All About Mormons

Not really...but that is an awesome South Park episode.

The other day I was the very pleased recipient of two Mormon missionaries who came to my door. I was overjoyed to have the opportunity to speak with them. I mentally clapped my hands...at least I hope it was only in my mind.

As an atheist, and a rather proud one at that, I love when people try and convert me. But more importantly, I love when people of a faith I know nothing about try and convert me. I'm always open to the option that I might be wrong, so this was another learning experience. The doorbell rang and I was pleased to converse with two nice young women about their faith and my lack thereof.

The conversation went so well that we had another meeting a week later at the house of one of their members. I learned a lot about what they believed and I can see why a lot of Christians don't consider LDS to be a Christian faith at all. I also experienced their conversion tactics and I have to say, they're good.

Apparently, Mormons rely very heavily on the Book of Mormon. And I mean..for a lot. Almost daily scripture study, Sunday services that last 3+ hours. They immerse themselves in their Book like Christians claim to. When talking to somebody new, they do their best to get them to read passages from the Book as frequently as possible (I declined). They hold an opening and closing prayer, of course inviting the new person to participate and even offer their own words (I also declined). It isn't exactly cult-indoctrination behavior, but it is an excellent example of social pressure. I hope I wasn't smiling all too much.

You see, there was a time when I would have bowed my head, said the words, faked my way through it and in the end, maybe even gone along with a conversion experience in the long run. I was not as strong in my non-faith as I am today. Their suggestion that I pray to a being I don't believe in and listen for an answer (thereby assuming there might be a being to provide an answer) was a suggestion that might have had some power before. I hope I was not actually as "aloof" as one of them suggested I was.

I can't say that I didn't understand the appeal of what they had though. They were quite happy in the shackles of their faith. They accepted circumstance as God's will and trials as a passing moment of suffering before an Eternity in Heavenly bliss. As nice as they were, the doe-eyed expressions were ones that haunt me more than any imagined Hell. They had found peace. They found a peace in not having choices, in not having responsibility for their actions, in servitude. I hope my life is one of constant chaos by comparison.