h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

being a Mormon i can add to this list...

* do you dance...yes, we even host a singles dance once a month for our members

* do you only have sex for reproduction...no, we happen to enjoy sex quite a bit and therefore participate in the act quite often (with our spouse) thank-you very much

monsy

It was my understanding, though, that Mormons were not supposed to practice any form of birth control. This rumor is circumstantially supported by the fact that the only family of Mormons that I knew growing up was quite... uhh.. prolific.

Colonel Sellers, who has some idea how Mormonism got to 10 million people.

Thanks (both of you) for the info. How does it make you feel to be the butt of jokes though? Or that people (who should know better in many cases) are on your case all the time?

While it's true that most Mormon families are quite large (My former wife's family has 9 people living in a four bedroom house) generally, the Church does not OFFICIALLY frown upon birth control, though it does disapprove of the use of it. The reason for this is that, while the Church does prefer it's members to live the gospel above everything else (with the exception of locat, state, and federal laws) it does recognize that couples who are just starting out may not have the financial support, or the psychological preparation to handle having children.

Hope that helps, Colonel.

---Erin M. The 5.5th Doctor
Former member of the LDS church and inhabitant fo Salt Lake City

You get used to it mostly... and it's a far cry from the persecution that once existed. Better to be the butt of jokes than the butt of... well... a gun. Anyways, it's getting better, you can't blame people for not knowing something.

I got to know a few Mormons many years ago. They'd called on a friend of mine; he was too busy to talk to them right then, but he was genuinely curious, so invited them to come back another day for a longer chat. He invited me along as well, as he knew that although I'm an atheist, I take an active interest in all kinds of things.

The two guys who turned up were amazingly friendly, and very intelligent. They quickly debunked the standard questions (like the ones raised in this article), and we got on to an involved discussion on the history of the bible (of which I know something) and the history of the Book of Mormon (of which I knew very little).

We met up with them several times, and we all became quite close friends.

It actually went so far that we ended up playing football (soccer) with them in a local park!

(My mum wouldn't believe me, because she knows I'm an atheist and I can't stand football! "Playing *football*? With *Mormons*????" )

A very fascinating experience.

Funny coincidence, this entry posting at the same time all my friends are talking about "that Mormon chick" on The Real World New Orleans. Couple other questions/curiosities:

-Okay, no dancing is a myth, what about no sugar/caffeine?

-Mormons are issued member cards and non-members are not allowed into the tabernacle. My sister told me about touring the Denver (I think it was Denver) tabernacle before it was opened, and being told after it was opened she would never be able to enter again. Having been raised as a Catholic (everybody's welcome!), this seems especially unusual to me.

-Mormons are given a secret, holy (?) name, which none but their spouses (and I guess the church elders who gave them the name) may ever know. I once dated a girl who considered herself an ex-Mormon in every way, and she STILL wouldn't reveal it, to anyone.

No suagr/caffine: Suagr's okay. Nobody's ever told me otherwise and they serve icecream at dances and activities. But caffine is more sort of personal choice. We are instructed not to take harmful or addictive substances into our bodies. In the long run caffine can cause damamge to the human body and it is habit forming.

*Oh yeah, any adult mormons might want to catch me on a few things. I'm only a kid, well, i'm a teen, but it's more or less the same*

The temple is a sacred place where many sacred ordinances are preformed (I don't know much about them cuz I'm just a kid). Before a member can go to the Temple the must be interviewed by their bishop to see if they are worthy to attend. If he/she is found worthy to attend the temple he/she receives a temple reccomed (can I spell?). Non-members are allowed to go into church buildings but they can not enter the temple (unless of course the temple has not been dedicated yet and is opened to the public) because it is such a sacred place.

I don't know much about the secret name thing, I would have to consult an adult. (Which I will probably end up doing)

Did I say tabernacle? I meant temple. Must be Mormon Tabernacle Choir was just stuck in my head. Thanks for the update Mr (Ms?) Normal.

Here's a little thing I'm curious about -- a friend of mine is renting a house owned by a Mormon family, and stockpiled in the basement are large drums of dried grains and legumes, various imperishible foodstuffs, and water. My friend tells me that it is a requirement that Mormon families have a year's supply of food stored away "just in case", but didn't know what the "just in case" was for. Can anyone shed light on this issue?

ok....

1) secret holy name....i am an adult, been in the mormon faith since i was 5 or 6 years old...maybe longer.....never ever have i been given a secret holy name....always used the one i was given at birth...to the best of my knowledge no one else in the church has one either....

2) birth control....mostly answered to everyones satisfaction but let me clarify what i was saying.....the question i always get asked is if we only have sex for reproducion and at no other time, well...if you can't have kids for whatever reason and this were true then you would never ever have sex and let me tell you the last thing you want is a church full of people who never get any sex (especially guys LOL!!)....sex is allowed even when not trying to get pregnant...with or without birth control

3) food storage...yes, we have a years supply (well, i don't but should) of food stored for 'just in case'...this just in case means just in case you are out of work or something happens to where you cannot go to a store and purchase food, you will have some on hand and your family will be able to eat....mainly a good thing for everyone in my opinion, can never be too prepaired
monsy

The missionaries are probably so bored and homesick, they'd do anything to play football with someone. Imagine devoting 2 years to seclusion from your family and friends in a different environment than you're used to. But when asked, they say it's the best 2 years of their life.

Claire Wolfe's book _101 Things to do Before the Revolution_ recommends making friends with Mormons, because of the fact that they store so much away.

And about the "secret" name... hmm, well, the endowment process is held very secret and you already know as much about it as you can. And your friend keeping hers secret is probably a good idea on her part.

Sorry, that sounded very forboding and mysterious, didn't mean it that way.

*mimmicks a friend from early morning seminary class* Agh! Forboding and Mysterious! I'm apostasizing!! AGH!!

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Sorry, no sleep and no school and no seminary and a deranged sunday school teacher gets me a bit weird in the first 2 weeks of summer holidays...

AbiNormal (and that is a play-on-name)

Young Frankenstein?

abbi
of course your teacher is weird(i know him) the loss of semaniry is greate but be back come september and will rock

Frankenstien?

Hey, muggel, don't you be calling the absolute best sunday school teacher in the world weird... Only me do that... okay never mind. HA! Camp is on Tuesday!

girls camp rocks