Anti-Mormons!

In my various searches and bored surfing of the Internet, I am going to come right out and express just how pissed I am at all the "Anti-Mormon" blogs and websites. Really, this goes for any "anti-religious" website. However, the ones devoted to the LDS church seem particularly spiteful, and I am not sure why. Of course, some of their purpose is to piss us off, but here are some things I would like to say to people that devote their lives to de-bunking the faith of others instead of pursuing of another truth.

Get another hobby. People aren't changing their religion because of your blog. (If they are, their faith in any church wasn't that strong in the first place.) You are just creating turmoil.


Do some actual research. Nearly every piece of “evidence” I’ve seen on these sites that “disprove” our church is either wrong or already refuted. If you are going to argue intelligently, put some effort into research.


Don’t single out the LDS church. I have seen so many sites that “scientifically” disprove the church, and the people who run the sites now Catholic, or Lutheran, or Baptist –whatever. You are telling me that scientific facts will hold up in your church? I don’t think so. Religion can be proven to a point with science; otherwise faith is what keeps it alive. Unless you believe that there is no God whatsoever – no higher power – science isn’t a valid argument.

Not every member of the church is the same. Yes, as a member I will admit that living in Southeast Idaho there isn’t really a diverse population. However, we don’t all believe the same things, think the same things, or know the same things. When it comes to the church, our beliefs are generally the same. But we don’t all ostracize family members for shopping on Sunday, we don’t all live the Word of Wisdom perfectly, we don’t look down upon other religions, races, ethnicities, etc… We don’t always have tons of children, NO REAL members of our church are polygamists (that’s FLDS), and there are dozens more stereotypes that the anti-LDS websites claim as truth. We are all different.


Get over the whole “Word of Wisdom” thing. So many people have expressed their dismay at how the church dictates what we can and cannot do. Drinking alcohol, coffee, wearing garments, blah, blah, blah. It is religious preference. There are things that Jews, Buddhists, Muslims etc… can and cannot do as well – why can’t a Christian religion have some standards? If you can’t live the Word of Wisdom, it doesn’t mean you should leave the church and start reading all this Anti-Literature and start an ex-Mormon website. It just means that, Hey – you can’t do it. If you are so insecure that the approval of the people in the church are more important to you than God, you should rethink your religious views anyway. Besides, you only THINK everyone looks down on you because you are looking down on yourself.

We recognize that we aren’t perfect. Duh. No one is, and we don’t think we are. Some people in the church are jerks who think they are all high and mighty. Some are bad parents, some are adulterers, some are alcoholics – Just like the rest of the world. We know that not everyone is perfect, and shouldn’t be. We also know that by living the way we do we can become more like Jesus Christ, which is the whole point! Being a GOOD PERSON and treating your body like a TEMPLE is the best thing you can do. Now what is wrong with that?

13 comments:

Unknown said...

Nice comments. I am continually amazed at how those running these sites manage to reconcile their Christian beliefs with their anti-Mormon activities. There are so many more positive and productive things one can do with a blog.

April said...

Thanks for the commment!

Anonymous said...

Wow...do you have a stick up your ass or what? I find it ironic that you were searching the internet for anti-mormon propaganda and are now frustrated by your findings. My God, you can find slander, or ANYTHING else for that matter, on the internet. If you don't want to hear about it, don't go fucking looking for it.

Anonymous said...

I find it funny that when I Google "Mormons", one of the first sites that pop up is "Ex-Mormon.org" That's not LOOKING for it, so good points.

Anonymous said...

I agree. Unfortunately it will always be out there, but we can balance it out with the truth and those looking for the truth will be able to find it.

Anonymous said...

Why is it that some people feel they have to put the mormon religion down? I am not saying that I am one or not...but seriously.. GET A LIFE! you may not believe in what the LDS church does but what gives you the right to constantly try to persecute them? Quit waisting your time trying to hate us. Mormons actually have something worth living for!!

Mike Tea said...

Criticism is not persecution and I wish Mormons would stop whinging just because folk disagree with them and question their claims. If you want to know what real persecution is visit http://www.barnabasfund.org/

Isn't it ironic that, in a blog post that complains how Mormons are caricatured, you caricature so-called "anti-Mormons".

I am a Chrstian who was once a Mormon and I found enormous help and encouragement from literature that questions Mormonism as I struggled with a crisis of faith. I now work to make similar information to others and don't recognise the work I do in the points you make.

I address the person standing before me and not "Mormonism".

I ask questions and don't assume that person is a "typical" Mormon.

I tell it like I see it but "with gentleness and respect" (Can I do more?)

I know the difference between the Salt Lake Mormon sect and other Mormon groups but I will not play the Mormon game of allowing Mormonism to define everything for me and impose their orthodoxy on my writing (style guides etc. don't impress me and I see them for what they are)

I believe that my Christian faith is right and your Mormon view of Christianity is wrong (have I just 'persecuted' you?) and it is my duty to say as much in order to create an opportunity for you to embrace the truth. Wouldn't you do the same for me?

This is the real world, where people with different religious views, ideologies etc. vie for people's attention. Mormons do it by knocking doors, advertising in the Reader's Digest and on cable TV etc, and collecting people's names at open houses and temple visitor's centres (do they get told that their names will be passed on and soon there will be missionaries at their door?). I do it by writing a blog, books and articles for the web.

Anonymous said...

Mike,
Well said. You covered it nicely. I find it interesting that many (I didn't say all) Mormons get a persecution complex if you present a point of view that does not agree with their's. I respect a person far more who is able to keep their cool and talk about differences without getting all hot under the collar.
I've been having a good discussion with a person lately (not a Mormon, but a Christian of a different persuasion than myself). He believes another way on some issues of doctrine. We have been able to discuss in depth our differences with neither of us getting all hot under the collar. It's been a friendly discussion all around. I think he is wrong and he has problems with my views, but we have been able to to have a good exchange. Why can't we do that with most Mormons? (notice, I did not say Mormons in general...I'm sure there are those who you can have a conversation on differences that won't get upset.)

Her Glitter Life said...

This is s nice blog:
They said one website I read that the Mormons church is failing. "We have no enemies“. The Catholics are not our enemies. The Protestants are not our enemies. Labor is not our enemy, organized capital is not our enemy. One enemy and that is satanic communism and those who support their doctrines. Latter-day Saint mind has difficulty in dealing with something that cunning and that subtle, that devious. . Enemy is about us and all around us, it is everywhere, it is in our midst, it was at BYU in great intensity. The work of the Lord is moving forward. No Unhallowed hand can stop work from progressing. Calumny may the fame, Armies may assemble, mobs may combined but the truth of God shall go forth boldly, nobly and independent.

Anonymous said...

April,

Once I again, I found another post of yours I found highly entertaining (in a good way, not a poke-fun-at-you way). I have no idea how I stumbled on your site, but it's pretty good (I think) -- based on other pro-Mormon blogs out there yours so far seems pretty mild and humerous... I seem to hear you in your words, which makes it interesting.

Anyways... your caricature of anti's is only partly correct. Sure, there are those types out there... just as there are "johnny do-gooder" types in the Church who always go above-and-beyond, seem to be perfect, etc. But those are both stereo-typical extremes which don't necessarily represent the average type.

You said you noticed a theme in the blogs of the anti's... and I have no doubt that your perception was valid... but perhaps that's only b/c only THIS TYPE of anti cares to create a whole blog about their experience... ??? Maybe there are a whole ton of other ex-Mormons (I won't call them anti's b/c I'm an ex-Mormon and don't consider myself "anti") out there who just choose to no longer believe... we don't necessarily feel drawn to large amounts of "sin", nor did we necessarily have some major sad/disruptive event occur in our life... we simply chose to no longer believe... and so, we don't hate, thus no need to create entire websites dedicated to our decision... what do you think???

I have no proof that large #'s of these people exist. I only have my own story. Raised in Utah, returned-missionary, sealed in the temple... by all respects a typical Mormon male well-enough versed in the doctrine to not dismiss it out of hand as "weird" or just something I am not understanding... clearly if I taught it for 2 years I probably understand it pretty well. If I was willing to get Sealed (after having participated in all other Temple-work and mostly "seen it all"), I probably don't think it's all that weird.

My wife didn't cheat on me, didn't leave me, or anything else like that. I didn't start into drugs, smoking, or becoming an alcoholic (though for *YEARS* I would have an occasional coffee... 2-3 PER YEAR).

All that happened to me was that I studied and studied and studied some more... and ultimately decided I couldn't believe in *ANY* organized religion or even concretely in the Bible either. When I added everything up, it just didn't all seem to "fit"... too many contradictions, too many things I felt were just wrong/immoral, just too much "stuff" I couldn't say I knew was right. Of course, I could be wrong... but I tend to think that something as COMPLEX/BLOATED as a modern religion based on such a huge volume of text written by so many different people over so many hundreds of years... well... let's just say that I'm voting for the simpler solution... yes, I might still be wrong, but that's my vote.

BTW, I still believe in "God" but outside of that I have little to go on except theory/conjecture. And I'm fine with that. And I think God is fine with it too -- b/c I think God judges us on our hearts, on what we *DO* with what we *TRULY* believe... since I honestly believe what I am doing, I think God is ok with me. I think God is probably ok with you too, so long as you always keep trying to do what you think is right (not just what someone else tells you is right).


So keep on bein' a Mo'... and I will try to not lump you in the same group as my do-gooder brother-in-law... and please, please, please... don't lump all of us ex-Mo's in with the stereotypical ones you seem to find so much of on the internet...

Anonymous said...

I love all my mormon neighbors and they are great people, but I don't agree with mormon doctrine. I am actually confused at how quickly mormons seem to jump on the anti-mormon band wagon. Just because someone doesn't agree with you doesn't mean they are against you.

Anonymous said...

I loved this. Totally how i feel.

Anonymous said...

i was doing some research and found this site. what would you think of a site called normal gay people or normal black people or normal white people? just curious. i am doing research because i want to start a blog that outdoes every other blog that exposes mormonism for what it really is. you call us anti-religion, but i am not. i am anti-cult and that is what you are in.

Post a Comment

There's very little comment moderation at Normal Mormons as everyone has a voice that should be heard! (Just keep it clean why doncha?)