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"If I Were To Switch Religions Mormonism Would Be At The Bottom Of My List!"


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"If I were to switch religions MORMONISM would be at the bottom of my list!"

This is what my MIL once said during dinner at a restaurant. I don't remember what we were talking about but it didn't have anything to do with the church. She is a devout catholic but we generally get along. (In fact, when my wife and I were dating she would brag about how great I was.) I shrugged this statement off and changed the subject. My wife and I still joke about it. I am curious how others would have reacted in a similar situation? Would you have changed the subject or confronted the statement?

I am still waiting for an opening to say: "well if I were ever to switch religions CATHOLICISM would be at the bottom of my list!" :diablo: Perhaps that is what I should have said to begin with.

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"If I were to switch religions MORMONISM would be at the bottom of my list!"

This is what my MIL once said during dinner at a restaurant. I don't remember what we were talking about but it didn't have anything to do with the church. She is a devout catholic but we generally get along. (In fact, when my wife and I were dating she would brag about how great I was.) I shrugged this statement off and changed the subject. My wife and I still joke about it. I am curious how others would have reacted in a similar situation? Would you have changed the subject or confronted the statement?

I am still waiting for an opening to say: "well if I were ever to switch religions CATHOLICISM would be at the bottom of my list!" :diablo: Perhaps that is what I should have said to begin with.

How about gently saying: Mom, we each must walk our own path. Mormonism works for me.

Edited by ERayR
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My smart alec tendency would be to bring up the Thugee cult of India and the Aztec religion that depended so heavily on involuntary human sacrifice, but ERayR's suggestion is probably a lot more Christlike.

Yours under the trickster oaks,

Nathair /|\

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I would put Scientology below human sacrifice and cannibalistic faiths.

I tend to try and not judge another worship unless it poses a danger to me. The 11th article of faith sums it up for me.

  • We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.

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Don't take this wrong. I wouldn't put it at the top of the list just yet because I'm working things out. I think a Universalist church would be nice. One that excepts everyone and honors agency (Gays in particular). I think Joseph Smith was a universalist at one time and may have integrated some ideas at the beginning of restoring the church. But I think leaders after him made our church less so. More legalistic. Like telling you what to wear (modesty), & eat (WoW), never feeling good enough because we are to become perfect, etc. So if we could go back and undo some things and concentrate on the big things, then mormonism would be my favorite.

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Nah, I think you did fine by not responding. Part of our duty as Mormons is to not respond viciously to this stuff like people of other beliefs and philosophies would. It is our job to say 'that is your choice', and to be a goode example of what Christ would be... calm... but unwilling to yield one's beliefs.

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I think Joseph Smith was a universalist at one time and may have integrated some ideas at the beginning of restoring the church. But I think leaders after him made our church less so. More legalistic. Like telling you what to wear (modesty), & eat (WoW), never feeling good enough because we are to become perfect, etc. So if we could go back and undo some things and concentrate on the big things, then mormonism would be my favorite.

My experience in Mormonism regarding these issues does not seem to parallel yours.

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Don't take this wrong. I wouldn't put it at the top of the list just yet because I'm working things out. I think a Universalist church would be nice. One that excepts everyone and honors agency (Gays in particular). I think Joseph Smith was a universalist at one time and may have integrated some ideas at the beginning of restoring the church. But I think leaders after him made our church less so. More legalistic. Like telling you what to wear (modesty), & eat (WoW), never feeling good enough because we are to become perfect, etc. So if we could go back and undo some things and concentrate on the big things, then mormonism would be my favorite.

Not that I want you to be anything other than LDS but... Have you ever looked into the Community of Christ (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints)? It fits perfectly with what it sounds like you would like to see.

Everyone else: thanks for your thoughtful replies.

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Nah, I think you did fine by not responding. Part of our duty as Mormons is to not respond viciously to this stuff like people of other beliefs and philosophies would. It is our job to say 'that is your choice', and to be a goode example of what Christ would be... calm... but unwilling to yield one's beliefs.

Outside of internet forums I'm not usually the confrontational type so that probably has something to do with it. (plus, as far as religion is concerned, MIL's opinion isn't that important to me. LOL)

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Being a smart alec IRL, I probably would've said "No worries, Mom, not everyone is cut out for greatness."

*Of course, I couldn't really say that to my MIL because she has NO sense of humor but I would say it without hesitation to other family or friends who know me well enough to take the comment in good fun.

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Being a smart alec IRL, I probably would've said "No worries, Mom, not everyone is cut out for greatness."

*Of course, I couldn't really say that to my MIL because she has NO sense of humor but I would say it without hesitation to other family or friends who know me well enough to take the comment in good fun.

I probably could have gotten away with saying something along the lines of, "well no one is perfect" best part of that is she would probably assume I was talking about me.

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Don't take this wrong. I wouldn't put it at the top of the list just yet because I'm working things out. I think a Universalist church would be nice. One that excepts everyone and honors agency (Gays in particular). I think Joseph Smith was a universalist at one time and may have integrated some ideas at the beginning of restoring the church. But I think leaders after him made our church less so. More legalistic. Like telling you what to wear (modesty), & eat (WoW), never feeling good enough because we are to become perfect, etc. So if we could go back and undo some things and concentrate on the big things, then mormonism would be my favorite.

Tacenda...

I've heard this statement from people who just want to give up because they think it is just too much to strive for...

Volgadon, help me out here... none of us will ever become perfect in this lifetime... never, although we do strive continually to do our very best (only the Savior was/is perfect)... but as I understand it, the Hebrew language has words with different levels of meaning... for instance, the word "perfect" also has a meaning of complete... so the scripture is not so harsh... What do we do to become "complete?" Well, repentence... baptism for the remission of sins... receipt of the Holy Ghost... making and keeping our temple covenants... striving to live the commandments and to become one with Christ, all to our best... and when we stumble as we mere humans are wont to do, Christ is there to lift us through his atonement.

We don't have to be perfect per se... but we must follow His admonition to strive always toward perfection and completeness.

GG

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Don't take this wrong. I wouldn't put it at the top of the list just yet because I'm working things out. I think a Universalist church would be nice. One that excepts everyone and honors agency (Gays in particular). I think Joseph Smith was a universalist at one time and may have integrated some ideas at the beginning of restoring the church. But I think leaders after him made our church less so. More legalistic. Like telling you what to wear (modesty), & eat (WoW), never feeling good enough because we are to become perfect, etc. So if we could go back and undo some things and concentrate on the big things, then mormonism would be my favorite.

I think this would require very selective reading. This is the Joseph Smith that said that all non-mormons are going to hell.

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"If I were to switch religions MORMONISM would be at the bottom of my list!"

This is what my MIL once said during dinner at a restaurant. I don't remember what we were talking about but it didn't have anything to do with the church. She is a devout catholic but we generally get along. (In fact, when my wife and I were dating she would brag about how great I was.) I shrugged this statement off and changed the subject. My wife and I still joke about it. I am curious how others would have reacted in a similar situation? Would you have changed the subject or confronted the statement?

I am still waiting for an opening to say: "well if I were ever to switch religions CATHOLICISM would be at the bottom of my list!" :diablo: Perhaps that is what I should have said to begin with.

Many traditional Christians look on our view of God and man as blasphemous and an insult to God so it would be understandable if they think of themselves as never joining up for that reason.

I have also heard some who said they would never be LDS because they enjoy their coffee and wine and beer, etc. too much.

My response would be along the lines of 'our faith is meant to be one of joy, we would never want anyone in our faith who didn't want to be there'.

Edited by calmoriah
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A long time ago, I had an internet friend who was atheist and he was always ripping us on our beliefs and poking holes into our arguments. It was really frustrating. One day, he said that if he was ever to join a church, it would be the CofJCofLDS. He said that of all the religions he had studied, the Mormon plan of salvation was the only one that made any sense. He was married to a devote Catholic and he loved her very much despite her living in Alaska and his living in Chicago.

One day, he just fell off the face of the earth, and, for two weeks, we didn't hear anything from him. It was at this time, his wife informed us that he had died. What was really interesting was he had called up a Mormon friend, who lived a couple of hours away, to come up to Chicago and give him a priesthood blessing. By the time the friend arrived, he had died.

A year later, this friend, with the permission of the wife, did the temple work for him. It was what he wanted.

I still miss him and his "sordid" humor and it's been years since his death.

If my MIL had said something like that to me, I probably would have said something like "What are you going to say to St. Peter at the Pearly Gates when he points out two young men with name tags, bike helmets, white shirts, ties, and the same first name "Elder" to escort you to your mansion?"

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Being a smart alec IRL, I probably would've said "No worries, Mom, not everyone is cut out for greatness."

*Of course, I couldn't really say that to my MIL because she has NO sense of humor but I would say it without hesitation to other family or friends who know me well enough to take the comment in good fun.

Smart Alecs Unite!!!

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"If I were to switch religions MORMONISM would be at the bottom of my list!"

This is what my MIL once said during dinner at a restaurant. I don't remember what we were talking about but it didn't have anything to do with the church. She is a devout catholic but we generally get along. (In fact, when my wife and I were dating she would brag about how great I was.) I shrugged this statement off and changed the subject. My wife and I still joke about it. I am curious how others would have reacted in a similar situation? Would you have changed the subject or confronted the statement?

I am still waiting for an opening to say: "well if I were ever to switch religions CATHOLICISM would be at the bottom of my list!" :diablo: Perhaps that is what I should have said to begin with.

I think your response was a good one. Who knows what was going on in her head at the moment; regardless, it was an unkind thing to say. If you can do anything now, let it go and forget about it. We carry around too many hurts unnecessarily and it would be better if each of us learned to just let it go; we don't need to hold them or remember them.

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