GA: NOT prepared for the level of antis during Mitts run

[_Boaz & Lidia]

stop it Jason! One more pissy whine from you and I just might have an exmo'gasm!

Out here in never mo Cali most think that Mormons are like the Ahmish.

[_truth dancer]

My experience from living more than half my life in a very sparely LDS populated area is most people don't think a lot about the LDS Church. Those who do may know a LDS person. Most may think the Church is a bit odd is what little they know about what it teaches. Most view Mormon people positively and think of them as people with high standards and family values as well as fairly industrious and trustworthy. They Church has never hurt me in business and in many ways has helped. I think you and others way over state the idea that many people have an overall HIGH negative view of the Mormon Church and its people.

Hi Jason,

I think you may not realize how others view you. :-) I mean it is not like people are going to come right out and be rude and tell you they think you are in a ridiculous cult.

My experience tells me that for the most part, the LDS church is viewed similarly to Scientology or the JWs. Most folks I know are polite and respectful but think Mormonism is strange.

I was not surprised in the least at the reaction many folks had toward the church as Mitt came into the spotlight. I'm surprised leaders did not realize this would be the case. They need to fire their PR firm. (smile)

~dancer~

[_Jason Bourne]

I think you may not realize how others view you. :-) I mean it is not like people are going to come right out and be rude and tell you they think you are in a ridiculous cult.

Yea I do. My business partners are not timid. We talk about a lot of things and lots about religion. Most don't really worry about it and most who do think Mormons are a bit zealous and odd but they respect them.

My experience tells me that for the most part, the LDS church is viewed similarly to Scientology or the JWs. Most folks I know are polite and respectful but think Mormonism is strange.

Examples please? Really my experience is just as valid as yours. Maybe your is tainted due to your own views.

[_truth dancer]

Hey Jason,

I know your experience is as valid as mine. I think it is possible that people have different experiences.

Some examples...

After I told a friend I no longer believed in Mormonism, she said, "well, now I can tell you what I think about Mormonism... and proceeded to share her thoughts, which were not exactly positive."

One time in a plane I was flying into Utah and the person in the seat next me went on about how weird Mormonism was.

In my last home several neighbors were totally convinced that there were more wives hiding somewhere or living somewhere else... they seriously did not believe us for quite some time that we did not believe in polygamy. (WE as in my husband and I, not the LDS church which of course DOES believe in polygamy).

Some folks I have known do not want their children playing with Mormon children who may influence them to the darkside.

I had a non-member friend see my garments and literally freak out. This was pre-Internet when many people didn't know about them. After that she was totally convinced I was in a dangerous cult.

A few years ago, on the radio, there was a discussion about home schooling and it got into a conversation about who home schools... several callers started discussing their Mormon neighbors who home school and it got into a discussion about how weird Mormonism was.

Some of my husband's extended family thinks Mormonism is strange and ungodly, particularly because of a few specific doctrines and practices including the temple stuff, keeping family from attending weddings, and the Mason connection.

I had a friend once, after I stopped going to church say to me, "do you realize how weird people think Mormonism is... do you really know?"

Things like this...

~dancer~

[_Jason Bourne]

Hey Jason,

I know your experience is as valid as mine. I think it is possible that people have different experiences.

Some examples...

After I told a friend I no longer believed in Mormonism, she said, "well, now I can tell you what I think about Mormonism... and proceeded to share her thoughts, which were not exactly positive."

One time in a plane I was flying into Utah and the person in the seat next me went on about how weird Mormonism was.

In my last home several neighbors were totally convinced that there were more wives hiding somewhere or living somewhere else... they seriously did not believe us for quite some time that we did not believe in polygamy. (WE as in my husband and I, not the LDS church which of course DOES believe in polygamy).

Some folks I have known do not want their children playing with Mormon children who may influence them to the darkside.

I had a non-member friend see my garments and literally freak out. This was pre-Internet when many people didn't know about them. After that she was totally convinced I was in a dangerous cult.

A few years ago, on the radio, there was a discussion about home schooling and it got into a conversation about who home schools... several callers started discussing their Mormon neighbors who home school and it got into a discussion about how weird Mormonism was.

Some of my husband's extended family thinks Mormonism is strange and ungodly, particularly because of a few specific doctrines and practices including the temple stuff, keeping family from attending weddings, and the Mason connection.

I had a friend once, after I stopped going to church say to me, "do you realize how weird people think Mormonism is... do you really know?"

Things like this...

~dancer~

The only ones I have seem that do not want Mormons around their kids are evangelicals.

Ok, so I have had just as many experiences that are positive.

A number of people praising our missionary program and how wonderful it is for young people to serve.

Comments on how nice and clean cut they are

Comments like if the community needs something the Mormons are always there to help.

Comments about how nuts they EVs are to be so negative about the Mormons because they seem like pretty decent people to them,

I hear how wonderful the ads are, how they love the Mo Tab, etc etc.

So some think we are weird and some don't? Most don't think one way or the other. That is really what I expect.

[_Boaz & Lidia]

I was not surprised in the least at the reaction many folks had toward the church as Mitt came into the spotlight. I'm surprised leaders did not realize this would be the case. They need to fire their PR firm. (smile)

~dancer~

Well the manager of the PR firm recently died....

[_Runtu]

I think you may not realize how others view you. :-) I mean it is not like people are going to come right out and be rude and tell you they think you are in a ridiculous cult.

Yea I do. My business partners are not timid. We talk about a lot of things and lots about religion. Most don't really worry about it and most who do think Mormons are a bit zealous and odd but they respect them.

My experience tells me that for the most part, the LDS church is viewed similarly to Scientology or the JWs. Most folks I know are polite and respectful but think Mormonism is strange.

Examples please? Really my experience is just as valid as yours. Maybe your is tainted due to your own views.

Here's what I have found. When people knew I was LDS, they were polite and respectful. Once they found out I wasn't a believer, they said things like (this is a quote from a manager I worked with), "Oh, good. I couldn't imagine you believing in that stuff." One guy said, "You always seemed too smart to be hanging with that crowd." A lady I worked with every day in Houston was always nice, but when she found out I was an apostate, she said, "I've been praying that you'd get out of that cult."

So, yes, your friends and neighbors are most likely much more polite to your face than they are when you're not around.

[_Boaz & Lidia]

I think you may not realize how others view you. :-) I mean it is not like people are going to come right out and be rude and tell you they think you are in a ridiculous cult.

Yea I do. My business partners are not timid. We talk about a lot of things and lots about religion. Most don't really worry about it and most who do think Mormons are a bit zealous and odd but they respect them.

My experience tells me that for the most part, the LDS church is viewed similarly to Scientology or the JWs. Most folks I know are polite and respectful but think Mormonism is strange.

Examples please? Really my experience is just as valid as yours. Maybe your is tainted due to your own views.

Here's what I have found. When people knew I was LDS, they were polite and respectful. Once they found out I wasn't a believer, they said things like (this is a quote from a manager I worked with), "Oh, good. I couldn't imagine you believing in that stuff." One guy said, "You always seemed too smart to be hanging with that crowd." A lady I worked with every day in Houston was always nice, but when she found out I was an apostate, she said, "I've been praying that you'd get out of that cult."

So, yes, your friends and neighbors are most likely much more polite to your face than they are when you're not around.

Yep, all of those quotes from Jason sound just like what I used to hear.

And just like you Runtu, once I announced that I was no longer a member(they saw me drink two beers at a company party), all who had been polite and nice in the past said similar things and now we all joke about it as I hand out temple handshakes and tokens along with my secret name!

[_Sethbag]

My experience from living more than half my life in a very sparely LDS populated area is most people don't think a lot about the LDS Church. Those who do may know a LDS person. Most may think the Church is a bit odd is what little they know about what it teaches. Most view Mormon people positively and think of them as people with high standards and family values as well as fairly industrious and trustworthy. They Church has never hurt me in business and in many ways has helped. I think you and others way over state the idea that many people have an overall HIGH negative view of the Mormon Church and its people.

A lot depends on personality, and how in-your-face you are with your religion. I could totally see some people acting in ways that would have people who interact with them much thinking negatively about the church, and with others, it may never even come up as an issue at all. Coming from the NE, if you were raised there or lived there long enough, you probably developed the ability to be around non-members and still be easygoing and whatnot. I was the only Mormon in my graduating class in High School, so none of my school friends were Mormons. Different parts of the country will present different problems for members, too.

[_KimberlyAnn]

Here's what I have found. When people knew I was LDS, they were polite and respectful. Once they found out I wasn't a believer, they said things like (this is a quote from a manager I worked with), "Oh, good. I couldn't imagine you believing in that stuff." One guy said, "You always seemed too smart to be hanging with that crowd." A lady I worked with every day in Houston was always nice, but when she found out I was an apostate, she said, "I've been praying that you'd get out of that cult."

So, yes, your friends and neighbors are most likely much more polite to your face than they are when you're not around.

Runtu, my experience parallels yours almost exactly! I had the same sort of comments directed at me after I left Mormonism.

KA