The Truth about Mormons

[chloe]

I would think any non-Mormon would have been 'targeted' for baptism.

This is true all the ancestors unbaptised would be put on a list by a friend or living relative for baptism.

 

[Truthspeaker]

Doc Grump--

What makes Mormons a cult?

The truth is, WE ARE A CULT. That's right! We absolutely are. I am not kidding. If you look up the definition of a cult, it reads: A system of specific religious beliefs or practices.
Not so bad is it. I am proud to be a cultist

 

[Truthspeaker]

I'm sure that for those who believe in a different faith, to baptize their loved ones after their deaths, into a faith they never espoused in life, seems the height of disrespect. Particularly when the people in question died heinous deaths at the hands of the Nazis.

Maybe people can consider it disrespectful. If they have a problem with it they can have their families names removed from the list.

 

[Truthspeaker]

That's why I am so happy to not be a Mormon. I'm Buddhist, and was married in a Buddhist monastery by a Lama and legally married in California.

Homosexuality is not considered a sin in my spiritual tradition.

What I think is obnoxious is your church thinking to impose your values on other people who aren't LDS.

Utah needs to stick to Utah's business.

I've counseled a couple of gay Mormons and they were the most confused men I ever met in my life.

One of them was married and was in the habit of getting drunk and having sex with a man and then MOVING HIS ENTIRE FAMILY out of town and out of state every time he lapsed.

We are willing to have people think we are trying to impose if it means protecting values we hold sacred. We are not imposing our way of life on anyone. We voted on an issue we were allowed to vote on. We made up a small minority of the vote, so we certainly don't deserve all the credit for passing prop 8.

 

[Truthspeaker]

Here is an organization for gay and lesbian Mormons

Affirmation: Gay & Lesbian Mormons

That's nice, they don't have any idea what they are talking about.

 

[no1tovote4]

Tell us the truth about the people on the moon.

I know a bunch of it, but I think it will come better from you.

It began, as I understand it, in a magazine article, in fact an LDS magazine entitled "The Young Woman's Journal," wherein there was an assertion that the Prophet told somebody that they would preach to the inhabitants of the moon.

 

[Truthspeaker]

What is your view of other spiritual paths? Do you think that baptising others who are not Mormon is respectful of others?

Why does someone have to make a special appeal to be let off the hook with your baptisms?

Because of our belief in the afterlife and the type of life that goes on in the next existence, we believe it is very good to baptize individuals in case they would have accepted the gospel had they had the chance to.
As for other religious paths, we don't condemn them. We believe God takes into consideration all plights and circumstances and in fact many of them will achieve paradise a lot sooner than a lot of so called "Mormons". God doesn't judge us on what religion we are a part of as much as what is in our hearts and what we do with knowledge we receive and how kind we are to others.

 

[Truthspeaker]

Why do you believe this? You know nothing about me.

I believe the things I have said because of the research and prayer I have done. This thread is not about you or how much I know about you. It is about clarifying the truth about Mormons. I am not here to debate our principles or apologize for them. I am here to state them so people can be informed about us and form their own opinions based on truth and not heresay.

 

[sky dancer]

That's nice, they don't have any idea what they are talking about.

It bugs you, nonetheless. Why is that?

http://www.gaymormon.com/

 

[sky dancer]

Because of our belief in the afterlife and the type of life that goes on in the next existence, we believe it is very good to baptize individuals in case they would have accepted the gospel had they had the chance to.
As for other religious paths, we don't condemn them. We believe God takes into consideration all plights and circumstances and in fact many of them will achieve paradise a lot sooner than a lot of so called "Mormons". God doesn't judge us on what religion we are a part of as much as what is in our hearts and what we do with knowledge we receive and how kind we are to others.

Your assertion is that whatever YOU believe is paramount and whatever other paths human beings follow is 'lesser' somehow.

You baptize the deceased whether they would have accepted the gospel or not.

Where is it you think the dead are when they are being 'baptized'?

 

[Truthspeaker]

I don't think you can definitively address the culture and/or existence of corruption in the state of Utah having never resided there for any length of time. Taking your relatives' word for it is sloppy.

I lived in Utah for 10 years. For five of those years, I worked for the major police agency in the state. You make the claim that the culture in Utah is immune to corruption, and if corruption exists, it is likely from outsiders. I disagree. Close to 90% of the population of Utah is Mormon. However, the state has the highest PER CAPITA rate of suicide and child sexual abuse in the U.S. For many years running, Utah has been in the top five states in the nation, overall (not per capita) in clandestine methamphetamine labs, in spite of its relatively small population size. It has an exceptionally high rate of methamphetamine abuse, as well as abuse of prescription drugs.

There is no state in the country with a more concentrated population of LDS faithful. And yet, the state has more serious problems with suicide, child sexual abuse, and drug abuse than most other states. If the LDS church is as efficacious as you suggest, certainly, this would not be the case.

You are here wanting to proselytize for your faith. Fine. But, I know just as much about it, and lived immersed in it for more than a decade. If you plan to gloss over the numerous serious problems with your faith, be on notice that I will not let you slide. I consider your faith extremely socially detrimental. It imposes an unachievable standard on people that is probably directly correlated to the high suicide rates. I spent day after day immersed with serious crime problems in the capital of your faith.

I know the dark underbelly of your beliefs in a way that you never will.

I don't have time to debate your bogus stats. they are so illogical it blows my mind. I NEVER said that the state was incapable of corruption. I actually backed you up by saying it is possible for individuals to be corrupt. I never claimed Utah to be some holy city in the clouds. My only claim was that the churches teachings are not corrupt. I have invited you over and over again to ask questions about our teachings, not questionable individuals who operate without church sanction.
I have invited you to expose the "dark underbelly" of the which you know so much but you have shown nothing other than mention individual sins of people who happen to have membership in the church on paper. I fail to see any logic in your argument and it is clear that you are bitter at an organization that has not wronged you when you should be bitter towards individuals. In fact you shouldn't be bitter at anyone. It takes time off of your life to worry about what other people are doing. Let them do their thing and worry about your own life and doing good to others.

 

[sky dancer]

This site has been created to provide a forum for gay men, lesbians and their families and friends to share their stories. The common denominator is Mormonism with the hope that those who are journeying therein will feel less alone after reading these stories.



At best, the Mormon Church has provided a less than hospitable environment for its gay and lesbian members, leaving most of us to find our own way out of the confusion, condemnation and guilt. It can be a pretty lonely road and sometimes just knowing that somebody else is going through the same things we are helps make the journey a little easier.



Rather than going to battle with the Mormon Church over its beliefs and practices, this site focuses on the first-person narratives of those who are impacted by it all. Sometimes we get so caught up in the doctrine that we forget the human toll involved in a one-size-fits-all plan. Hopefully these stories will help put a more human face on the complex issues of religion and sexuality and generate a greater feeling of tolerance and understanding.
Gay Mormon Stories - Family & Friends

 

[Truthspeaker]

And then, when they have passed away, you'll do it anyway.

No we won't. You act like we barge into peoples homes interrogate them to find out where the grave is, dig them up and baptize their corpses. You are way wrong.

 

[Truthspeaker]

Actually Orin Hatch and Hunstmans are mormon, I've met them both ! Additionally the Deseret Newspaper is mormon run, I know the Daughter whose father for many years ran KSL which was mormon influenced heavily. To say the Church has no influence whether for the good or bad in utah is just not true. I can accept your "ideal" that it shouldn't be that way or that if some folks in the political arena push the Church agenda and are being corrupt that is against what the church wants and so they will be dealt with accordingly in one of the kingdoms. But To say to people who have lived here 10 years, 20 years or all there life that it just doesnt happen, is either naive or untrue on your part. I worked for a mayor once (namewithheld) and was encouraged to go to a city council meeting and while there every member on that city council was mormon and in fact went to the same ward. One of the city residents addressed them at the mic as "The High Council" (freudian slip) and the whole room laughed except for the gentiles. So don't act like it doesnt happen in utah. I have lived here a long time and it does happen.

You guys are missing the point. You are still pointing out wrongdoings by individuals in a government setting who happen to be mormon by virtue of the percentage of mormons in the population. I never said that this doesn't happen and you are right to assume that it would be naive and untrue. that is not what I am saying.

 

[sky dancer]

I think it's possible truthspeaker, that you are missing many posters points.

 

[Truthspeaker]

:falls down laughing her ass off:

Well, that's a naive perspective, poorly connected from reality. The Deseret News is indeed owned by the church, and KSL television is heavily influenced by the church. The vast majority of elected officials in Utah are LDS. I think the Senate at this point is probably about 90% active LDS. As far as the police departments are concerned, it varies. The influence of the church is indeed far-reaching.

And, when the first presidency makes a phone call to the governor's office, you better know that the governor says, "how high?" when told to jump.

As I thought, you have no clue about how life in Utah actually works.

Ok, will give you that I forgot about DESERET NEWS. It's not like they push mormon propaganda anyway. Of course the church through it's teaching of individuals is going to have an effect on the community. It doesn't take a brain surgeon to see that. You are way out of line if you think that President Monson gets on the phone with government officials to dictate policy. Nope never happened except when it comes to what we consider to be a moral issue. Very rarely does that even happen except for recently with the gay marriage issue.
Of course the population of the senate and other government officials is going to be represented by mainly mormons. What are they supposed to elect all non-mormons. Your argument misses the mark. Again you can't claim church involvement with individual or political decisions except moral ones.

 

[Truthspeaker]

There is a common belief that John Smith was a Freemason and stole much of the symbolism of Mormonism from the Freemasons.

I have a few questions that should either begin to dispel or maintain the myth.

1. Are there three degrees for entry to the Temple, with handshakes?
2. Are you raised into the Temple?
3. Are there passwords?

You can do your own research on that, but only because of my covenants I will not talk about such details. What I will say is that it is not important to the discussion. There are rituals and and performances that go on in the temple to remind us to keep a steadfast faith in Christ and keep his commandments.
And before you ask, there is no nudity.

 

[Skeptik]

Your assertion is that whatever YOU believe is paramount and whatever other paths human beings follow is 'lesser' somehow.

You baptize the deceased whether they would have accepted the gospel or not.

Where is it you think the dead are when they are being 'baptized'?

One of the big differences between Mormons and Evangelicals is that the latter believe that a person who dies without accepting Christ is lost forever, never mind whether or not he/she even heard of the Christian god.

I've never understood how anyone could believe that Mahatma Ghandi, for example, would have to be damned for not being a Christian, but that's just me.

Mormons believe that the dead are in Paradise (not the same as heaven, but close) with others, particularly family members who have predeceased them.

If there is anything that could change a person's belief system, it is to wake up after death, and find that they are with their parents an grandparents in Paradise. If, after having experienced death and finding out what is on the other side, the Mormons believe that the person might accept baptism. If not, then the baptism for the dead has no effect, so nothing is being forced on anyone.

 

[Truthspeaker]

Yeah, Joseph Smith. Give me a break, I'm not even a Christian, let alone a Mormon. You're lucky if I get that Jeebus guy right!

I like that you have a sense of humor.

 

[Truthspeaker]

That didn't help to dispel this belief at all. Bummer. Although you don't receive any special name when you become a Freemason.

this woman claims to know so much but she's just angry at us and trying to cross me up unsuccessfully. she is not interested in the truth about mormons. She only wants to spread more false rumors about us mixed in with half truths and attacks on individuals who operate outside of church sanction.