Was just listening to Mormon General Conference (wife is LDS)

[RebeccaJ]

Did you ever meet any African American Mormons?

I’ve noticed that a lot of Mormons are blonde, and tall.

LOL. There is a lot of Scandinavian ancestry in Utah.

 

[RebeccaJ]

The one thing I dislike about General Conference weekend here in Utah is the rain. It always rains on GC weekend and a storm is blowing in tonight, rain tomorrow.

I think it has rained every GC weekend since we have lived here which is 6 years ago.

There is a saying here in Utah “When the Mormons meet the heavens weep.”

At least they will have the billion dollar shopping mall to visit while they are at the conference center downtown.

If you don’t like the weather, wait an hour.

74 today, 49 tomorrow. Easter Vigil…hit and miss.

 

[TexanKnight]

Did you ever meet any African American Mormons?

I’ve noticed that a lot of Mormons are blonde, and tall.

Not very many. First, the LDS god would not even give them the priesthood until the 70s.

Next, Mormons were very racist, claiming if blacks really turned to God, they would become white.

that did not work out well for them.

 

[zaffiroborant]

As much as I disagree with them I’ll give Mormons this, they do sacrifice. Most boys spend two years isolated from their families on a mission trip that they pay for, and many girls do too. Most of them do tithe the full 10% (most other religious people don’t) and almost all of their members are involved in relief society. Most other churches only have a small portion of their congregation that serve in things like that. Its church on Sunday and then they’re done.

Not to mention how they all follow the word of wisdom. Seriously, they abstain from coffee and tea, while many Catholics won’t give up birth control and many Baptists drink.

Well it’s not surprising that they “abstain” from coffee and tea when they equate them with drugs, I probably couldn’t create a list of the drugs I “abstain” from since I an unaware of the drugs that are out there.

 

[ringil]

Next, Mormons were very racist, claiming if blacks really turned to God, they would become white.

that did not work out well for them.

Yeah, I guess that would put a hamper on conversions!

I’m guessing that in Africa they leave that little bit out untill WAY later. . . . .

 

[Jerusha]

Yeah, I guess that would put a hamper on conversions!

I’m guessing that in Africa they leave that little bit out untill WAY later. . . . .

My understanding is that they tell them that it is just figurative language. It is only when they get to Utah that they discover that many multi-generation LDS believe that it is literal.

 

[ringil]

My understanding is that they tell them that it is just figurative language. It is only when they get to Utah that they discover that many multi-generation LDS believe that it is literal.

Are you saying the racism still exists in the Mormons community- the official LDS church.

Do you think those families of TV- the polygamists- believe this stuff. THat would really negatively affect my opinion of them.

 

[lax16]

I noticed that! When I was still a mostly TBM and moved to UT in 2008 I didn’t have a ticket for conference so I went down and waited in line starting at about 6:30am. It was COLD! There were already about 40 people in line ahead of me. I didn’t get in that session so I ended up watching the first two Sat sessions in the North Temple Visitors Center and the Priesthood session in the theater of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. What part of the Valley do you live in?

Hello Excorcist!

Are you noticing all of the dark clouds looming this morning?

We live in the south end of the valley. How about you?

They sure get a big crowd to watch GC. We saw many cars in LDS church parking lots as well.

Where did you move from? We are from So. California.

 

[lax16]

If you don’t like the weather, wait an hour.

74 today, 49 tomorrow. Easter Vigil…hit and miss.

Yes, one of the things I like best about Utah weather is that the storms blow out fairly quickly and that there is always a mix of sunshine/wind/rain/snow etc that doesn’t seem to last for long.

I don’t think I would like living in an area where it stayed gray and gloomy for days on end!

 

[RebeccaJ]

Yes, one of the things I like best about Utah weather is that the storms blow out fairly quickly and that there is always a mix of sunshine/wind/rain/snow etc that doesn’t seem to last for long.

I don’t think I would like living in an area where it stayed gray and gloomy for days on end!

Yeah, I like it too.

 

[Marie5890]

Agreed. As a Home Teacher, if I did not visit all my families, I could not get my temple rec. Without a temple rec, I could not go to temple. If I could not go to temple, I could not go to heaven

Exactly. Mormons give 10% voluntarily? Not really. If they want their TR they have to be able to declare that they are a full tithe payer. And the summit of their worship is going to the temple.

That isnt really voluntary.

 

[ringil]

Exactly. Mormons give 10% voluntarily? Not really. If they want their TR they have to be able to declare that they are a full tithe payer.

That isnt really voluntary.

Exactly, that’s why when I hear how high Romney’s charitable giving is, I go

 

[Telstar]

Exactly. Mormons give 10% voluntarily? Not really. If they want their TR they have to be able to declare that they are a full tithe payer. And the summit of their worship is going to the temple.

That isnt really voluntary.

Exactly, that’s why when I hear how high Romney’s charitable giving is, I go

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus preached about people like the Pharisees, who boast about how much they give to the poor, or to the Temple, and brag about all the other “good works” that they perform, to impress other people by their obvious “holiness” so they’ll pat them on the back for being so “good”.
Matthew Chapter 6 [1] Take heed that you do not your justice before men, to be seen by them: otherwise you shall not have a reward of your Father who is in heaven. [2] Therefore when thou dost an almsdeed, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be honoured by men. Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. [3] But when thou dost alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth. [4] That thy alms may be in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret will repay thee.[5] And when ye pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, that love to stand and pray in the synagogues and corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men: Amen I say to you, they have received their reward.

 

[jocwind]

And the talk was basically bragging about how other Christians don’t typically make the kind of sacrifices that the LDS reguarly do (although the speaker granted that there may be some individual Christians who serve lifelong missions or religious vocations), that no organization can compare with the LDS Relief Society, etc. Are they kidding? The people in my own parish prove that false. Christians of all stripes devote their entire lives to serving God and sacrifice for others. Maybe the LDS speaker was confusing telling their members how to serve (visit the families on your list, serve a mission or face social stigma, never turn down a calling, pay your tithing or you can’t attend your child’s temple marriage) with true service that comes from the heart and does not need to be compelled. Sometimes it seems that the Mormons are living in their own little bubble.

I do not believe you understand the context of what was said. I heard the talk, since I have been listening to the general conference. I believe the speaker recognizes that other churches does a lot in the communities where they exist so the suggestion other churches do not sacrifice in your own ways is not what the speaker was stating.

 

[xixxvmcm85]

As much as I disagree with them I’ll give Mormons this, they do sacrifice. Most boys spend two years isolated from their families on a mission trip that they pay for, and many girls do too. Most of them do tithe the full 10% (most other religious people don’t) and almost all of their members are involved in relief society. Most other churches only have a small portion of their congregation that serve in things like that. Its church on Sunday and then they’re done.

Not to mention how they all follow the word of wisdom. Seriously, they abstain from coffee and tea, while many Catholics won’t give up birth control and many Baptists drink.

I think you missed nevada’s mentioning of social coercion in the matter. While the Mormons laud their supposed “Free Agency” to do all these virtuous acts, it’s hard to be a truly free agent when Dad is priming you to serve a mission from the moment you’re 5 years old; telling you to put aside a bit of your birthday and Christmas money each year for it, Mom telling you how you’ll never find a nice temple-worthy woman to marry you if you don’t serve a mission, seeing your parents temporarily lose their temple recommend due to financial straits, all the while sitting in on a semiannual General Conference for 18 years of your life where you’re indoctrinated into believing that you have this privileged membership in God’s elite who do all these wonderful things that non-Mormons either don’t do, or don’t do as well.

When I was still a Mormon it would always befuddle me how some Christians said Mormon worship services aren’t truly “worship”, and I never understood the truth of this until I left the LDS Church and sat in on the services of other denominations. Patting yourselves on the back and giving your egos a good stroking isn’t “worship”.

 

[Slaney]

And the talk was basically bragging about how other Christians don’t typically make the kind of sacrifices that the LDS reguarly do

Umm, I hear trumpets blowing…

Sort of reminds me of** Luke 18:11** The Pharisee standing, prayed thus with himself: O God, I give thee thanks that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, as also is this publican. [12] I fast twice in a week: I give tithes of all that I possess.

 

[Marie5890]

And the talk was basically bragging about how other Christians don’t typically make the kind of sacrifices that the LDS reguarly do (although the speaker granted that there may be some individual Christians who serve lifelong missions or religious vocations), that no organization can compare with the LDS Relief Society, etc. Are they kidding? The people in my own parish prove that false. Christians of all stripes devote their entire lives to serving God and sacrifice for others. Maybe the LDS speaker was confusing telling their members how to serve (visit the families on your list, serve a mission or face social stigma, never turn down a calling, pay your tithing or you can’t attend your child’s temple marriage) with true service that comes from the heart and does not need to be compelled. Sometimes it seems that the Mormons are living in their own little bubble.

Nevadaborn,

I was curious as to what was said and by whom so I did the research.
You were listening to Dallin Oaks (member of the 12).

Here is the quote

““For most followers of Christ, our sacrifices involve what we can do on a day-to-day basis in our ordinary personal lives. In this experience, I know of no group whose members make more sacrifices than Latter-day Saints. Their sacrifices — your sacrifices, my brothers and sisters — stand in contrast to the familiar worldly quest for personal fulfillment.””

ldschurchnews.com/articles/62192/Elder-Dallin-H-Oaks-Sacrifice.html

 

[GreenWhiteBlue]

.
You were listening to Dallin Oaks (member of the 12).

Here is the quote

““For most followers of Christ, our sacrifices involve what we can do on a day-to-day basis in our ordinary personal lives. In this experience, I know of no group whose members make more sacrifices than Latter-day Saints. Their sacrifices — your sacrifices, my brothers and sisters — stand in contrast to the familiar worldly quest for personal fulfillment.””

ldschurchnews.com/articles/62192/Elder-Dallin-H-Oaks-Sacrifice.html

That’s the problem with having a church run by amateurs (because there are no trained clergy in Mormonia); they don’t learn that every thought they have isn’t necessarily correct. It is amazing, though, that anyone could make a statement like that of “Apostle” Oaks if one actually had read Luke 18:11-14 :
The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity—greedy, dishonest, adulterous—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.’But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

 

[TheExorcist]

Hello Excorcist!

Are you noticing all of the dark clouds looming this morning?

We live in the south end of the valley. How about you?

They sure get a big crowd to watch GC. We saw many cars in LDS church parking lots as well.

Where did you move from? We are from So. California.

We lived in South Salt Lake and I worked downtown. It was really a perfect location because we were about 20 mins from almost everywhere in the Valley. We moved back up here in late 2009 (job transfer). We moved from Spokane, WA and then when we moved back moved to Coeur d’Alene, ID.

 

[TheExorcist]

Exactly. Mormons give 10% voluntarily? Not really. If they want their TR they have to be able to declare that they are a full tithe payer. And the summit of their worship is going to the temple.

That isnt really voluntary.

“Pay, pray and obey” as we say in the ex Mormon community