Ask a Mormon, Part 3

[bhsup]

Do you think, if M. Romney is elected, that there will be an increase in converts to the LDS church?

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

I don't think that is likely, although it is possible. People might try learning more about the church since they hear so much about it and then decide that it is what they are looking for, spiritually speaking. On the other hand, it's not like he can create policies that would specifically do that.

 

[bhsup]

Nono, I didn't mean by actions from him. You nailed it with the first part. I figure if he's elected, it'll probably draw a lot of people to look into the church more, leading to more converts than normal.

Not quite the same as the ladies adopting dress and hairstyles of the first ladies, but I do think it'll happen.

 

[downtown]

^ yes, I think thats exactly what will happen. When the church is put into the front of a local/regional discussion, missionary efforts become more sucsessful (for example, if a Mormon temple is built somewhere, everybody around the town wants to find out it is, and becomes more likely to let missionaries into their homes. More Missionary Discussions = more likely baptisms)

 

[Bestbank Tiger]

For instance, my congregation consists of young single adults between the ages of 18 and 30

Singles ward?

 

[Firstlady]

Singles ward?

Funny movie...

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

Yep . . . and of course, like almost every singles ward out there, slightly more women than men.

 

[downtown]

Yep . . . and of course, like almost every singles ward out there, slightly more women than men.

Are you serious?? Mine has a 3:1 male to female ratio at least! Lots of OSU grad students skew the demographics. Its one of the reasons Im not really a big fan of it.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

Man, that's brutal.

Although, of course, for all the dating I do it may as well be that way in my ward. I actually like it just because it is full of people who are in about the same phase of life.

 

[Taras Bulba]

Nono, I didn't mean by actions from him. You nailed it with the first part. I figure if he's elected, it'll probably draw a lot of people to look into the church more, leading to more converts than normal.

i may not be a big political buff here, but i feel it is going to go 2 ways... some people are going to go the way you say, and more people will become interested in the church, and then there will be some other people who will be disgusted, and angered and will turn away from it completely

As for my personal opinion, i don't think he has very good of a chance of getting elected... he has suprised me, and i do think he has a running chance of getting the Republican nomination, but as i said before, i doubt the election next year will go his way if he is nominated

 

[Florine]

But if you were in an area with fewer people in that age range...or say perhaps really heavy in like the lower part of that age range (like would happen in a college town) would that not make you not in the same phase of life? I have a Mormon friend who's singles ward consists of kids all 5 or 6 years younger than her and all going through things that she is not. Perhaps this is rare...I really do not know.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

In general, whatever the average age of the single's ward is it is likely to be close to one's own. I am a few years younger than the average age in mine (just like I was in the other one I attended.)

 

[Florine]

I guess that makes sense. I find Mormon theology really interesting znd have spent many many hours in discussion about it. I had a close friend that used to tell me I was teasing her with the idea of my conversion as i asked so many questions but made no move to join. I just like theology I will have to find time to go back and read the rest of your thread!

 

[El_Machinae]

Theology is a lot of fun! Even if you don't believe any specific religion, it still has massive explanatory (historical) significance ... and a decent amount of predictive power too.

 

[Florine]

I totally agree

 

[El_Machinae]

On the relativity of time:

Are there any verses that relate God's timeframe with humanity's timeframe? Something akin to Jesus' "a thousand years is as a day for the Lord"?

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

Offhand, I can't think of any specific verses within canonized scripture. Although some members have taken that verse to describe creation in a 11,000 year timeframe (ie Genesis 1 took 7,000 years) it is not official doctrine (and I, obviously, don't).

However, I do know it has been said (I don't remember where) that the way we perceive time in mortality is not the only way to do it; and existence in general has existed and will exist eternally, without beginning or end. Although, of course, the observable universe is only a few billion years old.

A lot of this comes from what is known as the King Follett Discourse, which Joseph Smith gave in the early 1840's at the funeral of the aforementioned Mr. Follett. (King was his first name; on a side note, the first name of one of the earliest professional "anti-Mormons" was Doctor.) Which, arguably, is not usually the point of eulogies, but apparently no one complained. Certainly not the guest of honor.

 

[Ansar]

Does it bother you if someone confuses LDS with LSD?

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

I thought it was funny in the Star Trek movie when Kirk did it. Unless you mean they confuse the two in real life, not just the actual phrase, and show up at church high or something. Which has never happened to me.

 

[Ansar]

and show up at church high or something.

No. Nothing of the such.

I just meant do you find it funny when you say LDS and someone thinks you're part of of some drug scheme.