My rant on the Mormons in Utah

[sirz345]

I live in a small, isolated town in Utah, the people here are usually cold and ruthless, being a literal citizen of the world (Born in Japan) I thought there was no culture I couldn't grow to understand or accept. However, Utah Mormons have proved me wrong, I had known Mormons outside of this state, usually nice people, helpful and kind. But in Utah, they bring out the worse qualities any religion can posses; they have convinced themselves above all that because they go to church on a weekly basis, they will ascend to heaven, instead of taking lessons from church and respecting their fellow man, they seek out non-Mormons and harass them or shame them into conversion (a close friend of mine was bullied for two years before getting baptized because these two Mormon douchebags thought they were doing god's work by forcing him to come to a baptism so they would stop ruining his life.), the worse part is the adults do not believe this is going on and when they see it happen, they are proud of their children for doing the lord's work. In recent years, with ideologies and new beliefs at our fingertips due to technology, they have only gotten more aggressive as their numbers dwindle, for every convert to a new religion, they grow, especially at my high school, ten times more fervent and passionate about their beliefs. It has gone from "Mr. Teacher maybe you shouldn't talk about Christ? You're teaching math." to me explaining my beliefs, and random Mormon kids making it their goal to see me baptized. I have about four kids that I honestly thought just wanted to learn about my beliefs, that have told me they wish I would get baptized and they will stop me in the halls and show me stories from various Christian websites and tell me personal revelations to try to convince me to accept Christ as my lord and savior. Now while being Christian is fine and dandy, this sort of behavior is very inappropriate especially in a school, I ranted here because I felt it was much more likely that people would understand this sort of persecution, I have had grown adults mock my beliefs as well as teenagers and children, if I retaliate, I am the one that gets in trouble. I do not want to be the "We are being persecuted" guy but I think the only thing that will change this behavior is education on the various beliefs especially many"Pagan" ones that Abrahamic religions condemn with no exception. So I encourage everyone, if someone asks about your faith, explain it to them, if they understand why that is your belief and what you believe, that will be one less person to spout ignorant hate speech towards all people.

[Hawkfeathers]

Re: My rant on the Mormons in Utah

I live in a small, isolated town in the Ozarks.....same stuff going on, basically, but with Baptists.

[sirz345]

Re: My rant on the Mormons in Utah

I think this is really just and Christian religion in the US, it seems that more Christian churches use the bible to manipulate their followers to spread hate and their religion than any other place I've been to. I almost got suspended for talking to someone who was interested in Shinto and my teacher was convinced I was trying to convert him. A week later another Mormon kid literally preached to me and one of my atheist friend in front of the teacher and when he was done he asked when we would like to accept Christ. He did not even get told to calm down or stop even though it obviously bothered my friend and I.

[Hawkfeathers]

Re: My rant on the Mormons in Utah

Yeah, and areas where there's a homogenous population, and no exposure to other cultures. They start thinking they are the sum total of humankind.

[sirz345]

Re: My rant on the Mormons in Utah

That is pretty much Utah, brainwashed conservative Nazi's, I actually did introduce a friend to the concept of paganism because he told me he was interested, I really hopes he does find what he is looking for because it would be nice to have more than one pagan friend that has moved away.

[Malflick]

Re: My rant on the Mormons in Utah

I'm very sorry other Christians have been so mean, cruel, and intolerant towards you. Their focusing on their own personal conversion record, rather than the health and happiness of those around them, is wrong in itself.

While I doubt that they will learn acceptance let alone tolerance, I hope things get easier for you there.

[sirz345]

Re: My rant on the Mormons in Utah

I'm very sorry other Christians have been so mean, cruel, and intolerant towards you. Their focusing on their own personal conversion record, rather than the health and happiness of those around them, is wrong in itself.

While I doubt that they will learn acceptance let alone tolerance, I hope things get easier for you there.

Honestly the hardest thing with dealing with them is being told "no" by Mormon girls simply because I am not Mormon. I have no doubt there are good Christians but in Utah, the Mormons are out of control, there should probably be a federal agency that encourages tolerance, hopefully that kind of agency could at least convince them to shut up if they have nothing nice to say.

[ChainLightning]

Re: My rant on the Mormons in Utah

there should probably be a federal agency that encourages tolerance, hopefully that kind of agency could at least convince them to shut up if they have nothing nice to say.

I know countless non-Christians that would suffer such censorship, as well, not just this one small Christian sect.

[MaskedOne]

Re: My rant on the Mormons in Utah

Honestly the hardest thing with dealing with them is being told "no" by Mormon girls simply because I am not Mormon. I have no doubt there are good Christians but in Utah, the Mormons are out of control, there should probably be a federal agency that encourages tolerance, hopefully that kind of agency could at least convince them to shut up if they have nothing nice to say.

The courts both state and federal would beat such an organization to death in under a year, burn its properties and sow the ground with salt. 1st Amendment protections are a double edged sword. Receiving them means accepting that other people get them too.

[sirz345]

Re: My rant on the Mormons in Utah

The courts both state and federal would beat such an organization to death in under a year, burn its properties and sow the ground with salt. 1st Amendment protections are a double edged sword. Receiving them means accepting that other people get them too.

The agency's purpose would be to promote tolerance and discourage hate, all kinds of hate. Religious hate, ethnic hate, racial hate, national hate, etc.

[thalassa]

Re: My rant on the Mormons in Utah

The agency's purpose would be to promote tolerance and discourage hate, all kinds of hate. Religious hate, ethnic hate, racial hate, national hate, etc.

I'm okay with hate. Acting on the hate in a way that denies the rights of others is the problem.

See, the First Amendment gives us the right to express ourselves. That means it gives us the right to be offended. It doesn't give us the right to be free of offense. And I'd rather have that, that not. I'd rather have someone able to hate me out loud, so that I know where to smile politely and say obnoxiously kind words and offer sweet tea and cucumber sandwiches. I'd rather look 'em in the eye when I make them look like the asshole that they are.

Can't do that once you get rid of assholish behavior on the basis of the law.

[MaskedOne]

Re: My rant on the Mormons in Utah

The agency's purpose would be to promote tolerance and discourage hate, all kinds of hate. Religious hate, ethnic hate, racial hate, national hate, etc.

and once "discouraging" starts looking like censorship which is relatively easy to pull off the organization will be placed in front of a court by someone and my prior statement comes into play. Freedom of expression is interpreted quite broadly, there are only a handful of cases (thou shalt not yell "Fire" in a crowded theater being a common example) where the court system does not respond nastily to people trying to infringe on it.

[Rowanwood]

Re: My rant on the Mormons in Utah

Honestly the hardest thing with dealing with them is being told "no" by Mormon girls simply because I am not Mormon.

Can I just comment that this sentence jumps out at me like a giant red flag? Girls are allowed to say no to you for whatever damned reason they want, including your religion and if your feet smell. They owe you nothing.

Anyway, back to your intolerance about their intolerance and that little paradoxical loop. Enjoy.

[Medusa]

Re: My rant on the Mormons in Utah

I've always wanted to go to Utah to see all those state parks. They always play those state tourism commercials here in California. Makes it look awesome.

I have nothing else to say. The Mormons on my bus route are very kind boys.

[ChainLightning]

Re: My rant on the Mormons in Utah

I wish Dez weren't so busy. She made an interesting Mormon, and a very lovely friend. I miss her posts around here.