My Mormon Mission Made Me an Atheist

[lilwriter85]

The Friendly Atheist posted this story

 

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyat ... n-atheist/

[Firiel]

Hmm... the only thing that seemed off about this story was the way he describes the Mormon view of hell.

He says:

Although I was raised Mormon, most of my friends and family aren’t, which means that they are merely being deceived by the wiles of Satan, who is always getting good, god-fearing, non-Mormon Christians to follow him to hell.

LDS theology doesn't believe in a hell, per se. There is outer darkness that very few people go to (Cain is the only example that a Mormon missionary could give me). Then there are the three degrees of glory: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Degrees_of_glory

The LDS people I know have described even the lowest level of glory (for bad people, like murderers) to be far better than our current life on earth. Wikipedia is telling me they get 1000 years of punishment first, though.

But yeah, good non-Mormons (I'm assuming most of his family falls under that category) go to the second degree of glory.

Anyway... just something that stuck out to me.

[Jessica]

Well, my mother-in-law who was raised LDS, works in the temple every week, blah blah blah, told my husband a week before our wedding that she was afraid I was going to drag him to hell. I think it's just used interchangeably sometimes with Outer Darkness. But it's definitely not the "lake of fire" image that Christians believe in.

[browncoatslytherin]

i love their posts! i shall bookmark this one for later reading

[Firiel]

Well, my mother-in-law who was raised LDS, works in the temple every week, blah blah blah, told my husband a week before our wedding that she was afraid I was going to drag him to hell. I think it's just used interchangeably sometimes with Outer Darkness. But it's definitely not the "lake of fire" image that Christians believe in.

It's just really interesting to me because as far as I can tell, Outer Darkness is reserved for very few people-- Cain and his equivalents, mostly. I guess LDS people do refer to the 1000 year period of punishment for telestial kingdom folks as hell too. Even then, though, good people go to the terrestrial kingdom.

I think some of the confusion is maybe a conflation of LDS teachings with the typical Christian understandings, but missionaries are usually schooled in all of that stuff pretty thoroughly, AFAIK.

I'd just like to ask him some follow-up questions, I guess.

[lemonhead]

Today I Learned I will spend eternity in the Outer Darkness :( since I have willfully rejected the Holy Ghost.

So the next time the missionaries come to my door and knock--in spite of the sign that says "No Religious Materials"--should I just tell them I am a Daughter of Perdition? Will they leave me alone then? :wink-kitty:

[jerkit]

Hmm... the only thing that seemed off about this story was the way he describes the Mormon view of hell.

He says:

LDS theology doesn't believe in a hell, per se. There is outer darkness that very few people go to (Cain is the only example that a Mormon missionary could give me). Then there are the three degrees of glory: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Degrees_of_glory

The LDS people I know have described even the lowest level of glory (for bad people, like murderers) to be far better than our current life on earth. Wikipedia is telling me they get 1000 years of punishment first, though.

But yeah, good non-Mormons (I'm assuming most of his family falls under that category) go to the second degree of glory.

Anyway... just something that stuck out to me.

You mean Spooky Mormon Hell Dream isn't real?!

[Firiel]

You mean Spooky Mormon Hell Dream isn't real?!

:lol:

LDS doctrine has changed some over the years. A very Mormon friend of mine did tell me that he thought that the doctrine of Outer Darkness used to be applied to ex-Mormons in the past. Outer Darkness is reserved for those who understand the truth of God or something and still reject it. So yeah, former Mormons seem to fit that bill. More recently, the interpretation of that doctrine has changed and they figure that an ex-Mormon never really understood God in the first place. It's more palatable and far less cult-y.

SO. Spooky Mormon Hell Dream was probably more applicable in the olden days. ;)

[jerkit]

:lol:

LDS doctrine has changed some over the years. A very Mormon friend of mine did tell me that he thought that the doctrine of Outer Darkness used to be applied to ex-Mormons in the past. Outer Darkness is reserved for those who understand the truth of God or something and still reject it. So yeah, former Mormons seem to fit that bill. More recently, the interpretation of that doctrine has changed and they figure that an ex-Mormon never really understood God in the first place. It's more palatable and far less cult-y.

SO. Spooky Mormon Hell Dream was probably more applicable in the olden days. ;)

Or people who eat donuts with a maple glaze.

[lilwriter85]

Today I Learned I will spend eternity in the Outer Darkness :( since I have willfully rejected the Holy Ghost.

So the next time the missionaries come to my door and knock--in spite of the sign that says "No Religious Materials"--should I just tell them I am a Daughter of Perdition? Will they leave me alone then? :wink-kitty:

I think would be a good thing to tell them. Though I have never had Mormon missionaries come to my door, but I have seen them in public places. The last sighting I had was at a Wal-Mart store on Christmas Eve. The missionaries were in the self checkout area, when I was checking out. One was a wearing a coat and the other wasn't and I saw his Elder name tag.

[Firiel]

Or people who eat donuts with a maple glaze.

You know, I think the risk of Outer Darkness is worth it for those.

[browncoatslytherin]

You know, I think the risk of Outer Darkness is worth it for those.

especially if there's bacon on top. lawd yes.

[Deist woman]

Today I Learned I will spend eternity in the Outer Darkness :( since I have willfully rejected the Holy Ghost.

So the next time the missionaries come to my door and knock--in spite of the sign that says "No Religious Materials"--should I just tell them I am a Daughter of Perdition? Will they leave me alone then? :wink-kitty:

I think Daughters of Perdition would make a terrific motorcycle gang! Rumble with the Sons of Anarchy.

[Hane]

Some time back, because I am insane, I wandered over to the LDS section of BabyCenter. In one thread, the OP was in absolute agony because one of her kids decided to leave the Mormon Church. A non-Mormon popped in and naively said, "It isn't as if he's dead--he just doesn't want to go to your church anymore!"--and was promptly dogpiled on with answers like, "HUSH. Can't you see she's SUFFERING???" Apparently some Mormons believe that only LDS true-believers will get to see their relatives in the afterlife. (It doesn't help them when it's pointed out that many Christians believe they'll see their loved ones on the "other side.")

[nelliebelle1197]

:lol:

LDS doctrine has changed some over the years. A very Mormon friend of mine did tell me that he thought that the doctrine of Outer Darkness used to be applied to ex-Mormons in the past. Outer Darkness is reserved for those who understand the truth of God or something and still reject it. So yeah, former Mormons seem to fit that bill. More recently, the interpretation of that doctrine has changed and they figure that an ex-Mormon never really understood God in the first place. It's more palatable and far less cult-y.

SO. Spooky Mormon Hell Dream was probably more applicable in the olden days. ;)

Mormons change doctrine more often than they change their underwear :dance:

[Firiel]

Some time back, because I am insane, I wandered over to the LDS section of BabyCenter. In one thread, the OP was in absolute agony because one of her kids decided to leave the Mormon Church. A non-Mormon popped in and naively said, "It isn't as if he's dead--he just doesn't want to go to your church anymore!"--and was promptly dogpiled on with answers like, "HUSH. Can't you see she's SUFFERING???" Apparently some Mormons believe that only LDS true-believers will get to see their relatives in the afterlife. (It doesn't help them when it's pointed out that many Christians believe they'll see their loved ones on the "other side.")

Yeah, I do believe that's true. Although (and an LDS expert can correct me if I'm wrong), my Mormon roommate mentioned that there is some "visiting" allowed by the yay-better folks to the not-as-good-but-still-okay folks. My buddy and I were teasing her that she'd be stuck with all the Molly Mormons she can't stand while we had fun in the terrestrial kingdom without her.

I don't know that she was correct, though. She's not 100% mainstream.