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What are a few unique Chinese values?

Why do Mormons have to practice certain unique traditions to behave in accordance to the values it teaches?

  • Every Mormon I have met is a brilliant person and has great values, but it seems as if Mormons believe in unique stories and practice unique traditions. Why, when other religions are so similar, are Mormons' teachings so different? Original question: "Why do Mormons have to believe in silly things to behave in accordance with the value it teaches? Question Details: Every Mormon I have met is a brilliant person and has great values, but why do they have to believe in the silly parts? Why can't people take the great values the religion teaches without having to convince themselves of something?"

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    Original Question: "Why do Mormons have to believe in silly things to behave in accordance with the value it teaches?"Because chocolate tastes even better with salt.What, don't you sprinkle salt on your chocolate birthday cake? Dash a little Morton's on your brownies? Of course not. I'm kidding. If you'd wanted something salty you'd have ordered hot wings. Don't be silly.Except this: Chocolate cookies, chocolate brownies, chocolate cake, chocolate candy bars, and even hot chocolate have one ingredient in common that's not chocolate at all: salt. Even though you don't taste it, it's in there, and it's a critical component in unleashing chocolate's full flavor. When you taste the difference you no longer think it's silly, even if you don't understand the chemistry.You're kind to speak so highly of the Mormons you've met. While I'm sure it's a bit of an exaggeration, you say every Mormon you have met is brilliant and has great values. Have you stopped to consider that the beliefs you judge "silly" might just be part of how those Mormons became the people you admire? Perhaps the "silly things" they believe aren't as silly as you think.Example: To be brilliant, it helps to be healthy. Mormons are some of the healthiest people in the U.S. largely because we try to follow a health code given by a man we believe was as a prophet who was speaking for God.[1][2] Silly to believe in gods and prophets? Maybe. But those beliefs have changed outcomes for Mormons dramatically and favorably in terms of physical health.Another: Mormons donate a 10% of their income to the Church.[3] From a financial standpoint, this is as silly as it gets. But we do it because we love God (as taught in our silly scriptures) and love our fellow men (as taught by our silly Jesus.) I guarantee that the values you admire in your Mormon acquaintances were developed in no small part through this practice, which teaches that others' needs should be placed ahead of our own.I'm not saying that you have to believe in gods, prophets, and scriptures to be a good person -- not at all. I am suggesting that you might judge the beliefs of Mormons not by their lack of scientific verifiability but by their impact in the lives of Mormons. They're a key ingredient in the brilliance and values you admire in your Mormon friends. Just like a little salt in the chocolate.References:1 - http://www.gallup.com/poll/152732/Religious-Higher-Wellbeing-Across-Faiths.aspx2 - https://www.lds.org/topics/word-of-wisdom?lang=eng3 - https://www.lds.org/topics/tithing

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The Mormons are the way they are right now because of events that happened in the past. What you're seeing as brilliance and good values are valuing education highly and a tight knit, group focused society that. The reasons for those can be traced back specifically to the beliefs you're referring to as 'silly'. Mormons were targeted by the US Government for specific sanctions and outright persecution at a state level and at a national level from 1830 to the mid 1910's. This created an intensely insular and self-reliant culture in the Mormon corridor from the Canadian colonies to the Mexican colonies. Mormons did not become the 'Mormons' you encouter today until after WWII. Think of the Mormons from 1850 to 1910 as more like the FLDS are right now, but running a vast number of settlements and cities. You're also seeing people who specifically identify as Mormon. They're part of a culture that works for them. What you're not seeing are the gay kids or the abused or the unbelievers who can't leave. One of the first things you learn as a Mormon is how to appear to have your shit together, even if you don't. If you're a gay kid, or your mom is hitting you at home, or you just don't belive you get a constant stream of 'Here  is how it should really be' pumped at you from church magazines, activities and the other people at church who are also largely pretending to have their shit together. You lack the tools to understand or to vocalize why you're feeling the way you do. The answers you get (pray more, read your scriptures, listen to church leaders) don't actually fix the problems at hand. You're not meeting enough Mormons. Talk to more of them. The shine comes off quickly enough.

Brett Williams

The short answer is that their founding fathers set them up so it's really difficult to squirm out of some of those beliefs. Their scripture sets them in stone. For example, here are two scriptures from the Doctrine & Covenants about Polygamy. “Verily, thus saith the Lord... you have inquired of my hand to know and understand wherein I, the Lord justified my servants... David and Solomon... as touching the principle and doctrine of-having many wives and concubines – David’s wives and concubines were given unto him of me...” - Doctrine and Covenants, Section 132, verses 1, 39 “... if any man espouse a virgin, and desire to espouse another, and the first give her consent, and if he espouses the second, and they are virgins, and have vowed to no other man, then he is justified.” - Doctrine and Covenants, Section 132, verse 61 There are many, many more such beliefs. (Check out http://Mormonthink.com.) Because Mormonism was born less than 200 years ago, it's easier to find out about those things and harder to cover them up. Whereas an older religion is not investigated and required to prove its scripture as fiercely as Mormonism is.

Anonymous

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