I said, so are the links in my signature. If the source matches the claim, it is up to you to believe or not believe it.

Let me know if you have any non-antagonistic questions. I'll be happy to answer them. But keep in mind the OP.