Mormon Mommy blogs

[NurseNell]

First I've heard of her. Many thanks. Many.

Ditto. She is hysterical! :lol:

[freejoytoo]

I read this one. It's mostly about day to day stuff but there are some weird posts about doctrine.

mormonmommywars.com/

[valsa]

I guess it's a matter of perspective. To me, the Mormon bloggers are more mainstream because they allow Harry Potter, colleges for girls, learning other cultures etc. Being prolife or opposed to gay marriages is not an indicator to me of fundie-dom because about half the country falls into those categories---I tend to label them under the generic title of "conservative". Fundies, to me, are people who are the conservative wing of the Right. I agree that Mormons share several beliefs with fundie families but they share more values with the mainstream conservatives. Then again, I live in a very conservative state and so my views may be skewed. I'm surrounded by people who think Obama is a socialist turning the country into China and creationism is a fact sworn by "good" scientists. :D

See, I'm just the opposite. Allowing one specific children's book series is small beans compared to wanting to force your anti-choice and anti-gay marriage morality onto the rest of the country. People with far narrower definitions of "fundie" (I admit that my definition is pretty broad) agree that one aspect that is common to almost all types of fundies is trying to force others to live a certain way. Now consider how much money the Mormon church in Utah dropped to have gay marriage in California banned...

Likewise, I don't see the college for girls and learning about other cultures to be automatically non-fundie things either. While I agree that going to college, in-and-of-itself, can be a good thing even if you never use your degree (because hopefully along the way you've learned critical thinking skills), the end result of Mormon girls who go to college is the same as fundie girls like the Duggars who don't go to college- stay home and have lots of babies to grow the church. Plus, with recent changes to the church (talked about in another thread), a lot less Mormon girls may be going to college in the future. As for learning about other cultures... considering that they then go to those countries to try and convince people to give up a significant part of that culture (the native religion), I don't consider it much better than any other fundie who does some "know thine enemy" research so he can solicit people to his religion better.

I actual figured Mormons have a lower than average divorce rate because of cultural pressures to stay married but that divorce is far more devastating to the women. I have heard of the high antidepressant usage in Utah though. Makes one think.....

Nope, divorce rate's the same as other Christian groups. Coupled with the anti-depressant use, I think it's pretty obvious that there's a lot of "keeping sweet" in the Mormon community and it comes at a high price.

I don't intend on joining the Mormon church but I think reading the Mormon mommy bloggers is a form of escapism from my own life, even if it is highly stylized and posed!

I think escapism can be a good thing as long as one doesn't allow him-or-herself to actually believe that what's on the surface is really true. The Mormon church is a lot like Disney World. Happiest place on Earth, on the surface. Underneath that? A bunch of underpaid, overworked, generally mistreated workers existing within a system that is manufactored soley around making it look like the happiest place on Earth to other people.

[NoQuiverNoCry]

So true. I was raised Mormon and I can tell you so much about Mormon family life is totally superficial, even the "perfect" ones. It's all just a lifetime of Mormon propoganda spilling out in the form of a Mommy blog.

I could write a book in just this post, alone, about how ridiculous Mormon family life is. One of the things that drove me crazy about Mormon life was the random missionary drop-ins and hometeachers who just stop by without phoning first. Of course, an overworked, perpetually breeding mother's house is never clean enough. You can just feel the judgment oozing out of them when they walk in the door and spot the toys, the winter coats laying on the floor and the trail of ripped up construction paper from the unfinished craft project your children started, but never finished.

I always interpreted the constant stopping by as a subtle form of guilt-brainwashing. A Mormon woman is *never* really good enough. The Mormon church's hyper micro-managing of its members (tsk, tsk, Mrs. Smith, you're house might be clean, but do you have your year's supply of food saved up?) If you're house is clean and you have your food storage, then you aren't active enough in the church -- you find yourself suddenly called to be Relief Society President or church librarian or some ridiculous thing.

Mormon men aren't much better off. Even if the man does have a good paying job, once he's somewhat stable in his career and the wife is at home breeding more little Mormons, the husband is suddenly "called" to serve in the priesthood. These "callings" are really unpaid clergy positions that take almost as much time as a full time job. Husbands are gone nearly every night of the week. This leaves Mormon mothers and wives to essentially raise their children as single parents with the father acting as a figurehead. BTW, to be "called" to serve in a position within the church is considered a blessing and to turn down a blessing is ... well, it's just not done. When you're called to a position in the church, you're expected to do it.

When I was an active member, I remember being at the church almost EVERY DAY of the week for four straight years. Yep, you read that right. Almost every day. And I wasn't enough a very good member. I went to church and participated, because when you're raised Mormon, all your friends and family are at church, too. It's the social center of your universe.

I could go on here, but I'll stop. The perfection you see in Mormon mommy blogs is fake. I see pictures of my Mormon friends from high school and it makes me want to cry. They have too many children and you can tell the spark and intelligence and dreams of their former selves are gone. They are overworked and underappreciated. But you will NEVER hear a single one of them complain or hint at the truth of their lives. To do so would be Un-Mormon of them.

Thanks for sharing this, Fargood.

Mormons fascinate me too, mostly because I think the logical and mental gymnastics one must do to believe their doctrine blows my mind. Granted, every oganized religion is this way to some extent, but to me it seems that the Mormons are more extreme than most. Maybe that plays into their intense pressure to play Lets Pretend for their blogs, etc.? I mean, If you're immersed in the culture, so you're used to supressing your critical thinking skills, plus you're surrounded by pressure to be something you're not, then why wouldn't you blog about your family's (impossible) perfection? It seems almost reasonable. When I read these perfect-family blogs, I'm always amazed at how much effort has obviously gone into perpetuating the myth.

[Jessica]

Oh, the mental gymnastics! When you have a question that they don't have an answer for, er, I mean, "can't share because it's too sacred", you're supposed to be content with "You don't know because you don't need to know now" or "You'll know in the next life if you're faithful and obedient to the church", or, my personal favorite: "You don't NEED the priesthood because women are naturally more Christlike!" If you question too much you're excommunicated.

How's this for mental gymnastics? They claim the temple ceremony has nothing to do with Masonry. Yet famous Mormon apologists have come out saying that Joseph Smith WAS a Mason and he got the temple rituals from the Masons, BUT he restored them to what they "really mean". So which is it?

[Closed Womb]

Mormons fascinate me too, mostly because I think the logical and mental gymnastics one must do to believe their doctrine blows my mind. Granted, every oganized religion is this way to some extent, but to me it seems that the Mormons are more extreme than most. Maybe that plays into their intense pressure to play Lets Pretend for their blogs, etc.? I mean, If you're immersed in the culture, so you're used to supressing your critical thinking skills, plus you're surrounded by pressure to be something you're not, then why wouldn't you blog about your family's (impossible) perfection? It seems almost reasonable. When I read these perfect-family blogs, I'm always amazed at how much effort has obviously gone into perpetuating the myth.

You are right in saying that every religion has some far-fetched doctrine (or, at least every faith-based religion I am aware of.) An angel letting Joseph Smith borrow some gold plates is certainly on par with a virgin birth in the list of "unbelievable stuffs people believe."

For me, the mental gymnastics come from the newness of the religion. Something about ancient books depicting parting seas, walls falling, plagues-a-plenty, etc., allows for misunderstanding of natural events, added dramatization through oral tradition before finally recording the events, and plain old creation stories for the sake of having one and explaining how people got here. A book that is a few hundred years old that came to us through gold plates viewed from a hat? That sounds like straight up BS that should have been identified as such when it was presented to the followers. It also seems, to me (and many others, I'm sure) that the Book of Mormon was rather self-serving. Lots of wives = best of heaven. Riiiight.

[SisiL78]

Mormon women are very big into scrapbooking also. Creative Memories was started by Mormons. Most, if not all, of the early scrapbooking publications were published by Mormons. The Mormons remain the main publishers and manufacturers of scrapbooking supplies.

Indeed. I had a summer job at a craft store later purchased by Michaels. So much of the scrapbooking stuff was from companies in Provo, UT. The very popular Cricut machine and some of the other scrapbooking thingies are from Mormon owned businesses.

[freejoytoo]

What pisses me off about Mormonism is that EVERYTHING about it has been disproven, but the church excommunicates members who go against doctrine and actively cover sources up. It's just Christianity rewritten with America at the centre.

[Fargood]

What pisses me off about Mormonism is that EVERYTHING about it has been disproven, but the church excommunicates members who go against doctrine and actively cover sources up. It's just Christianity rewritten with America at the centre.

Totally agree. What blows me away is that so many of the members are in evidence-based professions: medicine, law, engineering and business. How can one be in a profession that demands logical and critical thinking and yet believe that a magical angel gave Joseph Smith a set of golden plates that just *disappeared* later on? Or that speshul underwear protects you. Or that you will rule your own planet when you die. And the list goes on.

[lilwriter85]

I also agree with freejoytoo. I read an article a couple of years back about how DNA testing disapproved the Lamanite/Nephite Jewish thing. I remember some higher up in the LDS church tried to make various excuses about the testing.

[SisiL78]

I think that they are constantly trying to find some evidence for the stories that Joe Smith told. There have been extensive archaeological expeditions to find evidence of the ancient Jews that supposedly lived on this continent. There have also been attempts to find other evidence through archaeology. So far the Mormon archaeologists have found nothing to help prove anything! :-) Then they come up with justifications for why they don't find anything (this is from wikipedia).

“We should not be surprised at the lack of ruins in America in general. Actually the scarcity of identifiable remains in the Old World is even more impressive. In view of the nature of their civilization one should not be puzzled if the Nephites had left us no ruins at all. People underestimate the capacity of things to disappear, and do not realize that the ancients almost never built of stone. Many a great civilization which has left a notable mark in history and literature has left behind not a single recognizable trace of itself. We must stop looking for the wrong things.†Nibley 1988, pp. 431

[freejoytoo]

They believe the Garden of Eden was in MISSOURI, ffs. MISSOURI!

[NurseNell]

They believe the Garden of Eden was in MISSOURI, ffs. MISSOURI!

Well maybe in the Ozarks, it's very pretty there. :?

[NurseNell]

Indeed. I had a summer job at a craft store later purchased by Michaels. So much of the scrapbooking stuff was from companies in Provo, UT. The very popular Cricut machine and some of the other scrapbooking thingies are from Mormon owned businesses.

Indeed, I love my Cricut machine. I do a lot of scrapbooking and genealogy so I'm thankful to the Mormons. It is getting a little easier now but it used to be impossible to make a name for yourself in the scrapbooking world if you weren't Mormon.

[lilwriter85]

All religions believe in things that are a bit crazy and hard to prove. But there are things about Mormonism that I find more bizarre than other religions. Someone here in another thread described Mormonism as "Scientology with added Jesus". I agree with that description. I have to admit, I find some Mormon mommy bloggers to be likable compared to people like Zsu, Lori, Kelly C. Kendull, etc.

[lilwriter85]

Speaking of stationary and scrapbooking has anyone ever followed Kolette Hall's blog? She is a Mormon in Utah and she designs rubber stamps, stencils etc. Her husband is a quadriplegic and he does motivational speaking.

[ADoyle90815]

What pisses me off about Mormonism is that EVERYTHING about it has been disproven, but the church excommunicates members who go against doctrine and actively cover sources up. It's just Christianity rewritten with America at the centre.

That's true, I even remember one time when a Mormon scholar was going to be excommunicated for supporting the DNA evidence against the Book of Mormon's claims, but there was too much negative press, so they stopped it. One other thing about Mormons is that besides visiting church historical sites for vacation, they're obsessed with Disney parks as it's a PG way to spend time with the family. When I fly to Vegas from a local airport, I can easily spot the Mormons going back to SLC because they all have Disneyland bags as carry on items. My own flight usually leaves before or after that Salt Lake flight, so I have time to notice those things.

[valsa]

All religions believe in things that are a bit crazy and hard to prove. But there are things about Mormonism that I find more bizarre than other religions.

I personally don't think that things are more bizarre in Mormonism, I think we just expect people to be smarter than they were 2000 years ago.

I mean, try explaining Christianity to someone who's never heard of it.

An all-knowing, all-seeing, all-powerful invisible being created the Earth and all life as we know it. Shortly afterward, a lady created from the rib of a man created from mud got conned by a talking snake into eating a magical apple, so now an intangible part of you that somehow retains all your thought processes and personality traits after you die will be trapped in a body of water made of fire forever as punishment. Then, somewhere between the beginning of time and yesterday, the all-powerful invisible being wanted us to not be punished so, despite having made up the rules of punishment himself and being fully capable of just changing them, he instead knocked up a virgin teenage girl with a baby that turned out to also be the invisible being himself for the purpose of said clone being tortured and horrifically killed. And even though the clone is just fine three days later- it's still a sacrifice worth unending worship of said being. By the way, we know all this because the being used to talk with people but nothing about it can be proved because he doesn't anymore.

Magic seer stones don't seem quite so outrageous anymore.

[freejoytoo]

Well maybe in the Ozarks, it's very pretty there. :?

Doesn't change the fact that the idea of the Garden of Eden in America is bullshit. Well, the idea of it existing is as well, but it's one step further. Just validates the superiority complex a lot of people have about being American. Gives them a reason to worship their country and feel proud of it.

[NurseNell]

Doesn't change the fact that the idea of the Garden of Eden in America is bullshit. Well, the idea of it existing is as well, but it's one step further. Just validates the superiority complex a lot of people have about being American. Gives them a reason to worship their country and feel proud of it.

I get that.

[pomology]

All religions believe in things that are a bit crazy and hard to prove. But there are things about Mormonism that I find more bizarre than other religions. Someone here in another thread described Mormonism as "Scientology with added Jesus". I agree with that description. I have to admit, I find some Mormon mommy bloggers to be likable compared to people like Zsu, Lori, Kelly C. Kendull, etc.

I think Mormonism is extra bizarre because it is a product of the 19th century. Unlike Jesus or Moses or Mohammed, we have legitimate independent sources on Joseph Smith's life. We have access to newspapers and court records and whatnot from the time. Experts know about the theological discourse that was going around in upstate New York at the time and how closely the book of Mormon mirrors it. So, while there's no evidence that the exodus ever happened or that Jesus was crucified and rose from the dead and that Mohammad rose to heaven, we know much more about the life of and times of Joseph Smith than we know about the history of the ancient Israelites, what was happening in Judea around the year 30, or what was going on in Saudi Arabia in the 6th century, and that makes the claims of Mormonism seem particularly bizarre.

[Arete]

Doesn't change the fact that the idea of the Garden of Eden in America is bullshit. Well, the idea of it existing is as well, but it's one step further. Just validates the superiority complex a lot of people have about being American. Gives them a reason to worship their country and feel proud of it.

There are SHITLOADS of better places to claim as the garden of Eden in the United States than a bumblefuck town in Missouri. You have to be on some serious consciousness altering drugs to look at that dot on the map and manage to come out with a superiority complex.

[sarahbrownie]

I also agree with freejoytoo. I read an article a couple of years back about how DNA testing disapproved the Lamanite/Nephite Jewish thing. I remember some higher up in the LDS church tried to make various excuses about the testing.

I brought this up to a Mormon once, she completely denied that LDS believed in Lamanites and Nephites at all. Now, I feel like owning up to the batshit theology is better than just denying it all together.

[NurseNell]

Speaking of stationary and scrapbooking has anyone ever followed Kolette Hall's blog? She is a Mormon in Utah and she designs rubber stamps, stencils etc. Her husband is a quadriplegic and he does motivational speaking.

She has so much talent, I have a lot of her stamps. They certainly are a motivational couple. If you're ever down feeling sorry for yourself go read her blog.

[Peas n carrots]

I have an unusual Mormon friend. She grew up with a single mother (her father took off when she was very young). Part of her childhood was spent with her grandparents in Utah and the rest with her working mom. She is in her 30's and never married. She is practicing and still goes to temple, but I wonder how she does it being single at that age in Mormon culture.

As much as I abhor the FDLS, at least they are more honest IMO. The Mormons just magically had God tell their prophets to give up polygamy when they were up for statehood. Oh how very convenient...it seems like God will tell them anything if it benefits their money machine they call a church.