Pros and Cons of Mormonism

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why_me said:
I agree. But when you read the site that I linked to, you will find that it is not so heartbreaking. Only the spin in this thread is heartbreaking. 😊
Click to expand...
WhyMe:

I hope you will point out to me and others where the spin is inaccurate after the list is complete.

👍
 
BartBurk said:
When all is written about the pros and cons of Mormonism, there is only one fact that is important. Joseph Smith was a fraud as easily determined by looking at the evidence with regards to the Book of Mormon and the Book of Abraham. Even the Doctrine and Covenants witnesses against Joseph Smith. Joseph received revelations and compiled them in the Book of Commandments. A few years later they were republished in the Doctrine and Covenants with extensive and significant changes:

irr.org/mit/boc/

Joseph Smith could never get it right the first time.
Click to expand...
Thanks again, Bart. 👍

Pros and Cons of Mormonism:

Pros

  1. *]There is a strong social support system among active members of the Latter Day Saints Church.
    *]The LDS wards do a better job at creating a sense of belonging than some other religious groups.
    *]Mormons emphasize strong, close, loving family ties.
    *]The LDS welfare system to help those in need is without peer.
    *]There are many well-meaning, good Mormons out there and they make great relatives and neighbors.
    *]In exchange for obeying the leaders of the LDS church, you get the social safety net.
    *]Properly understood LDS theology is Biblical theology.
    *]There are numerous problems with the BOM that have been used to discredit it, but on the whole I believe the answers to the problems and the positive evidences weight strongly in favor of the BOM.
    *]Early Christian history offers much reason to see an “Apostasy of Authority” and to see a restoration of various doctrines found within the CoJCoLDS.
    *]The Bible supports the LDS view of the Trinity.
    *]The Bible teaches, and the early church acknowledges, that men can actually become gods.
    *]The small group with a mission status promotes community.
    *]Church programs for kids are very good.
    *]LDS teens engage in less premarital sex, drink less, attend church more, believe in God more, and have a greater degree of positive feelings toward parents.
    *]The church, especially under the administration of the late Gordon B. Hinckley, has worked hard to mainstream its image and has deemphasized to a considerable degree the idea that mormons are a “peculiar people”.
    *]LDS don’t seem to take their faith for granted.
    *]Spencer W. Kimball said he received a revelation from God that ALL worthy male members of the LDS church (including Blacks, who were previously denied ordination to the Priesthood due to skin color), should now be allowed to hold the LDS Priesthood.
    Cons

    1. *]Mormonism is not really a Christian religion.
      *]Mormons think they can become gods.
      *]There is absolutely zero linguistic, archaeological or historical support for anything claimed in the Book of Mormon and other LDS documents.
      *]Enjoyment of all that the community has to offer you socially and spiritually is contingent on you receiving a spiritual witness that the Church is true.
      *]They deny almost every line of the Apostle’s Creed.
      *]There is absolutely no archaeological or historical evidence to back up anything that Joseph Smith ever uttered or wrote down.
      *]Joseph Smith was likely a conman who used a self-made papacy to garner power and sexual conquest.
      *]Racism is the prevalent attitude among LDS.
      *]There are cases in which people who depart from the church lose all their friendships.
      *]The Mormons require 10% of your money to enter the LDS Temple. If you don’t pay them the 10% you aren’t allowed to attend your children’s weddings or any other weddings in the temple for that matter.
      *]If you don’t pay them their 10% they claim you will not make it into heaven so essentially you are paying for salvation.
      *]The problem with Mormonism is the simple fact that it is pseudo-christian if that and it is polytheistic in nature.
      *]Mormons are no different from the Jehovah’s Witnesses in how they warp the bible.
      *]The amount of control over your life that you must cede to LDS leaders is great: You are told how and when to serve.
      *]Your compliance with LDS rules will be monitored and your ability to participate in various functions will be affected. (If you don’t show that you meet the criteria you will not be allowed in the temple for example.)
      *]There is absolutely no accounting for tithing money: It goes to Salt Lake City and is spent without letting members know where it goes.
      *]Joseph’s vision seems to be weighted above Jesus’ words.
      *]The continued revelation is at times historically contradictory.
      *]-]Divorce is encouraged if your partner leaves the LDS faith. /-]
      *]Fallibility in moral character is allowable for prophets, for all have sinned. Fallibility in doctrinal utterances is inallowable. True prophets cannot utter false doctrine and remain prophets.
      *]Consider Brigham Young: He pronounced many false doctrines. If prophets can mistake speculation for doctrine, then how can they be trusted?
      *]While they oppose most abortions, Mormons don’t believe in the sanctity of life of the unborn.
      *]The one, single, only and perfect reason to irrefutably, undeniably and totally reject mormonism can be summed up in the two most profound words: Holy Eucharist.
      *]LDS teachings are being disproven by science (for example, DNA evidence shows no Isrealite ancestory in Native Americans).
      *]They ban alcohol and caffine.
      *]At one time, they taught that men can marry more than one woman.
      *]Some Mormons are not nice.
      *]Mormonism is extremely ethnocentric.
      *]Joseph Smith was a fraud. For example, he received revelations and compiled the Book of Commandments, but they were later changed in the Doctrine and Covenants.
 
PaulDupre said:
Con: If you, Socrates4Jesus, are accustomed to praying to Jesus, you would not be permitted to continue the practice as a Mormon. Mormons are not allowed to pray to Jesus or to the Holy Ghost, nor are they permitted to worship them. They are allowed to pray only to the Heavenly Father.

Paul
Click to expand...
That is good to know, PaulD. I wonder why they hold this doctrine?

Pros and Cons of Mormonism:

Pros

  1. *]There is a strong social support system among active members of the Latter Day Saints Church.
    *]The LDS wards do a better job at creating a sense of belonging than some other religious groups.
    *]Mormons emphasize strong, close, loving family ties.
    *]The LDS welfare system to help those in need is without peer.
    *]There are many well-meaning, good Mormons out there and they make great relatives and neighbors.
    *]In exchange for obeying the leaders of the LDS church, you get the social safety net.
    *]Properly understood LDS theology is Biblical theology.
    *]There are numerous problems with the BOM that have been used to discredit it, but on the whole I believe the answers to the problems and the positive evidences weight strongly in favor of the BOM.
    *]Early Christian history offers much reason to see an “Apostasy of Authority” and to see a restoration of various doctrines found within the CoJCoLDS.
    *]The Bible supports the LDS view of the Trinity.
    *]The Bible teaches, and the early church acknowledges, that men can actually become gods.
    *]The small group with a mission status promotes community.
    *]Church programs for kids are very good.
    *]LDS teens engage in less premarital sex, drink less, attend church more, believe in God more, and have a greater degree of positive feelings toward parents.
    *]The church, especially under the administration of the late Gordon B. Hinckley, has worked hard to mainstream its image and has deemphasized to a considerable degree the idea that mormons are a “peculiar people”.
    *]LDS don’t seem to take their faith for granted.
    *]Spencer W. Kimball said he received a revelation from God that ALL worthy male members of the LDS church (including Blacks, who were previously denied ordination to the Priesthood due to skin color), should now be allowed to hold the LDS Priesthood.
    Cons

    1. *]Mormonism is not really a Christian religion.
      *]Mormons think they can become gods.
      *]There is absolutely zero linguistic, archaeological or historical support for anything claimed in the Book of Mormon and other LDS documents.
      *]Enjoyment of all that the community has to offer you socially and spiritually is contingent on you receiving a spiritual witness that the Church is true.
      *]They deny almost every line of the Apostle’s Creed.
      *]There is absolutely no archaeological or historical evidence to back up anything that Joseph Smith ever uttered or wrote down.
      *]Joseph Smith was likely a conman who used a self-made papacy to garner power and sexual conquest.
      *]Racism is the prevalent attitude among LDS.
      *]There are cases in which people who depart from the church lose all their friendships.
      *]The Mormons require 10% of your money to enter the LDS Temple. If you don’t pay them the 10% you aren’t allowed to attend your children’s weddings or any other weddings in the temple for that matter.
      *]If you don’t pay them their 10% they claim you will not make it into heaven so essentially you are paying for salvation.
      *]The problem with Mormonism is the simple fact that it is pseudo-christian if that and it is polytheistic in nature.
      *]Mormons are no different from the Jehovah’s Witnesses in how they warp the bible.
      *]The amount of control over your life that you must cede to LDS leaders is great: You are told how and when to serve.
      *]Your compliance with LDS rules will be monitored and your ability to participate in various functions will be affected. (If you don’t show that you meet the criteria you will not be allowed in the temple for example.)
      *]There is absolutely no accounting for tithing money: It goes to Salt Lake City and is spent without letting members know where it goes.
      *]Joseph’s vision seems to be weighted above Jesus’ words.
      *]The continued revelation is at times historically contradictory.
      *]-]Divorce is encouraged if your partner leaves the LDS faith./-]
      *]Fallibility in moral character is allowable for prophets, for all have sinned. Fallibility in doctrinal utterances is inallowable. True prophets cannot utter false doctrine and remain prophets.
      *]Consider Brigham Young: He pronounced many false doctrines. If prophets can mistake speculation for doctrine, then how can they be trusted?
      *]While they oppose most abortions, Mormons don’t believe in the sanctity of life of the unborn.
      *]The one, single, only and perfect reason to irrefutably, undeniably and totally reject mormonism can be summed up in the two most profound words: Holy Eucharist.
      *]LDS teachings are being disproven by science (for example, DNA evidence shows no Isrealite ancestory in Native Americans).
      *]They ban alcohol and caffine.
      *]At one time, they taught that men can marry more than one woman.
      *]Some Mormons are not nice.
      *]Mormonism is extremely ethnocentric.
      *]Joseph Smith was a fraud. For example, he received revelations and compiled the Book of Commandments, but they were later changed in the Doctrine and Covenants.
      *]Mormons are not allowed to pray to Jesus or to the Holy Ghost, nor are they permitted to worship them.
      http://mccharles.gymnasticscoaching.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/10/checkmark-shadow.jpg
 
RebeccaJ said:
Con: If you are mormon, if/when you marry that perfect mormon mate, in a mormon temple, none of your non-mormon family will be allowed to attend your wedding ceremony.

Those “unworthy” family members get to wait outside the mormon temple during the ceremony. After you have been married, and exit the temple together, your family can congratulate you.

As children cannot attend the ceremony either, your “unworthy” adult family member may wind up the babysitter of these children.
Click to expand...
It must be difficult for families to experience this. 😦
 
Pros and Cons of Mormonism:

Pros

  1. *]There is a strong social support system among active members of the Latter Day Saints Church.
    *]The LDS wards do a better job at creating a sense of belonging than some other religious groups.
    *]Mormons emphasize strong, close, loving family ties.
    *]The LDS welfare system to help those in need is without peer.
    *]There are many well-meaning, good Mormons out there and they make great relatives and neighbors.
    *]In exchange for obeying the leaders of the LDS church, you get the social safety net.
    *]Properly understood LDS theology is Biblical theology.
    *]There are numerous problems with the BOM that have been used to discredit it, but on the whole I believe the answers to the problems and the positive evidences weight strongly in favor of the BOM.
    *]Early Christian history offers much reason to see an “Apostasy of Authority” and to see a restoration of various doctrines found within the CoJCoLDS.
    *]The Bible supports the LDS view of the Trinity.
    *]The Bible teaches, and the early church acknowledges, that men can actually become gods.
    *]The small group with a mission status promotes community.
    *]Church programs for kids are very good.
    *]LDS teens engage in less premarital sex, drink less, attend church more, believe in God more, and have a greater degree of positive feelings toward parents.
    *]The church, especially under the administration of the late Gordon B. Hinckley, has worked hard to mainstream its image and has deemphasized to a considerable degree the idea that mormons are a “peculiar people”.
    *]LDS don’t seem to take their faith for granted.
    *]Spencer W. Kimball said he received a revelation from God that ALL worthy male members of the LDS church (including Blacks, who were previously denied ordination to the Priesthood due to skin color), should now be allowed to hold the LDS Priesthood.
    Cons

    1. *]Mormonism is not really a Christian religion.
      *]Mormons think they can become gods.
      *]There is absolutely zero linguistic, archaeological or historical support for anything claimed in the Book of Mormon and other LDS documents.
      *]Enjoyment of all that the community has to offer you socially and spiritually is contingent on you receiving a spiritual witness that the Church is true.
      *]They deny almost every line of the Apostle’s Creed.
      *]There is absolutely no archaeological or historical evidence to back up anything that Joseph Smith ever uttered or wrote down.
      *]Joseph Smith was likely a conman who used a self-made papacy to garner power and sexual conquest.
      *]Racism is the prevalent attitude among LDS.
      *]There are cases in which people who depart from the church lose all their friendships.
      *]The Mormons require 10% of your money to enter the LDS Temple. If you don’t pay them the 10% you aren’t allowed to attend your children’s weddings or any other weddings in the temple for that matter.
      *]If you don’t pay them their 10% they claim you will not make it into heaven so essentially you are paying for salvation.
      *]The problem with Mormonism is the simple fact that it is pseudo-christian if that and it is polytheistic in nature.
      *]Mormons are no different from the Jehovah’s Witnesses in how they warp the bible.
      *]The amount of control over your life that you must cede to LDS leaders is great: You are told how and when to serve.
      *]Your compliance with LDS rules will be monitored and your ability to participate in various functions will be affected. (If you don’t show that you meet the criteria you will not be allowed in the temple for example.)
      *]There is absolutely no accounting for tithing money: It goes to Salt Lake City and is spent without letting members know where it goes.
      *]Joseph’s vision seems to be weighted above Jesus’ words.
      *]The continued revelation is at times historically contradictory.
      *]-]Divorce is encouraged if your partner leaves the LDS faith/-].
      *]Fallibility in moral character is allowable for prophets, for all have sinned. Fallibility in doctrinal utterances is inallowable. True prophets cannot utter false doctrine and remain prophets.
      *]Consider Brigham Young: He pronounced many false doctrines. If prophets can mistake speculation for doctrine, then how can they be trusted?
      *]While they oppose most abortions, Mormons don’t believe in the sanctity of life of the unborn.
      *]The one, single, only and perfect reason to irrefutably, undeniably and totally reject mormonism can be summed up in the two most profound words: Holy Eucharist.
      *]LDS teachings are being disproven by science (for example, DNA evidence shows no Isrealite ancestory in Native Americans).
      *]They ban alcohol and caffine.
      *]At one time, they taught that men can marry more than one woman.
      *]Some Mormons are not nice.
      *]Mormonism is extremely ethnocentric.
      *]Joseph Smith was a fraud. For example, he received revelations and compiled the Book of Commandments, but they were later changed in the Doctrine and Covenants.
      *]Mormons are not allowed to pray to Jesus or to the Holy Ghost, nor are they permitted to worship them.
      *]If you are mormon, if/when you marry that perfect mormon mate, in a mormon temple, none of your non-mormon family will be allowed to attend your wedding ceremony.
 
RebeccaJ said:
Yes, I was raised in the mormon church.
Click to expand...
Do not feel that you have to answer this, but what was the main reason you left the LDS church? If it is too personal a question to ask, please do not answer.
 
holdencaulfield said:
It absolutely does not. Have you ever read the Bible. If you take it drastically out of context (like a heretic) then, maybe. However no where is this in the Bible or the Early Church.
Click to expand...
Holden:

I’m not trying to cross anything off the list, yet. Once the list is complete, i’ll be happy to listen to reasons why i should reject any of the pros or cons. I do not mind if you discuss this with others; i’m just not ready to think any of these through yet. I want to hear what everyone has to say.
 
RebeccaJ said:
The mormon church sets your grooming standard and fashion selection. No beards allowed, unless of course you are purposely showing how disobedient you are…a rebel.

All men must wear white shirts and ties to church, every Sunday. A dark business suite, with jacket, is encouraged and required for anyone who is really serious about their mormonism.

Women must wear dresses or skirts to church and must keep the number of earrings in their ear to one per ear (at all times).

No piercings for men, at all, and no tattoos for anyone.

No sleeveless shirts for any adult, ever. No shorts for any adult that doesn’t hit your knee, ever.

Your underwear is the same as every other mormon. Pro: sitting in church, you know everyone is wearing the same underwear as you…fosters a community feeling.

Con:People do the “mormon underwear check”…looking for clues such as panty lines or shorts that are above the knee or sleeveless shirts…anyone not passing the underwear check are sending strong signals that they are on the road to apostasy. (Please pray for them.)
Click to expand...
Fascinating! and i thought only the Mormon missionaries were the only ones who were required to follow this dress code.
 
Pros and Cons of Mormonism:

Pros

  1. *]There is a strong social support system among active members of the Latter Day Saints Church.
    *]The LDS wards do a better job at creating a sense of belonging than some other religious groups.
    *]Mormons emphasize strong, close, loving family ties.
    *]The LDS welfare system to help those in need is without peer.
    *]There are many well-meaning, good Mormons out there and they make great relatives and neighbors.
    *]In exchange for obeying the leaders of the LDS church, you get the social safety net.
    *]Properly understood LDS theology is Biblical theology.
    *]There are numerous problems with the BOM that have been used to discredit it, but on the whole I believe the answers to the problems and the positive evidences weight strongly in favor of the BOM.
    *]Early Christian history offers much reason to see an “Apostasy of Authority” and to see a restoration of various doctrines found within the CoJCoLDS.
    *]The Bible supports the LDS view of the Trinity.
    *]The Bible teaches, and the early church acknowledges, that men can actually become gods.
    *]The small group with a mission status promotes community.
    *]Church programs for kids are very good.
    *]LDS teens engage in less premarital sex, drink less, attend church more, believe in God more, and have a greater degree of positive feelings toward parents.
    *]The church, especially under the administration of the late Gordon B. Hinckley, has worked hard to mainstream its image and has deemphasized to a considerable degree the idea that mormons are a “peculiar people”.
    *]LDS don’t seem to take their faith for granted.
    *]Spencer W. Kimball said he received a revelation from God that ALL worthy male members of the LDS church (including Blacks, who were previously denied ordination to the Priesthood due to skin color), should now be allowed to hold the LDS Priesthood.
    Cons

    1. *]Mormonism is not really a Christian religion.
      *]Mormons think they can become gods.
      *]There is absolutely zero linguistic, archaeological or historical support for anything claimed in the Book of Mormon and other LDS documents.
      *]Enjoyment of all that the community has to offer you socially and spiritually is contingent on you receiving a spiritual witness that the Church is true.
      *]They deny almost every line of the Apostle’s Creed.
      *]There is absolutely no archaeological or historical evidence to back up anything that Joseph Smith ever uttered or wrote down.
      *]Joseph Smith was likely a conman who used a self-made papacy to garner power and sexual conquest.
      *]Racism is the prevalent attitude among LDS.
      *]There are cases in which people who depart from the church lose all their friendships.
      *]The Mormons require 10% of your money to enter the LDS Temple. If you don’t pay them the 10% you aren’t allowed to attend your children’s weddings or any other weddings in the temple for that matter.
      *]If you don’t pay them their 10% they claim you will not make it into heaven so essentially you are paying for salvation.
      *]The problem with Mormonism is the simple fact that it is pseudo-christian if that and it is polytheistic in nature.
      *]Mormons are no different from the Jehovah’s Witnesses in how they warp the bible.
      *]The amount of control over your life that you must cede to LDS leaders is great: You are told how and when to serve.
      *]Your compliance with LDS rules will be monitored and your ability to participate in various functions will be affected. (If you don’t show that you meet the criteria you will not be allowed in the temple for example.)
      *]There is absolutely no accounting for tithing money: It goes to Salt Lake City and is spent without letting members know where it goes.
      *]Joseph’s vision seems to be weighted above Jesus’ words.
      *]The continued revelation is at times historically contradictory.
      *]-]Divorce is encouraged if your partner leaves the LDS faith/-].
      *]Fallibility in moral character is allowable for prophets, for all have sinned. Fallibility in doctrinal utterances is inallowable. True prophets cannot utter false doctrine and remain prophets.
      *]Consider Brigham Young: He pronounced many false doctrines. If prophets can mistake speculation for doctrine, then how can they be trusted?
      *]While they oppose most abortions, Mormons don’t believe in the sanctity of life of the unborn.
      *]The one, single, only and perfect reason to irrefutably, undeniably and totally reject mormonism can be summed up in the two most profound words: Holy Eucharist.
      *]LDS teachings are being disproven by science (for example, DNA evidence shows no Isrealite ancestory in Native Americans).
      *]They ban alcohol and caffine.
      *]At one time, they taught that men can marry more than one woman.
      *]Some Mormons are not nice.
      *]Mormonism is extremely ethnocentric.
      *]Joseph Smith was a fraud. For example, he received revelations and compiled the Book of Commandments, but they were later changed in the Doctrine and Covenants.
      *]Mormons are not allowed to pray to Jesus or to the Holy Ghost, nor are they permitted to worship them.
      *]If you are mormon, if/when you marry that perfect mormon mate, in a mormon temple, none of your non-mormon family will be allowed to attend your wedding ceremony.
      *]The mormon church sets your grooming standard and fashion selection.
      http://www.bcps.org/offices/lis/models/equality/images/checkmark.jpg
 
Rbt_Southwell said:
PROS of being a mormon:
  1. You can confidently claim anything (great apostasy; mark of cain; plural marriage; eternal progression; baptism of the dead; many gods and goddesses) without worrying about PROVING it, because mormons are the “the true church.”
  2. You can “retranslate” your “scripture” (the BoM and other soporific tomes) into “better” English as your theology changes.
  3. Every man a priest, every man a god. Need I say more??
  4. Wimmen are beholden to menfolk (we mormons rule planets!)
  5. Always a job in SLC for tithing priests.
  6. You can call yourself an “American Catholic” as if that term actually meant anything to anyone not from the mormon faith.
  7. You get to call Jews “gentiles.”
  8. You can dabble in demonic and shady rituals in big bronze bowls. Oops, did I say ‘demonic’?, I meant ‘masonic.’
  9. You can have Family Sunday, because you know those gentiles never do anything with their family.
  10. You can play basketball at “services.”
Hope this helps socrates

Robert
Click to expand...
You have a keen sense of irony, South! I’ll add those to the Cons list.

😃
 
Pros and Cons of Mormonism:

Pros

  1. *]There is a strong social support system among active members of the Latter Day Saints Church.
    *]The LDS wards do a better job at creating a sense of belonging than some other religious groups.
    *]Mormons emphasize strong, close, loving family ties.
    *]The LDS welfare system to help those in need is without peer.
    *]There are many well-meaning, good Mormons out there and they make great relatives and neighbors.
    *]In exchange for obeying the leaders of the LDS church, you get the social safety net.
    *]Properly understood LDS theology is Biblical theology.
    *]There are numerous problems with the BOM that have been used to discredit it, but on the whole I believe the answers to the problems and the positive evidences weight strongly in favor of the BOM.
    *]Early Christian history offers much reason to see an “Apostasy of Authority” and to see a restoration of various doctrines found within the CoJCoLDS.
    *]The Bible supports the LDS view of the Trinity.
    *]The Bible teaches, and the early church acknowledges, that men can actually become gods.
    *]The small group with a mission status promotes community.
    *]Church programs for kids are very good.
    *]LDS teens engage in less premarital sex, drink less, attend church more, believe in God more, and have a greater degree of positive feelings toward parents.
    *]The church, especially under the administration of the late Gordon B. Hinckley, has worked hard to mainstream its image and has deemphasized to a considerable degree the idea that mormons are a “peculiar people”.
    *]LDS don’t seem to take their faith for granted.
    *]Spencer W. Kimball said he received a revelation from God that ALL worthy male members of the LDS church (including Blacks, who were previously denied ordination to the Priesthood due to skin color), should now be allowed to hold the LDS Priesthood.
 
Cons

  1. *]Mormonism is not really a Christian religion.
    *]Mormons think they can become gods.
    *]There is absolutely zero linguistic, archaeological or historical support for anything claimed in the Book of Mormon and other LDS documents.
    *]Enjoyment of all that the community has to offer you socially and spiritually is contingent on you receiving a spiritual witness that the Church is true.
    *]They deny almost every line of the Apostle’s Creed.
    *]There is absolutely no archaeological or historical evidence to back up anything that Joseph Smith ever uttered or wrote down.
    *]Joseph Smith was likely a conman who used a self-made papacy to garner power and sexual conquest.
    *]Racism is the prevalent attitude among LDS.
    *]There are cases in which people who depart from the church lose all their friendships.
    *]The Mormons require 10% of your money to enter the LDS Temple. If you don’t pay them the 10% you aren’t allowed to attend your children’s weddings or any other weddings in the temple for that matter.
    *]If you don’t pay them their 10% they claim you will not make it into heaven so essentially you are paying for salvation.
    *]The problem with Mormonism is the simple fact that it is pseudo-christian if that and it is polytheistic in nature.
    *]Mormons are no different from the Jehovah’s Witnesses in how they warp the bible.
    *]The amount of control over your life that you must cede to LDS leaders is great: You are told how and when to serve.
    *]Your compliance with LDS rules will be monitored and your ability to participate in various functions will be affected. (If you don’t show that you meet the criteria you will not be allowed in the temple for example.)
    *]There is absolutely no accounting for tithing money: It goes to Salt Lake City and is spent without letting members know where it goes.
    *]Joseph’s vision seems to be weighted above Jesus’ words.
    *]The continued revelation is at times historically contradictory.
    *]-]Divorce is encouraged if your partner leaves the LDS faith/-].
    *]Fallibility in moral character is allowable for prophets, for all have sinned. Fallibility in doctrinal utterances is inallowable. True prophets cannot utter false doctrine and remain prophets.
    *]Consider Brigham Young: He pronounced many false doctrines. If prophets can mistake speculation for doctrine, then how can they be trusted?
    *]While they oppose most abortions, Mormons don’t believe in the sanctity of life of the unborn.
    *]The one, single, only and perfect reason to irrefutably, undeniably and totally reject mormonism can be summed up in the two most profound words: Holy Eucharist.
    *]LDS teachings are being disproven by science (for example, DNA evidence shows no Isrealite ancestory in Native Americans).
    *]They ban alcohol and caffine.
    *]At one time, they taught that men can marry more than one woman.
    *]Some Mormons are not nice.
    *]Mormonism is extremely ethnocentric.
    *]Joseph Smith was a fraud. For example, he received revelations and compiled the Book of Commandments, but they were later changed in the Doctrine and Covenants.
    *]Mormons are not allowed to pray to Jesus or to the Holy Ghost, nor are they permitted to worship them.
    *]If you are mormon, if/when you marry that perfect mormon mate, in a mormon temple, none of your non-mormon family will be allowed to attend your wedding ceremony.
    *]The mormon church sets your grooming standard and fashion selection.
    *]You can confidently claim anything (great apostasy; mark of cain; plural marriage; eternal progression; baptism of the dead; many gods and goddesses) without worrying about PROVING it, because mormons are the “the true church.”
    *]You can “retranslate” your “scripture” (the BoM and other soporific tomes) into “better” English as your theology changes.
    *]Every man a priest, every man a god. Need I say more?
    *]Women are beholden to menfolk (we mormons rule planets!)
 
Elric said:
Pro: You dont have to think for yourself. You simply believe what you are told to, no matter how bizzare it sounds.

Pro: Its much easier to be a prophet. It doesnt matter if it doesnt come true, or we can fit events to suit your prophecy (even if they dont really fit).

Con: Apparently the belief is that God is falable. They are not false prophecies, God simply doesnt know what is going on when he gives the prophecies to his prophets.

Con: You will have difficulties with ancient Egyptian.
Click to expand...
Elric:

Well, i’d call those pros cons, but i’ll add them to the list anyway.

🙂

Pros and Cons of Mormonism:

Pros

  1. *]There is a strong social support system among active members of the Latter Day Saints Church.
    *]The LDS wards do a better job at creating a sense of belonging than some other religious groups.
    *]Mormons emphasize strong, close, loving family ties.
    *]The LDS welfare system to help those in need is without peer.
    *]There are many well-meaning, good Mormons out there and they make great relatives and neighbors.
    *]In exchange for obeying the leaders of the LDS church, you get the social safety net.
    *]Properly understood LDS theology is Biblical theology.
    *]There are numerous problems with the BOM that have been used to discredit it, but on the whole I believe the answers to the problems and the positive evidences weight strongly in favor of the BOM.
    *]Early Christian history offers much reason to see an “Apostasy of Authority” and to see a restoration of various doctrines found within the CoJCoLDS.
    *]The Bible supports the LDS view of the Trinity.
    *]The Bible teaches, and the early church acknowledges, that men can actually become gods.
    *]The small group with a mission status promotes community.
    *]Church programs for kids are very good.
    *]LDS teens engage in less premarital sex, drink less, attend church more, believe in God more, and have a greater degree of positive feelings toward parents.
    *]The church, especially under the administration of the late Gordon B. Hinckley, has worked hard to mainstream its image and has deemphasized to a considerable degree the idea that mormons are a “peculiar people”.
    *]LDS don’t seem to take their faith for granted.
    *]Spencer W. Kimball said he received a revelation from God that ALL worthy male members of the LDS church (including Blacks, who were previously denied ordination to the Priesthood due to skin color), should now be allowed to hold the LDS Priesthood.
    *]You dont have to think for yourself. You simply believe what you are told to, no matter how bizzare it sounds.
    *]Its much easier to be a prophet. It doesnt matter if it doesnt come true, or we can fit events to suit your prophecy (even if they dont really fit).
 
Elric said:
Pro: You dont have to think for yourself. You simply believe what you are told to, no matter how bizzare it sounds.

Pro: Its much easier to be a prophet. It doesnt matter if it doesnt come true, or we can fit events to suit your prophecy (even if they dont really fit).

Con: Apparently the belief is that God is falable. They are not false prophecies, God simply doesnt know what is going on when he gives the prophecies to his prophets.

Con: You will have difficulties with ancient Egyptian.
Click to expand...
Cons

  1. *]Mormonism is not really a Christian religion.
    *]Mormons think they can become gods.
    *]There is absolutely zero linguistic, archaeological or historical support for anything claimed in the Book of Mormon and other LDS documents.
    *]Enjoyment of all that the community has to offer you socially and spiritually is contingent on you receiving a spiritual witness that the Church is true.
    *]They deny almost every line of the Apostle’s Creed.
    *]There is absolutely no archaeological or historical evidence to back up anything that Joseph Smith ever uttered or wrote down.
    *]Joseph Smith was likely a conman who used a self-made papacy to garner power and sexual conquest.
    *]Racism is the prevalent attitude among LDS.
    *]There are cases in which people who depart from the church lose all their friendships.
    *]The Mormons require 10% of your money to enter the LDS Temple. If you don’t pay them the 10% you aren’t allowed to attend your children’s weddings or any other weddings in the temple for that matter.
    *]If you don’t pay them their 10% they claim you will not make it into heaven so essentially you are paying for salvation.
    *]The problem with Mormonism is the simple fact that it is pseudo-christian if that and it is polytheistic in nature.
    *]Mormons are no different from the Jehovah’s Witnesses in how they warp the bible.
    *]The amount of control over your life that you must cede to LDS leaders is great: You are told how and when to serve.
    *]Your compliance with LDS rules will be monitored and your ability to participate in various functions will be affected. (If you don’t show that you meet the criteria you will not be allowed in the temple for example.)
    *]There is absolutely no accounting for tithing money: It goes to Salt Lake City and is spent without letting members know where it goes.
    *]Joseph’s vision seems to be weighted above Jesus’ words.
    *]The continued revelation is at times historically contradictory.
    *]Divorce is encouraged if your partner leaves the LDS faith.
    *]Fallibility in moral character is allowable for prophets, for all have sinned. Fallibility in doctrinal utterances is inallowable. True prophets cannot utter false doctrine and remain prophets.
    *]Consider Brigham Young: He pronounced many false doctrines. If prophets can mistake speculation for doctrine, then how can they be trusted?
    *]While they oppose most abortions, Mormons don’t believe in the sanctity of life of the unborn.
    *]The one, single, only and perfect reason to irrefutably, undeniably and totally reject mormonism can be summed up in the two most profound words: Holy Eucharist.
    *]LDS teachings are being disproven by science (for example, DNA evidence shows no Isrealite ancestory in Native Americans).
    *]They ban alcohol and caffine.
    *]At one time, they taught that men can marry more than one woman.
    *]Some Mormons are not nice.
    *]Mormonism is extremely ethnocentric.
    *]Joseph Smith was a fraud. For example, he received revelations and compiled the Book of Commandments, but they were later changed in the Doctrine and Covenants.
    *]Mormons are not allowed to pray to Jesus or to the Holy Ghost, nor are they permitted to worship them.
    *]If you are mormon, if/when you marry that perfect mormon mate, in a mormon temple, none of your non-mormon family will be allowed to attend your wedding ceremony.
    *]The mormon church sets your grooming standard and fashion selection.
    *]You can confidently claim anything (great apostasy; mark of cain; plural marriage; eternal progression; baptism of the dead; many gods and goddesses) without worrying about PROVING it, because mormons are the “the true church.”
    *]You can “retranslate” your “scripture” (the BoM and other soporific tomes) into “better” English as your theology changes.
    *]Every man a priest, every man a god. Need I say more?
    *]Women are beholden to menfolk (we mormons rule planets!)
    *]Apparently the belief is that God is falable.
    *]Mormon prophets had difficulties with ancient Egyptian.
    http://www.softpedia.com/screenshots/thumbs/GIMP-checkmark-brushes-11827-thumb.png
 
PaulDupre said:
The temple garments have a distinctive neck-line (especially the men’s). They call it “the eternal smile” and it shows through most white dress shirts. Garment-wearing Mormon men choose white shirts that are thin enough so that the eternal smile will show.

Every now and then, a member would whisper to me fondly “I see your eternal smile”, meaning “I see you are one of us, a temple-worthy saint.” It gave me the creeps.

Paul
Click to expand...
Yeah, that is a little weird! :o

However, there was a similar Con already added to the list about the LDS church dictating what you wear and how you wear your hair. For the sake of being concise, i’ll say this one is already on the list.
 
Socrates4Jesus said:
Do not feel that you have to answer this, but what was the main reason you left the LDS church? If it is too personal a question to ask, please do not answer.
Click to expand...
I discovered the Book of Mormon was a fraud. Native Americans come from Asia, not Israel. One of the main purposes of the Book of Mormon, to convert the Lamanites, is totally bogus since there are no Lamanites anywhere.
 
http://www.trevorromain.com/blog/archives/blog-notice.jpg

OK, the list of pros and cons is so long it won’t all fit in one post! I believe it is nearing completion, but i’d like the list to be as complete as possible.

I also realize that i might have missed or misquoted someone. If anyone has anything more to add to the list that you think is important to consider in the discussion, please speak now, or forever hold your peace. I’ll wait until after this time tomorrow (at least 24 hours) to make any of your last-minute additions.

I really appreciate each one of your contributions! You have all really given me a lot to think about. Once we finalize the list, i hope you will all help me analyze the list, so that we might begin crossing those pros or cons off that are false, or not applicable, or repetitive, or otherwise should be removed.

👍
 
Socrates4Jesus,
Hmmm!
I would be happy to have a 1:1 discussion with you about any subject relative to the truth claims of the CoJCoLDS as opposed to Catholicism (you pick one subject and I pick one). I got tired of this thread because I am a weak person easily overwhelmed.
However, I think few of your cons are well formulated. And none of you cons are disqualifying of the truth of the CoJCoLDS.

I think on important issues like the apostasy / restoration LDS win.

I think Catholic philosophic problems produce internal contradictions that render reasoned based acceptance of Catholicism problematic or impossible.
Here are my two attempts to discussed such “fatal flaws.”
http://forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=217571
http://forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=217932

So, I would suggest if the Con’s list was 10x as long and the Pro’s list half as long, “fatal flaws” within either Catholicism or Mormonism would render reasoned based acceptance of either theology impossible. The LDS theology I embrace does not have fatal flaws as best I can determine.
Charity, TOm
 
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