I have some friends trying to get me into the mormon thing?I did ask them about the mormon underwear and if it is something they really wear?But they seem evasive with the questions that I ask them?Any body have any info?
It's a cult. Question: Why do you want to get involved with them for? IMO following an Oriental philosophical school will do more for you than being a sheep. All the best in your quest,
The image seems to come and go... You gotta be kidding me, right? I don't ever try to offend someones religious beliefs, but...come on!
They basically are a cult. One of the more benevolent ones, I admit, but a cult nonetheless. And they are always very reticent about their beliefs and rituals with "outsiders" even when they are trying to convert you.
I wouldn't describe them as a cult. I don't think they brainwash people or anything like that. But they aren't exactly a mainstream denomination of Christianity either. Some of their beliefs are anathema to most Christians - such as polygamy for example. I don't know anything about their underwear though! Where does that come from?
Basically it is supposed to be kind of like long johns and they have to wear it at all times. As far as I know, it is mainly worn during the missions that they are required to go on. And they are pretty good at brainwashing, in their own way. Look at the whole deal with Pepsi. You aren't supposed to eat or drink anything that might be considered to taint the body, caffien, tanic acid, etc, but Pepsi became ok because the Church bought up quite a bit of the stock for the company. There are good aspects of this church though I don't think that for me personally they outweigh the negative aspects. Oh, and the main stream Morman church does not condon polygamy, however it doesn't seem to do much to actively discourage it either.
If I remember my high school religeouse educations lessons correctly the main stream Mormon church did condone polygamy at one point but later band it because of the legal implications of living in todays society. In the video I saw in high school a few years back a Mormon converted a woman and her daughter to Mormonism. And then married them BOTH!!! That's just wrong. Not only that but the daughter was still only something like 13 years old and he did this reguarly.
There are whole communities which are actively polygamic. And yes, they "marry" off twelve and thirteen year old girls pretty regularly. They might also take them away from their "husbands" and give them to other men, if the husband has done something to displease the leader of that church. Not to mention the fact that the rates of sexual assault on young girls are massive in those communities. But the state pretty much turns a blind eye to the situation and so does the main church.
Mormonisms is a cult. Is Mormonism a cult? According to Webster's a cult is: 1 : formal religious veneration 2 : a system of religious beliefs and ritual; 3 : a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also : its body of adherents 4 : a system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its promulgator <health cults> 5 a : great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (as a film or book); especially : such devotion regarded as a literary or intellectual fad b : a usually small group of people characterized by such devotion So #1 is true, #2 is also true, #3 true, depending on who you ask, #4 true as Mormons believe that diseases can be cured by faith in God, #5 true in that they exhibit a great devotion to certain ideas. So Mormonism is definitely a cult. About the Pepsi...Not true, the leader of the Mormon church publicly (Larry King Live on CNN) advised that all members of the church were to abstain from all caffeinated drinks. About the polygamy...some truth to what people have said. It was practiced at one time, it no longer is practiced and if a member is found to practice this they are excommunicated from the church. It is not permitted in any form. As to the underwear...some truth to what has been written. It is more like a vestment that a priest wears, but as there is no paid clergy in Mormonism, they wear it under their clothes so as to go about their normal vocations.
yes, they are a cult, most christians make it a point to convey that Mormons are not a part of the christian community...
Don't know about the Larry King Live thing, but I do know the Church invested in Pepsi, which is weird regardless of whether or not members are now allowed to drink it. I lived with a Mormon for a year in a dorm that was full of them for whatever reason. I have respect for the way they take care of eachother in their communities, often you hear about someone who lost their job and the church stepped in and made sure they had food on the table and that the bills were paid until he could find work again. But they do actively brainwash their members and some of the things that they believe are just plain silly. But, in the end, there are worse cults to join.
Not to beat this to death, but the reason the church "officially" banned polygamy was so that Utah could gain statehood and get all the benefits that came with it.
Wrydolphin - without speaking directly with the investment guys at the Mormon church, I can only posit that maybe they like some of the other products that Pepsico produces...you know, like Lays Potato Chips, Doritos, Cheetos, Cracker Jacks, Tropicana Fruit Juices, Quaker Oatmeal, Rice-A-Roni, and/or Gatorade. Kwajman - Any sources for that little tidbit?
True corporations own a large number of different brands, but still. Its kind of like when Disney aquired the company that made Pulp Fiction. It, to me, makes the Morman church seem more interested in money then upholding it's directives. And a major condition for Utah to be allowed into the US is that the Morman church had to give up polygamy and outlaw it in the state. At that time, the church sent out polygamist colonies into rural Utah, Mexico and just across the Candadian border. They continue to be polygamist to this day.
The idea that the Mormons own either Pepsi or Coca-Cola is false, merely an urban legend. Either company is way too huge to be owned by one person or group. I saw where Cokes single largest investor owns 11% of the company and its the Berkshire Hathaway Investment group owned by Warren Buffett. His 11% is worth something like 3.5 billion USD so it couldn't be owned by the Mormons. The top beef ranch in the world is not the King Ranch in Texas anymore. It is the Deseret Cattle & Citrus Ranch outside Orlando, Fla. It covers 312,000 acres; its value as real estate alone is estimated at $858 million. It is owned entirely by the Mormons. The largest producer of nuts in America, AgReserves, Inc., in Salt Lake City, is Mormon-owned. So are the Bonneville International Corp., the country's 14th largest radio chain, and the Beneficial Life Insurance Co., with assets of $1.6 billion. There are richer churches than the one based in Salt Lake City: Roman Catholic holdings dwarf Mormon wealth. But the Catholic Church has 45 times as many members. One interesting point, the Mormon church forbids killing of any kind, yet have opened a private hunting reserve for rich hunters to plunk down as much as $8,500 to kill a trophy animal. So far, the church refuses to answer questions regarding the apparent conflict in beliefs vs actions.
I don't think they own it, just that they bought a significant amount of stock. Though, you might be right Kwaj. I will bow to your superior knowledge in this. I knew they had quite a bit of property, but I am a bit flummixed with how large it is. I do know that everyone who is a member of the church is required to file two tax returns, one with the IRS and one with the church. Not to mention the fact that the Catholic church is thousands of years older.
and there we have it ladies and gentlemen, the athiests of the world can relax. all religion is a cult in some sense. and it is absolutely beyond 100% a shadow of a doubt, fact, not an opinion or story; because someone else whom i've never seen wrote it down in a book. right? :woo:
