Does Salt Lake City have its share of worldliness?

[chitchat]

I know that Utah has a huge Mormon population, so it seems that most cities there would not have the same number of abortion clinics and adult businesses and such. It seems that it would be a good place to raise a family as a result.

Is it different from other parts of the country because high numbers of people adhere to good morals?

[Dravin]

SLC is ~50% non-LDS. Not that all Non-LDS don't have good morals, but that leaves a sizable portion of people (some of them LDS honestly) to be up and about in worldliness. As far as businesses (and abortion clinics), Google should be able to answer just how many of them there are in the city.

[joel99]

Many LDS in the SLC area LDS by tradition not by belief. This is similar to other areas where one church has dominated for many years. (e.g., where I am from that would be Catholic and Anglican faiths)

That said, there are many resources for practicing LDS members - not the least of which are the many temples, BYU and the novelty of a fully staffed ward. :)

j.

[pam]

Some tidbits about SLC:

POPULATION

Utah: 2.7 million

Salt Lake City Metro: 181,743

Salt Lake Area: 1.2 million

Wasatch Front: 1.7 million

The Wasatch Front is roughly 80 miles long with Ogden approximately 40 miles north of the Salt Lake Valley and Provo approximately 40 miles south of the Salt Lake Valley.

Facts

Utah's population tends to be younger (27.1), lives longer (77.7), has higher fertility rates (2.68) and more persons per household (3.13 persons).

Utah's population growth of 29.6% more than doubled that of the nation (13.2%).

Of All The Fifty States, Utah Has...

The highest rate of job growth - (4.5%)

Highest literacy rate

4th highest percent of high school graduates

11th highest percent of college graduates

7th lowest violent crime rates

3rd longest life expectancy

One of the lowest heart disease and cancer rates

Utah's growth is attributed to natural increase (88%) rather than net in-migration (12%).

Net in-migration occured for the 15th straight year.

Sounds great huh? But with any large population, SLC has it's share of problems as well. Once rated the meth capital of the US. Has the highest percentage of anti-depressant usage of any state. Is probably one of the lowest of the states in what is spent per student per capita in education. So yes, we have our struggles like any other big city.

[Jbs2763]

Some tidbits about SLC:

[. Has the highest percentage of anti-depressant usage of any state. Is probably one of the lowest of the states in what is spent per student per capita in education. So yes, we have our struggles like any other big city.

i'd have to be choking down the prozac if i lived there too...just to try to keep up with all the obnoxiously happy people that live lthere

[Wingnut]

There are a lot more things that indicate worldliness besides abortion clinics and adult businesses.

[hordak]

I'm with wingnut. There are many things that demonstrate "worldly".

in 2006 Salt lake city had twice the rape rate and theft rate as Miami (a city most would call worldy) even Provo trumped Miami rape rate.

Crime Rate Comparison: Provo Vs. Miami

I've lived all around the county and actually felt most safe, and had the least "worldly" experiences in a metro of 4 million people with plenty of Strip clubs, bars etc. My most crazy run ins have occurred in tiny little cities.

If you move to Utah go for the skiing. Not to get away from the world.

[AmyKate88]

I live in Sandy, which is about 20 minutes outside of SLC proper. I go to school up at the University of Utah, but I used to go to BYU so I've had a taste of both "worlds", as it were, in Utah.

SLC itself is pretty much like any other city in the U.S. There are bars, unsavory parts of downtown, crime, and traffic. It's still a great place, especially with the proximity of Temple Square, but the high concentration of Mormons doesn't take away from the fact that it is a major city, and thus has a lot of the same traits.

I personally prefer the other cities around SLC, like South & West Jordan, Riverton, Draper, Sandy (duh), etc. Provo was a little too quaint for my tastes, but the other cities like the ones I mentioned tend to be more LDS-influenced without being overboard, and provide a nice refuge from the SLC big city atmosphere.

[mightynancy]

Short answer: Yes.

Look at all the vain displays (read: McMansions, or actual mansions) on the hills of the Wasatch front. My mother is a designer (retired) and while we were at a park we were looking at the huge houses on the hill above us. I'm not a local, just so you know. Anyway, I pointed out one that was particularly monstruous and particularly, um, beauty-challenged (it must have a special spirit, kwim?). "Yeah. That's the Coveys'."

*snort*

[chitchat]

Interesting. Thanks Pam for your honesty in showing both sides.

I was under the impression that the vast majority of people living in Utah, and even in SLC, are Mormons, so I hoped that perhaps the vices of the world would be less ostentatious.

Does the Mormon church teach against abortion and are many Mormons involved in helping at caring pregnancy centers to encourage unwed moms to give their unborn babies life?

Or is this a hush-hush topic?

Edited January 17, 2010 by chitchat

[Dravin]

Does the Mormon church teach against abortion and are many Mormons involved in helping at caring pregnancy centers to encourage unwed moms to give their unborn babies life?

Abortion

https://www.itsaboutlove.org/ial/ct/eng/site/pregnant/

Edited January 17, 2010 by Dravin

[pam]

I personally prefer the other cities around SLC, like South & West Jordan, Riverton, Draper, Sandy (duh), etc. Provo was a little too quaint for my tastes, but the other cities like the ones I mentioned tend to be more LDS-influenced without being overboard, and provide a nice refuge from the SLC big city atmosphere.

Not to be rude but you have mentioned those areas that tend to be more affluent. I don't know if I agree that they are more LDS influenced but more money influenced. I live in Sandy myself and lived in Draper for 10 years which is probably one of the most affluent areas in the Salt Lake valley. I think sometimes we get a false sense of security in thinking that the more expensive the area the safer it is. Unless you live in a gated community.

While I lived in Draper we had more car break-ins, more homes vandalized, than when I lived in the huge city of San Diego in a not so affluent neighborhood. In fact my own car was stolen and returned the same day by the thief no less but that's another story. :) And this was in Draper.

Edited January 17, 2010 by pam

[Prodigal_Son]

I was under the impression that the vast majority of people living in Utah, and even in SLC, are Mormons, so I hoped that perhaps the vices of the world would be less ostentatious.

Again, we're 50/50 here. As well, though not exactly a bragging-right, when one factors in the percentage of active/practicing Mormons, that # drops more.

That being said, however, the vices of the world are FAAAAAAAAR less ostentatious than other cities. I grew up all over the country, lived in several major metropolitan areas (Kansas City, Seattle, Atlanta, Omaha...) and - while the vices are all here - they're NOT flaunted, NOT generally socially acceptable, and keep to themselves.

SLC is a safe, clean city. Not perfect by any stretch, but the social pressures of Mormonism keep some of the more unsavory components of the world in check and subdued. It IS, in my opinion, different from most other major metro areas.

[Misshalfway]

(said in my best Utah County drawl)

SLC does have its worldliness......tsk tsk.... Unlike all of us down here in Utah County. We're all perfect down here. You should see my hair this week. Turned out just beautiful! We don't sware 'er nothin'. And you should see my new jello molds. I am pretty sure we are scheduled for the next twinkling. Excuse me now while I go shine my side of the bubble. OOOO.....pretty!

[RipplecutBuddha]

Worldliness in general is all over the place...it's the world after all. I saw it most pronounced immediately after my MTC time. The bus ride from the MTC to SLC airport was....eye opening. All along I was thinking to myself...'how did I not see this before?'. But then I landed in San Diego, and that really blew me away...It's something I'll never forget.

[pam]

That's because when you fly into San Diego you're afraid you will be landing on some building downtown. It's truly amazing how close coming in for a landing is to the buildings there. But man..so much fun to watch.

[RipplecutBuddha]

Um....no that's not what I was talking about...although that was pretty cool. (I love aviation and flying btw) What I was talking about was...well people changing out of their surf suits right there on the street in front of everyone...and other issues related to warm-climate cities. Finishing up my mission in Lake Havasu City during the last part of Spring Break didn't help much either.

[chitchat]

Thanks for that link, Dravin. That's fantastic! :)

Matt. 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth....

My thinking is that if any area has a high enough population of Mormons, then that area will be positively influenced so that it's real noticeable.

How much influence does the Mormon church have with city councils and people making decisions on moral issues in the community (i.e., nativity scenes in public parks, Ten Commandments monuments in public buildings, nude bathing beaches or spas, billboards advertising strip clubs along interstates, sleezy lingerie shops, etc.)

I'm sure Salt Lake City has some large shopping malls. In those malls do stores like Abercrombie and Fitch - and Victoria's Secret - paste large photos of mostly nude models on the walls outside their stores where little kids walking by can see them? This is the situation in most other parts of the country. I'm wondering if the Mormon church and members get involved enough in their communities to protest things like this in their communities?

Or do most Mormons just look the other way? Are these stores posting posters where passersby in your malls see them, no matter their age?

I hope what I'm saying makes sense. For those who have not lived elsewhere in the nation, I realize my question may not be clear.

[mnn727]

The streets of SLC are not paved with gold, while there are plenty of Saints, there are also plenty of sinners. As someone said, being Mormon in Utah can be a cultural thing and not a conversion thing.

[pam]

nude bathing beaches

Yes they make decisions about beaches all the time.

[Dravin]

Nativity scenes and ten commandment monuments on public property are moral issues? And what's wrong with a lingerie store? Or is the operative word sleazy?

How much influence does the Mormon church have with city councils and people making decisions on moral issues in the community (i.e., nativity scenes in public parks, Ten Commandments monuments in public buildings, nude bathing beaches or spas, billboards advertising strip clubs along interstates, sleezy lingerie shops, etc.)

LDS values influence things, as do the non-LDS values. We don't exists in some little bubble of homogeneity. Honestly you are asking the wrong group. LDS are more likely to see the worldly influences around them. If you want to see how much the Church influences things in the state you need to ask the non-members. I for instance don't think much about the liquor laws in the state, I'm sure a bar owner can let you know how it varies and how much LDS pressure he feels on his business.

Yes they make decisions about beaches all the time.

Hey, they managed to scrounge up a Bay down by Willard. :)

Edited January 17, 2010 by Dravin

[Moksha]

Unlike all of us down here in Utah County. We're all perfect down here.

If anything does go wrong in Utah County, such as the school children watching a broadcast of President Obama talking to kids about getting a good education, then Sean Hannity can be called in to exorcise any lingering bad demons.

How many other places in the world can boast about being hermetically sealed? You can even hear that little whoosh of air as your are driving across the point of the mountain into Salt Lake County.

[Tarnished]

I lived for some time in Salt Lake, and Midvale (a suburb of Salt Lake). Considering I grew up in suburbs of Chicago I can say that I liked Salt Lake City. Mostly because out of the larger cities I frequented as I was growing up (Milwaukee and Chicago) I felt safer in Salt Lake City than I did in say Chicago. This does not mean that there was not worldliness found in SLC. There are stores such as Victoria Secrets and Abercrombie, and they do have pictures up and such. I did run into women who made efforts to have the stores place covers on the magazines so that they were not looking at half naked women in the checkout line. But I have seen that all over the country.

One thing to understand about Salt Lake City and the surrounding areas is that like others have said over 50% of the population is not LDS, I know the University probably makes up a good portion of these people, but there is also a substantial Gay and Lesbian community, as well as many people who move into the area for jobs and whatnot. LDS people are not going to go about protesting against these people, instead from what I saw they learn to live with them.

Yes some things are different, but as others have said there are many people who are LDS because they were born into it and not because they converted. Sort of like in the Bible belt where you are whatever religion because your father and their father and their father's father was Baptist or whatever.

It was in Salt Lake City where I heard the joke, "Do you know why you bring two Mormons with you when you go hunting? Because if you bring only one he will drink all your beer." This is not something that holds true outside of the Mormon corridor. This is not to say that all LDS people who live in Salt Lake Valley are not acting as good members, rather that with such a large concentration you do find a larger group of members who are slacking, you do find worldliness creeping in.

I think the best thing to remember about Salt Lake and its suburbs is that it is a larger city, and because of this there will be crime, there will be worldliness, there will be problems. So lock your doors at night, lock up your car and safe guard yourself like you would if you were living in Chicago, or New York. Yes Salt Lake has a nicer, safer, friendlier feel to it than most of the larger cities in the country, but that does not make it perfect.

[Tarnished]

How many other places in the world can boast about being hermetically sealed? You can even hear that little whoosh of air as your are driving across the point of the mountain into Salt Lake County.

I thought that was due to the inversion...

[pam]

haha Tarnished..that's another thing to add to the cons of SLC. We had the worst air quality in the nation this week due to inversion. Hopefully the storms we have coming for the next 6 days will clean that out.