Did mormons really believe that...

I lived and worked among Mormons in Salt Lake City for 19 years and have read the Book of Mormon. I don't know about the first two items you mention, but I lived in Salt Lake when the "revelation" was received in the topmost room of the Temple that blacks are not irrevocably "cursed".

Mormons believe there is a "Mrs. God", that bodies will physically re-compose at the appropriate time, that all devout males will wind up a God with his own solar system, that females can never hold the Mormon "priesthood", that the Bishop in your Ward has the authority to tell you what sexual practices are acceptable and that Roman Catholicism is "the whore of all religions", as obsessively repeated in the Book of Mormon.

And worse.

 

I don't think any of that is any sillier than believing a guy was torturered/murdered then came back to life, immaculate conception, or any of those other "magic" powers.

If Mormons want to believe that Jesus came down from the skies in a white robe over America or that they'll get their own solar system.. well.. let em' go for it.

Now.. a REAL case of whackos is the Scientologists.. you wanna talk about fruitcakes... it's them.

 

Desynch, what is it about them that makes them so nutty?

I know that it is not the way of salvation. They may do good works, but it is a man's religion and not that of the one true God.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(desynch @ Feb 18 2007, 03:41 PM) [snapback]392474[/snapback]</div>

The thing about Scientologists isn't that they're wackos. I mean, they are, but on the surface no more or less than any other religion. No, the thing about Scientologists is that they're scary, dangerous wackos.

 

They can certainly believe anything they want as long as they don't act on it.

I'd certainly think twice before voting for any Mormon for public office or judge if they truly believe some of this racist garbage. As we've found with all fundamentalists, they don't seem to have the capacity to separate church and state.

 

I see.

Is it still called a religion when you believe in an idea or person as opposed to God?

I would have thought that it would be called "idol" worship.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(loveit @ Feb 18 2007, 01:31 PM) [snapback]392495[/snapback]</div>

No but it could turn into an "ism". Unless you have a theocratic base, and worship. t all really comes down to who s defining it and their personal worldviews.

Here is a good interview with Karen Armstrong, author of 'The Great Transformation" and Bill Moyers

Interview on PBS transcript

 

The sum total of my knowledge of Mormonism comes from a few visits by door-to-door Mormon missionaries. With that caveat:

These guys told me they no longer believe people of color are inferior.

They told me that living a good and ethical life is what matters, and that a person who does so will go to heaven whether he is a Mormon or not. They believe this screwy idea that after Jesus died he came to America and gave his word to a now-vanished civilization. However, as noted above, they believe that you don't have to believe that to go to heaven. You just have to be a good person.

They said that if you live a perfect life, which very few people do, you will then become a god and can build universes of your own, and that the god of this universe was just a guy, in another world, who lived a perfect life, and so became a god. And that his world was created by a god who had been just a guy, in another world who had lived a perect life. And so on, backwards in time, ad infinitum.

I thought it made a lot more sense than just about any other religion. I still think it's nonsense. But I think most Christian, Jewish, and Islamic sects are worse.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jack Kelly @ Feb 18 2007, 03:55 PM) [snapback]392459[/snapback]</div>

Mormonism is an off-shoot of Catholicism. LOL.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Feb 18 2007, 02:53 PM) [snapback]392533[/snapback]</div>

You are wrong about Judaism:

 

I'm no expert in Judaism, but I was brought up to value actions over faith, which is the core tenet of halacha.

The admittedly little reading I have done in Jewish philosophy was that mainstream Judaism does not include notions of heaven and hell. Christians can take credit for that perversion.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IsrAmeriPrius @ Feb 18 2007, 03:10 PM) [snapback]392541[/snapback]</div>

1. So righteous pagans are out.

2. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but god's afraid of words?

3. I'm not aware of any courts that do more good than harm.

4. On this I agree, but all three religions let people kill each other as long as they call it "war" or "punishment" for a "crime."

5. I agree here, too, but I would say that capitalism is robbery, and therefore condemned by this item.

6. Seems like everyone hates gays. And depending on the precise meaning of adultery, if it means any sex outside of marriage, I'd say it's pretty childish of god to demand that people have to go through a ceremony before they can have sex together. If adultery means cheating on a spouse, I'd make it more a civil than a criminal matter in the book of judgement.

7. This one is good, as far as it goes: I'd also prohibit killing animals for the purpose of consuming them. But as far as general importance in the big picture, I hardly think that eating live oysters belongs on the list of the seven worst things you can do.

Mainly, though, I just never liked the idea of a religion that said we're "chosen" and they're not, and all those people god tells the Jews to kill and take their land in the O.T.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Stev0 @ Feb 18 2007, 05:24 PM) [snapback]392491[/snapback]</div>

You've got that right. Stay away from Scientologists. They're a cult, literally.. They're a freaking cult.

To all that aren't aware of the true colors of Scientology.. I don't know what else to say other than that they are a legitimate cult. You can either believe me, or not. If not, I suggest doing your own research.

What they actually believe (once you pay enough money into their "religion", you learn more about this) is that they some space creature named Xenu cast some sort of aliens into our bodies or some garbage.. That you have to get "audited" to clear out these aliens .. and to get audited you pay the Co$ some $$$$. (Co$ = Church of Scientology)..

the real kick in the balls is that these guys are actually tax exempt..

 

I lived among them long enough to know that - on the surface - they appear well dressed and friendly. Peer beneath the surface ... no way I'd want one as President, that's for sure.

In the mormon temple they have this ceremony where they have to wear this sheet, with oddly stiched patterns over the mammary glands. It just gets weird from that point and I usually stop listening ...

Or how about the guys have to wear "special" underwear. I usually played it safe and didn't wear underwear period.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(desynch @ Feb 18 2007, 04:39 PM) [snapback]392569[/snapback]</div>

You could replace the word "scientologists", in the above quote, with any organized religious group. LOL

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jayman @ Feb 18 2007, 08:12 PM) [snapback]392579[/snapback]</div>

:lol:

Can we call you "commando?"

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(F8L @ Feb 18 2007, 09:17 PM) [snapback]392582[/snapback]</div>

AMEN!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(livelychick @ Feb 18 2007, 09:17 PM) [snapback]392583[/snapback]</div>

Ah, those were the days. I could wear 28 jeans at one time?!? I was in GREAT shape, looked HOT, had a Six Pack, and when I walked around in a tight pair of Wrangler cowboy jeans ... never had a problem getting a date.

Ok, still in great shape, still no trouble getting a date, but middle age is catching up to me. Now I'm built like a bouncer and get all my casual stuff from Mark's Work Wearhouse. Like the Denver Hayes Flex Tech khaki's.

Excuse me while I take a fond trip down Memory Lane ...

 

EricGo, Pharisees believed in an afterlife, but the Sadducees did not. So yes, back in the time of Jesus, there were Jews that believed in an afterlife as there are today. There are Jews today who believe in Jesus, and He definitely taught about an afterlife for all eternity. To to the best of my knowledge these Jews are called: Completed Jews, and they live the world over.

Daniel, do you know what the meaning of your name is?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(loveit @ Feb 18 2007, 09:33 PM) [snapback]392622[/snapback]</div>

loveit, I'm not about to derail this thread, but since I've seen you mentioned the "Jews for Jesus" AGAIN, I must tell you, as the friend of many, many Jewish folk, that "Jews for Jesus" are considered absolutely ridiculous. They are, to the Jewish faithful, much like YOU view an agnostic. If they were born Jewish, and then come to believe that Jesus was the messiah, then they are no longer Jews. They may have the name, the heritage, the past, but if they believe that Jesus was the messiah, they are Christians.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jews_for_Jesus

Thought I would clear this up for you.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jayman @ Feb 18 2007, 09:04 PM) [snapback]392599[/snapback]</div>

No excuse needed. I coughed a bit at the Wrangler image (more of a Levis gal myself), but I understand the fondness of the stroll...would that I could fit into my old Jordaches. (hahahahahahaha...)