The "Final Solution"?

[_RayAgostini]

Get rid of Mormonism. No more forums, no more discussions - just get rid if it, because it's useless to humanity. This is the message almost all of you convey here, that there's scarcely a single redeeming quality in "Joseph's baby". It should be wiped from the earth.

Anyone here disagree that the world would be better off without this blight on religion and humanity?

If you don't agree with that, you all coulda fooled me, and the amount of time you all spend here bashing Mormonism to kingdom come.

[_Chap]

Very little of the conversation here is about plotting to make the Mormon church go away. It's more about individuals getting away from the Mormon church, something which in general often seems a good idea.

But go on - since you raise the topic, tell us how much worse America would be if Joseph Smith had never thought of creating his new religion. What would be so terrible if the population of Utah was just a mix of devout Baptists, Lutherans, Catholics, maybe some Episcopalians too? Apart from the fact that many of them would have 10% more income to spend, of course.

(Let's try to do this without the assumption that Mormonism is the only true religion, without which humanity will go to hell in a handcart, OK? Just to see what else you have.)

... And by the way, referring to your title, comparing opposition to the Mormon church to the thinking of the Nazi criminals who planned to murder six million innocent people just for being Jews is nauseating. I could have put that observation in the form of a three-letter word, of course, but you might not have got the point.

[_Spurven Ten Sing]

I vote end the mainline LD-S church. Keep Mormonism. It's cool.

[_Dr. Shades]

Ray:

If Mormonism is so great, why aren't you one?

[_CaliforniaKid]

I think today's Mormonism probably does more good than harm.

[_Shulem]

... And by the way, referring to your title, comparing opposition to the Mormon church to the thinking of the Nazi criminals who planned to murder six million innocent people just for being Jews is nauseating. I could have put that observation in the form of a three-letter word, of course, but you might not have got the point.

I noticed that too, right away. I thought it a bit much.

Gee.

Paul O

[_EAllusion]

I don't think anyone should believe in Mormonism. That would end Mormonism, I would imagine. I feel the same way about any other view I regard as extremely unreasonable. If you don't think that people should not believe unreasonable things, then I think there is a problem with you. To rhetorically compare that to Nazi genocide is so over the top ridiculous that it's more sad than offensive.

[_Yoda]

I think today's Mormonism probably does more good than harm.

I agree. Today's Mormonism is very different from the Mormonism during the Brigham Young era, which, in my opinion, was extremely abusive.

If you look at how the Church is practiced today, particularly, how it is practiced in states other than Utah, you will find it a pretty mainstreamed Church. It is far from being Unitarian in nature, but it does closely resemble other branches of Judeo-Christianity.

I think that is, actually, why there is such a problem with members who discover the history of the Church of the past. It is a Church they don't recognize. Even the temple ceremonies have changed significantly.

For those who did experience a more radical difference with the LDS Church, there is a difficulty in adjustment to the current LDS Church.

I know that BC is going to fight me on this, and say that the Church is the same, but it isn't. The core doctrine is the same. But that core doctrine exists in MANY Christian branches. Yes, the stranger tenets still exist, but they have been massively de-emphasized. What we are left with is a Christian sect where members don't drink, smoke, drink coffee or tea, who hold voluntary callings revolving around service, and have regular opportunities to give sermons in their Church services. As someone who lives in the Bible belt, this is hardly recognized as "peculiar", except for the lack of tea consumption. ;-)
(Sweet tea is the favorite drink of choice at most social functions here in the South.)

The emphasis of the modern Church is on family, and family values. Overall, I see this as a positive.

And, sorry to disappoint you, TBM's, but NOM is the new flavor of the month. More members practice Mormonism from a NOM perspective, which I also don't see as a bad thing. As a NOM, I am actually probably more committed to the Church than I was as a TBM. I just channel my energy into Church activities which are most beneficial to me, and to my family.

[_DarkHelmet]

The title of this thread is ridiculous. How can you compare vocal criticism of a group to attempted genocide? Criticism and debate was considered so important to America that our founding fathers made it Amendment #1. The Internet has spread the concept of free speech around the world. The church wants to insulate itself and its members from people who don't agree with them. They need to grow up and accept the fact that they are not above criticism. But just because people don't believe their claims doesn't mean we want to commit genocide. sheesh.

[_Molok]

Get rid of Mormonism. No more forums, no more discussions - just get rid if it, because it's useless to humanity. This is the message almost all of you convey here, that there's scarcely a single redeeming quality in "Joseph's baby". It should be wiped from the earth.

Good to see you're coming around, Ray. Welcome to the fold.