Mormon Religion

[penguinchicky]

Hi,

I love the show Big Love … and I know it is a TV show but I’m at the end of the third season and I have some questions.

Firstly in the show a bishop or priest vists one of the characters to see why she is not going to chuch etc. They also know they have not being paying tithes and once they find out she is in a plural marriage kick her out (though I’m in the middle of the episode so am just guessing this happens).

Are people in the Mormon Church allowed to visit your house and accuse you of things like that?

Also are you not allowed to attened church unless you pay tithes? What happens if you are poor?

Also is it true there are strange rituals in the temple? I’ve had a friend in the past who was Mormon who said only some people could visit this area … why is that?

 

[averagejoe84]

I think first we need to be fair. The main Mormon church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has not practiced polygamy for over 100yrs.

Big Love is about polygamists who are members of some off shoot of mormonism, and many do exist particularly in Southern Utah down near St George. So Big Love isn’t about the mainstream mormons you get all over the place but rather what mormons would see as a heretical off shoot.

That said your questions can still be answered in a mainstream mormon context. So, are they allowed to visit the house?

Yes! Bishops and other members of the church will frequently visit the homes of members. Indeed they have a programme known as ‘home teaching’ which is supposed to result in being visited at least once a month by the church. Usually they will come over to teach a lesson or share a spiritual thought, but if you’re not going to church or whatever they’ll think nothing of coming over to find out what the problem is.

On tithing, you don’t need to pay a tithe to go to LDS services which are open to the public. However unless you do pay a tithe you will not be considered to be a ‘worthy’ member in good standing and you will be denied a temple recommend. This means you would be unable to enter the mormon temple which is not open to the public and according to mormon doctrine attendance at is essential for salvation.

 

[RebeccaJ]

Yay for Big Love!

Towards the end of last season, there is a episode where Barb goes to a mormon temple with her mother and sister. It is a accurate portrayal of a portion of the mormon temple ritual.

Barb is/was a member of the mainstream LDS church. And yeah, she gets kicked out because the mainstream LDS church kicks out people who practice polygamy. It isn’t because she didn’t pay tithing. The other two wives and Bill have never been members of the main LDS church, so they aren’t involved in all this aspect of mormonism.

 

[penguinchicky]

I think first we need to be fair. The main Mormon church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has not practiced polygamy for over 100yrs.

Big Love is about polygamists who are members of some off shoot of mormonism, and many do exist particularly in Southern Utah down near St George. So Big Love isn’t about the mainstream mormons you get all over the place but rather what mormons would see as a heretical off shoot.

That said your questions can still be answered in a mainstream mormon context. So, are they allowed to visit the house?

Yes! Bishops and other members of the church will frequently visit the homes of members. Indeed they have a programme known as ‘home teaching’ which is supposed to result in being visited at least once a month by the church. Usually they will come over to teach a lesson or share a spiritual thought, but if you’re not going to church or whatever they’ll think nothing of coming over to find out what the problem is.

On tithing, you don’t need to pay a tithe to go to LDS services which are open to the public. However unless you do pay a tithe you will not be considered to be a ‘worthy’ member in good standing and you will be denied a temple recommend. This means you would be unable to enter the mormon temple which is not open to the public and according to mormon doctrine attendance at is essential for salvation.

Thanks for the quick answer. I do realize its a show so I knew it would to be 100% correct but what is these days in the media?

In terms of what you said about not being able to visit the temple unless you pay money and if you don’t visit the temple you can’t have salvation … that sounds like buying your way into heaven. What if you really can’t afford to pay 10% of your wages?

 

[penguinchicky]

Yay for Big Love!

Towards the end of last season, there is a episode where Barb goes to a mormon temple with her mother and sister. It is a accurate portrayal of a portion of the mormon temple ritual.

Barb is/was a member of the mainstream LDS church. And yeah, she gets kicked out because the mainstream LDS church kicks out people who practice polygamy. It isn’t because she didn’t pay tithing. The other two wives and Bill have never been members of the main LDS church, so they aren’t involved in all this aspect of mormonism.

I felt very uncomfortable for Barb because it does not seem right for the bishop to interrogate someone like that.

I know you can be excommunicated in the Catholic Church but it is quite hard and most of the time I’m sure they would try to help you rather then just kick you out!

 

[Yerusalyim]

BIG LOVE is a good show…after Sopranos, Deadwood and Rome went away it’s the best thing HBO has going…in my humble opinion.

 

[Bill_Pick]

Hi,

I love the show Big Love … and I know it is a TV show but I’m at the end of the third season and I have some questions.

Firstly in the show a bishop or priest vists one of the characters to see why she is not going to chuch etc. They also know they have not being paying tithes and once they find out she is in a plural marriage kick her out (though I’m in the middle of the episode so am just guessing this happens).

Are people in the Mormon Church allowed to visit your house and accuse you of things like that?

Also are you not allowed to attened church unless you pay tithes? What happens if you are poor?

Also is it true there are strange rituals in the temple? I’ve had a friend in the past who was Mormon who said only some people could visit this area … why is that?

All I know about Mormonism is that it is a CULT

 

[dianaiad]

Thanks for the quick answer. I do realize its a show so I knew it would to be 100% correct but what is these days in the media?

In terms of what you said about not being able to visit the temple unless you pay money and if you don’t visit the temple you can’t have salvation … that sounds like buying your way into heaven. What if you really can’t afford to pay 10% of your wages?

It’s not about the money. Tithing is a principle that is very biblical; even Christ was for it; when He yelled at the Pharisees about paying 'tithes of mint and cummin" and not paying attention to the greater aspect of the Law, like charity to all, He told them to shape up; start living according to the spirit of the Law “and not leave the other (tithing) undone.” Christian churches (including Catholicism) have preached tithing all along.

As for 'what if you can’t afford…" well, I have always found that Malachi was right about tithing. I personally can’t afford NOT to pay tithing. Whether it is a matter of better budgeting, or divine help, either way I’m better off when I pay it than when I don’t, financially.

…and the church tends not to let its members starve. I remember during my husband’s last illness; the church paid my mortgage, my utility bills and provided the groceries. The amount of help we recieved far outweighed my pittance of tithing; but I paid it none the less, because we believe God asked us to.

After all, everything we have is His; if all He wants back is 10%–well, the government sure wants more and gives us a great deal less in return!

 

[Answersplease]

All I know about Mormonism is that it is a CULT

Answersplease:

LOL!!!

 

[why_me]

After all, everything we have is His; if all He wants back is 10%–well, the government sure wants more and gives us a great deal less in return!

There are many catholic parish priests who wish that their members would pay a ten percent tithe. My local catholic church is poor and in financial trouble as the roof is in need of repair and it is in debt for their stained glass windows. I think that the average member in my parish gives 40 dollars a year to the local parish. Not much.

 

[why_me]

I felt very uncomfortable for Barb because it does not seem right for the bishop to interrogate someone like that.

I know you can be excommunicated in the Catholic Church but it is quite hard and most of the time I’m sure they would try to help you rather then just kick you out!

To my understanding one can be excommunicated from the catholic church if a person divorces and marries again. Am I right?

 

[penguinchicky]

To my understanding one can be excommunicated from the catholic church if a person divorces and marries again. Am I right?

That doesn’t sound right to me. If you do remarry you should have obtained an annulment first then re-married. If you can’t get one then you are not allowed communion … but they don’t excommunicate you …

 

[TheosisM]

There are many catholic parish priests who wish that their members would pay a ten percent tithe. My local catholic church is poor and in financial trouble as the roof is in need of repair and it is in debt for their stained glass windows. I think that the average member in my parish gives 40 dollars a year to the local parish. Not much.

And my local parish has just completed a parish funded restoration, and consistently exceeds goals on all fund raising. My childhood parish was similar.

LOL i love how you just pop in to make these statements about your “Catholic experiences”, all negative, of course.

 

[vickimonica]

Hi,

I love the show Big Love … and I know it is a TV show but I’m at the end of the third season and I have some questions.

Firstly in the show a bishop or priest vists one of the characters to see why she is not going to chuch etc. They also know they have not being paying tithes and once they find out she is in a plural marriage kick her out (though I’m in the middle of the episode so am just guessing this happens).

Are people in the Mormon Church allowed to visit your house and accuse you of things like that?

Also are you not allowed to attened church unless you pay tithes? What happens if you are poor?

Also is it true there are strange rituals in the temple? I’ve had a friend in the past who was Mormon who said only some people could visit this area … why is that?

 

[vickimonica]

In regards to tithing - you can certainly attend church if you don’t tithe 10% - However, in order to go into their temple, you need to be interviewed/interrogated by the bishop of your ward (church). If you admit to him that you are not tithing 10% - you are not “temple worthy”… I LOVE the show BIG LOVE. As a former mormon, I have to say that in most cases they are “dead on”. They have certainly done their homework. Peace…

 

[RebeccaJ]

That doesn’t sound right to me. If you do remarry you should have obtained an annulment first then re-married. If you can’t get one then you are not allowed communion … but they don’t excommunicate you …

Mormons use the same terms but they mean different things. When the mormon church excommunicates a person, they are no longer a member of the mormon church. They even tell the person their baptism is no longer valid. If a excommunicated member wants to return to mormonism it requires permission from their first presidency (as high as you can go in their heirarchy), and it requires the person is baptized again. An excommunicated mormon also receives very different treatment from mormon members. It all turns very negative on them, generally, character assassination tactics ensue.

A Catholic who is excommunicated is just as the word says, they are not to receive communion. The person is still Catholic. All the Sacraments they have received are valid.

 

[penguinchicky]

In regards to tithing - you can certainly attend church if you don’t tithe 10% - However, in order to go into their temple, you need to be interviewed/interrogated by the bishop of your ward (church). If you admit to him that you are not tithing 10% - you are not “temple worthy”… I LOVE the show BIG LOVE. As a former mormon, I have to say that in most cases they are “dead on”. They have certainly done their homework. Peace…

Thanks for the responce. As an ex-mormon did you find it strange how they interrogated you (or others if it never happened to you) if you did not give the 10% … it makes them seem/sound very money orientated.

In the temple scene (on Big Love) was it similar to what it is really like? Do mormon’s really have to wear strange underwear??

 

[ttnacath]

Hi,

I love the show Big Love … and I know it is a TV show but I’m at the end of the third season and I have some questions.

Firstly in the show a bishop or priest vists one of the characters to see why she is not going to chuch etc. They also know they have not being paying tithes and once they find out she is in a plural marriage kick her out (though I’m in the middle of the episode so am just guessing this happens).

Are people in the Mormon Church allowed to visit your house and accuse you of things like that?

Also are you not allowed to attened church unless you pay tithes? What happens if you are poor?

Also is it true there are strange rituals in the temple? I’ve had a friend in the past who was Mormon who said only some people could visit this area … why is that?

The Mormons I know do not, I repeat, practice plural marriage. If they did, they would be excommunicated.

Regarding the leadership and the potential actions they take against a member is not something done with quickness.

With respect to the temple, if one looks at the ancient temple in the scriptures, everyone could not walk into the temple. That from my thinking that the temples are not open to anyone to walk into, unless you have a temple recommend.

 

[penguinchicky]

Mormons use the same terms but they mean different things. When the mormon church excommunicates a person, they are no longer a member of the mormon church. They even tell the person their baptism is no longer valid. If a excommunicated member wants to return to mormonism it requires permission from their first presidency (as high as you can go in their heirarchy), and it requires the person is baptized again. An excommunicated mormon also receives very different treatment from mormon members. It all turns very negative on them, generally, character assassination tactics ensue.

A Catholic who is excommunicated is just as the word says, they are not to receive communion. The person is still Catholic. All the Sacraments they have received are valid.

Thanks for that as I don’t know much about excommunication. Also I cannot understand how you can be re-baptized etc do mormons believe God has a ledger in Heaven that takes your name off a list or something?

 

[RebeccaJ]

Thanks for that as I don’t know much about excommunication. Also I cannot understand how you can be re-baptized etc do mormons believe God has a ledger in Heaven that takes your name off a list or something?

Yes, they take Revelations 20:12 and Psalms 68:29, quite literally.

(Incidentally , the same passages are used as a proof-text for predestination.)