Are Mormons "Weird"?

Mormon Defense League ^ | August 12, 2011 | Mormon Defense League

[Saundra Duffy]

The LDS Church is politically neutral, as is MDL. Mormons hold elected office and positions of responsibility in both US political parties and various parties worldwide. When we respond to any issue regarding politics, we do so only to correct misinformation and misperceptions about the Church, not in an effort to promote a particular candidate or party.

Recently, Politico reported that part of President Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign strategy will be to portray Mitt Romney, a Mormon and possible Republican presidential nominee, as “weird.” The Politico report did not specifically tie the “weird” charge to Romney’s Mormon faith, but many commentators have speculated that is the logical application of such a strategy.

Commentators from various political perspectives have also condemned any such strategy. Blogger Jane Hamsher wrote: “To preach religious tolerance as Obama does, and then engage in this kind of appeal to religious bigotry, is both hypocritical and pernicious, not to mention self-defeating…As the economy gets worse, people better be really careful about stoking tribalist rage against any minority.” Researcher and author Glenn Stanton agreed: “Yes, you can be pretty sure that it will be his Mormon faith where most of the ‘weirdness’ innuendos will land. And this from a president who had to finally and reluctantly distance himself from his own faith heritage.” Former presidential speechwriter David Frum noted: “The attacks will tiptoe up to the line of outright anti-Mormon bigotry.” In Time, political reporter Michael Crowley summed it up: “You’d like to think that the people who work for a man who has been slurred countless times because of his race would take a higher road.”

[svcw]

No you make the charge, provide the evidence that I might respond.

[svcw]

Oh, come on .......

[reaganaut]

many years ago I lost my finance to Mormonism. I tried and tried to pull him back but I finally had to let go. It still bothers me to this day that I was unable to do more.

- - - - - - -
I am so sorry. I was on the other side of that, right after I had joined the LDS, there was this guy I had a crush on, we had been friends since we were toddlers. I had visions of converting him to Mormonism. One day, when I was sharing the LDS gospel with him trying to get him interested (we were in college and he was a Christian), he stopped and looked at me with great sadness and said “I can’t do this, I can’t be friends with you anymore, it hurts me to much to know you are Mormon and headed for Hell”. With that, he turned and walked away. It hurt me deeply, nevertheless I soldiered on as a faithful Mormon but I never forgot his comment or the look on his face. It haunted me.

Years later, after I was on my way out of Mormonism and had moved back to CA from UT, I called him up. He assumed that I had left Mormonism (I hadn’t but was inactive at that point and seriously questioning). He asked me out on a ‘friend date’ and took me to church. He had a huge impact on me and in leading me to the Lord. Next month this childhood friend who would rather lose me than suffer me to be Mormon and I will be married for 16 years.

All we can do is all we can do to reach them. Sometimes we do have to let go and let God work on them. What we do say often resonates years later and witnessing to a Mormon is very much beating your head against a brick wall some days. Keep praying for him, you never know when his eyes will be opened or who will influence him, maybe even something you said will haunt him.

[reaganaut]

She won’t accept it until she rejects Joseph Smith. You cannot serve two masters.

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That is exactly it. In Mormonism Smith is their real Savior. He isn’t just their founder he is the whole cloth of Mormonism. Very different then how Catholics view the Pope and how Protestants view their founders.

[reaganaut]

If ya can’t stand the heat...stay out of the kitchen. the OP brought this on herself in a pathetic attempt to defend her support of Romney.

[svcw]

Or if you can’t stand the heat STOP posting these proRomney/ridiculous articles. You get what you get when you do.......

[reaganaut]

And it is a flat out JOKE that the LDS church claims to be ‘politically neutral’. I’ve been in the pews when the bishopric has read a letter from SLC on how to vote on certain issues.

But then again, MDL is a joke.

[reaganaut]

She is a known and fairly open Romney supporter. I would NOT be comfortable with a Mormon president, I know too much about them (having been one). Mitt is the rule, not the exception once you get beyond the Zion PR curtain. I found that out the hard way.

[Gaffer]

You paraquoted me as is your tactic. I said .....LDS, MormonISM hate spams......What are you? Two years old?

[1010RD]

Fair enough.

If you try hard enough you’re certain to get what you want.

But then I saw this:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2810115/posts

So you might be correct after all, at least locally.

[Elsie]

 PAVLOV?

 

"The basic Children's delivery:"    (All throughout the audience hears the child breathing heavily into the microphone and whispering "what?" to daddy who acts like he's not there and no one can see him!!)
1. "I'd like to bear my testimony. I know this church is true. I know ____________(insert current prophet here) is a true prophet of God. I know that Book of Mormon is true (can be used even if never read, as in case of 3-year olds whose parent's whisper to them). I love my family. I love my mom and dad. ITNOJCA (in the name of JC amen)

"The spiritual story:"
2. "Something happened this week (sob, pause, sob, pause) and I just felt like I need to share it with you all..." (Mostly this one will ramble on and you can say whatever, as long as you end with "that's how I know the church is true.") One example: "The other day I fell on the ice and I didn't even have a scratch. I know it is a miracle! Oh thank God!" (Whatever it was, it can be a miracle. We've all heard it.) ITNOJCA

"The spirit made me get up:"
3. "I wasn't going to get up here today, but the spirit made me do it. I don't even know how I got here. I don't even know what I am going to say. But I think someone needs to hear it." (Even as a child I thought, "then why are you up there?" or "if you don't know what you are going to say, this will suck and be boring!")ITNOJCA

"The apology:"
4. "I want to apologize to everyone..." (This is mostly for guilt laden sisters who have not done a damn thing wrong, but feel they need to apologize just in case.) ITNOJCA

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More

[Elsie]

As an OBSERVER or a PARTICIPANT?

[Elsie]

I bet a fellow with a lot of time on his hands to really work on more advanced bigotry could give Archy Bunker a run for his money.

Doctrines and Covenants

Section 132

Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Nauvoo,

Illinois, recorded 12 July 1843, relating to the new and

everlasting covenant, including the eternity of the marriage

covenant, and also the plurality of wives (see History of the

Church, 5:501–7). Although the revelation was recorded in 1843,

 it is evident from the historical records that the doctrines and

principles involved in this revelation had been known by the

Prophet since 1831.

 

 

http://lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/132?lang=eng

 

 

 

(Straight from the horses mouth; so to speak...)

[Elsie]

I wouldn’t have replied to you had I known just how smart you are.

This comment BEGS for an argument...

[Elsie]

Me.

ME!!!

“It’s outta this world!”

[Elsie]

When I was training to be a Mormon missionary we were taught to avoid those who knew their Bible well.

But WHY?

According to the Great One here....

 

 

Professor Robert Millet        teaching at the Mission Prep Club in 2004  http://newsnet.byu.edu/video/18773/  <-- Complete and uneditted

---

 

 

Timeline...    Subject...

 

0:59           "Anti-Mormons..."

1:16           "ATTACK the faith you have..."

2:02           "We really aren't obligated to answer everyone's questions..."

3:57           "You already know MORE about God and Christ and the plan of salvation than any who would ATTACK you."

[Elsie]

Most LDS claim there was no White Horse prophecy, but the Liberty MO jail visitor center has the prophecy on the wall.

So?

Who cares; since it isn't scripture.

--MormonDube(Just another OPINION by yet another faceless Mormon.)

[Elsie]

If you try hard enough you’re certain to get what you want.

I wanna be an Oscar Mayer martyr...

[Elsie]

In Mormonism Smith is their real Savior.

You know; I've gotten that impression somehow as well...

---

 

"He (Joseph Smith) is the man through whom God has spoken... yet I would not like to call him a savior, though in a certain capacity he was a god to us, and is to the nations of the earth, and will continue to be."

 - Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 8:321

 

 

"You call us fools; but the day will be, gentlemen and ladies, whether you belong to this Church or not, when you will prize brother Joseph Smith as the Prophet of the Living God, and look upon him as a god..."

- Herber C. Kimball, Journal of Discourses 5:88

 

 

"If we get our salvation, we shall have to pass by him [Joseph Smith]; if we enter our glory, it will be through the authority he has received. We cannot get around him [Joseph Smith]"

- (as quoted in 1988 Melchizedek Priesthood Study Guide, p. 142)

 

 

There is "no salvation without accepting Joseph Smith. If Joseph Smith was verily a prophet, and if he told the truth...no man can reject that testimony without incurring the most dreadful consequences, for he cannot enter the kingdom of God"

- Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 1, p.190

 

 

"I tell you, Joseph holds the keys, and none of us can get into the celestial kingdom without passing by him. We have not got rid of him, but he stands there as the sentinel, holding the keys of the kingdom of God; and there are many of them beside him. I tell you, if we get past those who have mingled with us, and know us best, and have a right to know us best, probably we can pass all other sentinels as far as it is necessary, or as far as we may desire. But I tell you, the pinch will be with those that have mingled with us, stood next to us, weighed our spirits, tried us, and proven us: there will be a pinch, in my view, to get past them. The others, perhaps, will say, If brother Joseph is satisfied with you, you may pass. If it is all right with him, it is all right with me. Then if Joseph shall say to a man, or if brother Brigham say to a man, I forgive you your sins, "Whosoever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them;" if you who have suffered and felt the weight of transgression—if you have generosity enough to forgive the sinner, I will forgive him: you cannot have more generosity than I have. I have given you power to forgive sins, and when the Lord gives a gift, he does not take it back again."

 - Orson Hyde, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 6, p.154-155

 

 

 

"It is because the Lord called Joseph Smith that salvation is again available to mortal men.... If it had not been for Joseph Smith and the restoration, there would be no salvation,"

 - Bruce McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 396, 670

 

---

---

They succeeded in killing Joseph, but he had finished his work.

He was a servant of God, and gave us the Book of Mormon.

He said the Bible was right in the main, but, through the translators and others, many precious portions were suppressed, and several other portions were wrongly translated; and now his testimony is in force, for he has sealed it with his blood.

As I have frequently told them, no man in this dispensation will enter the courts of heaven, without the approbation of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Jun.

Who has made this so?

Have I?

Have this people?

Have the world?

No; but the Lord Jehovah has decreed it.

If I ever pass into the heavenly courts, it will be by the consent of the Prophet Joseph.

If you ever pass through the gates into the Holy City, you will do so upon his certificate that you are worthy to pass.

Can you pass without his inspection?

No; neither can any person in this dispensation, which is the dispensation of the fulness of times.

In this generation, and in all the generations that are to come, everyone will have to undergo the scrutiny of this Prophet.

They say that they killed Joseph, and they will yet come with their hats under their arms and bend to him; but what good will it do them, unless they repent?

They can come in a certain way and find favor, but will they?

 Brigham Young,

--JOURNAL OF DISCOURSES, vol. 8, p. 224

[Elsie]

You get what you get when you do.......

Dang!

Now yer channelin' 10101010!