Why do so many other faiths seem to dislike LDS?


Mute
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Interestingly in a couple of reader polls in the last 5-6 years, the majority of those polled said they would be something other than Christian if they could no longer be a Mormon. A rather large number said they would want to be Jewish.

Interesting. I read someplace recently that Saints consider Jews to be religious "cousins." FARMS article, perhaps? In looking for a religion I considered Judaism, but my conservative values fit much better with the majority of the LDS community. I know I'm not the only one who seeks religion and a like-minded community. For example, my BIL became a Quaker years ago, which is a perfect fit for his liberal and anti-authoritarian point of view. ;)

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I have no true answers, but I DO have a couple of observations.

First, having grown up in the Bible Belt, I experienced multiple friends from multiple sects "studying" the Mormons in Sunday School. In time I learned that these classes were not established for broadening horizons :lol: . Rather, the classes should have been titled, "Why Mormons Are Wrong."

I have observed that there are numerous religions, (or, perhaps more accurately, numerous leaders within religions) that feel the way to BE RIGHT is to show how the other choices are WRONG.

...

The second thought is one MARTS1 pointed out: Satan.

Acknowledging that all who read this thread are not LDS, let's just hypothesize:

If there truly is ONE christian sect that has things spot-on, accurate - is TRULY Christ's church... well, isn't THAT the one Satan's going to battle against? Doesn't Satan at least win a PARTIAL victory if he can dissuade you from that one TRUE church - and compel you to dedicate yourself and your potential instead to a church of only partial light?

It's easy to be offended with this concept, and I hope that none of those reading this choose to take offense --- but, though all churches have good to them, and SOME faith and belief is better than none . . . still, doesn't Satan walk away with a smirk and fist-pump when he convinces someone to devote themselves to a path OTHER than the ONE path Christ established?

Being LDS and, therefore, very biased on the matter - it all makes PERFECT sense that the LDS faith is so relentlessly disparaged.

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Prodigal Son...you have made some good points. However, the same groups that criticize you also criticize Jehovah's Witnesses, Christian Science, Oneness Pentecostals, sometimes Adventists, and often Catholics. So, if persecution or severe criticism is to be a badge of honor, then you do have company. :-)

On the other hand, the early Christians were despised, but eventually overshadowed the Mother Church (rabbinic Judaism). Likewise, my church was once despised as low-brow, unintellectual, and probably heretical. Today, we are broadly second only to Catholicism in #s. So, we followed the pattern of the early church. Then again, if there was an Apostasy...maybe none of us should brag about growth and #s?

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You're correct, of course, PC. I didn't mean to imply that we're alone in taking the bitter diatribes of the disaffected.

I think, however Mitt Romney's presidential campaign is a perfect example of what I'm alluding to.

There was a Gallup Poll where people were asked if they would ever consider voting for a qualified candidate who happened to be LDS <note: not asking if they'd vote for Romney here> and 28% said NO!!!!!

Almost one in three have some grudge against our faith sufficient to prejudice them against our people.

I'm pretty sure that you'd be hard pressed to get a flat rejection like that against a Catholic, Baptist, Lutheran, etc...

Just sayin' ;)

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I always have to laugh when people call us a "cult." If you go by the dictionary definition, almost all religions are cults!

1. A particular system of religious worship, esp. with reference to its rites and ceremonies.

2. An instance of great veneration of a person, ideal, or thing, esp. as manifested by a body of admirers.

3. The object of such devotion.

4. A group or sect bound together by veneration of the same thing, person, ideal, etc.

5. Sociology. a group having a sacred ideology and a set of rites centering around their sacred symbols.

I have a theory that since people just aren't used to LDS doctrine, it comes across as "bizarre" to them. Certain belief systems may seem odd when you really look closely at them, but they're so widely accepted that people don't think of them as odd anymore. But since LDS beliefs are not as common or widespread, and there's much confusion about it, it's easy for people to mock and distrust. For example: many religions have special clothing - priests wear white collars or cassocks, Muslim women wear headscarfs, Jewish men wear yarmulkes - but since it's been around for a while and people are used to seeing it, it's become common and accepted and not thought of as weird. But when it comes to the LDS garment, it's not commonly seen or heard of so people will make fun of it. Same goes for all our beliefs.

Edited by annamaureen
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I think, however Mitt Romney's presidential campaign is a perfect example of what I'm alluding to.

There was a Gallup Poll where people were asked if they would ever consider voting for a qualified candidate who happened to be LDS <note: not asking if they'd vote for Romney here> and 28% said NO!!!!!

Almost one in three have some grudge against our faith sufficient to prejudice them against our people.

I'm pretty sure that you'd be hard pressed to get a flat rejection like that against a Catholic, Baptist, Lutheran, etc...

Just sayin' ;)

First, let me acknowledge that there is a good deal of fear, ignorance, and misconception against your faith. In my time here I've learned quite a bit, and had to adjust my knowledge quite a few times.

But then, well yes, people of other faiths have receive pretty flat rejection and ridicule. John Kennedy went through the same grill Romney did. "Won't the Pope be dictating to our President???" Sarah Palin got a good bit of ridicule for the African minister who prayed over her at a church service, "Against the spirit of witchcraft!" Unfair links were made between that guest speakers prayer, and the horrific problem in parts of Africa, where children are being falsely labeled witches.

If I were to run for President, I can imagine a good deal of grilling about whether I would obey a prophetic word directing me towards a certain policy. The whole issue of tongues would probably fill up talk shows, with linguists, sociologists etc. weighing in. I might even be asked to comment on the sins of Jimmy Swaggart and Jim Bakker...who knows?

And lets not forget the heated commentary relating to the Muslim congressman from Minnesota--especially when he wanted to be sworn in using a Quran, rather than a Bible.

Look, Mormons were killed for their faith. They were driven from homes and land, and they continue to be subjected to really attrocious behavior at the hands of self-ordained "missionaries," who bus in to your conferences. So, I respect the level of persecution and suffering--and would find that of my faith, and most others to be less difficult.

My bottom line is that Christians of all stripes are going to face less grace and more suspicion from the larger culture. Our season of favor is waining as the Great Day approaches.

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My bottom line is that Christians of all stripes are going to face less grace and more suspicion from the larger culture. Our season of favor is waining as the Great Day approaches.

I agree with you completely, and I was hoping to add to it with a little Isaiah and a BofM passage, but UPS just arrived with all my new computer parts, so I need to sign off and begin my rebuild. Woohoo!

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I agree with you completely, and I was hoping to add to it with a little Isaiah and a BofM passage, but UPS just arrived with all my new computer parts, so I need to sign off and begin my rebuild. Woohoo!

What processor, motherboard, RAM and hard drive are you upgrading to?

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What processor, motherboard, RAM and hard drive are you upgrading to?

As I sit here with the laptop, waiting for XP to install, I'll temporarily hijack this thread:

Motherboard: ASRock M3A770DE

CPU: AMD Athlon II X4 635 Propus (just out 4-core 2.9GHz AM3 chip)

RAM: 2x2GB G.Skill RipJaw DDR3 1600

I'm hoping to overclock the CPU to around 3.5-3.8 with stock fan and this motherboard.

Either way, it'll be a far cry better than my Athlon 64 3800+ ...

Okay, sorry all. Back to the topic at hand...

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As I sit here with the laptop, waiting for XP to install, I'll temporarily hijack this thread:

I'm hoping to overclock the CPU to around 3.5-3.8 with stock fan and this motherboard.

Either way, it'll be a far cry better than my Athlon 64 3800+ ...

Okay, sorry all. Back to the topic at hand...

I will just make this one comment on this off topic conversation and then be done with it.

You should have picked up a AMD Phenom II X2 555 Callisto 3.2GHz Black Edition instead! I just got my new parts in about a week ago and was able to unlock the additional cores with my ASRock Motherboard. I basically have a Phenom II x4 955 for the price of a a dual core ($101). Rock solid performance. Finrock has one too and he was able to over clock his to 3.7 with just air cooling.

:P

Regards,

Vanhin

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I will just make this one comment on this off topic conversation and then be done with it.

You should have picked up a AMD Phenom II X2 555 Callisto 3.2GHz Black Edition instead! I just got my new parts in about a week ago and was able to unlock the additional cores with my ASRock Motherboard. I basically have a Phenom II x4 955 for the price of a a dual core ($101). Rock solid performance. Finrock has one too and he was able to over clock his to 3.7 with just air cooling.

I don't mind if a few computer guys hijack the thread personally. :D I just upgraded to a Phenom II 940 Quad-Core Processor on February 6th. My Flight Simulator X wouldn't run at the graphics settings I wanted with my old Athlon 4600+ Dual-Core. The Phenom II Processor series rules! The Intel i7 Processors may have more computing power but who wants to dish out $280 U.S. currency for one?

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$280 for a part??? I paid that for my system. It was an IBM ThinkCentre that had both 3.5 floppy and CD-Rom/DVD inserts, as well as a 17" wide monitor. It was off-lease, but came clean as a whistle. That was a year ago. I noticed they're selling the cpu for $70 now. LOL

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Okay, I'll try to get us back on track. ;)

Joseph Smith said some pretty bold things. Among other comments, the statement that he had learned for himself "that protestantism was wrong...". Now, however one could possibly spin this to soften the message, remember that Joseph Smith never did, nor has any prophet or GA since.

In essence the very existence of the LDS church hinges upon the principle that every other Christian religion on earth has got it wrong. Put the shoe on the other foot, and you begin to see why we stick in their collective craw sometimes.

Add to this the sole claim of proper authority from God, the claim of sole continuing revelation from God, the re-opening of the canon via the Book of Mormon, the building of temples and the ordinances performed in them....There's plenty of opportunity for someone to take offense there.

Protestant Christianity, on the other hand, has a more general live and let live aspect to it. As long as Christ is the center of one's faith, the details tend to be left between God and the individual. You come up to such an approach and state categorically that everyone's got it wrong, that important details are missing or misunderstood...one would begin to wonder what was wrong if no conflict came of it.

Lest I be misunderstood, I know for a fact that as a whole, Protestant Christianity is far more tolerant than the extreme edges that wallow in the anti material would seem to indicate. I've met several ministers during and after my mission that were exceptionally Christian in their discussion with me about Mormonism. PC is the latest in this example, btw.

At the same time, I served in an area of San Diego that had a Baptist church that was well-known throughout the city for their anti-Mormon ministry and classes for teens. Dealing with that environment was a challenge, to say the least.

While the vast majority seem to have been able to rise above the differences and recognize the importance of living as Jesus taught that we should, there will always be those who respond in the manner exactly opposite of such doctrines, and claim to maintain their Christianity in the very process.

As long as we refuse to stoop to such a level ourselves, we will be actively preventing the dialogue from degrading any further. And that's the key. We have far too much to learn together rather than let our differences interfere with our potential religious knowledge.

Edited by RipplecutBuddha
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Prodigal Son...you have made some good points. However, the same groups that criticize you also criticize Jehovah's Witnesses, Christian Science, Oneness Pentecostals, sometimes Adventists, and often Catholics. So, if persecution or severe criticism is to be a badge of honor, then you do have company. :-)

On the other hand, the early Christians were despised, but eventually overshadowed the Mother Church (rabbinic Judaism). Likewise, my church was once despised as low-brow, unintellectual, and probably heretical. Today, we are broadly second only to Catholicism in #s. So, we followed the pattern of the early church. Then again, if there was an Apostasy...maybe none of us should brag about growth and #s?

You are correct about that. They do persecute other faiths. There is a thread up now about "Are Catholics Christians?".

Are Catholics Christians - Christian Chat Rooms & Forums

There is a funny irony to that though. In one thread a Catholic said he didn't consider LDS Christians. In another thread a Catholic said he didn't consider anyone but Catholics Christians. Yet that same Catholic said he felt offended when a person right after told him he didn't consider Catholics Christians.

In my opinion a Christian is anyone who believes in Jesus Christ as their savior and tries to keep the commandments regardless of their interpretation of scripture. I know a lot of people believe their interpretation of scripture is the correct way and that is fine. It's unfortunate when people refuse to acknowledge anyone as Christian that doesn't believe in their interpretation of scriptures.

Edited by Mute
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