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Questions on Mormons

Nyarlathotep

Thanks,
How long were you a member? Did you go on a mission? What (who) helped you leave?
Also, how do I place little sayings below my posts? I have a great one from the music group Morbid Angel.
 
Just Me said:
Thanks,
How long were you a member? Did you go on a mission? What (who) helped you leave?
Also, how do I place little sayings below my posts? I have a great one from the music group Morbid Angel.
Click to expand...


I joined when I was about 15-ish (long story made short: Sucked into it by a family who lived next door to me, whom I was closer to than my own family sometimes). Never went on a mission, because I had barely progressed beyond the Aaronic priesthood when I began to doubt the church. I dropped out in my early 20's when I realized I didn't really believe in God. No one big event pushed me out, just more of a gradual realization.

As for the little sayings, go to your User CP, then find the part that lets you add a signature.
 
(embarassed)
Excuse my ignorance.
"User CP"??
--------------------
Found user cp.
my "Thread Display Options" says show signature
I cannot undo the button that allows me to have an avator. Is this the prob?
 
Last edited:
Just Me said:
supercorgi,
Nope. got no HBO. Heard of it though (the show that is). By any chance does it take place in northern arizona, or southern utah? There is an offshoot of LDS up therewho are polygamists.
Recently Terry Goddard (Arizona attn. General) is investigating the matter, after decades of them there.
Click to expand...
I think it's based in Southern Utah. It's about an upper middle-class man with 3 wives (each in their own house with a shared yard). I think it's based on that group you mentioned because the husband is threatened by the prophet of this offshoot group (he made the mistake of borrowing money from the prophet and marrying one of his daughters). The prophet is a rather scary character who's practically worshipped by his group and has a teenage wife (amongst others). The prophet controls everything.
 
Just Me said:
(embarassed)
Excuse my ignorance.
"User CP"??
--------------------
Found user cp.
my "Thread Display Options" says show signature
I cannot undo the button that allows me to have an avator. Is this the prob?
Click to expand...
I think you have to have 50 posts before you can have an avatar.
 
Just Me said:
I read somewhere on the internet (face value) that Joseph smith and his brother Hyrum were 3rd degree Masons.
One of the most significant symbols of Mason is the compass, the one used to draw circles in geometry. The compass is used in the crest of Masons-pls go to wikipedia and see Freemasonry.
The compass is on the garments over a nipple. The square is also on the garments that I think is over the other nipple.
There is another mark on the right thigh. If I recall it is a straight line.

Also freemasonry was getting a bad name and eventually died out,in the US, especially around New York during Joseph Smith's time (and place of residence) due to a murder in the area.

I have a hypothesus that Mormons are an offshoot of Freemasonry created by Smith.
Click to expand...

Hi Just Me!

The whole idea of the "temple" is taken directly from Freemasonry (Solomon's Temple) also, that's why Mormons aren't allowed to join any secret society like that. If they were to read the secret rituals in Freemasonry, they would see how much of their temple ceremony is taken from it.

I was a Job's Daughter (a Masonic group) in eastern Idaho & that's how it was explained to me when I wondered why there weren't any Mormon girls in the Bethel.

MHB
 
I know Mormons have to tithe 10% of their income. What does the church do with all that money? What if you can't pay it? Why so much?

BlackCat
 
ImaginalDisc said:
Oh, that's interesting. Thanks. Is there any obvious difference btween the two? Are the temples the painfully white and spikey buildings?
Click to expand...

Where I lived, the Mormons worshipped weekly at the "Stake Houses" and only went to the temple for weddings & other important ceremonies. They never called them "churches".

They had weekly dances for the youth called "stake dances". I attended a few, but didn't have much fun once the kids realized I wasn't LDS & wasn't going to convert.

The Catholics in town decided to counter with their own youth dances, & they called them "hamburger dances". I had a lot more fun at those, even though I wasn't Catholic, either.

MHB
 
BlackCat said:
I know Mormons have to tithe 10% of their income. What does the church do with all that money? What if you can't pay it? Why so much?

BlackCat
Click to expand...

I think there's something in the bible about giving 10% to the church, but the Mormons are absolutely anal about their tithe.

I knew a young couple when I lived in Idaho who were struggling to make their payments on the small mobile home they owned. They finally weren't able to keep up on that & make their tithe to the church, so they sold their home & moved in with her parents. Just so they could make their payment to the church!

MHB
 
ooh_child,
Yes I read the same, although Solomon's temple goes back to Judiasm, so Masons and Mormons derive from that, I'm sure you knew that, just helping others here.
I also read that Masons see Mormon temples as unofficial lodges because the ritauls are EXTREMELY similar. Since Masons have been around longer it would seem their teachings are correct. It's impossible to have a belief system around so long and have it be false, right? Right? I mean RIGHT???




BlackCat
Mormons pay 10% because in the Old Testament, Malachi 3:8-10 (or 4:5,6 been to long to remember which) says to pay a tithing. The definition of tithe is (drum roll) 10%.
What do they do with it? Strippers and beer, what else!
Seriously, EVERY church building is paid for IN CASH. There is little to any debt held by the church.
The church also has food/financial assistance programs (for members only).
Some money is given to developing countries for medical needs.
I THINK the church helps pay for people who cannot afford to go on a mission. But they do not help if your family can afford it.
Recently the church has set up a Vocational school of sorts. They pay for your education, then when you get a job you pay them back. I am not sure if any interest is levied. I doubt it though. This is pretty much a student loan, yet the church claimed it was inspired by God yada, yada.
Honestly, some good things are done with the money.
Since tithing is a charitable contribution the members get the money back come tax time.

If you can't pay it you are breaking The Law of Tithing and cannot get a temple recommend.
Since tithing is a law of God I guess you are risking your eternal soul, but I'm not worried, I hear you can buy a spare on ebay.:D
 
ooh_child,
At the dances did they do the "Book of Mormon" apart?
Meaning nobody could dance close together and if they did, the BoM was slid between them?
Good times.
 
Some good information here!
Welcome to the forums, from another fairly new guy.

Just a minor correction -

Just Me said:
Since tithing is a charitable contribution the members get the money back come tax time.
Click to expand...

You actually get to deduct the contribution from your earned income, thus lowering your tax rate. You don't get the contribution back. But you pay less taxes, so you get some percent of it back, in effect.
 
This guy,
this guy-1 just me-0.
I've never done my taxes, always my wife on turbo tax.



BlackCat,
A temple recommend is a little card mormons have that is "good" for 1 year.
All temples have little waiting rooms inside that ANYONE can sit it (and fart loudly if you so feel) although mormons don't tell you this. To get past the waiting room you must show your recommend.

How to get a recommend-Chapter One

To recieve a temple recommend you must be
a)mormon
b)worthy
c)male or a married female-more on this later

To be found worthy involves an interview with a church leader (member of the stake bishopric) in your area, called a stake. A stake is nothing but a group of wards. A ward is an defined area that goes to church at the same building at the same time. This ward has one bishop (equivalent of a catholic priest) that presides over said ward. The bishop is also the head of the bishopric of the ward. The Stake bishopric is the head of the Stake. ALL three members of the stake bishopric are called "President (last name)".
In thie interview you are asked if you pay tithing, do you sustain (hold allegiance to) the President of the church, do you sympathize w/ any antimormon groups, Do you follow the Word of Wisdom (no smoking or drinking), are you an honorable priesthood holder (men only) and a few other questions that have escaped my mind currently.
If you answer correctly, you get the temple recommend. Sort of like Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
Males are allowed to go inside the temple if they are close to going on a mission for the church, which involves 2 yrs preaching wherever the church sends you. This is usually done at age 19. If you don't go on a mission usually they won't allow you until you are 22-25. Nothing hard and fast there.
Females are allowed in the temple if they are going on a mission (21yrs) or are about to get married.
The church does allow older unmarried women usually 30 yrs plus (pls, no offense meant to women over 30) to go to the temple.

Sorry if this comes across fuzzy, I am in a rush right now.
 
Just Me said:
This guy,
this guy-1 just me-0.
I've never done my taxes, always my wife on turbo tax.
Click to expand...

Please don't keep score! It's not that I mind loosing, it's just I'm not crazy about there being proof! ;)

I wouldn't have said anything, but I could see someone starting a thread asking why the government subsidizes churches by giving back donations to the contributors :)
 
Is the mormon tithe 10%? I heard that they have to tithe 1/3 of their income. Now that I think about it, that sounds unlikely.

--Scott
 
This Guy,
You're right, it would be much better to start a thread asking why the gov't partially subsidizes churches.
 
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