When the Mormons come to your door

[cos]

Apparently some Mormons stopped by my house last week, when I wasn't home, so I heard about it from Valerie later. She was not aware that the Mormon church funded California's proposition 8, donating the bulk of the money to run ads in the final weeks; it's quite likely that it would not have passed without their help.

If I were home when they came, I would have asked about it. I don't necessarily presume that young canvassers agree with their church, but it played such a pivotal role in passing the gay marriage ban, and here they are canvassing for converts, so they're at least acting in support of it. Mormon canvassers are, as far as I can tell, always polite, so I'd be polite. I'd also make it clear that I believe their church is a terrible influence on the world and I actively advise my friends to avoid it.

If Mormons come to your door, remember to ask them about prop 8? I'm curious to hear what they say.

Comments

[fidgetmonster.livejournal.com]

The 18/19yr olds on their two year mission have always been intriguing to me. They are young and impressionable and are doing what they think is right. It reminds me of when I was that age and went to college and slowly started to shed some of the 'indoctrination' that I'd been given as a teenager. Every time they have come to my door it has been with an offer to help with whatever I needed help with, not to read me stories about magic underwear, so they must get exposed to a lot. I wonder what the rate is of those who leave the church shortly after their mission period is up (akin to the Amish after they've had their year in regular society). Well, I think rites of passage in general intrigue me, and this is definitely one for young mormans.

[randomorbit.livejournal.com]

They'll say that a marriage is between a man and one or more women. That homosexuality is an abomination, and an affront to god, but polygamy is alright as long as it's patriarchal. In the Mormon church if you go against church doctrine you're excommunicated. If you're gay, you're not saved.

[randomorbit.livejournal.com]

*disclaimer Yes I'm actually with you on the point of being polite, but in case diplomacy fails here's a question that might be fun to ask.

1. If I sucked your cock right now would we BOTH go to hell, or just you since my god says it's OK?

[crs.livejournal.com]

A couple weeks ago a couple Mormons on mission came to my door and I asked them exactly that; they said that yes, the church and its members were against homosexuality. They weren't aware of anything the church itself did for Prop 8, but did admit that various members of the church were probably inspired to donate or work towards the proposition that marriage should be kept between a man and a woman.

I didn't press them on the issue; I'm glad I kept it civil, but I want them to send the message back to wherever it is they report in, that they're hearing this question a lot, and it's making people less receptive.

[lil-brown-bat.livejournal.com]

Oh god cos, you are so so so so funny. They're not canvassers, they're missionaries.

Your filters are showing, seriously now.

[zwezda-polnoca.livejournal.com]

This is kind of like saying "all Catholics oppose homosexuality and birth control" or "Islam is inherently evil". It ain't true. Just because the church's party line is one thing does not mean that individual members buy into every last detail. I have cousins who are Mormon. One of them is a young man currently doing his mission trip. As far as I know, he has no problem with homosexuality and isn't even aggressively converting people. In his opinion, he is out there spreading a message which he believes to be capable of bringing people happiness. Now, I do not agree with that message, but I think it's safe to say his intentions are pure and unoffensive. Be careful of conflating the church as an organization with the people who belong to it.

[eirias.livejournal.com]

Is there really a polite way to say "I believe [your] church is a terrible influence on the world and I actively advise my friends to avoid it"? I mean sure, one can say such a thing non-belligerently, but is that the same thing as politeness?

[drwex]

They're not supposed to go after Jews. Generally I don't see them because they see the mezzuzah on the door first.