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Original poster

Letting DD go to a Mormon church.

87 replies

Grembolina · 28/01/2020 22:46

DD has asked if she can go to church with her friends family tomorrow. She told me the area the church is in and I know there is ab evangelical church there who do lots of youth clubs and what not so I assumed it was that one.

I just googled it to check and the church she is actually talking about is a Mormon church.

I don't hold any faith, but have no problem with her believing if she wants to but am ai right in thinking Mormons are very serious in their beliefs and quite strict?

Is this something I should be discouraging?

OP posts:
53rdWay · 29/01/2020 08:33

I would let her go and use it as an opportunity to discuss religion, what she believes, how she feels about that etc. If she’s easily led and a people pleaser, all the more important to help her learn to think these things through now.

HoneysuckIejasmine · 29/01/2020 08:42

The South Park episode about Mormonism is pretty good, but I'd watch it first to check it's suitable for your DD.

HasaDigaEebowai · 29/01/2020 08:48

Joseph Smith was apparently given (by an Angel) special spectacles to read the magic American golden tablets containing the word of God. Only he could then see that God said polygamy what God wanted and he could have 40 wives - some of whom were as young as 14.

Handy.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Philosophy & religion
steppemum · 29/01/2020 08:49

Mormons are generally considered to be a cult.

So on that basis, I would be very unhappy about her going.
But banning her is counter productive probably.

To those saying it is not a cult. There is a definition of a cult which is about control and leadership. Mormon churches fit it all.
So, yes, it is a cult.

AuntieMarys · 29/01/2020 08:50

Any religion which knocks on your door to recruit, needs avoiding.

Namechange8471 · 29/01/2020 09:00

PigletJohn No is a perfectly valid answer.

TenCornMaidens · 29/01/2020 09:02

I am Church of England and have many (lovely) Mormon relatives but I wouldn't let my child go to a Mormon youth club, no.

SD1978 · 29/01/2020 09:04

Really not that strict- was brought up in the church and they have an extensive youth programme I used to go to friends who weren't members. It's not a cult- and no different from any other Christian church. I wouldn't be concerned based on one visit.

SD1978 · 29/01/2020 09:06

And it will be a youth club type night- used to go to lots of church discos when younger, and went to youth fellowship at other churches too- my parents and friends parents were happy for us to attend each other's events- so I went to as many Church of Scotland youth club nights as I did LDS (Mormon) ones.

Bakedpotatoandgin · 29/01/2020 09:13

I wouldn't forbid her from going, because it could make her more determined to attend, which makes her more vulnerable. However I would research it and try to gently dissuade her. I'm a Christian, and my parents let me discover the religion, choose a church etc for myself, however in my first term at uni (so older than your daughter but still impressionable) I attended a cohnservative evangelical church which proved slightly tricky to disentangle myself from once I wised up to their views on abortian, gay marriage etc. I would suspect Mormon Church would be similar and I'd be worried that she'd be "latched onto" as a potential convert, unless she has unusual strength of mind and outspokenness for her own beliefs.

RockinHippy · 29/01/2020 09:28

I'd say no,

One of DDs close friends family are Mormons & the whole things sounds so sad to me in that they don't seem to have a clue who he is at 17, as he cannot be himself at home. For example he isn't allowed a girlfriend at nearly 18, despite having one for 2 years. He's embarrassed to take friends home, as lack of, or other religions are massively looked down upon by his DM & the family have also tried to include his male friends in church activities such as what sound like very cult like religious summer school that he's made to go to every year.

I would not let a vulnerable, people pleaser 12 year go, I would not trust that they view her as a new recruit. In my experience both with DD & my own childhood Mormon friend, they don't encourage socialising outside of the religion, so I'd find this to be of concern

startrek90 · 29/01/2020 09:47

Going to report this thread. So much offensive stuff about a religion which would not be tolerated if it were said about by other. It is not a cult and the Lds Church as an extremely strict policy of not allowing minors to join WITHOUT the consent of their parents. They do a awful lot of work in the community and do a lot of youth programmes. Really really offensive. Should be ashamed of yourselves. As for the op if you don't want your daughter to go then don't let her but please don't encourage her to exclude, ridicule or humiliate her friends because of their beliefs.

Gliese163 · 29/01/2020 09:48

This is the church that baptises people after they die without their consent, including holocaust victims. It also has a history of being incredibly racist.

Gliese163 · 29/01/2020 09:51

Going to report this thread. So much offensive stuff about a religion which would not be tolerated if it were said about by other.

Yes it would. People criticize religion all the time on here, and Mormonism has some cult-like elements.

startrek90 · 29/01/2020 09:56

People didn't say cult like elements they sid it was a cult. Furthermore implied that the dd would be sublet to child sexual abuse. You want a legitimate debate about religion in a child's life fine, but that's not what this is l. This is a thread bashing Lds people. Acting like we are stupid or threatening to the wider community.
Three op has concerns, she should either not let her daughter go or talk to the friends parents and then make a decision.

startrek90 · 29/01/2020 09:57

Excuse the typos

*said
*subject

Apologies I am typing on my phone with child on my lap

HasaDigaEebowai · 29/01/2020 10:05

@startrek90 you really would love Book of Mormon. You should go to see it. You could perhaps report it.

Hasa diga eebowai

HasaDigaEebowai · 29/01/2020 10:06

Acting like we are stupid or threatening to the wider community.

Ah, so you're a mormon. Enough said.

Gliese163 · 29/01/2020 10:08

But to many people it is a cult.

HasaDigaEebowai · 29/01/2020 10:09

It is a cult. In the same way as Scientology is a cult.

Original poster
Grembolina · 29/01/2020 10:14

I didn't intend for this to be a religion bashing thread. I realized that the church in question was Mormon late last night and asked for advice here as there was no one else to ask at the time and I was worried.

At no point have I implied I would encourage DD to ridicule her friends religion at all. I am simply concerned that as a new comer to any kind of religion, Mormonism may be quite in at the deep end.

I have also seen on this thread people with criticism of other religion too.

OP posts:
startrek90 · 29/01/2020 10:35

I understand your concern and I can confirm as a member that there are incredibly strict rules regarding minors. At no point would your child be asked to commit to anything or join without your involvement. My friend joined the church when she was 19 for this reason. She had wanted to join for years but her parents refused permission (you must have both parents written and verbal permission) so she was not allowed to join. Any activities she participated in she required permission for and she was not allowed to join any youth organisations.

As for the user who suggested I see the Book Of Mormon Musical I did. It was amusing but there is a world of difference between satire and insulting an entire group of people based on their shared faith. One is funny the other is offensive.

OP I reiterate if you inform the friends parents that you do not permit it then they will not allow the visit. If you want more I formation conta t the parents or even the church itself they should have the conta t details of the person running the activity. I am in the young women's organisation as a leader and I can tell you we are extremely careful when it comes to parental consent and we are only to happy to talk to parents about the activities we are doing.

It is not always church based. Last activity we did we watched a christmas film and then went to an Indian restaurant. Next activity, the girls wanted to do some baking. Our girls also want to get involved in the local community and want to help out in the local homeless shelter and do some collections for a food bank.

Spinrek · 29/01/2020 10:37

I urge everyone to listen to 'The Last Podcast On The Left' episodes about Mormonism, the first ones (not the recent ones)
It's crazy how this cult got started!

SilentAndQuietLight · 29/01/2020 10:42

I was raised Mormon.

It probably is just a youth group, Mormons have midweek youth group activities, and they can be completely innocuous and non-religious, it's all very wholesome. However, it is also absolutely a recruitment attempt. Recruitment (missionary work) is absolutely fundamental to Mormon culture, and it's taught to members from the time that they're primary school aged. I would not allow an impressionable young one to attend LDS meetings of any kind.

Patroclus · 29/01/2020 10:47

No bloody way.