Salt Lake City

[PhilipAndrew]

I work at an office that is run/owned by Mormons, not in Utah. They are wonderful people to work for. The thing I have noticed is that they have said they do not like Salt Lake City and have heard many stories of their family members getting into trouble, drugs, alcohol, living off the grid, paranoia, stealing from their elderly parents etc… Does any one have any good insight as to why? Is it the strict Mormon culture and high expectations? Anyone have any experiences like this?

 

[phil19034]

I work at an office that is run/owned by Mormons, not in Utah. They are wonderful people to work for. The thing I have noticed is that they have said they do not like Salt Lake City and have heard many stories of their family members getting into trouble, drugs, alcohol, living off the grid, paranoia, stealing from their elderly parents etc… Does any one have any good insight as to why? Is it the strict Mormon culture and high expectations? Anyone have any experiences like this?

secular culture affects people from all religions.

 

[Isca]

Salt Lake City is a strange place, spectacular and unsettling at the same time. I stayed there for only a few days (quite a few years ago), and the beauty of the public buildings was certainly worth seeing. However, the overall atmosphere was stifling and unreal - mesmeric, too.

I can’t really express it any better than that, but I do remember thinking that if you were just curious about religion and stayed there a week, you’d probably end up saying ‘where do I sign up?’.

 

[Jerusha]

I work at an office that is run/owned by Mormons, not in Utah. They are wonderful people to work for… Is it the strict Mormon culture and high expectations? Anyone have any experiences like this?

Yes, it is the strict Mormon culture, but more. If reasonable Mormons outside of the Zion Curtain say that they would not want to live there, that is sufficient evidence that there something awry with Mormonism. Utah-type Mormons are a different animal than Mormons who are used to living among normal people. There is great social upheaval going on in Mormonism, now that so much information is available to challenge their truth claims. And remember that the most vehement advocates of a system of belief are usually those who harbor the most intense private doubts.

Consider yourself privileged to work among reasonable-minded Mormons, but avoid talking about religion.

 

[Marie5890]

Strictly speaking, Salt Lake (and Salt Lake County) was far more diverse (for UT anyway) than say Utah County (IE Provo) and other counties.

The less devout Mormons would find it easier to live there, IMO.

sltrib.com/sltrib/home3/53909710-200/population-lds-county-utah.html.csp

 

[Jerusha]

True. You might want to pin them down on what area they re talking about.

 

[RebeccaJ]

I work at an office that is run/owned by Mormons, not in Utah. They are wonderful people to work for. The thing I have noticed is that they have said they do not like Salt Lake City and have heard many stories of their family members getting into trouble, drugs, alcohol, living off the grid, paranoia, stealing from their elderly parents etc… Does any one have any good insight as to why? Is it the strict Mormon culture and high expectations? Anyone have any experiences like this?

Authorities said heroin addiction is fueling a rise in violent crime in northern Utah, especially in robberies.

“What used to be almost nonexistent in Salt Lake City early in my career is now the drug of choice,” said police chief Chris Burbank during a violent crimes conference in September [2014], according to a video recording of a press conference.

sltrib.com/news/justice/1811719-156/crime-utah-violent-percent-rate-fbi

Now comes a new analysis, published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, which confirms that there’s been a dramatic shift in the demographics of heroin use in the United States.

In the 1960s, the typical user was an inner-city teenager, likely as not a minority, whose habit started with heroin. Fifty years later, new heroin users in America are more likely to be white suburban men and women in their 20s who get hooked on prescription opiates and then turn to heroin because it’s cheaper and easier to get.

“Our typical image of a heroin user is a ‘dirty junkie,’” said lead study author Theodore J. Cicero, a professor of psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. “This is not the current heroin user.”

nbcnews.com/health/health-news/new-face-heroin-young-white-suburban-study-finds-n115671. (May 2014)

 

[WillyAL]

Although it’s been two years since I was there last, my impression of Salt Lake City was very positive. Unless it has undergone a major change for the worse, Salt Lake City is a very clean, attractive city. Great public transportation, beautiful view of the mountains, very nice people. I took a tour of Temple Square and was given the hard-sell by a couple of very nice Mormon missionaries. They toned it down a bit when my wife told them she was Catholic. A few blocks up the street from Temple Square is the Cathedral of the Madeleine - a very beautiful church. Even as a non-believer, I was very impressed.

 

[Vanny]

Although it’s been two years since I was there last, my impression of Salt Lake City was very positive. Unless it has undergone a major change for the worse, Salt Lake City is a very clean, attractive city. Great public transportation, beautiful view of the mountains, very nice people. I took a tour of Temple Square and was given the hard-sell by a couple of very nice Mormon missionaries. They toned it down a bit when my wife told them she was Catholic. A few blocks up the street from Temple Square is the Cathedral of the Madeleine - a very beautiful church. Even as a non-believer, I was very impressed.

I have many relatives in Salt Lake City and even though I have never lived there, I have visited and always gotten very positive impressions. In Salt Lake proper, there are many non-Mormon churches. I’ve seen the Catholic Cathedral. Relatively low crime, too, for a city that size.
I do understand that it’s harder to be non-Mormon out in the suburbs and rural areas, though, although I’ve also been told that is changing.

 

[cmodrmac]

You have to differentiate between salt Lake City proper and greater salt Lake-there is a beautiful Episcopal Cathedral there and the Bishop is quite Anglo catholic-it is right next to a large Methodist Church-

the City is similar to an average American City-you can buy a drink -good restaurants and also with a “skid row”-the further you move out from the City core the more conservative the area becomes

Crime in salt Lake City is equal to and certainly not worse than the American average

 

[utah_rose]

I’ve lived here in Sandy, a Salt Lake suburb for more than 30 years. I think that expectations are higher for Mormons here than anywhere else.the laws on liquor for example are far more stricter than anywhere else and the sin tax on that and cigarettes are high, although I’m really not much of a drinker and don’t smoke. The suicide rate is also high among teens and I think it’s because they’re expected to have high grades, participate in Church activities and also strive to be missionaries after they graduate from high school. The girls are groomed for early marriage preferably to returned missionaries and higher education is not a priority, but having a large family early is. In addition, they keep strict tabs on their members noting if they drink coffee or alcohol. They’re encouraged to get a temple recommend from their bishop, and in order to get this they must tithe no matter how low their income is and observe church attendance each Sunday. I know a few that actually telephone members if they haven’t gone. (maybe this is a good idea for Catholics also) . In addition mixing with non members is discouraged particularly with other children. I don’t think that this is the case in other areas so much. Yes, they’re wonderful people to know, but it’s definitely an inclusive religion here. And I think some feel they’re called to perfection and it’s hard to achieve,

 

[RebeccaJ]

I live here too and have my entire life, raised LDS.

Thanks for the nice reviews of our city.

Crime statistics show SLC has very high rates of theft and rapes, per 100,000 population. The city proper has about 185,000 people. 6000thefts reported in 2014. I know personally several families impacted by drug abusers. One, a son died of an accidental overdose. One, a middle class suburb family, whose son tried heroin for fun at a party and within a year was stealing from his parents, grandparents, neighbors, anyone and everywhere. He’s doing better now, after time in jail and rehab. But he is from a devout LDS family. No one even five years ago would imagine a Mormon kid in the suburbs of SLC using heroin.

So the Mormons outside.of UT are correct on their assessment of the current going ons here. However! There are additional factors going on as to why non UT Mormons bag on SLC. One, a prophecy from one of their leader over a 100 years ago which claims SLC will be among the wicked cities before Christ returns. Mormons are big believers and teach that Jesus will return any day now. They see signs in every thing. I hear often from my LDS relatives, that this or that is a “sign of the times”.

Two, Mormons outside of UT say often that they don’t like UT Mormons, that they themselves are different (usually meaning better people) than UT Mormons. I think that is a cultural thing. UT definitely has its own quirky culture going on. So, gossip about UT Mormons is intended to give the impression the non UT Mormon is better at, or about, something. Particularly when conversing with non Mormons.

 

[PhilipAndrew]

So the Mormons outside.of UT are correct on their assessment of the current going ons here. However! There are additional factors going on as to why non UT Mormons bag on SLC. One, a prophecy from one of their leader over a 100 years ago which claims SLC will be among the wicked cities before Christ returns. Mormons are big believers and teach that Jesus will return any day now. They see signs in every thing. I hear often from my LDS relatives, that this or that is a “sign of the times”.

That makes sense to me now. One of their sons who also works in the same office brings up big disasters when they occur…

 

[RebeccaJ]

That makes sense to me now. One of their sons who also works in the same office brings up big disasters when they occur…

Ironically, I hear some LDS say the belief that Jesus will return any day now is a Mormon myth and not doctrine. The old school, ie UT Mormons, believe perpetually that Jesus will return within the next 20 years. So maybe your co-workers are UT Mormons after all.

 

[Miriam1947]

The first time I ever flew into Salt Lake City airport, I was amazed at the smog just sitting there.

I expected more clean air in Salt Lake City. I realize it’s the way the airport is situated and the inversion layer’s etc.