I created these levels from Mormons I have known or know.

Level 1:
(Even more extreme 100 years ago)
wear garments almost constantly- 24/7 day and night, one piece style, even when two piece styles were available, only removing for short stints for swimming, covering up immediately after getting out of the water, going to the doctor (hoping they were not in an accident), giving birth (important to be born in the covenant, literally), wear during intimacy.
Years past, only remove half at a time to bathe, all children dressed as if wearing the garment, all clothing must cover the knee and have a full sleeve at a minimum. Children, even babies are never to be seen walking around naked. Cover immediately after bathing. They also have daily scripture reading and family prayer twice a day, FHE ( no calls or interruptions). Go to the temple weekly if possible. Wife is a stay at home mom, all her life.

Level 2.
Common in the last few decades: wear daily and at night. Take them off for swimming, all sports, going to the doctor, giving birth, all for reasonable lengths of time - as short as possible. Usually in leadership positions. TBM. Read the scriptures, have FHE sorta regularly, wife works outside the home part time, or full time when the kids are in school or college or gone.

Level 3.
wear garments most days, sometimes at night, take off for the whole day for any legitimate reason. Very lax. Active members with callings, sometimes in leadership. TBM. Both parents work.

Level 4.
wear on Sundays and for church meetings daytime only.
Live in swimwear, gym clothes most days especially while on vacation, usually lax with the Word of Wisdom, drink Sanka, reg tea. Inactive, but still a believer. Working parents.

Level 5.
Keep a pair or two of garments for special occasions, or visiting TBM's, hide the coffee pot and beer, mow the lawn on Sundays, totally inactive. Working parents.

Level 6.
One time believer, maybe married in the temple, haven't worn garments in years, don't live the Word of Wisdom, smoke or drink etc. Working parents, one might be an alcoholic.

Level 7.
Believers, at least, at one point, but not active in decades. One member might be active most of their life. Both parents work. Smokers and drinkers in the family. One might be an alcoholic. Temple work done for family when deceased, including proxy marriage when the alcoholic dies.

How does this compare to the levels of Mormonism you've observed?

Where does my DH fit?
Born into the church through convert parents. Attended faithfully as a child and youth with his other 5 siblings. Met me, a nonmormon in high school. Started dating and dated through college. He didn't go on mission he never had a desire to go. Married me, the nonmormon, in my childhood church. He continued to attend after we were married, even more so after he was given a calling that required him to be there every Sunday. I know now why he was given that calling in scouts. It was to keep him active. Never went through the Temple. Now has a family. Still attends due to teaching a Sunday school class but only goes every other month. Kids have never been blessed or with him to "church". Never asks me to go with him. We don't have home teachers. He watches R rated movies, gambles, and shops on Sundays but won't drink alcohol, caffeinated sodas or heaven forbid coffee or tea. He doesn't want the kids to have them either. He gets defensive if I bring up things about the church.
We have a great marriage aside from the church. He has told me before that the kids and I come first and we do.
He has friends and his older sister, with whom he is very close, that go to the same ward. I keep hoping that one day he will follow two of his other siblings and leave.

Msw Wrote:
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> Where does my DH fit?

I'd put him in one of the subcategories in Level 3 or 4! :-)
There are a lot of subcategories, you know!
He's a believer, but probably thinks he's too weak to live all the commandments, but it's the only true church, dammit and everyone else better toe the line. :-) If he's conflicted he is never going to admit it! It's the .....
"I'll repent later" syndrome"?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/06/2014 05:19PM by SusieQ#1.

Level 11. Total believers and lifetime TBM's. Four children. Two of the kids are miserable but don't have anyone to talk to. Father was bishop and always has a calling. Everyone at church thinks he's great. He stopped molesting the oldest daughter around 14. TBM mom manages to take care of all her church obligations even though she has to take serious pain medication every day for her back pain.

The family always pays tithing. Oldest son is currently successfully serving a mission.

thingsithink Wrote:
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> Level 11.

You skipped right over level 8,9,and 10 to 11!
This is not an uncommon Mormon family in my experience either.

I could have added more that probably fit in the levels you skipped. And the subcategories!

Anyone else want to contribute? This goes along with my observation that there are about as many different kinds of Mormons as there are Mormons.

<<This goes along with my observation that there are about as many different kinds of Mormons as there are Mormons.>>

I think you're on to something.

With many different kinds of Mormons, you end up with many different kinds of Mormonism. In the past, only one type of mormonism was discussed publicly. Now, many of the different kinds of mormons are discussing their different kinds of mormonism. It's turning into a smorgasbord.

You seem to assume about a 50% rate of alcoholism amongst those who drink.

I'm wondering where that comes from.

I've been around people who drink all my life - and I've never encountered an alcoholic.

ellenl Wrote:
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> You seem to assume about a 50% rate of alcoholism
> amongst those who drink.

There are no percentages in these levels I mentioned. There are plenty who drink but are not alcoholics, but I have no idea how many.
I listed the levels based on people I know and knew. Some were alcoholics and some not. This was not about assumptions.

Some part member families struggled with alcoholism
>
> I'm wondering where that comes from.
>
> I've been around people who drink all my life -
> and I've never encountered an alcoholic.


There are dozens more different levels; just a term I used to show the differences in how Mormonism is lived.