Admittedly, I did not know much about the deeper inner workings of Mormonism. I happened to come across a thread where an ex-Mormon was giving in depth answers to people's questions about it. There is a lot that was incredible to me (Kolob, magic underwear, and others). However, I wonder if anybody here thinks this stuff is going to become an issue to the mainstream, moderates, and independents in the general election:
Copying and pasting made this excerpt lose its formatting, so it's harder to follow. The guy giving the answers is exmocaptainmoroni
[–]mtnfreddie 51 points 1 hour ago
Anything voters should know before voting for President?
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[–]exmocaptainmoroni[S] 98 points 52 minutes ago
Romney swore in the temple to give everything he owns including his time, talents and everything with which he has been blessed to build up the Kingdom of God or the Mormon church.
Romney was also a member when they church taught that Blacks could not have the priesthood because they were "weaker spirits in the pre-existence." The First Presidency even made an official statement to this effect in 1947. Romney never opposed these teachings or this policy publicly. Those that did were excommunicated.
Also, hatred of gays is a very strong undercurrent in the Mormon church, especially among fundies.
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[–]Janet_Coquette 21 points 44 minutes ago
Wait - why would a church demand that you "Give up everything you own... to the church"?
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[–]exmocaptainmoroni[S] 58 points 29 minutes ago
Because they believe that the LDS church will grow in wealth and power to prepare the way for Jesus Christ. A recent Bloomber Businessweek article estimated that the LDS church now brings in about $6 billion dollars in tithing revenue every year and owns many businesses worth over $30 billion dollars. The LDS church owns resorts, theme parks, hunting preserves, mines, ranches, and many TV and radio stations. They bring the members on to do all the work as "service for the church" so that they don't have to pay people. When I was a kid, we would go up to the ranch near my house as a ward project to fix it up. Many retired old people in the church are encouraged to do "service missions" for the church. They often end up doing management or repair work at LDS businesses.
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[–]Janet_Coquette 29 points 27 minutes ago*
You have to give everything you own to the church, then you work for the church for free. So it's a scam, basically.
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[–]amymae 19 points 22 minutes ago
Uh, yeah, it does sound like a scam. Perhaps that's why OP is an EX-Mormon.
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[–]Janet_Coquette 8 points 21 minutes ago
Oh. I missed that part.
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[–]JustBreatheN 5 points 24 minutes ago
They call it the Law of Consecration.
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[–]wonderella 2 points 12 minutes ago
That kind of sounds like a good encouragement for retired folks who want to do something in the community sort of like volunteer work other churches encourage. In reality is this exploitation? Or just giving older members something to do that gives them importance?
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[–]JustBreatheN 7 points 38 minutes ago
Law of Consecration
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[–]exmocaptainmoroni[S] 5 points 28 minutes ago
Indeed
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[–]themrears 7 points 42 minutes ago*
It's part of a "covenant" made in the temple. DON'T QUESTION RELIGIOUS AUTHORITY.
Note that the covenant in the temple also states that you are willing to give you life, if needed, for the church.
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[–]mormbn 8 points 15 minutes ago
A little context. While information about exactly what goes on in the temple is freely available on the Internet these days, members who have yet to perform the secret rites of the temple are discouraged from reading about it beforehand, because they are "sacred." There is a "temple preparation class" that discusses the temple in general terms, but doesn't disclose all relevant information.
The "endowment ceremony" is the one where they play a strange film retelling the story of creation and have a voice over loudspeaker telling participants what to do.
After you've followed the loudspeaker's instructions for awhile (including making some other oaths such as to never disclose the secret handshakes and never to have extramarital sex), this comes over the loudspeaker. The first time attendee will typically have no idea that this was coming and will have only seconds to process it while obeying the voice:
All arise.
Each of you bring your right arm to the square.
You and each of you covenant and promise before God, angels, and these witnesses at this altar, that you do accept the law of consecration as contained in this, the book of Doctrine and Covenants, in that you do consecrate yourselves, your time, talents, and everything with which the Lord has blessed you, or with which he may bless you, to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, for the building up of the kingdom of God on the earth and for the establishment of Zion. Each of you bow your head and say, "Yes."
That will do.
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[–]wee0x1b 4 points 18 minutes ago
Wait - why would a church demand that you "Give up everything you own... to the church"?
Because it's a ******* scam.
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[–]WonOneToo 0 points 16 minutes ago
wait... no.. do mormons really give everything up to the church when they die?
so his kids aren't inheriting any of his money?
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[–]tragic-waste-of-skin 1 point 14 minutes ago
Will Romney really give away his vast fortune?
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[–]lukaspriest 1 point 5 minutes ago
What many people don't realize is that LDS church members have a VERY unique relationship to the leader of the church, Thomas S. Monson. They literally view him as a prophet, seer, and revelator - like Moses. In light of the fact that mormons view their prophet as the literal mouthpiece of God, it amazes me that the media has not really explored this topic. If the (prophet) Thomas S. Monson calls up would-be President Romney and says "do this <insert action here>", Romney is going to obey.
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[–]R0gue_H3r0 18 points 41 minutes ago
Romney has a personal and religious disposition to support Isreal. That should be concerning for anyone who thinks Isreali security is not neccisarily American security
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[–]exmocaptainmoroni[S] 63 points 26 minutes ago
This is also a big concern for me. Most Mormons I know think that Romney needs to win as part of God's plan so that we can have a world war with Islam in order to bring back Jesus at the end of the apocalypse. I have heard this often, especially from the older Mormons.
They also say that, within our lifetimes, the United States will fall apart and Missouri will be emptied by the wrath of God. Then, we will all go back like pioneers to build Zion there and replace the old inhabitants.
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[–]StarVixen 17 points 15 minutes ago
Missouri? Why Missouri?
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[–]couchiexperience 12 points 11 minutes ago
I think that's where they believe the garden of Eden was.
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[–]Kuzbell 3 points 6 minutes ago
Makes total sense.
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[–]DrSandbags 4 points 7 minutes ago
Have you seen the ***** coming out of Missouri lately? It needs an emptyin'.
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[–]MrDannyOcean 3 points 9 minutes ago
Mormons believe the literal Garden of Eden is/was located in Missouri somewhere.
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[–]cheekytriangle 3 points 9 minutes ago
They believe that the garden of eden was actually in Missouri. Around Jefferson City, if I am not mistaken.
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[–]Ipeunipig 1 point 9 minutes ago
Missouri. Misery. Possible play on words?
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[–]ManRaySky 2 points 13 minutes ago
...why Missouri?
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[–]mormbn 8 points 30 minutes ago
As irrational as Mormonism is, many members are highly intelligent, capable, and good, and are able to compartmentalize their religion from secular life to a great degree.
That said, Mormonism is a very demanding and literalist religion. Also, it's not just a personal religion ("I have a personal relationship with God and seek His guidance through prayer and examining my feelings. I learn about this in my church."), it's an institutional religion ("Being faithful to God means being unquestionably devoted to the LDS Church and its appointed leaders"). Being both the most powerful man in the world and an orthodox Mormon may have some strange and unforeseeable interactions, testing Romney's ability to compartmentalize to the limits.
tl;dr I'm 97% sure that Mormon pragmatism would rule the day were Romney elected. It's the other 3% that makes me a little nervous.
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[–]JustBreatheN 3 points 49 minutes ago
Prior to 1990 the temple ceremonies included rituals to slash your throat and disembowel yourself if you divulged the information given in there. I did not go through at that time but I've heard from other Mormons that it was a time that you pledged to follow the prophet of the church no matter what and swore to uphold him.
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[–]JustBreatheN 2 points 48 minutes ago
Also look up "LDS Second Anointing". It's possible Mitt has had this done to him. Only the elite of the elite get this done. It's ridiculous, but a practice nonetheless.
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[–]veracious1 0 points 7 minutes ago
So you're telling me you're voting for President based religion?!?
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[–]PoliticalHivemind 1 point 6 minutes ago
Anything voters should know before voting for President?
Quit acting like you give a ******. You'd never consider voting for him anyway.
BRAVERY LEVEL: SO.
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__________________
There are no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, Chuck Norris lives in Houston.
Either the United States will destroy ignorance, or ignorance will destroy the United States. – W.E.B. DuBois
That the Mormon religion is whacky I know, I also am aware of many Mormons in public office and they don't seem to hold the church line on a lot of issues, just look at the ones in Congress. like most religions there is what is taught and what is lived, not always the same thing.
Theoretically, prior to last GC a UPC president couldn't engage in war, yet we all know that would never have been the case.
__________________
"Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow." ~Aesop
Thanks for the forum post, Stew. I talk with a large group of people away from AFF and the spouse of one of the people in our group is an ex-Mormon with the same story that I tried to share here and was also rejected. So, time will tell, if Mormonism will hurt him.
I have family members and friends who are Mormon. While we totally disagree on MUCH of what they teach - in fact, MOST! - I have to take issue with the statement that they have to give all they own to the church. That is absolutely not true. I've checked with both sources and what they are taught is, just like most churches, that they are to give a tithe - 10% and then any OFFERINGS they choose. Just like us.
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Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of a battle ! ! ! !
A mormon elder does my taxes ,has for 20 plus years is my neighbor,trust me he hasnt given evrytihgn to his church ,i find him to be a fine man with morals and i trust him
I don't claim to be an authority on Mormonism in the least. That is why the forum thread I am referencing was so fascinating to me. The distinct impression I got from the original poster and other ex-Mormons who were chiming in was that there were different levels of consciousness within the movement....as in there were some things that people on the fringe would not know that those on the inside would. It seemed similar to Scientology and some of the other cults in that way.
__________________
There are no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, Chuck Norris lives in Houston.
Either the United States will destroy ignorance, or ignorance will destroy the United States. – W.E.B. DuBois
I think likely all denominations and religion have different levels of consciousness within them...
It does not bother me too much. Not anymore nervous than I would be if a hard core Pentecostal pastor was about to become Prez.
__________________ "It is inhumane, in my opinion, to force people who have a genuine medical need for coffee to wait in line behind people who apparently view it as some kind of recreational activity." Dave Barry 2005
I am a firm believer in the Old Paths
Articles on such subjects as "The New Birth," will be accepted, whether they teach that the new birth takes place before baptism in water and Spirit, or that the new birth consists of baptism of water and Spirit. - THE PENTECOSTAL HERALD Dec. 1945
"It is doubtful if any Trinitarian Pentecostals have ever professed to believe in three gods, and Oneness Pentecostals should not claim that they do." - Daniel Segraves
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