Sound help: Why do all Mormon conversations sound the same? - Help.com

Im a mormon. Any questions? I’d be happy to help.

But I agree. Most think we are Polygamysts. I probably totally spelled that wrong. Those aren’t Latter Day Saints. Those are Fundamentalist mormons.

OR are you just talking about the various mormon troll things? Cos then it’s just because they’ve been trolled so many times they’ve worked out how to get around them.

I’ve also heard that some people think that mormons are racist cause in the past when people sinned God turned their skin dark. Im the exact opposite of a racist and I asked the missionary’s about this cause I was pretty pissed. They told me that just cause God did that it doesnt mean that he doesnt love them. It means that he just needed some way to show the bad ones from the good ones. Not that Being black is bad. That’s just what happened.

I’mListening wrote:
OR are you just talking about the various mormon troll things? Cos then it’s just because they’ve been trolled so many times they’ve worked out how to get around them.

What are you talking about?

There’s a website where you can chat to mormons, Mormon.org
It’s **** near constantly being used to rickroll or ask about magnets. The people who work there are now trolling the trolls. If you don’t know what trolling is, google it.

Mormons are taught to sound that way and have a handbook to tell them how to answer particular questions. Their religion has rules governing how they dress and act, and if they do not follow them they will eventually be excommunicated.

I have spent a great deal of time conversing with real-life Missionaries, unfortunately they seem reluctant to come back. Perhaps they found out about my little game where I score them based on how many times they repeat ‘I just know [in my heart] that [the book of mormon]’s true!’ Sorry guys - but repetition is boring and I have to find some way to entertain myself.

I was once in Australia when a Chinese person told me they thought all Mormons had horns. I almost laughed as hard at that as I did at Jasilek’s comments.

Funny how everyone thinks they’re an expert.

Unfortunately, reality is a lot less dramatic. No horns, no handbook of answers, no rules on what to where and how to act, and no excommunication for not obeying these imaginary things either.

I get all kinds of these things on my blog, MormonConversations.com.

@rustylindquis I would be suprised if anyone who has spent any time with Mormons has not been asked to follow certain rules. You call them commandments, but arguing the difference would be very pedantic. Mormons believe they will reach the highest heaven i.e. the Celestial Kingdom by their works, which means obeying the commandments, so following RULES! And these do indeed include dress and behaviour, so claiming they do not exist is just plain wrong.

And there is a handbook. It’s called ‘The General Handbook of Instructions’ for higher-ups in the Mormon Church. There are more simplified versions for lower down members, and Missionaries get a Missionary Guide. There are little booklets with Mormon Commandments/rules which are given to potential converts. I have some right here. ‘Chastity,’ ‘Tithings & Fast Offerings,’ ‘The Word of Wisdom.’ Ring any bells?

I tried to answer to OPs question to the best of my ability and consider myself reasonably well informed, though not an expert. May they judge for themselves whose answer was more useful.

please note that rusty was responding based on your connotation not your denotation. there exists dress standards belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, (official name for the Mormons) but you will not get excommunicated violating them. in fact you wont be excommunicated for much less than openly denouncing the church. there are guidelines against crude language and profanity, speaking with respect for others, etc. but there is no wrote responses as your phrasing would suggest, if not denote. Also, there are many people who talk to the missionaries for the sole purpose of “bible bashing” or other “games” and it is the general practice of missionaries who have been around for a while to recognize those visits as a waste of time on people who don’t actually care about the message.

there are rules yes, every religion has rules lain down, otherwise there would be no unity. but you should first look into the difference between “rules” and “standards”. there are no rules on how to have conversations, but people of the Mormon faith are expected (not required) to do so in respectful and clean manner. there are no rules on exactly what a member must wear, but there are expectations that members show respect for themselves and others in their choice of attire.

please also note that the missionaries do have special rules for their decorum, but that is because they are official representatives of the Church.

please also note your assertation that “Mormons” believe that they will enter the Celestial Kingdom “through their works” is either intentionally or accidentally at odds with the beliefs of the Church. although “faith without works is dead,” one must also remember that only through Christ that we can be redeemed of our sins for “no unclean thing can enter into the kingdom of God.”

please if you are going to be “well informed” use accurate connotation. or if you are intentionally trying to contort the view of someone’s religion, do us all a favor and outright lie like so many others already do.

sorry for preaching.

it is likely perceived that all Mormon conversations sound the same, because when speaking of things spiritual nothing carries the truth like personal testimony. and so much of the time when Mormons talk about their faith they first talk about a piece of doctrine, and then bear testimony of it. this is found in the pattern of missionary discussions, church meetings, and in turn members speaking to their friends and acquaintances about there faith. this may seem formulaic and therefore “the same”.

hope this helps.

Right.

Jasilek, your latter post is more accurate.

Certainly we believe in following the commandments. No Christian could call themselves Christian, if they didn’t believe in keeping the commandments. That’s what being Christian is all about, believing and following Christ (note, they’re not called “Recommendations” or “Suggestions”).

Also note that there’s a difference between Salvation (which cometh only through Christ and his infinite atonement), and the rewards we receive after the judgement. The bible speaks ever so plainly about this, with lots of repetition so we get it right.. how salvation cometh only through Christ, but that we shall be judged according to our works. So it is certain (if you believe in the bible) that those who do the works of righteousness receive the rewards of righteousness. The basic law of the harvest.

The books, or pamphlets to which you refer are no mystery either. Any religion serious about living the commandments is certainly likely to put out numerous writings encouraging such things as chastity, tithing, fast offerings, the word of wisdom, and much else that would help encourage Christian followers to come unto Christ and live the law that He taught.

I’m unsure why that would be either startling or unsettling. Seems quite natural to me, assuming, that is, that one is serious about following Christ, as I would urge us all to be.

@heustmeister Thanks for clearing that up, I understand that it can be difficult to decern the tone of writing. It can also be difficult to predict what connotations other people will read into certain words. You brought up the Bible so I will use that as an example: one verse can be interpreted many different ways depending on how you read it, can it not?

The OP asked ‘Why do ALL Mormon conversations sound the same’ so obviously we are dealing with generalisations. I still think that as a concise response my statement was accurate, Mormonism does practise excommunication and I’m sure if someone kept ignoring the rules of your religion this would eventually happen, but I speak from the perspective of a non-mormon.

The perspective of a person outside a religion is going to be different from that of someone in it. Mormons may be unaware that they sometimes sound alike, or of the repetition I made a joke of (yes, it was a joke!) Mormonism is sometimes recognised as a different culture, not merely a religion. It is different to popular culture, sometimes even in opposition, and those differences are noticable to outsiders. For example this Mormon ‘Chasity’ booklet recommends never watching ‘R’ rated films because they may lead to innappropriate thoughts. This might come across as weird to some people.

@rustylindquis Thanks. Yes; my seccond response is more detailed and I appreciate your reply. Good points. On the “commandments” I’d like to add that the commandments given by Jesus in the Bible are different from those in Mormonism, which are received later by Prophets.

LOL, We do have a distinct culture, that’s for sure, and many find it peculiar.

For instance, as you point out, we’re to avoid R rated movies to avoid the inappropriate thoughts that stem from them. It’s like how in the Bible, when Christ was outlining his law to the people, who till then, had lived the law of moses, which was very physical in nature. He had to teach them that sins (the result) have deeper origins in thought. He taught “whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery already in his heart”.

So much of the current literature produced by the church simply offers aid in interpreting scripture and biblical principles in our day. Such has always been the nature of prophets - to interpret eternal principles into modern lifestyle guidelines. It’s the role of the prophet.

Distinct to Latter-day Saints, of course (as you suggest), is the belief in a prophet today. So while the vast majority of commandments we live are actually sourced in ancient scripture, there are still some revelations which are of a more modern nature, like the Word of Wisdom you pointed out.

The Word of Wisdom, which essentially states that healthy living brings blessings (including wisdom and energy), is still based in scripture… there are numerous verses in the bible about avoiding drunkenness and strong drink, treating the body as a temple, etc., but it wasn’t until more recently that it was issued by way of commandment. Much like Christ’s law superseding the law of Moses. Scriptural precedence shows a pattern where Christ’s people are continually brought to live an ever-higher law. Sort of a “line upon line” progression of righteous living.

Thanks for the conversation.

Indded, a good discussion. Thankyou.

jasilek wrote:
Mormons are taught to sound that way and have a handbook to tell them how to answer particular questions. Their religion has rules governing how they dress and act, and if they do not follow them they will eventually be excommunicated.

I have spent a great deal of time conversing with real-life Missionaries, unfortunately they seem reluctant to come back. Perhaps they found out about my little game where I score them based on how many times they repeat ‘I just know [in my heart] that [the book of mormon]’s true!’ Sorry guys - but repetition is boring and I have to find some way to entertain myself.

You don’t get excommunicated for dressing wrong. That’s called a Jacked mormon. Someone who was baptized but doesnt follow the morals and standards. You can only get excommunicated for really serious stuff.

rustylindquis wrote:
I was once in Australia when a Chinese person told me they thought all Mormons had horns. I almost laughed as hard at that as I did at Jasilek’s comments.

Funny how everyone thinks they’re an expert.

Unfortunately, reality is a lot less dramatic. No horns, no handbook of answers, no rules on what to where and how to act, and no excommunication for not obeying these imaginary things either.

I get all kinds of these things on my blog, MormonConversations.com.

Your a mormon?