Mormon Conversational Boundaries

[_The Nehor]

I have never lived in Utah, but when people have asked how many siblings I have (i.e., quite a few), and when I've told them, they have sometimes inquired into my religious background.

Data logged, we're narrowing down the identity of the elusive Scratch.

[_Yoda]

I have never lived in Utah, but when people have asked how many siblings I have (i.e., quite a few), and when I've told them, they have sometimes inquired into my religious background.

OK, I've gotta know. How many siblings do you have?

[_harmony]

You are living in a weird area of the world..

For three years in my present workspace, and for five years in the previous one, and 20 + 20 before (in the army), I hadn't the faintest idea about the religion of my workmates - by their words.
I have judged it only by their opinion about other areas/topics.
.

I think it was your superior discernment.

[_Ray A]

Is my suspicion that this is a Mormon thing correct? What is it about the religion that makes people break usually social taboos and fell like they have license to ask such questions within 20 seconds of meeting a client?

I'm pretty sure it's not so much a "Mormon thing" as a human thing. About a 100% sure. We tend to be tribal. But it really doesn't say much for the LDS man you encountered.

Didn't he even offer to bake you a cake?

[_moksha]

Is my suspicion that this is a Mormon thing correct?

It is generally considered bad manners elsewhere to inquire about your religious status - especially when first meeting someone. Apparently the novelty of meeting someone from Utah outweighs traditional manners.

In Utah, it generally is the dread question included with each new introduction, signaling whether the asker will have anything further to do with you socially, if you decline their invitation to convert.

[_gramps]

I just travelled from Munich to Brussels, then to Bruges, and back north through Rotterdam, to Amsterdam and I am now back home.

I must have had 20 good conversations about Salt Lake City and Mormonism with people from all around the world during this two-week trip.

Good times.

Everyone wants to hear the gold plates story and I have a lot of fun telling it to them.

[_Some Schmo]

I'm rarely asked about my religion, but then, I'm not from Utah. I also get the feeling I give off some kind of "religion is nonsense" vibe (all part of the "anything supernatural is nonsense" vibe) which would also preclude people from asking me about it.

But I've told people on several occasions that I was raised Mormon, with a knowing smirk and below-the-surface laugh, and that it's likely one of the more insane religions around. I'm also happy to report that I never really believed it, or at least, I grew out of it at around the age of 12. I just act (appropriately) like it's something from my past that adds a bit of color to my character, but in the end, is as meaningless as having attended boyscouts or watching The Brady Bunch.