Yep, I know quite a few Mormons, and my exprience is akin to Cherny's in that they are amongst the kindest and most fun-loving people I know.

Um, but not the kinkiest. I must be going to the wrong Mission-escape bars.




There are plenty of reasons I wouldn't vote for Romney. We have to go far down the list till I get to Mormanism. That's not a disqualification for me. Only if he's fervent. (And that would be the same disqualifier for any candidate who's fervent about any religious faith.)

I don't think it's all that difficult to find information on the LDS church in this day and age of teh intrawebs. Perhaps once upon a time the mystery over what they believe could be a credible argument for the people I was referring to, but it simply isn't the case. Anyone, save for those so hopelessly in the boonies they have access to nothing, can go to mormon.org or even Wikipedia to get some reliable information on the Latter-Day Saints. Heck, even in my church-going dying-to-believe in something days at a Baptist church in Michigan, we covered LDS and they said they believed in God and Jesus, but they were wrong about Joseph Smith, or some such thing.

Maybe my earlier post didn't clarify enough what these people were in disagreement over, but the people quoted in the article from over the Summer disagreed with Romney because he "didn't believe in the same God" and some equated Mormonism with "Devil Worship." What distresses me is how many in the general population make assumptions and become vocal without becoming informed, even on the most basic level. The general population's treatment of those whose religious views, lifestyles, and whatever else that is different from themselves is disappointing at best - which is commentary on the public, and not-so-much Romney.

Toward the original post, religion plays a factor in my decision to vote. It clues me into how he may or may not react to things that are important to me. I would vote for a Mormon if his beliefs and how he may vote align with my own preferences, just as I would vote for a "regular" Christian, a Catholic, a Jew, a Hindu, a Muslim. To that end, what has disappointed me about Romney was his pro-choice stance that changed due to Republican/Conservative pressures. As much as LDS has blended church and state (take a trip to SLC and take a look for yourself), for the most part I got a "freedom of religion" and "freedom of lifestyle" vibe from Romney early on, but of course he's flipped on that, too. Or so it seems.

Religion aside, he seems like someone who I wouldn't vote for on account of his flip-floppiness and general phoniness.

No. If you go into a Methodist Church, the pastor will tell you everything there is to know about that branch of Protestantism. S/he will not charge money for the information. You do not have to join the Methodist Church to get the information. The same is true for all the mainline Protestant churches.

Yeah, I gotta say Mormons are pretty nice people. When I went through my family crisis, they helped my entire family, even those that weren't LDS. And you know, they never pushed me to change my own views. I thought that was pretty nice. :)

Do you think Mormons charge for information? Or are you confusing them with Scientologists?

I think you have to be a member in various degrees of standing to receive the Mormon Church's beliefs in increments. I assume that to be a member in good standing of the Mormon Church, you have to contribute something. So yes, I do think Mormons charge for information in that way.

The secrecy is the main reason why many Christians think Mormonism is a cult, like Scientology. I haven't thought enough about Mormonism to know if it's a cult.

I think in the past joining the church and going through the various levels was the only way one could get certain information. But as Erica said with the internet much of that is now easily found public information. The same with say the Masons or other "secret" orginizations. There are shows on the History Channel and the like with "insider" information.

I don't know where you got this from but it's absolutely and totally false. Go look in the internet, visit a Mormon church, ask a Mormon friend, or even pull aside one of the millions of missionaries out there whose sole duty is to teach all the church has to teach and you can find out everything you want to know.

It's the lies, the misinformation, and half-truths spread by anti-Mormon propaganda that has lead to what appears to be lack of transparency.

Would that be the part where they get anointed with oil on their privates and baptized in a huge tub on the backs of 12 oxen? Or is there something more secretive than that?

But really, the mormons I know are great people. My only concerns lie in the separation of church and state. As far as which religion... doesn't matter.

I do believe it has cultish aspects, and yes, from what I understand there are certain things you have to know for the ceremonial stuff - though I've never felt it necessary to pay them anything to understand what was going on. I've never known anyone to really have to pay - but then, I don't know everything there is to know about Mormons. I do know the basics: they believe in the Christian God and tiny infant baby Jesus with golden fleece diapers. Which is what some out there think they don't believe in. But, they don't consider themselves a part of any of the more "traditional" Christian churches - they're a continuation of the Church of Christ... something a little different.

Mormons do seem to take their tithing a little more seriously than most other churches I've gone to - 10% - and most LDS seem to give it. But, tithing is usually a part of Jewish and Christian organizations, so that's nothing really different and I don't really see it as a "Pay to Play" situation.

And, like I said earlier, they really helped my family out without making anyone feel guilty for not going to their church or supporting their religion. My aunt left LDS some time ago for their stance against women in the temple wearing pants, or rather that there was a dress code associated with communing with God. They seemed rather accepting of her differing views - which I think is probably more of a sign of the modern-day church. They've dropped polygamy (with the exception of a few extreme sects), and a bunch of other stuff.

Hehe - as for cults, I think all religions are cults. But that's just me.