What is an anti-Mormon?

The catch-all forum for general topics and debates. Minimal moderation. Rated PG to PG-13.
_I have a question
_Emeritus
Posts: 9749
Joined: Fri Feb 13, 2015 8:01 am

Re: What is an anti-Mormon?

Post by _I have a question »

What if you fit into more than one category? Is that allowed under your system or does it cause a galactic schism? For instance, I know Mormons who are also critics (why did the chapel shudder when I typed that?). What category do the 10 million or so Mormons who don’t attend any longer fit into? (The shuddering is getting worse and now the lights are flickering. Perhaps I shouldn’t have overridden the Church internet security to get access to this site...).
“When we are confronted with evidence that challenges our deeply held beliefs we are more likely to reframe the evidence than we are to alter our beliefs. We simply invent new reasons, new justifications, new explanations. Sometimes we ignore the evidence altogether.” (Mathew Syed 'Black Box Thinking')
_moksha
_Emeritus
Posts: 22508
Joined: Fri Oct 27, 2006 8:42 pm

Re: What is an anti-Mormon?

Post by _moksha »

Niadna wrote:So....on internet forums I seem to run into...mostly...anti Mormons with a few critics (I love the critics) and quite a few extreme anti Mormons.

How close do you think I am in this analysis?

That analysis seems overstated. Except for some poor fools who fall into that category of the woman you describe, I suspect the bark is worse than the bite for those critical of the Mormon Church. They can distinguish between Mormon doctrine and practices and Mormons themselves. Even at inflammatory moments during a forum exchange, you have to realize there is a difference between many internet personas and the real-life person.

I have suspected that both Dr. Scratch and Dr. Peterson (two posters on this website) could sit down for lunch and share a pleasant conversation - as long as the subject of religion was taken off the table. Being well-educated people they would probably discover they had some similar interests, whether it involved relaxing with a snifter of orange soda and listening to Sibelius or watching shows on PBS.
Cry Heaven and let loose the Penguins of Peace
_Always Changing
_Emeritus
Posts: 940
Joined: Mon Dec 03, 2012 6:17 am

Re: What is an anti-Mormon?

Post by _Always Changing »

Niadna wrote:
friends of/at least not enemies of Mormonism: folks who know Mormons as neighbors and like 'em OK, but don't really want to get into religious stuff. These are they who are polite when they close the door on missionaries and then go back to eating lunch.
And when Mormons categorize people, they often suspect the above category, thinking that behind that closed door, there is rabid anti-Mormonism. Get a grip. People are people. Many times LDS make their own enemies
Problems with auto-correct:
In Helaman 6:39, we see the Badmintons, so similar to Skousenite Mormons, taking over the government and abusing the rights of many.
_Niadna
_Emeritus
Posts: 125
Joined: Wed May 30, 2018 2:42 pm

Re: What is an anti-Mormon?

Post by _Niadna »

moksha wrote:
Niadna wrote:So....on internet forums I seem to run into...mostly...anti Mormons with a few critics (I love the critics) and quite a few extreme anti Mormons.

How close do you think I am in this analysis?

That analysis seems overstated. Except for some poor fools who fall into that category of the woman you describe, I suspect the bark is worse than the bite for those critical of the Mormon Church. They can distinguish between Mormon doctrine and practices and Mormons themselves. Even at inflammatory moments during a forum exchange, you have to realize there is a difference between many internet personas and the real-life person.

I have suspected that both Dr. Scratch and Dr. Peterson (two posters on this website) could sit down for lunch and share a pleasant conversation - as long as the subject of religion was taken off the table. Being well-educated people they would probably discover they had some similar interests, whether it involved relaxing with a snifter of orange soda and listening to Sibelius or watching shows on PBS.


This is true....but people ALL fit into more than one category, depending upon what is being discussed. I'm referring only to the "What we think (or don't) about Mormonism?" file. As you mentioned, two people might have very different ideas about something, and be perfectly fine together with everything else....as long as the "subject of [insert problem] was taken off the table."

But I am talking about that forbidden topic, not Sibelius or PBS. Or orange soda (ick).

.....and 'that woman' isn't exactly unique. I have run into a bunch of people who felt and believed just like her. She's just considerably more honest about it.

Either that or she simply has no filter between her brain and her mouth....or keyboard, whatever.
Cet animal est très méchant,
Quand on l'attaque il se défend.
_Always Changing
_Emeritus
Posts: 940
Joined: Mon Dec 03, 2012 6:17 am

Re: What is an anti-Mormon?

Post by _Always Changing »

Niadna wrote:
.....and 'that woman' isn't exactly unique. I have run into a bunch of people who felt and believed just like her. She's just considerably more honest about it.

Either that or she simply has no filter between her brain and her mouth....or keyboard, whatever.
So would you rather people be "honest" about their attitudes towards Mormonism, or just refuse to talk about that subject? I prefer silence about Catholicism. I may mention going to Mass, but a polite silence in response is preferable to accusations of cannibalism (given that today is a celebration of the Eucharist).
Problems with auto-correct:
In Helaman 6:39, we see the Badmintons, so similar to Skousenite Mormons, taking over the government and abusing the rights of many.
_Fence Sitter
_Emeritus
Posts: 8862
Joined: Sat Oct 02, 2010 3:49 pm

Re: What is an anti-Mormon?

Post by _Fence Sitter »

Niadna wrote:As for me, I divide non-Mormons into categories:



Do you divide Mormons into categories also?

And by the way, based on your story of the lady threatening you I would guess you might live in an area where Mormon's are uncommon.
"Any over-ritualized religion since the dawn of time can make its priests say yes, we know, it is rotten, and hard luck, but just do as we say, keep at the ritual, stick it out, give us your money and you'll end up with the angels in heaven for evermore."
_Always Changing
_Emeritus
Posts: 940
Joined: Mon Dec 03, 2012 6:17 am

Re: What is an anti-Mormon?

Post by _Always Changing »

Fence Sitter wrote:
Do you divide Mormons into categories also?

And by the way, based on your story of the lady threatening you I would guess you might live in an area where Mormon's are uncommon.
I grew up Catholic in an area where Mormons are/were common, and we practiced indifference, even staying home when there were major Mormon-related events. Let them do their thing-- as we do our thing.
Problems with auto-correct:
In Helaman 6:39, we see the Badmintons, so similar to Skousenite Mormons, taking over the government and abusing the rights of many.
_Niadna
_Emeritus
Posts: 125
Joined: Wed May 30, 2018 2:42 pm

Re: What is an anti-Mormon?

Post by _Niadna »

Fence Sitter wrote:
Niadna wrote:As for me, I divide non-Mormons into categories:



Do you divide Mormons into categories also?


Only when I am interacting with them on a debate forum. ;)

Fence Sitter wrote:And by the way, based on your story of the lady threatening you I would guess you might live in an area where Mormon's are uncommon.


Oh, there are more Mormon church buildings around here than belong to any other one religious group, but I'd say...perhaps 5%? That's just a WAG. However, people around here KNOW about us, and mostly are either indifferent or politely oppositional.

Remember; this is the internet. This woman with the threat of handcuffs and dogs? She lives 2000 miles away from me...and I have taken visiting Alabama off my bucket list. ;)
Cet animal est très méchant,
Quand on l'attaque il se défend.
_Fence Sitter
_Emeritus
Posts: 8862
Joined: Sat Oct 02, 2010 3:49 pm

Re: What is an anti-Mormon?

Post by _Fence Sitter »

Niadna wrote:As for me, I divide non-Mormons into categories:


Fence Sitter wrote:Do you divide Mormons into categories also?

Niadna wrote:Only when I am interacting with them on a debate forum. ;)


So why limit your OP to only those who are not LDS? And, when you are debating with those who are also members, who gets to say which side is the critic?
"Any over-ritualized religion since the dawn of time can make its priests say yes, we know, it is rotten, and hard luck, but just do as we say, keep at the ritual, stick it out, give us your money and you'll end up with the angels in heaven for evermore."
_Gadianton
_Emeritus
Posts: 9947
Joined: Sat Jul 07, 2007 5:12 am

Re: What is an anti-Mormon?

Post by _Gadianton »

She is also fond of feeding people she doesn't like to alligators.

SHE is an extreme anti-Mormon.


Hi Niadna, welcome to the board.

Do you really think it's possible for someone with these kind of unfocused personal problems to be an extreme anti-Mormon? Is she also an extreme racist and and extreme bigot in other ways also? Decker is probably a good candidate for that label, but is there a next generation of that kind of focused effort going on that I'm not aware of? I've experienced anti-Mormonism to an extent in dense evangelical areas, but even when I've baited for a response it's never been very dramatic. I'm sure there are some stories out there that are legit but hey, are there not similar stories from people growing up non-LDS in Utah? I remember as a kid standing by idly as a group of fellow Mormon kids dismantled a cross that the children of the lone Catholic family on the street had created, and then they were accused of all kinds of moral shortcomings for being Catholic. Their mother had to come out and show us the toys they were accused of stealing and explain that she'd bought them for her kids.

there is no such thing as anti-Mormonism anymore. Just a week ago, when visiting the Valley, that word got brought up by a relative in reference to a unknown source of information that suggested something about the Church that wasn't flattering. That's what anti-Mormonism is, anything that prevents a Mormon from getting their way.
Lou Midgley 08/20/2020: "...meat wad," and "cockroach" are pithy descriptions of human beings used by gemli? They were not fashioned by Professor Peterson.

LM 11/23/2018: one can explain away the soul of human beings...as...a Meat Unit, to use Professor Peterson's clever derogatory description of gemli's ideology.
Post Reply