Like this:

Most of my readers have figured this out by now but anyone who hasn’t, as well as newcomers, I’m a Mormon.  Something I tend to be low-key about on my blog, but don’t outwardly hide or deny.  Mostly because I consider it a personal, private subject (even though I post about plenty of those on here), and I’m sensitive to having my religious beliefs held up to scrutiny.

I must add though, I’m a very imperfect Mormon.  Though I do avoid tea, alcohol, and coffee, I love my Pepsi and RC (which aren’t forbidden, just discouraged).  I am prone to fits of potty mouth on occasion, as some of my posts may prove.  I watch R-rated movies from time to time, though I mostly avoid the truly raunchy and ultra-violent ones.  I love irreverent and diry jokes (once again, with limits).  I’m not comfortable discussing my faith in mixed company, unless supported by another good Church member (I totally flunk at being a missionary).  I am lax on my tithing.  I sometimes have very un-Christlike thoughts towards my fellow peers.  To name a few faults.

But I do believe in my faith, though I admit sometimes it confuses me as well.  My best analogy to it would be adoptive, loving parents who took me in late in life.  Whose beliefs and customs I didn’t always understand, but their true and honest love I never doubted.  And take care of me they have, during some of the darkest periods of my adult life.  And teach me many things, most which I have taken to heart and some that I still need to.

And who of you out there will stand for being told your parents and everything they taught you is hypocritical and false and you will go to hell for following them?  Who thinks that that’s conductive to friendly and intelligent discussion?

Yeah, I thought so.

Maybe I’m being a little thin-skinned about this, but my faith has been under some vicious attacks lately.

Of course it’s been under attack for ages, being considered a cult and un-Christian and even an outright scam, which are some of the milder criticisms.

What disturbs me is the complete and total ignorance shown by many who should know better who levels these charges against us, who rather than take the high ground and agree to disagree, actually try to trash our faith and actively prevent people from joining, as well as pull people away from the church.

I’m aware of the award winning play out there lampooning our faith in a very irreverent and raunchy way, which I have no desire whatsoever to view.  The one done by the makers of South Park.  But however I may feel about it, it is freedom of speech and they are perfectly within their rights to produce it, tasteless or otherwise, and will defend their right to do so.  I just wish they would’ve picked another subject for their satire.

I also recently became aware of a young man, who I had the honor of being a leader to in our church youth, being told by someone, “…I hope you get fucking shot on your mission…”  What does it take for someone, anyone, to say or believe something like that?  (Yep, I swore there, even though it was a direct quote.  Told you I was an imperfect Mormon.)

But what depressed me the most was a comment on a blog site that I often peruse, by a blogger whose opinions I normally respect and agree with.  The comment went something along the lines about how Mitt Romney is part of an unserious religion invented as a money scheme.

I’m not going to call this person out, for it was on their blog and I still respect their views and freedom to express them on their site.  But I have to admit that I was dismayed for what I thought was an uninformed and ignorant remark against a faith that I’m a part of, by someone who I thought should know better.

I started wondering if I should write a brief primer about our faith, but I wouldn’t know where to start, let alone end.  But what I will say is this: my faith is every bit as serious as those who follow the Baptists, Catholics, Jewish, Methodists, Lutherans, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Pentecostals, Seventh-Day Adventists, Amish, Buddhists, etc.  I may not agree with their doctrines but I will not bash them or those who follow it.  By the same token I will not bash atheists, and wish them and all others nothing but goodwill and happiness.  We are not a money-making scam, we do not oppress our women, we wholeheartedly believe that Jesus Christ is our Savior, and polygamy was done away with over 110 years ago.

(I must add I cannot speak the same for those splinter groups like the FLDS who left the Church and continue to practice polygamy to this day.  Also keep in mind that the “prophets” of these groups often really are convicted sex predators, like William Jeffs, using their “faith” to justify their deviant desires.  These are not the kind of people I follow, and am afraid that too much of the public confuses these groups with the rest of us Latter-Day Saints.)

I also believe that there is truth found in almost every faith out there, even if only in snippets.  I just believe that I’ve found more answers and more truth in the faith I follow.  And hopefully you are finding the answers you seek in yours.

And a brief word about missionaries – be kind to them, even if you don’t want to invite them in.  At least give them a cold bottled water on a hot day, they’d appreciate that.  Their mission is about more than just finding converts – they are out there for their own spiritual development, and have to do so in a world often hostile to them.  A lot to ask of a 19-20 year old young man (and young woman, for there are sister missionaries out there as well).

I will leave links to a few sites I peruse that can give at least a primer to some of my faith: Mormanity, Times and Seasons, FAIRLDS.  Of course, there is also the church-sponsored website Mormon.org for investigators and people who are just curious.  I’d also like to leave a link to the LDS Gospel Library, where you can  enter as a search term just about any topic you may be interested in and get back plenty of results, for there are few topics that haven’t been covered at some time or another in a General Authority’s talk or a church publication.

Like I said before, I don’t intend to convert anybody, or even get them to agree with me.  I’d just like them to be a little more open minded and research their facts a little more so they know what they’re talking about.  And if the very least they do is just agree to disagree, then I’ve accomplished something.

A word to those that may stop by (not directed at my regulars): I will not tolerate anti-Mormon comments or discussions here.  There are plenty of other sites out there that you can Google up that’ll welcome such comments, but they won’t be welcome here. This blog is an extension of my living room and I expect civility and politeness out of my guests.  Disagreeing with me is perfectly fine but bashing me or my faith is not and will get your comment deleted, and possibly your name banished to the spam folder.  Consider yourselves warned.  But I do welcome honest questions, and will answer those the best I can, or at least direct you to someplace that has an answer.   

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