# Mainstream Christians and Jews: Be honest, what do you think of Mormons? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 28, 2012, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mainstream-christians-and-jews-be-honest-what-do-you-think-of-mormons/614289 "2012-02-28T22:17:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2012, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mainstream-christians-and-jews-be-honest-what-do-you-think-of-mormons/614289/81 "2012-03-07T18:15:47Z")
> [@misterkrc](#): > > religion is like a penis . its ok to have one, its ok to be proud of it, just don’t wave it in my face. My religion is bigger than yours. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2012, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mainstream-christians-and-jews-be-honest-what-do-you-think-of-mormons/614289/82 "2012-03-07T18:51:39Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > But there are several varieties of Mormons-the Mormon Chuch split apart in the 1850’s-there is the “Reformed” Church of Latter Day Saints-these folk reject the post Smith church (polygamy) totally. > The outfit headed up in Salt Lake City is seen as apostate and corrupt by these folks. Here’s a [list](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sects_in_the_Latter_Day_Saint_movement) of the various sects of LDS. Some are quite large, some claim a handful of followers, and others have gone the way of the dodo bird. I was personally fascinated by the Strangites, who gave us the King of Beaver Island. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2012, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mainstream-christians-and-jews-be-honest-what-do-you-think-of-mormons/614289/83 "2012-03-07T18:59:47Z")
Apparently, the Mormons have lots of sects. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2012, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mainstream-christians-and-jews-be-honest-what-do-you-think-of-mormons/614289/84 "2012-03-07T20:00:45Z")
> [@Revenant\_Threshold](#): > > Wouldn’t that just mean that such voters would just vote for a different candidate, rather than no candidate? I think they are hoping the evangelicals will just stay home. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2012, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mainstream-christians-and-jews-be-honest-what-do-you-think-of-mormons/614289/85 "2012-03-07T20:06:52Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > I think they are hoping the evangelicals will just stay home. > > Regards, > Shodan I thought discouraging people from voting was a _Republican_ strategy? ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2012, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mainstream-christians-and-jews-be-honest-what-do-you-think-of-mormons/614289/86 "2012-03-07T22:17:57Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > I think they are hoping the evangelicals will just stay home. That seems rather dubious. I would have said it was those who have the more strongly-held views who could be counted on to turn up. And at the very least, I really wouldn’t have pegged Romney as the big evangelical hope in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mainstream-christians-and-jews-be-honest-what-do-you-think-of-mormons/614289/87 "2012-03-08T00:32:02Z")
> [@Revenant\_Threshold](#): > > I really wouldn’t have pegged Romney as the big evangelical hope in the first place. No, I don’t think Romney is the big evangelical hope at all, or at least I doubt the MSM thinks he is. That’s the point - the idea is to convince all those evangelicals that he is not a “real” Christian. This is based on the belief that evangelicals won’t vote for someone like that. It is related to the idea that Obama is a Muslim, only from the opposite side. If you can convince people that Obama is a non-Christian, maybe that will lose him votes. If you can convince people that Mormons aren’t Christian, that might lose Romney votes. Given that Romney is the current front-runner in the GOP field, it doesn’t seem to have worked out very well, but not everything they try works. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mainstream-christians-and-jews-be-honest-what-do-you-think-of-mormons/614289/88 "2012-03-08T00:33:04Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I thought discouraging people from voting was a _Republican_ strategy? Both sides do it. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Randvek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a6a055/32.png) [@Randvek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randvek)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mainstream-christians-and-jews-be-honest-what-do-you-think-of-mormons/614289/89 "2012-03-08T00:42:14Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > It is related to the idea that Obama is a Muslim, only from the opposite side. If you can convince people that Obama is a non-Christian, maybe that will lose him votes. If you can convince people that Mormons aren’t Christian, that might lose Romney votes. I disagree. Obama is objectively not a Muslim. Whether or not Romney is a Christian is subjective. There’s no right or wrong answer; there are certain values of “Christian” that Romney meets and certain values that he doesn’t, depending on who is doing the evaluating. Heck, there are still way too many people out that that don’t accept Catholics as “Christian.” ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mainstream-christians-and-jews-be-honest-what-do-you-think-of-mormons/614289/90 "2012-03-08T02:25:19Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > I think it’s unfair to equate polygamy with modern Mormonism. That’s like equating snake-handling with modern protestantism. Are there people who do that? Yes. Do they like to use part of our name? Yes. Are they part of this church? No. > > Every religion has it’s fundamentalist sects, and some are really absurd to even the most faithful of the mainstream churches. Do Protestants regularly have to defend themselves from accusations of snake-handling because it was a recent part of their faith? I guess it depends where you live, but for Protestantism as a whole? ---
**Author:** ![thelabdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@thelabdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelabdude)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mainstream-christians-and-jews-be-honest-what-do-you-think-of-mormons/614289/91 "2012-03-08T03:43:46Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Both sides do it. > > Regards, > Shodan One notable example was all that talk that people that voted for Nixon should never vote again. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mainstream-christians-and-jews-be-honest-what-do-you-think-of-mormons/614289/92 "2012-03-08T04:16:19Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Both sides do it. > > Regards, > Shodan You say this because there is some undiscovered magical law of the universe that _makes_ one political party act just as assholishly as the other political party? It is totally impossible for one side to be worse than the other? Maybe there is some sort of secret pact between the leaders of both parties to strike a balance between the two parties lest the universe ends? Pray, tell us the secret behind this universal truth-“Both Sides Do It!” ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mainstream-christians-and-jews-be-honest-what-do-you-think-of-mormons/614289/93 "2012-03-08T04:22:30Z")
> [@Randvek](#): > > I disagree. Obama is objectively not a Muslim. Whether or not Romney is a Christian is subjective. There’s no right or wrong answer; there are certain values of “Christian” that Romney meets and certain values that he doesn’t, depending on who is doing the evaluating. Heck, there are still way too many people out that that don’t accept Catholics as “Christian.” But Obama is not “objectively” a Christian. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mainstream-christians-and-jews-be-honest-what-do-you-think-of-mormons/614289/94 "2012-03-08T10:09:13Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > But Obama is not “objectively” a Christian. Huh? Please explain. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mainstream-christians-and-jews-be-honest-what-do-you-think-of-mormons/614289/95 "2012-03-08T11:55:19Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > You say this because there is some undiscovered magical law of the universe that _makes_ one political party act just as assholishly as the other political party? It is totally impossible for one side to be worse than the other? Maybe there is some sort of secret pact between the leaders of both parties to strike a balance between the two parties lest the universe ends? Pray, tell us the secret behind this universal truth-“Both Sides Do It!” The secret is that both sides do it, and idiots blame it on the other side. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mainstream-christians-and-jews-be-honest-what-do-you-think-of-mormons/614289/96 "2012-03-08T11:57:23Z")
I feel the same way about Mormons as I do about any group who chooses to follow very specific and archaic rules “because God said so”. A lot of stuff about the Mormon faith seems weird to me (what’s with the special God-approved underpants?), but then again, I don’t understand why some Catholics still avoid birth control and why the Jewish guy next door refuses to shake my hand on the grounds that I’m female. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mainstream-christians-and-jews-be-honest-what-do-you-think-of-mormons/614289/97 "2012-03-08T13:13:11Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > Do Protestants regularly have to defend themselves from accusations of snake-handling because it was a recent part of their faith? I guess it depends where you live, but for Protestantism as a whole? Do you mean ‘Pentecostals’? Because if you think snake-handling was a major factor in early Protestantism the same was polygamy was in early Mormonism, that gives us some interesting mental images of Luther & Calvin! ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mainstream-christians-and-jews-be-honest-what-do-you-think-of-mormons/614289/98 "2012-03-08T13:17:33Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > The secret is that both sides do it, and idiots blame it on the other side. > > Regards, > Shodan Another random answer that has nothing to do with the questions asked. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mainstream-christians-and-jews-be-honest-what-do-you-think-of-mormons/614289/99 "2012-03-08T13:22:39Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > Do you mean ‘Pentecostals’? Because if you think snake-handling was a major factor in early Protestantism the same was polygamy was in early Mormonism, that gives us some interesting mental images of Luther & Calvin! Btw- to the OP- I don’t know how mainstream I am (a moderate by Assembly of God standards)- but I’d say this: the Mormons I’ve really known are usually great people & may well have a saving faith in Jesus. I do dislike how many either are unaware or secretive regarding the more distinctive theology of ‘Eternal Progression’, especially regarding The Father, and Temple rituals. Those are doctrines & practices which I think conflict with Biblical & historic Christianity. If I pastored a church, and an incoming member’s only baptism was in the LDS, I would ask them to be baptized again. I would not ask that of most people with a historic Catholic, Orthodox, or Protestant baptism (I’m not generally an Anabaptist/exclusive Immersionist). ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mainstream-christians-and-jews-be-honest-what-do-you-think-of-mormons/614289/100 "2012-03-08T13:30:29Z")
> [@Malthus](#): > > I have nothing against the doctrines of Mormonism, so long as they practice them among other Mormons; but their efforts at prostheletization I find somewhat annoying, and they seem a reasonably major aspect of the faith. They keep at it even after you are dead, what with that whole baptism of dead Jewish ancestors thing. 😃 > > Jew here. Basically, AFAI understand, that means to a Mormon that someone (maybe an Angel or a deceased LDS) knocked on that ancestors door in the unbelievers part of the Spirit World & said ‘I’ve got good news! So&so has been baptized into The Church on your behalf. Would you like to accept that?’ Presumably, by that time, the ancestor would realize the truth of the LDS faith & say ‘Sure! Thanks a lot!’ & go into the better neighborhood for believers. Not that said ancestor was dragged kicking & screaming into the believers’ realm. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mainstream-christians-and-jews-be-honest-what-do-you-think-of-mormons/614289.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mainstream-christians-and-jews-be-honest-what-do-you-think-of-mormons/614289.md?page=6)