"Utah Mormons"

[pam]

To be honest, I get a little tired of being lumped into a stereotype strictly by the fact that I currently live in Utah. I, like Ben, have been and lived in numerous states and see peculiarities in each of those areas. I lived in one state that if you were not of their cultural background you were an outsider no matter that you were LDS or not. Even in the ward I attended.

So yeah, it irritates me when "Utah Mormons" complain about having to drive six miles to get to the chapel.

I could complain about having to pass 3 chapels to get to the one I'm assigned to as well living in Utah. Just because of the way the boundaries are set. You never assume in Utah that you will be attending the chapel closest to where you live.

It just seems like whenever a subject like this is brought up, it opens up every negative thing that people can find concerning members in Utah. It's funny because there has been so much growth in Utah in the last few years and the majority of that are businesses and people coming from other states.

[Moksha]

Jello? I saw more Jello by far in 20 years growing up in small-town Idaho than 25 years living in Utah.

You came unto Jell-O yet you knew it not!

The March 26, 2010 issue of The Atlantic reports:

"In some circles, it is a well-known and boast-worthy fact that Utah has historically consumed more Jell-O per capita than any other state in the nation. This jiggling, fruity dessert made from horse hooves and artificial flavoring holds a special wobbling place in the heart of every Utahan, native or adopted. The love of Jell-O resonates so deeply that in 2001, when Utah narrowly beat out Iowa in annual Jell-O consumption, state officials elected Jell-O the official state snack and named Bill Cosby an honorary Utah citizen."

The BBC News reported the 2001 story:

"Yes, that wobbly, gooey substance much loved at children's birthday parties is now the official snack of the good state of Utah.

Despite vociferous dissent from some lawmakers Utah's state legislature approved the resolution last week.

"The suggestion that Jell-O is the 'carrot sprinkled glue' that keeps families together has pushed me over the edge", said Senator Ron Allen in voting for the resolution.

"Apparently the state's capital, Salt Lake City, has earned the dubious distinction of having the highest per capita consumption of Jell-O not only in the US, but in the whole world. This not without some serious competition. After guzzling its way through gallons of the slithery jelly, Salt Lake City valiantly defeated last year's biggest consumer, Des Moines, Iowa."

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What is a point of pride for our State is certainly not a stereotype.

[Guest Alana]

I think you have the Utah Mormons mixed up with the Texas Mormons.

I think I might have them confused with 'not California Mormons'.

[john doe]

You came unto Jell-O yet you knew it not!

The March 26, 2010 issue of The Atlantic reports:

"In some circles, it is a well-known and boast-worthy fact that Utah has historically consumed more Jell-O per capita than any other state in the nation. This jiggling, fruity dessert made from horse hooves and artificial flavoring holds a special wobbling place in the heart of every Utahan, native or adopted. The love of Jell-O resonates so deeply that in 2001, when Utah narrowly beat out Iowa in annual Jell-O consumption, state officials elected Jell-O the official state snack and named Bill Cosby an honorary Utah citizen."

The BBC News reported the 2001 story:

"Yes, that wobbly, gooey substance much loved at children's birthday parties is now the official snack of the good state of Utah.

Despite vociferous dissent from some lawmakers Utah's state legislature approved the resolution last week.

"The suggestion that Jell-O is the 'carrot sprinkled glue' that keeps families together has pushed me over the edge", said Senator Ron Allen in voting for the resolution.

"Apparently the state's capital, Salt Lake City, has earned the dubious distinction of having the highest per capita consumption of Jell-O not only in the US, but in the whole world. This not without some serious competition. After guzzling its way through gallons of the slithery jelly, Salt Lake City valiantly defeated last year's biggest consumer, Des Moines, Iowa."

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What is a point of pride for our State is certainly not a stereotype.

I'll agree that some people jokingly embrace the stereotype and run with it, but I almost never see Jello served, whether at church functions or not. I see Funeral Potatoes served far more often, and they are far more satisfying to eat. Fact is, the only person I know who serves it is Pam, who uses a 12-hour process to make her special concoction. It should be pointed out that the claimed capital of the world of Jello being Salt Lake City has one of the lowest concentrations of LDS in the state. Maybe it's all the Non-LDS eating it.

[pam]

Fact is, the only person I know who serves it is Pam, who uses a 12-hour process to make her special concoction.

To add to this..about the only time I even take the time (because it is so time consuming) is when your wife requests it at a family dinner. :)

[RachelleDrew]

Not to say that I haven't noticed cultural differences between the Utah mormons and myself, but all these things really are just stereotypes. When you've got so many LDS folk in one concentrated area, it's a lot easier to notice the negative traits because they are so much more obvious.

I do notice a few differences when I run into people from Utah, but none of them are bad differences really.

I was curious about the fry sauce thing so I looked it up.....I'm afraid I may not be able to eat this evening. Is that seriously popular out there?

[havejoy]

Yes. and it's seriously good!

[Wingnut]

One thing I find odd, and it really struck me the first time I visited after a long break, was how much of the news and culture (both LDS and non-LDS) revolves around the church. I picked up the local University of utah rag, and it was all about jokes involving Brigham Young, or some other odd piece of Mormon History. There is no such bias here in CA, and politics are strictly about politics, with no religious or cultural undertones.

Really? You don't see any news in Southern California that deals with cultural differences or undertones? Or religious ones?

[marts1]

I don't care what has been said. I feel it would be a dream come true to visit or live somewhere that is packed with mormons.

[Just_A_Guy]

I grew up in central California; and aside from the cultural ribbing some of the old-time California Mormons expressed the following grievances against some/many Utah Mormons:

1) When they move out to California, Utah Mormons often seem to suffer from an irresistible urge to lecture local leaders about the "right" (i.e. "Utah") way to run a ward.

2) They frequently conflate "Zion" (both in the abstract "pure in heart" sense, and in the geographical "New Jerusalem" sense) with the geographical entity known as "Utah".

3) Some Utah Mormons came right out and said that they (or their ancestors) were better Mormons because they came back to Utah when Brigham Young dissolved Sam Brannan's colony.

[pam]

Well I didn't want to brag JAG, but one of my ancestors is mentioned in the D&C.

[Just_A_Guy]

Don't worry; I've got pioneer ancestors myself. One of them got reprimanded by Brigham Young himself, for selling lumber to Johnson's Army.

[pam]

Mine didn't get reprimanded..so does that make me a better Mormon than you? hahahaha :)

[Just_A_Guy]

No; just a little less interesting.

[aruth5000]

I was curious about the fry sauce thing so I looked it up.....I'm afraid I may not be able to eat this evening. Is that seriously popular out there?

you are missing out if you havent had fry sauce

[pam]

Fry sauce is nothing more than ketchup and mayonnaise mixed..sometimes with a touch of BBQ sauce to give it some kick. You mix these same things on hamburgers etc anyway.

[pam]

Personally I like to add just a dab of wasabi paste to really give it some kick. :)

[marts1]

you are missing out if you havent had fry sauce

Now thats what I call non-puffy hair :)

[InquisitiveSoul]

The distinction I've heard is Utah Mormons are active out of social pressures as all of their neighbors attend the same Ward and if they don't attend they become ostracized by their neighbors.

Outside of Utah or strong LDS communities, attending church requires more dedication because the folks on your street are likely non LDS and don't care if you attend or not. Additionally as someone previously mentioned, the church is likely further away and in some cases much further away in comparison to Utah neighborhoods.

Now if this is true or not is irrelevant. What is relevant is how you are using your time once you do attend church.

[WindRiver]

...

Edited April 20, 2010 by Gwen
per request

[Guest Alana]

My observations seem to indicate that anyone who throws labels around and judges a group of people in a negative light for whatever reason will most likely find fault with just about any individual or any group once they choose to take offense over something someone else says or does.

This is true. Don't get me started on hippies.

[HEthePrimate]

Hi Landy77,

Where I'm from, people criticize or poke fun of Utah Mormons, and try to "out-Mormon" the Utahns. Later I lived in Utah for several years and found *gasp* that Utah Mormons are just like everybody else. Because a higher percentage of the population in Utah is LDS than elsewhere, you can find more self-righteous Mormons in Utah simply because there are more Mormons. You can also find more "slacker" Mormons in Utah because there are more Mormons. So whatever stereotype a person chooses to give Utah Mormons, they can "justify" it by pointing out those examples. But when it comes right down to it, people are the same everywhere.

HEP

[Dravin]

Well I didn't want to brag JAG, but one of my ancestors is mentioned in the D&C.

I have two, how do you only have one?

D&C 107:41 and D&C 138:39.

[Iggy]

Well I didn't want to brag JAG, but one of my ancestors is mentioned in the D&C.

Really? One of mine wrote songs in our Hymnal.

It has been my observation that people are the same the world over. They may sound different when they talk, they may even speak a different language, but we all put our pants on the same way - - - Feet First!!

Edited March 27, 2010 by Iggy

[pam]

Doesn't the D&C trump the hymn book?