All right, so I tried my best to keep calm, cool, and collected about the whole Mormons running for President thing. I've read and posted some articles on facebook, but let me tell you how I really feel. I hope you don't regret it. :-) And since I believe in being all positive, it's going to be really hard not to say things like I am sick and tired, so that is the only one you will see. Feel free to insert it before each and every point I address. Haha.
So, I suppose I've been a "Mormon" most of my life. Properly put, I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. So, why is there a mormon.org? Well there's this little book we believe in called the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, and people took to calling us Mormons. Mormon is one of the books in the Book of Mormon, named after the author, who we consider an ancient American prophet. So, although the official website of the church is www.lds.org, they realized many people would search for us by our nick name and we have my.mormon.org that discusses many of our beliefs. That particular one is my personal profile which gives a brief summary about my membership. (There is not really a my.mormon.org)
I met my first opposition to my faith in high school. A girl in my choir, who said she cared about me, told me I was going to hell because I was a Mormon. Huh? Wow. I vaguely remember discussing some of my beliefs with her. I was no more convinced I was going to hell than she was convinced I was, so on I went. My faith was very tender at that point, but I knew the fire I felt that told me it was true, even though I was not a typical LDS girl at that point in time.
The next opposition came from members of my own family, who I will leave anonymous for their protection. But, a change in their faith, and then their attendance of anti-mormon meetings and preachings, brought great concern from them for me. I have since over the years learned that nearly every member of my family has anti-mormon sentiments. Joy!
I'd say I was a sophomore when those accusations began that typically went like this. Family member: "So, you believe God had sex with Mary." Me: (horrified, incredulous, shocked, and completely caught off balance) "No, I don't! And I've never heard that before." Family member: "Well, your church believes it."
Me:
Family member: "You believe in a different Jesus than we do." Me: "I do? I thought there was only one Jesus, the one in the Bible." Family member: "Nope, you believe in a completely different Jesus." Me: "How is he different?" Family member: "Well, he is not exactly like the one we believe in, so he is different, so you are not a Christian."
Me:
Family member: "You believe Satan is Jesus' brother." Me (noting to self): "Why do they keep TELLING me what I believe." (To family) "ummm, not exactly, that's kind of an oversimplification." Family member: "AHA!!!! See, you are not a Christian."
Me:
You get the idea. I could go down a list a mile long of things I have been accused of believing but rarely asked if I believe, and even if I am asked, since they already have decided the true answer, my answer doesn't really matter. My missionary sons have likewise been accused, railed, yelled at, and attemptedly (is that a word?) entrapped. They learned there was no point in arguing and typically wished those kinds of people well and went on their way.
You may have heard some pretty wacky things about members of my faith. They are typically hacked up quotations taken out of context and dragged out of old histories that are not official sources of "doctrine." I would encourage you if you have concerns about that to find someone who is a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and simply ask them. Or you can ask me. *OR* all those young men going around in pairs wearing white shirts and ties, LOVE to answer questions. Are Mormons Christians, as we have so Un-Christianly been accused? Maybe the better question is Are Anti-Mormons Christian? (Yep, that's clickable) Here are some articles you can read from our perspective. Then you decide.
http://en.fairmormon.org/Latter-day_Saints_aren%27t_Christians (wiki type article)
http://www.fairlds.org/pubs/LDSChristian.pdf (Michael Hickenbotham)
http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Christianity/Latter-Day-Saints/2000/11/Hey-Who-Are-You-Calling-A-Cult.aspx (Orson Scott Card)
And if you really want a whole slew of other articles that will help you decide if you could possibly vote for a Mormon or be a friend of one, then you can go here:
http://www.fairlds.org/apol/ai052.html
If you want my very long story and TESTIMONY. Then click the word TESTIMONY.
And if you made it to the end. Wow! That should all keep you busy. You must really care about the answers. THANK YOU!
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