DiscussMormonism.com

At Wednesday night’s Radio and Television Correspondents Dinner in Washington, D.C., former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney gave his “Top 10 Reasons for Dropping Out of the Race":

10. There weren't as many Osmonds as I thought.
9. I got tired of corkscrew landings under sniper fire.
8. As a lifelong hunter, I didn't want to miss the start of the varmint season.
7. There wasn’t room for two Christian leaders.
6. I was upset that no one had bothered to search my passport files.
5. I needed an excuse to get fat, grow a beard and win the Nobel prize.
4. I took a bad fall at a campaign rally and broke my hair.
3. I wanted to finally take off that dark suit and tie, and kick back in a light-colored suit and tie.
2. Once my wife Ann realized I couldn't win, my fundraising dried up.
1. There was a miscalculation in our theory: "As Utah goes, so goes the nation.”

So true. Mormons believe they are the source and light of the world. Sadly, they are just arrogant and pompous, like new money asshats getting drunk at the yacht club.

So true. Mormons believe they are the source and light of the world. Sadly, they are just arrogant and pompous, like new money asshats getting drunk at the yacht club.

Doesn't follow. The fact that we are a light to the world means that few will give heed to it (Matthew 7:14).

Mercury wrote:

At Wednesday night’s Radio and Television Correspondents Dinner in Washington, D.C., former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney gave his “Top 10 Reasons for Dropping Out of the Race":

10. There weren't as many Osmonds as I thought.
9. I got tired of corkscrew landings under sniper fire.
8. As a lifelong hunter, I didn't want to miss the start of the varmint season.
7. There wasn’t room for two Christian leaders.
6. I was upset that no one had bothered to search my passport files.
5. I needed an excuse to get fat, grow a beard and win the Nobel prize.
4. I took a bad fall at a campaign rally and broke my hair.
3. I wanted to finally take off that dark suit and tie, and kick back in a light-colored suit and tie.
2. Once my wife Ann realized I couldn't win, my fundraising dried up.
1. There was a miscalculation in our theory: "As Utah goes, so goes the nation.”

So true. Mormons believe they are the source and light of the world. Sadly, they are just arrogant and pompous, like new money asshats getting drunk at the yacht club.

You know I was thinking about this today as I drove to work. I was listening to the news about the visit of the pope. Last night my 13 year old daughter asked what the big deal was. I told her and she said "What do I care about the Pope, I care more about our prophet." I explained to her that there were like about a billion Catholics and many of them look to him for spiritual guidance just like Mormon's do their prophet. But the reason the pope gets much more attention is because there are so many more Catholics. I told her that we have only 13 million members and so not many in the world have a clue who President Monson is or even care. I also told her that other religions have good solid beliefs and values and that we should respect their points of view.

I am not sure how well I did.

And then I pondered this. For all my life as a Mormon I have had an us vs them mentality. I am in the world but not of it, hold God's power, am of the royal priesthood, a chosen generation and a peculiar people. I have always had non LDS friends and living most my life where there are very few LDS all my career is with no LDS people, other then a number of LDS customers I have. And even now as I have modified my world view there is still that feeling that I am somehow different and every one else is on the outside. How so I make that go away? The world is a large place with such beautiful diverstity. I have felt it more the past few years then ever. Yet there is still that feeling inside that Merc describes above.

bcspace wrote:

So true. Mormons believe they are the source and light of the world. Sadly, they are just arrogant and pompous, like new money asshats getting drunk at the yacht club.

Doesn't follow. The fact that we are a light to the world means that few will give heed to it (Matthew 7:14).

Maybe its because you are so dim.

bcspace wrote:

So true. Mormons believe they are the source and light of the world. Sadly, they are just arrogant and pompous, like new money asshats getting drunk at the yacht club.

Doesn't follow. The fact that we are a light to the world means that few will give heed to it (Matthew 7:14).

Very few, basically none in a worldwide context:

LDS Church Membership = 13,000,000 (inflated estimate, at least by one because it includes me)
World Population = 6,661,933,573 (census estimate)

Therefore, .00195 or .195% of the world is a light to the world. That's a lot of darkness.

edited to add: great point Jason. I was typing this when your response posted.

Doesn't follow. The fact that we are a light to the world means that few will give heed to it (Matthew 7:14).

Maybe its because you are so dim.

I think it's the beam in your eye.

bcspace wrote:

Doesn't follow. The fact that we are a light to the world means that few will give heed to it (Matthew 7:14).

Maybe its because you are so dim.

I think it's the beam in your eye.

So its my problem no one wants to be Mormon, not yours?

So its my problem no one wants to be Mormon, not yours?

No. But it is your problem if you think our light is dim (it's that huge beam in your eye....).

Jason Bourne wrote:

Mercury wrote:

At Wednesday night’s Radio and Television Correspondents Dinner in Washington, D.C., former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney gave his “Top 10 Reasons for Dropping Out of the Race":

10. There weren't as many Osmonds as I thought.
9. I got tired of corkscrew landings under sniper fire.
8. As a lifelong hunter, I didn't want to miss the start of the varmint season.
7. There wasn’t room for two Christian leaders.
6. I was upset that no one had bothered to search my passport files.
5. I needed an excuse to get fat, grow a beard and win the Nobel prize.
4. I took a bad fall at a campaign rally and broke my hair.
3. I wanted to finally take off that dark suit and tie, and kick back in a light-colored suit and tie.
2. Once my wife Ann realized I couldn't win, my fundraising dried up.
1. There was a miscalculation in our theory: "As Utah goes, so goes the nation.”

So true. Mormons believe they are the source and light of the world. Sadly, they are just arrogant and pompous, like new money asshats getting drunk at the yacht club.

You know I was thinking about this today as I drove to work. I was listening to the news about the visit of the pope. Last night my 13 year old daughter asked what the big deal was. I told her and she said "What do I care about the Pope, I care more about our prophet." I explained to her that there were like about a billion Catholics and many of them look to him for spiritual guidance just like Mormon's do their prophet. But the reason the pope gets much more attention is because there are so many more Catholics. I told her that we have only 13 million members and so not many in the world have a clue who President Monson is or even care. I also told her that other religions have good solid beliefs and values and that we should respect their points of view.

I am not sure how well I did.

And then I pondered this. For all my life as a Mormon I have had an us vs them mentality. I am in the world but not of it, hold God's power, am of the royal priesthood, a chosen generation and a peculiar people. I have always had non LDS friends and living most my life where there are very few LDS all my career is with no LDS people, other then a number of LDS customers I have. And even now as I have modified my world view there is still that feeling that I am somehow different and every one else is on the outside. How so I make that go away? The world is a large place with such beautiful diverstity. I have felt it more the past few years then ever. Yet there is still that feeling inside that Merc describes above.

Thanks for the great post. The Us vs. Them thing is not just Mormon (although it is very prevelant in Mormonism). I find myself drifting off into an Us vs. Them mindset concerning religious people. The same sorts of feelings surface. When you figure out how to make it go away, please let me know.

John Larsen wrote:

Jason Bourne wrote:

Mercury wrote:

At Wednesday night’s Radio and Television Correspondents Dinner in Washington, D.C., former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney gave his “Top 10 Reasons for Dropping Out of the Race":

10. There weren't as many Osmonds as I thought.
9. I got tired of corkscrew landings under sniper fire.
8. As a lifelong hunter, I didn't want to miss the start of the varmint season.
7. There wasn’t room for two Christian leaders.
6. I was upset that no one had bothered to search my passport files.
5. I needed an excuse to get fat, grow a beard and win the Nobel prize.
4. I took a bad fall at a campaign rally and broke my hair.
3. I wanted to finally take off that dark suit and tie, and kick back in a light-colored suit and tie.
2. Once my wife Ann realized I couldn't win, my fundraising dried up.
1. There was a miscalculation in our theory: "As Utah goes, so goes the nation.”

So true. Mormons believe they are the source and light of the world. Sadly, they are just arrogant and pompous, like new money asshats getting drunk at the yacht club.

You know I was thinking about this today as I drove to work. I was listening to the news about the visit of the pope. Last night my 13 year old daughter asked what the big deal was. I told her and she said "What do I care about the Pope, I care more about our prophet." I explained to her that there were like about a billion Catholics and many of them look to him for spiritual guidance just like Mormon's do their prophet. But the reason the pope gets much more attention is because there are so many more Catholics. I told her that we have only 13 million members and so not many in the world have a clue who President Monson is or even care. I also told her that other religions have good solid beliefs and values and that we should respect their points of view.

I am not sure how well I did.

And then I pondered this. For all my life as a Mormon I have had an us vs them mentality. I am in the world but not of it, hold God's power, am of the royal priesthood, a chosen generation and a peculiar people. I have always had non LDS friends and living most my life where there are very few LDS all my career is with no LDS people, other then a number of LDS customers I have. And even now as I have modified my world view there is still that feeling that I am somehow different and every one else is on the outside. How so I make that go away? The world is a large place with such beautiful diverstity. I have felt it more the past few years then ever. Yet there is still that feeling inside that Merc describes above.

Thanks for the great post. The Us vs. Them thing is not just Mormon (although it is very prevelant in Mormonism). I find myself drifting off into an Us vs. Them mindset concerning religious people. The same sorts of feelings surface. When you figure out how to make it go away, please let me know.

I agree with John. Jason's excellent post was very thoughtful and provides food for thought for everyone who thinks they have found the truth (including me).