Loving the Mormons, hating their church

[Morley]

Mormons also don't think most people are damned and will most often concede all have truth.

Heh. If the lack of an ability to progress, dwelling forever out of God's presence, and never seeing your family is not being damned, then sure, Mormons don't think most other people will be damned.

[JohnW]

I mostly agree with Drumdude, Dastardly Stem, and Kishkumen. I think we as human beings tend to group people together and then judge on the whole. I am an active Latter-day Saint. I'm sure I get judged based on that fact. Some of it is probably a fair judgement while in other ways it is not. I am a scientist. I'm sure I get judged based on that fact as well. Some of it is a fair judgement while in other ways it is not.

I don't have a lot of control over what others think of me, so I try to just focus on my not judging others prematurely. It is a hard thing to do. Human nature likes to judge as quickly as possible. That may be leftover from the time when we needed to quickly decide whether something was going to eat us or not.

[drumdude]

I mostly agree with Drumdude, Dastardly Stem, and Kishkumen. I think we as human beings tend to group people together and then judge on the whole. I am an active Latter-day Saint. I'm sure I get judged based on that fact. Some of it is probably a fair judgement while in other ways it is not. I am a scientist. I'm sure I get judged based on that fact as well. Some of it is a fair judgement while in other ways it is not.

I don't have a lot of control over what others think of me, so I try to just focus on my not judging others prematurely. It is a hard thing to do. Human nature likes to judge as quickly as possible. That may be leftover from the time when we needed to quickly decide whether something was going to eat us or not.

Absolutely. Humanity has worked hard to overcome those prejudices and enshrine equality of basic rights in law.

Some want to do the same with civility. But I think civility should be voluntary. It should be enforced by a cultural standard of politeness and goodwill.

People are free to judge you for what you say, even judge you wrongly. You could call Mr Rogers a racist, but his reputation is strong enough that you wouldn’t convince many people.

I think by and large Mormon people have a good reputation despite the shortcomings of the institution and their leaders.

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

Should people judge a member of the Ku Klux Klan poorly if he’s otherwise a decent person?



Is the organization really that bad if they pick up trash alongside a highway?

- Doc

[canpakes]

Is the organization [KKK] really that bad if they pick up trash alongside a highway?

Some might claim that the casual observer likely can’t differentiate between the two.

[dastardly stem]

Mormons also don't think most people are damned and will most often concede all have truth.

Heh. If the lack of an ability to progress, dwelling forever out of God's presence, and never seeing your family is not being damned, then sure, Mormons don't think most other people will be damned.

Most descriptions of an afterlife feel like someone's damning us, whether a description of heaven or hell. But if they say it's not being damned to be exalted above others so be it. Or its not being damned to be saved, so be it. It's all pretty much make believe to me anyway.

[dastardly stem]

Should people judge a member of the Ku Klux Klan poorly if he’s otherwise a decent person?



Is the organization really that bad if they pick up trash alongside a highway?

- Doc

Most people close to me are Mormons and aren't KKK members. They're good people. I love them. I engage in life with them. I can't look at them with such skepticism. It would be ruinous to many aspects of my life.

Whatever remnants of the klan exist, one must wonder what they do these days anyway. Get together every so often to praise Jesus and get angry they are losing God's America or something? I really don't know. If any one klan member wants to discuss their ideas, I'd do it. And I'd give them a chance to express themselves. I figured they'd sink themselves with their words. I wouldn't need to say much but emphasize how much I disagree and hopefully be able to explain why. I don't know about judging another. That's not really a concern. My point is meant to be nothing more than talking about how we treat people who wish to discuss their ideas. Should we hear them out before shouting them down? I say yes. It makes sense to me.

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

Most people close to me are Mormons and aren't KKK members.

No one made that point.

My point is meant to be nothing more than talking about how we treat people who wish to discuss their ideas. Should we hear them out before shouting them down? I say yes. It makes sense to me.

Sure, sharing ideas are great. But back to my KKK analogy, does a ‘nice’ KKK member change your view of the KKK or its adherents? Are the Klan’s political and social policies somehow disassociated from the individual klan member, or does that klan member hold social accountability for being a ‘dues paying’ member of the klan?

- Doc

[malkie]

Heh. If the lack of an ability to progress, dwelling forever out of God's presence, and never seeing your family is not being damned, then sure, Mormons don't think most other people will be damned.

Most descriptions of an afterlife feel like someone's damning us, whether a description of heaven or hell. But if they say it's not being damned to be exalted above others so be it. Or its not being damned to be saved, so be it. It's all pretty much make believe to me anyway.

Yep!

For me, other than wishful thinking, I've found no reason to believe in an afterlife.

If someone else has, and it makes them happy without oppressing others, then good for them.

[MG 2.0]

Most people close to me are Mormons and aren't KKK members. They're good people. I love them. I engage in life with them. I can't look at them with such skepticism. It would be ruinous to many aspects of my life.

Thanks for recognizing this fact. Latter Day Saints, on the whole, are trying to be good, honest, and loving people.

But we’re not perfect.

I’m sure I won’t get any disagreement there.

Regards,
MG