Experience with some Mormon missionaries.

[Pariah Dog]

I'll try to keep the back story part of this short. I tend to get into too many details and make things unnecessarily long, and those details won't be important here.

On the job I encountered a beautiful young Mormon lady who wanted me to come see her in a choir performance another day. Which I did. She has the looks and voice of an angel. And to be perfectly honest a beautiful lady wanting anything to do with me is not exactly a common occurrence. I might have been easily lured. She wanted me to come see her perform on another day, but I happened to be out of town at the time. Then she wanted to meet with her and other missionaries on another night. So I went one evening, the missionaries were 2 girls (including the one that asked me there), and 2 guys. Many of you probably can guess how this part of the story goes.

They introduce me to the book of Mormon and the beliefs of the church and so on. I was already somewhat familiar with this as I hunger for knowledge and read different things all the time. They wanted me to say a couple prayers with them and so forth.


The point of my thread being, opinions on the mormon (LDS) church.

I have read much about the founder, Joseph Smith. I believe he is almost certainly a fraud. However to the Mormon church he is not some casual add on to the bible. His writings are a cornerstone to much of what they believe. While much of the bible can be proven accurate, at least in the sense of peoples, time periods, places (no so much when it comes to divine acts), Nothing of the book of mormon proves to be true, no archaeological evidence, nor is its claims of events even logical.

My opinion of the Mormon church is quite conflicted. I believe it is established on a fabricated book that many good intentioned but maybe naive and uneducated people started following which formed into an ever growing church body. I really can't say I understand the intention's of its founder, Joseph Smith. Mormons believe what they have makes them the one true church, and all other churches only have a piece of the story and not the truth allegedly revealed to Joseph Smith.

But that said, there is lots that I like about the Mormon church and it's people.

-The people are usually friendly and in good spirits. I don't seem to often find one of them miserable. It would seem they must typically live a fulfilling kind of life that much of the rest of the population lacks. I have encountered and worked with many of them.
-The church does much in the way of charity
-Family is of huge importance to them
-They are the only church I am aware of that seems to retain and engage large numbers of it's young people. I don't understand the reasoning for it, but it seems they must have some kind of good successful formula in that regard.
-I have heard a few say who have been to many churches that they find the Mormon church to be much less hypocritical than most, in that they practice what they preach.
-I agree with and admire some of their other taught aspects. It is my understanding that they are guided to be an independent people. Things like wise personal finances, preparedness, survival, and just general self sufficiency are taught to the congregation.


These missionaries want to meet with me again, and presumably more after that. I must say I enjoyed my time with them. I didn't think I was much of a spiritual person, I pretty much considered myself agnostic and haven't been to a church (non mormon) since I was a teenager. But I actually felt really good after the hour or so I spent with them, in a way that I can't explain, and left there in high spirits for reasons I don't understand. I like the idea of meeting with them again. But I know at some point they are going to get me to reveal some way or another my thoughts on the "profit" Joseph Smith and the book of Mormon. An interesting prospect. I like them, and I respect what they believe in, but I really can't buy it for myself it seems. I guess that is what I would have to tell them. If they wanted to baptize me in the name of the "profit" Joseph Smith or however that works... Damn that would be awkward. I would have to get out of there I think.

But then again I have known a few men who have married into Mormonism. By taking the women they love, they end up with the whole rest of the package too. None of them regretted it. I think they just kind of roll along with the parts they don't believe in. I suppose I could see myself go that way as well if the situation were to arise...

 

[Fridgemagnetman]

They're trying to hook you in, imo.

The church does have people thay go out and 'convert'
Like sales people that use techniques

Perhaps theyve seen some vulnerability in you....

Danger mr robinson.

 

[Catana]

i have to agree with Fridgemagnetman. Four people? Part of their technique is that the "prey" is socially overwhelmed by sheer numbers. You might be able to argue with one person and take the chance of offending them, but with group pressure, you're less likely to want to offend. And less able to defend.

Don't mistake the public image of Mormonism for the reality. They have scandals, dissension, and hypocrites, just like any religion. And you either follow their rules and beliefs strictly, or suffer the consequences.

If the meeting was about sex, it would be called "grooming."

 

[Judge]

i have to agree with Fridgemagnetman. Four people? Part of their technique is that the "prey" is socially overwhelmed by sheer numbers. You might be able to argue with one person and take the chance of offending them, but with group pressure, you're less likely to want to offend. And less able to defend.

Reminds me of my non-Mormon sister-in-law who grew up in Idaho. Who was never approached by Mormons on a premise of whether or not she was Mormon, but rather simply an assumption of which "stake" she belonged to.

She never appreciated such perceived arrogance. I think she still belongs to some sect of the Protestants, but I'm not sure which one.

Plenty of Mormons in Nevada, but they seem to keep a lower profile in comparison as do other religions. But then perhaps it's par for the course in this den of sinners. Who incidentally pay a lot of our taxes.

 

[Fridgemagnetman]

i have to agree with Fridgemagnetman. Four people? Part of their technique is that the "prey" is socially overwhelmed by sheer numbers. You might be able to argue with one person and take the chance of offending them, but with group pressure, you're less likely to want to offend. And less able to defend.

Don't mistake the public image of Mormonism for the reality. They have scandals, dissension, and hypocrites, just like any religion. And you either follow their rules and beliefs strictly, or suffer the consequences.

If the meeting was about sex, it would be called "grooming."

Proselytising nefariously

 

[Thinx]

It sounds like your interest was in the beautiful young woman. Understandably. And as if you want to believe in it but don't.

 

[tree]

"I have known a few men who have married into Mormonism. By taking the women they love, they end up with the whole rest of the package too. None of them regretted it. I think they just kind of roll along with the parts they don't believe in. I suppose I could see myself go that way as well if the situation were to arise..."

How would anyone know whether they regretted it ?
Or maybe they are just so inauthentic that nothing matters to them.

This sounds like a very unpleasant/repugnant situation, to me.

 

[Joel's Hear]

You better watch what you say around here, Pariah Dog. I am one of the missionaries you sat with the other day. We know where you work, we're watching your house...

Just joking

No, no, for real, I have had experience with Mormon missionaries. When I lived at my grandma's house they started to come around a lot, even though I was often half-drunk and drank lots of coffee. They would ride their bikes to my house (eventually one got an old-school, Hardy Boy-style sedan), and tell me about Joseph Smith. They were friendly, well-mannered, and pleasant. They always wore slacks and white collared shirts, with ties.

They came so often that my grandmother would make them iced tea and cookies. We played tennis together a couple times. We even went fishing one time (the elders, as they are called, though young, were not allowed to swim on their mission due to liability reasons).

All of the young missionaries who came to see me over the course of a year had a good-hearted streak. But I often felt a hidden aggression in them, not necessarily directed at me. They take their church extremely seriously. I also do not believe in all of their tenants. They eventually stopped coming around because I would not commit to anything real serious in their church.

I am sure that you saw something real in your friend from work, but I think in the end she will love her church more than she loves you and expect you to do the same. If you ever got serious.

 

[Pariah Dog]

Lots of interesting opinions. That's why I started this

I do realize there is scandals and everything else. Their upper levels must have to contend with the reality that the whole thing started as a fraud.

It is interesting how die hard serious they take it. I guess when it's drilled into a person their whole life. Indoctrination, which sounds like too dirty of a word to apply here but it technically fits. Indoctrination is usually applied to something with an evil intention.

To "Judge" the assumption of the stake. Interesting point too. That lady upon meeting me while I was working, assumed I was part of one of the "wards" there, and that I was single. The last part is the opposite of what most people suspect of me. The narrative with most people I encounter is typically "He's pretty good looking, me must have a wife/girlfriend, probably kids" and are typically surprised to find out otherwise. It makes me wonder if that was her actual assumption or if that is a tactic they are supposed to start with until proven otherwise.

"Catana" Now that you say it that way. Four on one does seem a rather predatory notion...

Anyway this thing seems to be loosing steam and they contact me less. I am often genuinely too busy to interact with them. The other thing that I don't automatically agree with their beliefs may make me seem too much a challenge. I wouldn't be lying if I were to say most of my interest was brought on by that lady. The other ones would have had a much lesser chance of convincing me to go anywhere or do anything.

"Joel's Hear"...I'll be a big enough man to admit you had me for about 2 seconds HAHA.

 

[Mary Anne]

The whole Mormon forced covered underwear, and how they have sex according to the Mormon rules is weird, and very 1809s. I view them all as a cult.

I have a friend who grew up Mormon, and he has told me everything about the faith. I also researched online. You have been dazzled and hypnotized by a beautiful woman, and new social welcoming environment. Proceed with extreme caution.