12 myths about Mormons - Tribune

[_MsJack]

My personal experience with Mormons and birth control has been that the members of my generation have been more than willing to practice it. Many of my friends reported having their bishops tell them that it was okay to use birth control when they first got married. I remember seeing statistics that younger Mormons have less kids (though still more than the national average) and "3 is the new 6" and whatnot.

I would say that, on average, Mormons even have fewer hang-ups about birth control than conservative Christians, since a lot of them seem to believe that the spirits of fetuses who don't make it do not die, but rather receive the chance at being born with a new family. This means they don't agonize as much over the "does life begin at conception?" question and wonder whether their hormonal contraception or IUDs are killing newly formed babies.

There are hold-outs that still insist birth control is evil. I had a boss when I worked custodial at the Clyde Building at BYU who would always pull aside the engaged couples and read to them some quotes from Spencer W. Kimball about how couples should not put off having children so that they could finish school, build up a nest egg, etc. I was worried that he was going to try that with me and my husband when we got engaged, but luckily (for him), he must have thought better of it.

[_MCB]

Some need to learn to read the New Testament a little more. Frankly, the Book of Mormon is a horrible substitute.

Just beginning with it, but Pilgrim's Progress would be a better adjunct.

[_Elphaba]

. . . since a lot of them seem to believe that the spirits of fetuses who don't make it do not die, but rather receive the chance at being born with a new family. This means they don't agonize as much over the "does life begin at conception?" question and wonder whether their hormonal contraception or IUDs are killing newly formed babies

I have seen the same. But I have also talked to a number of Mormons on a pro-LDS board who insist abortion is wrong because it a) deprives that spirit of its only chance of obtaining a body, or b) if it still has a chance at a body, it won't have been with its intended family. I have no idea if that is official doctrine, official speculation, or non-official speculation. But quite a few other Mormons I know in my personal life believe the same, particularly that it prevents the spirit from obtaining a body. It seems to me that approach directly contradicts the approach you described, which, like I said, I have also seen. I brought that up in the discussion on the pro-LDS board, and was promptly told I know nothing about Mormonism despite my 30+ years in he faith.

Based purely on my anecdotal observations, the Mormons I've known who approach bc the way you describe tend to be more liberal, while the Mormons who believe abortion deprives a spirit of a body tend to be conservative. I wonder if that observation would hold up in a credible study? What about you? Have you observed a similar correlation?

[_Markk]

Mormons are Christian in every sense of the word.

Some need to learn to read the New Testament a little more. Frankly, the Book of Mormon is a horrible substitute.

LDS theology is not Christian theology...any LDS person that believes this
(below)can not be a Christian...from GP chapter 47 in regards to the LDS teaching man can have the same power, glory and knowledge as God and Christ.


They will have everything that our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have—all power, glory, dominion, and knowledge (see D&C 132:19–20). President Joseph Fielding Smith wrote: “The Father has promised through the Son that all that he has shall be given to those who are obedient to His commandments. They shall increase in knowledge, wisdom, and power, going from grace to grace, until the fulness of the perfect day shall burst upon them” (Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols. [1954–56], 2:36; italics in original).