Hard to respect Mormonism

[Jerusha]

Elizabeth, some people here have had interactions with the worst of Mormons. Just because your interactions have been positive, does not mean that others’ experiences are to be discounted or invalidated.

My own policy is one of caution. When I meet someone, I carefully assess them. For example, if I note an interest in genealogy, I am cautious. If they want to know where I was raised, I am cautious. I do not want to trigger hostility by giving them information that might threaten their belief system. People can choose where they go on the internet. IRL it is somewhat different. I know that just because a person claims to be religious does not mean that person practices an ethical lifestyle. (Cue Vatican music) And Mormonism does not have the highly developed code of ethics that we profess, but often do not live up to.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

No, and the proof of that is what you continued to say below:

Again, I differentiated between theology and behavior, but the head-tripping on this thread prevents most of you from seeing that difference – because apparently unless an individual’s religious creed corresponds with Christian creeds, that individual’s behavior no matter how upright, is by definition compromised, inferior, and suspect. I have nothing more to say, other than that if I were Mormon and considering converting to Catholicism, it would be difficult for me to feel welcome when reading this thread.

Bye all.

I don’t know why you have a mental block about recognizing that Mormonism is not Christianity, yet acknowledging that many Mormons do act in a Christian manner. From what Rebecca and others have said on this thread and many others, at least some of their Christian-like actions are undertaken in order to recruit people to their religion. Yes, we have ex-Mormons here on the forum, and their perspective from the inside out is more relevant than yours from the outside in, regardless of how adamant you are.

I don’t know why you are so personally defensive about this subject. No one here has said that any individual Mormon is evil or anything close to that. It is the same as Scientology to me - the people who believe that made-up “religion” are seekers who found the wrong answers. Whatever they live out in their lives - if they actually end up with more Christian attitudes - is a bonus, because of the kinds of delusional believes that they have absorbed. See Rebecca’s post about the descendants of Cain having been cursed with dark skin for an example.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

Maybe a perspective would help here. When I was in the third grade, I was being taught in my Sunday school class about the curse of Cain, which was, dark skin. People born with dark skin were so, because of how they acted in a pre-mortal life. A life before this one. Those less valiant were born to parents with dark skin. Because of this, God would not allow people with black skin to have the blessing of priesthood ordination.

Sitting in class at school one day, I was being taught about how people had evolved in different latitudes. I learned about melanin.

I was stunned, and this was in THIRD GRADE. It was the first time I had an idea that what I was being taught in church was wrong.

Put that in the perspective of the OP who is talking about ADULTS.

You know, I had heard that statement before, but every time I read it, it is shocking all over again.