Is Mormon conversion possible in Utah County?

[RAR]

I know this sounds funny, but bear with me…

Wouldn’t it be next-to impossible for a Mormon living in Utah County to convert to a different religion (without moving away)?

Since moving here a little over a year ago, folks have been very upfront about the difficulty and challenges a non-Mormon has in living in this culture. I really haven’t had much of an issue, other than getting used to seeing Dear Elder and LDS movie billboards, but I understand what they are saying and I have appreciated the candor. The culture is so local and focused around the ward that we sort of stick out like a sore thumb in our neighborhood (we have very friendly neighbors and have had no problems). This could be very intimidating, but it isn’t for my wife and I.

Anyway, I think to myself… “self,” I says, “if I were LDS and decided to leave the church for Catholicism,” (or another) “how would that all play out?” And I think that it would be very difficult indeed.

I thought about this because of our Church of Christ friend who is 15 and living at home and wanting to leave for Catholicism. I think living in Utah County and leaving for another church would be even more difficult… now you see your neighbors everyday, but they know you’ve made a decision to reject their church… Whoa!

Anyone who can make that move has my full admiration!

RAR

 

[teancum79]

Its hard to be a minority no matter where you live or who the dominate group is. The more involved people are in the dominate factor the harder it is to leave or not join without dealing with fallout. So whither it is being Catholic in Utah or LDS in the bible belt its hard.

 

[dhgray]

It would be very difficult. However, it’s not impossible: Check out this link: How to Leave the Mormon Church Gracefully

I say this because:

I thought about this because of our Church of Christ friend who is 15 and living at home and wanting to leave for Catholicism.

requires the consent of the parents. (at least until the child turns 18).

 

[RebeccaJ]

“Leaving the Saints”, by Martha Beck

She and her husband were both teaching at BYU when they exited out. They moved to AZ.

Yes, it is difficult, but I believe people who are thinking about leaving make it harder in their minds. Fear of the unknown, fear of rejection, fear of losing friends and family, etc, etc.

The link that dhgray posted has good tips. The best of them, I believe, is to not explain why you are leaving the Mormon church. Doing so turns out like the discussions that we have here, with Mormons. Anything you say that is not inline with Mormon leaders is taken as a personal attack.

If you are as young as 15, boy howdy. Depending on how your family reacts, life could become hell. I started my exit at 17, and kept all my doubts and unbelief to myself. I didn’t even want to go there.

 

[tundramom]

It is possible! I am now a Catholic and my conversion started in my tweens. I’m now 41 and not living in Happy Valley any longer… Praise God! But it is possible

in Christ
Steph

 

[RAR]

It is possible! I am now a Catholic and my conversion started in my tweens. I’m now 41 and not living in Happy Valley any longer… Praise God! But it is possible

in Christ
Steph

Hi Steph,

Funny, I wonder if we passed each other. I started off unbaptized in MN and ended up Catholic in UT, whereas you started off Mormon in UT and ended up Catholic in MN.

Enjoy the state, I miss it a little.

RAR

 

[zerinus]

I know this sounds funny, but bear with me…

Wouldn’t it be next-to impossible for a Mormon living in Utah County to convert to a different religion (without moving away)?

No it wouldn’t. Mormons are a friendly lot. Just as you don’t have any problems with your friendly Mormon neighbours, a Mormon converting to another religion wouldn’t either. Very often that is perceived rather than real. Also, very often it is those who convert to other religions that begin to shun their Mormon family members, former friends, and neighbours; and then they blame it on them. They shun the Mormons, and then accuse the Mormons of shunning them.

zerinus

 

[rien]

Its hard to be a minority no matter where you live or who the dominate group is. The more involved people are in the dominate factor the harder it is to leave or not join without dealing with fallout. So whither it is being Catholic in Utah or LDS in the bible belt its hard.

Exactly! Thank you. A growing number of Spaniards and especially around Granada and the south of that country are re-converting to Islam. You think someone has a problem converting out of Mormonism in Utah? Imagine converting out of Catholocism in Spain.

 

[J_C]

based on my observations i would have to agreee with Zerinus. The mormons I’;ve met are the most decent people. If anything, I would say they border on religious indifference. I have not had the feeling at any time that they are pushing their religion. the families I know are mixed moromn, Catholic, and agnostic, yet everyone gets along very well, there is an overall fun sense of humor about life, nothing rigid or dogmatic.

a few dyas ago I had a conversation with a young former missionary about various Catholic vs Mormon topics, and I referred him over to catholic.com suggesting that he might enjoy some fo the debates between the mormons here and Cahtolics. He aksed me if CA is “contentious” because, he said, he cannot tolerate any religious “contention.” I mentioned two or three of the regulars here, like Zerinus, saying yes there can be some “contentious” dialog at times. As soon as he said this, I quoted Jude verse 3, Contend Earnestly for the Faith, but he had no comment on it, and we have not discussed the subject since then.

So while there are a few mormons who Earnestly Contend for their Faith, many mormons, it seems to me, do not.

 

[RAR]

Exactly! Thank you. A growing number of Spaniards and especially around Granada and the south of that country are re-converting to Islam. You think someone has a problem converting out of Mormonism in Utah? Imagine converting out of Catholocism in Spain.

That’s a good point. Anyone leaving a religion that predominates in a region would have a very difficult time. I don’t know about the Spaniards in your example, but I live in Utah County and I have never been in a region more dominated by a single religion… and in such a small area, too. That’s why I thought the problem interesting.

Also, I didn’t mean to suggest that in the scenario, the LDS would shun anyone. I haven’t experienced that living here as a non-Mormon. But I do think that the discomfort (whether real or perceived) could be enough to eventually cause that person to contemplate moving. I think this would be the case in any similar situation.

I’ve just never seen such a microcosm as I see here. It really is unique… the LDS populated their own state, Utah County is in a valley between two mountain ranges, the area is 90% LDS, they don’t serve real beer in restaurants (anyone who says that 3/2 business they serve at Chili’s is beer is gonna get a fist in their mouth - okay, that’s a little off topic).

… Anyway, it really is like no other place I’ve ever lived, or seen even.

RAR

 

[RAR]

based on my observations i would have to agreee with Zerinus. The mormons I’;ve met are the most decent people. If anything, I would say they border on religious indifference.

I’ve noticed this religious indifference, too, though I find it a little disturbing… I mean, isn’t religious indifference almost relativism? Anyway, I’ve wondered if maybe it was in my head until you mentioned it.

And, again, please refer to my previous post… this thread is not a commentary on any perceived lack of character of my Mormon neighbors. Far from it actually, I wish I had shared so widely my values with my neighbors back in Minnesota.

RAR

 

[rien]

That’s a good point. Anyone leaving a religion that predominates in a region would have a very difficult time. I don’t know about the Spaniards in your example, but I live in Utah County and I have never been in a region more dominated by a single religion… and in such a small area, too. That’s why I thought the problem interesting.

Also, I didn’t mean to suggest that in the scenario, the LDS would shun anyone. I haven’t experienced that living here as a non-Mormon. But I do think that the discomfort (whether real or perceived) could be enough to eventually cause that person to contemplate moving. I think this would be the case in any similar situation.

I’ve just never seen such a microcosm as I see here. It really is unique… the LDS populated their own state, Utah County is in a valley between two mountain ranges, the area is 90% LDS, they don’t serve real beer in restaurants (anyone who says that 3/2 business they serve at Chili’s is beer is gonna get a fist in their mouth - okay, that’s a little off topic).

… Anyway, it really is like no other place I’ve ever lived, or seen even.

RAR

I don’t know Utah. I’ve read with the relocation of jobs there to the SLC area it is growing (SLC) less stringently Mormon and somewhat more secular/religiously diverse. There is even an Islamic center now in SLC. I’ve heard of Mormons in Utah kind of complaining of perceived changes. In the big city anyway.

 

[ljahns]

I don’t know. My parents lived in Utah back in the '60’s and they did not run into any problems at that time with being discriminated against because they were not Mormon. At that time they both practiced the Baptist religion.

My story is a bit strange. I was raised Southern Baptist and never knew my mother was raised Mormon until about 10 years ago when both her and my Dad went to the Mormon Chuch.

I am now Catholic and have no problems with my mom. She’s tried a few times to tell me about the Great Apostacy and some other things, but I refuted them with Catholic teaching. She’s no more an apologist than I am so she no longer does that. We respect each other’s choices and love each other.

The other Mormons I’ve run across haven’t even said a thing about the LDS Church.

 

[AMDGtoo]

I bet that if they convert, it is with a great deal of difficulty. Just normally, there is probably little time for it since the LDS are kept mighty busy with “callings” and all. And LDS friends and family put a great deal of pressure on the person to remain LDS. Especially the family, since the LDS tout an LDS only “forever family”. The entire ward acts too. There are also the Visiting Teachers, Home Teachers, and the expected “we-need-to-feed-the-Missionaries-who-canvas-the-area” visits. But conversion while living in a place where the majority of the culture itself from the workplace to anyplace on the any street being steeped in the LDS culture–it’s in the very air, must make it difficult indeed (although not impossible since there are folks here who managed).

 

[rien]

I bet that if they convert, it is with a great deal of difficulty. Just normally, there is probably little time for it since the LDS are kept mighty busy with “callings” and all. And LDS friends and family put a great deal of pressure on the person to remain LDS. Especially the family, since the LDS tout an LDS only “forever family”. The entire ward acts too. There are also the Visiting Teachers, Home Teachers, and the expected “we-need-to-feed-the-Missionaries-who-canvas-the-area” visits. But conversion while living in a place where the majority of the culture itself from the workplace to anyplace on the any street being steeped in the LDS culture–it’s in the very air, must make it difficult indeed (although not impossible since there are folks here who managed).

I really see the only "threats to LDS in Utah as secularism and Islam. Muslims are there now and they are tenacious. They will grow. Given that no Chritian religion other than LDS is more than 4% or so I can see in a decade or so islam being the largest group in Utah after LDS.

The Muslims have a strong missionary push and hold fast even moreso than Mormons. It will be interesting to see the expansion of Islam in Utah. In terms of not being LDS in Utah, I think that is where the long term future is.

 

[RebeccaJ]

I really see the only "threats to LDS in Utah as secularism and Islam. Muslims are there now and they are tenacious. They will grow. Given that no Chritian religion other than LDS is more than 4% or so I can see in a decade or so islam being the largest group in Utah after LDS.

Where did you get that figure?

The recent Pew religious survey shows:

Evangelical 7%
Mainline Protestant 6%
Black Protestant 1%
Catholic 10%
Mormon 58%
Muslim <0.5%
Unaffiliated 27%

 

[zerinus]

The other Mormons I’ve run across haven’t even said a thing about the LDS Church.

Oh, just hang around here for a while, and you will soon hear a lot about the LDS Church from me!

zerinus

 

[zerinus]

I really see the only "threats to LDS in Utah as secularism and Islam. Muslims are there now and they are tenacious. They will grow. Given that no Chritian religion other than LDS is more than 4% or so I can see in a decade or so islam being the largest group in Utah after LDS.

The Muslims have a strong missionary push and hold fast even moreso than Mormons. It will be interesting to see the expansion of Islam in Utah. In terms of not being LDS in Utah, I think that is where the long term future is.

Mormons are not afraid of Islam. We have good relations with them; just as we cultivate good relations with Catholics or any other faith. BYU has a respectable Arabic and Islamic studies department one of whose objectives is to provide high quality translations into English of ancient Islamic texts in the fields of theology, philosophy, and mysticism. Try this link:

aataweb.org/Default.aspx?pageID=20

zerinus

 

[BDawg]

Where did you get that figure?

The recent Pew religious survey shows:

Evangelical 7%
Mainline Protestant 6%
Black Protestant 1%
Catholic 10%
Mormon 58%
Muslim <0.5%
Unaffiliated 27%

Those look like figures for Utah as a whole, rather than Utah County.

 

[RebeccaJ]

Those look like figures for Utah as a whole, rather than Utah County.

Yes, a reply to rien who was also talking about Utah as whole.

I would guess there are about 10 Muslims in Utah County.