Misconceptions By Non-Members

[bridget_night]

During the past year my husband and I have been involved in other churches and we have made some very good non-lds friends. I’ve become aware lately of the mis-conceptions these people have about Mormons. Most of our new Christian friends know that we were very active in the lds church for many years and that I even served a mission for the lds church. So, lately they have begun asking me questions about the lds faith. I was quite surprised at how many asked me if we believed in Christ as the Messiah. They would say, “Well, the Mormons just believe Jesus was a prophet, don’t they?” It has given me opportunity to teach them the differences on the Trinity and other teachings in the lds faith. Some thought the Mormons were the polygmous groups in the news last year. They really think Mormons and the FLDS groups are one and the same. They mentioned the honor code student at BYU basketball team in the news and they admired how the church stood by its honor code in todays world. My husband, who had been a high council man and in many of the stake court meetings explained how a church court happens and how disfellowships and excommunications happen. Even though we are not active in the lds church at this time, we have had sooo many opportunities the past month to clarify lds beliefs. They also wanted to know why were were no longer active and had left. I think we pretty well presented a positive picture of the lds faith and cleared up mis-conceptions. We explained what parts of the lds faith we do like and still believe in but did not have a testimony of other things. It has been very interesting for us.

What misconceptions have you all found from non-members?

[Cadence]

It is interesting that we even need to correct the misconceptions. The more fringe that you are especially in your history the more the misconceptions will be. I often think it all stems in a large degree back to polygamy. If this had never been a practice of the church we would not be explaining ourselves today.

[SamBee]

Common ones –

The LDS has done away with the Bible.

We still practice polygamy.

We’re mindless robots.

We worship Joseph Smith.

[Heber13]

I mostly deal with misconceptions about what we believe about Jesus, and also that drinking coke is a sin that would get me kicked out of the church for.

I remind myself that I probably have more misconceptions about JWs or others than they do of me and my faith.

[Orson]

I spoke with one man who assumed that most of our young people don’t actually live the standards, he seemed very surprised to learn that the majority of active youth actually abstain from drinking and sexual activity.

Others seem suprised when I talk reasonably with them — that I wish them well in their faith. I think many have the impression that we either want to convert them or have nothing to do with them.

[cwald]

Orson wrote:

I spoke with one man who assumed that most of our young people don’t actually live the standards, he seemed very surprised to learn that the majority of active youth actually abstain from drinking …

That’s interesting. I was going to say the exact opposite – and I grew up in the mormon corridor.

I think perhaps one the biggest misconceptions is that “mormons don’t drink alcohol, tea or coffee.” Oh really? :wtf: Most of the ones I know do. Of course, I run in different “currents” than most, near the banks of the stream.

[Orson]

cwald wrote:

Orson wrote:

I think perhaps one the biggest misconceptions is that “mormons don’t drink alcohol, tea or coffee.” Oh really? :wtf: Most of the ones I know do. Of course, I run in different “currents” than most, near the banks of the stream.

Yes, it just goes to show people in the church can have all different kinds of experiences.

[SamBee]

cwald wrote:

Orson wrote:

I spoke with one man who assumed that most of our young people don’t actually live the standards, he seemed very surprised to learn that the majority of active youth actually abstain from drinking …

That’s interesting. I was going to say the exact opposite – and I grew up in the mormon corridor.

I think perhaps one the biggest misconceptions is that “mormons don’t drink alcohol, tea or coffee.” Oh really? :wtf: Most of the ones I know do. Of course, I run in different “currents” than most, near the banks of the stream.

I’m going to agree with both of you. It depends what age they are, and what they do in private.

My parents who had a Jewish friend who loved lobster. But only when he wasn’t amongst other Jews, if you get my meaning! 😆

I’ve also known Muslims who drink and eat bacon/pork etc, but I doubt they do it amongst other Muslims much, or tell them about it.

[doug]

SamBee wrote:

Common ones –

The LDS has done away with the Bible.

We still practice polygamy.

We’re mindless robots.

We worship Joseph Smith.

In my experience, two of these are not necessarily misconceptions. I will leave you in suspense about which ones.

[cwald]

doug wrote:

SamBee wrote:

Common ones –

The LDS has done away with the Bible.

We still practice polygamy.

We’re mindless robots.

We worship Joseph Smith.

In my experience, two of these are not necessarily misconcertions. I will leave you in suspense about which ones.

My sentiments exactly — I just didn’t know how to say it so nicely like you did. 🙂

[SamBee]

I think that’s unfair, most LDS I know admire JS, rather than worshipping him.

Not everybody is a mindless robot, we are living proof of that.

Some “Mormons” practice polygamy, but they’re small groups unconnected with our own.

I also see a return to the Bible.

[cwald]

SamBee wrote:

I think that’s unfair, most LDS I know admire JS, rather than worshipping him.

Not everybody is a mindless robot, we are living proof of that.

Some “Mormons” practice polygamy, but they’re small groups unconnected with our own.

I also see a return to the Bible.

Yeah, probably.

It’s more like a small percentage of the membership have a problem with “prophet worship”, being mindless robots, and discounting the value of the Bible

[SamBee]

I’d go along with that. Some members do behave that way. They’re not always unpleasant people, but as the bard says (more or less – bit of paraphrase) “oh would some power the giftie give us, to see ourselves as others see us”.

[SamBee]

Some other misconceptions (shared by some members?) –

* Salt Lake City is mostly Mormon.

* Most Mormons live in Utah.

And –

* Most Mormons are American.

* Most Mormons are English speakers.

I don’t know if the last two are true any longer, but at some point in this century, they won’t be. I think most LDS live outside the USA already. There are considerable populations in Canada, Mexico, South America, the South Pacific, and an increasing number in Africa. In Australia, NZ and Europe, the populations are not what they could be, but they still run into tens of thousands.

3/4 of these don’t apply to me.

[Author]

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