Neither of us would be here, we all probably never would have met, never would have had any of the discussions we've had. No b.s. mormon propaganda to have to try and dismiss and prove false etc.

What do you think your life would be like if there never was such a thing? Would you be defending honor and humanity for some other reason?

It just crossed my mind and thought it might be an interesting topic. What would the world be like if there was no such person as Joseph Smith and/or Mormonism?

Another interesting thought. I wonder what the world was like before Mormonism. History books don't say much before that time period do they? Weren't there problems between Catholics Masons, Pagans, Christians and Wiccans before then? was wiccan even formed before J.S. time?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/23/2011 10:32PM by experienceheals.

There would have been no Osmonds....and NO BOyd KKK Packer!

were those families born through the polygamy process?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/23/2011 10:57PM by experienceheals.

Why wouldn't the Osmonds exist if there was no Mormonism? George and Olive Osmond still could have met, married and had the nine children they have. Just saying it's possible. As far as what the Osmonds preach in religion I've discovered (in talking to them) that it's the only thing they know. They have been in a bubble all their lives considering mormonism and really don't know or understand the flip side of the coin. Have any Osmonds ever left the church?

It makes you wonder who really "invented" Mormonism--Sidney Rigdon or Joseph Smith, Jnr. Smith didn't have formal schooling but he learned from all of the other religious sects that came and went how to fleece people in faith-based con. Eventually it would have grown too large for him to successfully manage himself. If Smith hadn't been killed he would have eventually been pushed out. Rigdon had the brains but not the charisma to pull it off.

Because of the church is why I'm such a strong feminist. Hmmm.

We would be discussing another outlandish cult our naiive and gullible relative and ancestors fell for.

I certainly would have married the love of my life--the man that Destiny had me aligned with--because our lives were so tightly intertwined.

He was an atheist, and Mormonism was too strongly bred into me and into my parents, and I was obedient above all else. For us, the cult was more important than true love.

He married someone else, but has remained my loyal and honorable friend from 900 miles away. No man ever measured up to him.

He is hilarious, BTW, so there would have been more laughter in my life, and more love, and less stress, and no abuse.

Can you understand why I'm trying to live my life as though Mormonism does not exist?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/24/2011 01:55AM by forestpal.

My ancestors were credulous people who would have fallen for some other fringe religion. I could have been a Jehovah's Witness.

that's a pretty scary one too.

I dunno.

I look at friends who grew up without Mormonism. Just saw a couple this weekend. They have their own set of issues. But they are happy people who seem to be well-adjusted, contributing members of society.

Mormonism served a few purposes for me.
1) It showed me the kind of person I did not want to become.
2) It led me to RfM -> you guys!

The personal aspect for those born of Mormons is of course important to them. But on a world basis, the world without Mormons would be no different from what it is today. On a world basis Mormonism is a negligible local American religion. Outside of some minor parts of North America Mormonism doesn't mean anything at all.

Are you from outside of north America? What parts do you believe Mormonism has less influence? You can't say it has none, because isn't there a temple built in just about every country on every continent now? Or are their some Asian countries that simply won't allow it?

I'm from outside North America. Here in the UK we now have two Mormon temples, but believe me, the influence of mormonism is minimal. The presence of a large, ugly building doesn't bestow influence, most Brits think of mormonism as a small time American cult. In which they are right.

hmmmm. kinda makes me want to visit England, even though I don't care much for british dry humor and sarcasm. I'm sure there's plenty of nice people in England, but it's people like Simon Cowell and Peirce Morgan that make that culture look very Pompous and Arrogant.

Most Brits find Simon Cowell and Piers Morgan obnoxious too. Thanks for taking them off our hands. Another reason to visit the UK, those two aren't here!

Tell you what, if you promise not to judge the British by Cowell and Morgan, I won't think all Americans are like, I don't know....Sarah Palin and Tom Cruise. Deal?

Yes, from outside North America. They build temples, but nobody but themselves cares about that. Nobody cares about Mormons, and Mormons never appear in news etc. They are an insignificant group on the outskirts of Christianity.

That's actually quite refreshing to hear.

That's a given for some folks, which is what inspired me to ask my next question after I posted this topic. I guess the thought never really crossed my mind about how many out there must have come from polygamous background. It just wasn't ever a part of my life and i never really had to think about how something like that could shape someone's very existence one way or another.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/24/2011 07:53AM by experienceheals.

I'm sure their lttle stay in Utah would have been more pleasurable.

Timothy

No wicca. And please don't listen to any little "my great great grandmother had a Book of Shadows" special dark snowflakes who might tell you otherwise.

Wicca was founded in the first half of the 20th century, based loosely on older practices Gerald Gardener claimed to have had told to him.

If there was no mormonism, then Utah would have been settled more like Oregon and California, and it would be a super cool summer and winter playground.

I'd probably live there now. I love the climate, and geography of Utah, don't like the culture.

Mormonism ruined one of the best scenic areas of the country.

I was just thinking about this the other day. I've no idea where I would be, because all of my friends, from the time I was a teenager, were Mormon.

I think I still wouldn't be a smoker or a drinker, because my reasons for not wanting to partake of those things came from watching members of my family die from them.

When I was a teen, I had very high morals. When I first heard the story of the First Vision, I thought it was crazy. But I think I joined because I just fit in. I'd found a group of kids who were very much like me. Not to cause anyone to gag or anything, but at the time, it was as though I was born to be Mormon.

The problems came later, when I realized that I was much more Liberal in my thinking than they were and that caused some clashes.

I had started out Catholic, then gone to the Anglican Church as a child with my Dad, and then I'd tried the Baptist Church, but that hadn't worked out for me either. So I suspect I would have given up on churches at that point.

Somehow I don't think my life would be a whole lot different than it is now. I still probably never would have married. I still have one friend who joined the Church at the same time I did, and we're both out of the Church now. So that probably wouldn't have changed. But we would have met a different set of friends.

Other than that, I think I would be pretty much the same person I am now.

Edited to add a comment about what people from the UK said about the Church's influence in their part of the World. The Church is almost unknown in my part of Canada. For several years after I was baptized, if I said I was a Mormon, people would reply, "You're a what? What's that?" With the multi-culturalism in the Toronto area, many people here still have no clue what a Mormon is.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/30/2011 12:48PM by Greyfort.

14 year old girls would be safe.

There would be no need to hide many of the acts and words of Joseph Smith, and Brigham Young.