Ask a Mormon....almost anything.

Every now and then I stumble upon a profound or miniscule misconception regarding my faith, and find that there are others out there that see it as fact. Essentially I'd like to have a myth busting session.

So if anybody has questions about the LDS faith, I would be happy to answer them. You need not be limited in your questions. Now I suspect there are questions that will arise that I cannot or will not give you an answer to, but I will tell you why.

And if I don't know the answer, I'll tell you I don't know, but I'll try to find out. To be fair, I am not a scripture buff, I don't know the OT and NT like the back of my hand, let alone the LDS exclusive scriptures.

I'll probably learn as much as anybody else in the thread. That being said, ask away. If possible, I'd try to keep most of the questions doctrinally based, but anything is fair game.

I suppose I should put a disclaimer here saying that I am not an official church representative, I'm just a man, and any errors given are solely on me, and not the LDS Church.

 

Why trust a man who lost gold? I wouldn't trust anyone who lost gold.

Why are people with dark skin cursed?

Is that not blatantly racist?

So the Native Americans are the lost tribe of Israel, why does genetic mapping (reality) contradict this belief?

South Park's mockery of Mormonism, is it accurate?

Why would Joseph Smith be incapable of reproducing the same book that he lost?

Is it not just a little too convenient to come up with another book when the original is lost?

 

How is it possible for anyone to believe the gold book story?

 

are there masonic symbols on the magic underpants?

 

How can one believe that Moses parted the waters of the Red Sea? Equally outlandish, yet nobody seems to have a problem with it.

One of those things you simply have faith in.

 

Yes. But I'll not be discussing their names nor their meanings. They aren't secret, but they are sacred and are not to be discussed, at least by me in such a way as an internet forum. But these same symbols occur countless times in countless movies in hollywood as well. Doesn't take a trained eye to see them.

 

Didn't lose it, gave it back. There is a difference.

To my understanding in relevance to the Book of Mormon, it was only to mark them so that the Nephites would find them loathsome and not mix with them. This has to do with the false traditions of the people at the time, not mixing with them would keep the gospel free of the traditions of men.

In other references to the gospel concerning the Bible? Haven't the foggiest. Guess I'll have to look around but I think the reason is the same.

Depends on who you ask really. And I suppose some would see it so regardless of an answer.

We believe them to be the principal ancestors of the native americans yes. But not the only ancestors, meaning that there were probably people on the american continent prior to their landing and mixed with them. Mixture would seem inevitable given the historical accounts in the BoM.

Truth be told I haven't seen it in its entirety, I couldn't comment. But I suspect it is fairly accurate, although given a comedic twist. One of the creator's of the show was LDS I think.

If referring to the Golden Plates, he gave those back to the Angel Moroni if memory serves me well. If you are referring to the "lost manuscript", than the answer is simple. It was the first draft of the translation in that particular part of the Book of Mormon. It was not re-translated because nefarious third parties would likely make changes to the manuscript after the book was published - and thus have ammunition to declare it a fraud by way of theft and subterfuge once their altered version was published.

Which is why Joseph Smith was not incapable of reproducing it, but was instructed not to.

I suspect that if God wants his work to be done, all manner of conveniences will show up. Mighty convenient that Moses can part the red sea don't you think?

 

Ehm, a lot of people are having problems with someone parting the red sea. Also, surely, the fact that B is outlandish isn't a good argument for anything else to be true, is it?

 

Which is why I stated it is "One of those things you simply have faith in."

Because yes, you're right, it proves nothing either way. Proving whether or not these things happened I highly doubt will ever occur, and even if it did, it wouldn't much matter because of the utter hostility it has on current moral trends, and the equally hostile camp opposed to it.

Bottom line, the angel Moroni didn't exactly punch a time card and leave here for us to examine. One of those things you have faith in, or not.

 

What is the basis for tithing 10% of your earnings?

 

Ok, so my question would be: Why do you feel there are things you simply have faith in? Is that a reliable way to arrive at truth?

 

It has references back to the bible actually, it isn't a Mormon exclusive trait. To my understanding, you pay a tithe based off of 10% of your increase. What exactly your increase is, remains in the individual's hands. Some argue whether you should pay a tithe based off of gross income, or take home pay. This is an individual matter. Interestingly enough, the church handbook forbids church to make definitive policy on it. It does so on grounds of practicality because there are as many financial situations as there are people. Another reason is for personal revelation and guidance with respect to your own situation. You're not to be micromanaged.

Scriptural reference? It appears Numbers 18:26 is a verse that supports it, Genesis 28:22 has another, Leviticus 27:32 as well, odds are there are more as well. Otherwise the worth "tithe" means "tenth" and seems kind of self explanatory.

And as a final mark on it. It is church policy.

Hope that helps.

 

Do you turn a blind eye to ideas like heaven existing on another planet, or Palestineans being native Americans whose skin was burnt red as a punishment for their wars against the Nephites, because you actually believe this, or because you find value in the Mormon culture that supercedes any concerns with the lack of logic in these ideas?

 

Why did you guys have multiple wives? Also could you do them all at once or was it a one at a time thing?

Do you think that a perverted person created Mormonism just so he that can have multiple sex partners?

Even if that is not true, how would you feel if you found out that that truly was what caused Mormonism to be created?

Can any undergarment become "special" by doing a ritual on them or do you have to buy them from a certain store?

I wish that polygamy still legal, do you wish that polygamy was still legal?

 

Glad you asked, because the answer is no, it isn't a reliable way to arrive at truth - people are fooled all the time by cons and thieves. Not that science is a bad thing, but this isn't one of those things that can be deduced by science. Faith can be easily misplaced.

The only way to be certain if something is true is to pray for guidance on it and have faith regarding the answer that you receive. Many people receive a witness of truth but with infinite variability with its manifestation. Everybody is different, so I suspect that is why the witness is different for everybody. Obviously we are given brains to reason with, and prayer although marvelous is no reason to stop using your brain. It is just to be noted that human intellect has its limit in its current state.

Long story short? If you want to learn about the truth of God, you have to do it God's way. And that is outlined in the scriptures fairly well.

 

Why? "For the building up of the kingdom", and it is in accordance with scripture in the Doctrine and Covenants.. Apparently polygamy comes in bursts. Because it is okay in the Bible at times, and in other dispensations it isn't such as in the Book of Mormon, but allowed again temporarily during the restoration only to be revoked again later.

Your second question? Men have but one penis. That should be a clue. I doubt the Lord would condone orgies.

I doubt it, I highly doubt it. Wouldn't it just be easier to be sly and cheat on your wife? Why go through the hoops of marriage, ceremony, put up with all the children being produced, and have to deal with all the crap that not just one, but a fleet of women can give you?

Simply put, there are easier ways to obtain multiple sexual partners. Marrying every single one of them seems like overkill if all you're trying to do is get laid. Savvy?

If that were the reason? Well, I guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. I suppose I might be a little upset, but I really don't believe that is the sole reason, given the previous answer.

Has nothing to do with where you buy them, but the markings upon them. But they are not exclusively white, members of the military have them is a few different colors for tactical reasons and are still perfectly acceptable. I suspect anybody with a sewing machine could make them in all truth. But I don't know the churches official position on that. If the Church were in the business of making a profit on garments, they would charge more.

I have enough difficulties managing one, why on earth I would want to multiply these is beyond me. Just imagine, two or more griping about taking the garbage out....

- - - Updated - - -

Although you have questions, rephrase, this time with white space, and separate your questions. Because as it stands, you have three lines of question, but a single question mark. Not sure where to start. I am more than happy to answer these.

 

How is praying for guidance and having faith in the answer a way to be certain? I can accept that thinking long and hard about a subject is more likely to give you a correct answer, and if you pray, you think long and hard about a subject, but I don't see any reliability in that.

Are we not swamped by examples of prayers and revelations being unreliable? Even if they have faith?

I'd be fine with the idea that "If you want to learn about the truth of God, you have to do it God's way" but I find it hard to believe that "God's way" would be so consistently unverifiable. You mention scripture in passing, but what makes you believe that scripture is "God's way"?

So far, you've mentioned scripture and personal revelation, both of which are unverifiable, and the fact that different schools of thought come to different conclusions using those methods means that they are not consistent and not pure (ie, people add some other preference which they do not justify).

 

1 Nephi 18:25 And it came to pass that we did find upon the land of promise, as we journeyed in the wilderness, that there were beasts in the forests of every kind, both the cow and the ox, and the ass and the horse, and the goat and the wild goat, and all manner of wild animals, which were for the use of men.

Lmao, how in the hell did they find domesticated animals in North America before it was settled by the Europeans?

 

I had a client who lived in a small town in Arizona, and he had to convert to Mormonism because otherwise the local Mormons would not shop at his general store.

Do you think its fair that Mormons act this way towards non-Mormon businessmen?

 

I doubt the found domesticated animals in the "wild". I am guessing that they either brought them with, or they existed prior to from a previous people inhabiting the continent. Or they could have just existed prior to as well. Haven't exactly thought about it really.

But one usually tames animals before putting them to use.

 

I would say that it isn't exactly 'brotherly' or kind. I don't know what his reputation is, or what his business was. It could be something that was distasteful or that he had a bad reputation that followed him, or he developed one. These are merely hypotheticals.

That being said, some people can be really clannish towards outsiders or people that don't think alike. While it may be obnoxious at times, other times it may be fully warranted. Given that he ran a 'general store' it could have been a number of reasons.

Ultimately they have the right to shop where they like, and behavior like this is not exclusive to Mormons. Neither is it only a religion based thing. Provided he is a good human being and not doing things to earn the ire of his fellowman, I think it is bad form to alien someone who is not LDS. But to say that "he had to convert" is not true, there is no way this is true. He had his choice and he made it. Although it sounds like for the wrong reasons. Another reason could be that his store simply didn't have what they needed, or was poorly located, badly advertised...or whatever. There are a host of reasons why people choose to not shop at certain places.

Basically, people are free to spend there cash where they like to.

 

You are side-stepping.

Here is the LDS phone book, a directory for Mormons so they can do business exclusively with other Mormons.

http://www.ldsphonebook.com/

This clannish behavior makes it impossible for non-Mormons to do business in a town that is majority Mormon.

Can you see why that might arouse some hostility?

 

By the way, Catholics do not do this. There is no business advantage for being Catholic, because Catholics don't shun non-Catholic businesses. If we did, our great numbers could crush every business not run by Catholics. Would that be fair?

 

The Nazis did this to the Jews. They encouraged the Germans to shun all Jewish businesses.

Can you imagine being a Jewish businessman in a town with a majority Mormon population. He and his family would starve to death.

Can't you understand what is wrong with that?

 

I was driving through Utah on the way to Zion National Park.

We were in a convenience store, and like all convenience stores it sold beer.

There was a young man in the store, harassing the owner. He said:

"You said you weren't going to sell beer."

The owner looked uncomfortable, and she looked like she felt threatened.

So really, she's between a rock and a hard place.

Sell beer and please the non-Mormon tourists who drive through her town. And incur the wrath of busybody Mormons.

Or she can NOT sell beer, and displease the tourists, who will go to some other convenience store to buy beer, and also their gas and everything else.

Do you see a problem with busybody Mormons harassing a businesswoman and putting her in a situation where she might lose her business?