Common Misconceptions and Myth Busters of the Church


honeywithsole
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Hi,

My name is Donna and I am a student at CSU San Marcos. I am currently working on a group project for my ID class: Explorations of Community Diversity. My group chose to focus on Mormons. I am working on "Misconceptions and Myth Busters of the Church".

If anyone is willing to participate in an "cyber" interview. Please respond to the thread or email me at [email protected]. During the "interview", I will be giving you a "rumor" about the Mormon church such as "Mormons are not allowed to drink soda" or "You have to wear Mormon underwear for life" then you will counter that.

Thanks!!!

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No, I am not. Since this is group project explores community diversity, we chose to present on a group that we were unfamiliar with or not involved in.

Okay so below are some misconceptions. If you are willing to participate, you can tackle one or two or all of them. The response could be text or a video of yourself explaining why the misconception is false and set the record straight.

Here are a few misconceptions that I have gathered from both high school and college students in the San Diego County:

1. You have to wear Mormon underwear for life.

2. Mormons cannot drink soda.

3. Mormon underwear helps to discipline young boys against masturbation.

4. Mormon underwear has knee and nipple protectors.

5. The Word of Wisdom teaches that alcohol is not good for consumption.

6. Mormons practice polygamy.

7. Why don't Mormons believe in The Bible?

8. Do Mormons worship Joseph Smith?

9. Why are the things that happen in the Temple such a secret?

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(Total side note before I start answering questions...can a mod please fix or delete the tag on this thread labeled "LSD"? :) Thanks!)

1) You do not "have" to do anything. Member of the LDS Church who have made certain sacred covenants in the temple choose to and have the privilege of wearing "temple garments" (Mormon underwear) and are instructed to do so throughout their lives.

2) There is no definitive doctrinal statement about soda. We are discouraged from partaking of "any drink containing harmful habit forming drugs under circumstances that would result in acquiring the habit. Any beverage that contains ingredients harmful to the body should be avoided." (Priesthood Bulletin, Feb. 1972, p. 4). Many people take this to mean caffeinated soda.

3) Teenagers do not wear temple garments.

4) Much of what happens inside the temple is symbolic. The temple garments are also symbolic. They do not have protectors in them, but small symbols stitched over the breasts and the knee. These symbols are placed as reminders of the covenants and doctrines that we learn in the Gospel. When we see the symbols, it helps us remember these covenants and keep our minds focused on our goal of exaltation.

5) This is true. The actual quotes from the revelation are as follows: "That inasmuch as any man drinketh wine or strong drink among you, behold it is not good, neither meet in the sight of your Father...And, again, strong drinks are not for the belly,..." (Doctrine and Covenants 89:5,7)

6) Mormons did practice polygamy. The practice was officially discontinued in 1890 by Wilford Woodruff, in an official declaration to the Church, the entire text of which can be found here: Official Declaration 1. Anyone who currently practices polygamy is not a member of the Church. Those you often hear about in the news are part of the Fundamental LDS Church, a splinter group.

7) Mormons do believe in the Bible. Our 8th Article of Faith states "We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God." (Click here for all the Article of Faith: Articles of Faith 1). We believe in the Bible, but in our proselyting we tend to focus more on the Book of Mormon in part because it's what the general population is not familiar with, so we stand out from all other missionaries that preach the Gospel.

8) No. We do not worship Joseph Smith. We honor his memory, and revere and respect him for all that he did, but we worship God the Father and Jesus Christ. I had a friend who once expressed her frustration to me about people who accuse us of worshiping Joseph Smith. Her thoughts expressed very well how I (and I daresay many others) feel about him. It is because of Joseph Smith that we know who Jesus Christ is.

9) The ordinances we perform in the temple involve many symbolic aspects that need to be interpreted in the right context. An individual who does not have the background expected of those who enter the temple would likely see these symbolic aspects and find them strange. Whereas we see these ordinances as being so important and sacred, we desire that they not be misunderstood, or worse, mocked. For this reason, we use great discretion when discussing what happens in the temple.

Edited by Wingnut
clarification
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No, I am not. Since this is group project explores community diversity, we chose to present on a group that we were unfamiliar with or not involved in.

Okay so below are some misconceptions. If you are willing to participate, you can tackle one or two or all of them. The response could be text or a video of yourself explaining why the misconception is false and set the record straight.

Here are a few misconceptions that I have gathered from both high school and college students in the San Diego County:

1. You have to wear Mormon underwear for life.

2. Mormons cannot drink soda.

3. Mormon underwear helps to discipline young boys against masturbation.

4. Mormon underwear has knee and nipple protectors.

5. The Word of Wisdom teaches that alcohol is not good for consumption.

6. Mormons practice polygamy.

7. Why don't Mormons believe in The Bible?

8. Do Mormons worship Joseph Smith?

9. Why are the things that happen in the Temple such a secret?

1. They're called garments, and the principle behind them is sacred to us. As long as I plan to keep the promises and covenants I made with God, I will wear them. Actually, for clarification, many religions wear a type of religious clothing--caps, collars, robes. We're not alone here.

2. Not true.

3. Young boys do not wear them. But also not true.

4. Not true.

5. True.

6. Not true. This was discontinued over 100 years ago. Those people who still practice this are not of our faith.

7. We do most certainly believe in the Bible. It is sacred and contains the word of God. We study it probably more than most other people.

8. No. We revere him as a prophet, just as we do Moses, Isaiah, Elijah, etc.

9. They are sacred. They are protected from those who might mock and ridicule through lack of understanding. (Marriages for eternity also are performed in temples. I've seen many different types of weddings--nothing compares to the sacredness -- and IMO classiness, of a temple wedding.)

Edited by Starfish
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1. Only adult members of the church who decide to attend the temple wear them. They are called garments. We wear them as part of covenants (promises) we make to discipline our lives in obedience to God. They are very sacred to us and we are sensitive when this topic is brought up or made fun of in the media. But yes, for some of us this is true.

2. Mormons CAN drink soda. We follow a health code that encourages us to avoid addictive substances and to eat a balanced diet. Caffeine is one of the substances we try to avoid. So, we generally avoid caffeinated soda. But, we do enjoy a boat load of rootbeer!!!! :)

3. Children do not wear garments. The Law of Chastity (moral commandments) helps our children learn to control their passions.

4. Nope.

5. Yes. This is true.

6. There was a time that the LDS church did practice polygamy. But we haven't for many many years. We believe to do so today is against the will of God.

7. Mormon's absolutely do believe in the Bible. We usually use the King James version but to believe that we don't is a gross misunderstanding of mormon theology. How could anyone say they believe in Jesus and disregard the New Testament account of his Atonement. Such simply doesn't make sense.

8. No. We do not worship Joseph Smith. We worship God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. Joseph was called as a prophet much like Moses or Paul or Peter. We revere and respect him the same way we do any prophet called of God. We do emphasize Joseph Smith a lot and that is because we believe the original church of Jesus was lost and needed to be restored. Joseph was the central tool in the Lord's restoration efforts. So it is impossible to escape the importance of Joseph Smith. But no. We do not worship him. In fact, we believe he was a fallible human just like the rest of us.

9. They are not necessarily secret. They are sacred. The information and ordinances there are really for everyone. But in order to obtain them, a person must demonstrate that they are ready to do so. Receiving what happens in the temple is more than just learning things. It is about making covenants or commitments to live your life in a higher way.

The church gives tours of the temples just after construction is complete so that everyone regardless of faith can enter and see what they are like. They are beautiful structures with absolutely serene interiors. The buildings are then dedicated and closed to the general public. Some things we do there are baptisms for the dead and marriages which we call sealings. This means a couple can be married for time and also eternity.

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Thank you wingnut, misshalfway and starfish. I was going to reply but you said everything I would have said and you did a better job. Honeywithsole, I don't see the need to retype this unless you want more of the same reply. If you do let me know, I'd be glad to make the effort.

applepansy

Edited by applepansy
addition
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4. Mormon underwear has knee and nipple protectors.

AHHH YES INDEED # 4 is a very interesting question !!!!

As many of you know, I am not LDS, but have been wanting to ask this very question for some time now.

Are you saying that you DO NOT have any device that protects your knees or nipples??

Furthermore, what about your elbows and ear lobes, are you also suggesting that your Mormon elbows and Mormon ear lobes are also unprotected??:confused:

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Hi,

My name is Donna and I am a student at CSU San Marcos. I am currently working on a group project for my ID class: Explorations of Community Diversity. My group chose to focus on Mormons. I am working on "Misconceptions and Myth Busters of the Church".

If anyone is willing to participate in an "cyber" interview. Please respond to the thread or email me at [email protected]. During the "interview", I will be giving you a "rumor" about the Mormon church such as "Mormons are not allowed to drink soda" or "You have to wear Mormon underwear for life" then you will counter that.

Thanks!!!

We have a local Are Seventy that can answer your questions or perhaps, a Mission President?

Noting that you are from San Marcos area and attend the CSU at San Marcos, I also live in the North County [san Diego County] and welcome you to the forum. :D

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haha, the one about worshiping Joseph Smith makes me laugh because my brother got that question a lot on his mission. He'd always explain that no we don't worship him, and sure enough, the day the investigators decide to come to church the whole sacrament is based on Joseph Smith hahaha. Gotta laugh at those.

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Guest SisterofJared

1. You have to wear Mormon underwear for life.

You don't HAVE to wear them.... they are a symbol of the committment you have made with God. Some Mormon's never make the committment. But certainly it is our goal. And as one who has been wearing temple garments for 36 years, I can tell you it is a sweet priviledge to do so, and not a matter of "having to do so." Also, they can be removed for certain activities, sports, swimming and stuff like that. We just put them back on when we're done!

2. Mormons cannot drink soda. Mormon's can drink soda, even soda with caffiene. Many of us CHOOSE not to do so, because our Word of wisdom is about health, and thus we try and avoid things which are detrimental to our health. IMO, eatting lots of sugar is as bad as drinking soda. Other members don't worry about that. God doesn't command us in all things, but allows us to determine with what detail we are going to obey his laws.

3. Mormon underwear helps to discipline young boys against masturbation. Teenagers do not wear garments. But there is a correct principle in that garments DO help us behave in more righteous manner. Just not teenagers. (see below)

4. Mormon underwear has knee and nipple protectors. There are not "protectors" in garments in the manner than you seem to have heard. There are markings in them. A marking in the knee is to remind us that every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ. A marking over the nipple is to remind us that all our actions need to be within the boundaries the Lord has set. This marking is literally a sewn in design in the fabric, and only serves to protect us as we remember the significance of the marking, and keep our behavior as it should be. Kind of like the WWJD rings that many other Christians wear, only at a higher level of committment.

5. The Word of Wisdom teaches that alcohol is not good for consumption. Absolutely true. In fact, the Word of Wisdom taught that many things were harmful... tobacco for one... before men had figured that out. Today science and medicine agrees with the WoW.

6. Mormons practice polygamy. One of our important Articles of Faith says that we believe in obeying the law. When polygamy was practiced, it was not illegal. After our congress banned polygamy, the church also banned it. Anyone who practices polygamy is not in step with the teachings of the church and would be excommunicated. The people you hear about on TV are not practicing Mormons, but are members of splinter groups who fell away from the church.

7. Why don't Mormons believe in The Bible? As others have mentioned, we DO believe the Bible is the word of God. It is taught in our Sunday School classes, taught in early morning seminary classes for teenagers, and preached from our pulpits. You tend to hear more about the Book of Mormon because other people don't know about it, and having a second witness of Jesus Christ is an important message we want to share with the world. We DO believe in the Bible!

8. Do Mormons worship Joseph Smith? Worship? Absolutely not! We are grateful to him for being an instrument in God's hands to help restore the priesthood authority on the earth. Just as many congregations would have high respect and esteem for their leaders... the Billy Grahams of the world... we also esteem Joseph Smith and are grateful to him for his part in the restoration. But we worship God the Father and his son Jesus Christ. We look to Christ for salvation, we pray in his name, and recognize that ONLY through Jesus Christ can we be saved.

9. Why are the things that happen in the Temple such a secret?

Ah... there is a great difference between secret and sacred. Somethings that happen in the temple are so sacred to us that we don't discussing them outside of the temple.... even among ourselves. For instance, if I had a question about the temple, I would ask the temple president when I am IN the temple, and only when I am in the temple. If I wanted to impart knowledge to a member of my family, and that knowledge was about certain aspects of temple worship, I would only discuss it IN the temple... not at home. Because of it's sacred nature. Many things about the temple can be discussed freely... as you see from the people who have answered. Many covenants can be discussed: we covenant to keep the law of chastity. But other things are too sacred to be discussed even amongst ourselves when we are outside the temple. There are some covenants we make that are about how we live... the law of chastity, etc... and some covenants about keeping things sacred. We can discuss the first, but not the latter if we are not in the temple.

BTW, we consider the temple to be a sort of "half-way house." We have to committ to certain things before we can enter the temple... and once we do, our committments increase. But our knowledge and our relationship with God increase with that committment.

Hope this helps.

Sister of Jared

Edited by Heather
removed a line not found in the temple prep manual.
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Guest SisterofJared

Hmmm, I don't know about Elder Packard's book.... the information I have given is the information that I was instructed could be talked about outside the temple.... this instruction took place in the temple preparation classes.

Certainly a book would be helpful to the OP!

SoJ

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The full text of Elder Packer's "The Holy Temple" can be found on the official Church website here: The Holy Temple. It is suggested reading for all members intending to enter the temple, and has been such for last at least 10-15 years (it was originally published in 1980).

Edited by Wingnut
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“The ordinances of the endowment embody certain obligations on the part of the individual, such as covenant and promise to observe the law of strict virtue and chastity, to be charitable, benevolent, tolerant and pure; to devote both talent and material means to the spread of truth and the uplifting of the race; to maintain devotion to the cause of truth; and to seek in every way to contribute to the great preparation that the earth may be made ready to receive her King,—the Lord Jesus Christ. With the taking of each covenant and the assuming of each obligation a promised blessing is pronounced, contingent upon the faithful observance of the conditions” (The House of the Lord, rev. ed. [1976], 84).

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