moosh in indy.

I saw this post over at BlogHer. It’s about Mormons, and hello, I am one. So is the author of the Vampire “Twilight” series. Everyone over their shock? Okay, good.

This whole mess is exactly what I’m trying to clarify with my posts on religion. I don’t ask you to agree with me on my choice of religion. However, I do ask that whenever you decide to talk about my religion or make fun of it (srlsy) you get your darn facts straight. Make fun of me all you want as long as it’s the truth! But when someone only chooses to remember what he or she wants to remember or listen to what he or she wants to listen to about my religion things get messy. It’s fun to twist facts, it’s fun to recite stereotypes or urban legends. I know! Because I’ve done it! But this is how ignorance is born. You could find so much BS about my choice of religion out there on the internet and from people who feel they have been spurned you’d think we’re a bunch of hard core crazies (okay, some of us are hard core crazies) But in reality? We’re just a bunch of people trying to make it along in this world like everyone else.

My comment on the BlogHer site says this:

I’m sorry. But as a Mormon and as someone who has read the books there is no underlying racism because of her (our) religion. Or racism period. Meh.

Pardon me for not sounding coherent but if Ms. Valdes-Rodriguez had really done her research she would have learned that the Lamanites (the dark skinned ones) came out ahead and the Nephites (the light skinned ones) became violent and the problem people. Also, her sources for her quote from President Brigham Young was not from a reliable source. It was from an anti-Mormon source.

I’ll bet you I could find some post or wiki or video somehwere that says that we (Mormons) kill puppies naked in our temples (which we don’t, but it sounds a lot more excting right?) Not only was her commentary full of mistakes from the books, her reasearch into a horribly misunderstood religion was even worse.

There is or was racism and sexism in almost every religion at some point in time. Just because Mormons are easier to point fingers at doesn’t mean she should. What if Ms. Meyer was Jewish? Would people get after her about the unkosher diet of a Vampire?

My comment on Ms. Valdes-Rodriguez’s site said this: (she has enabled comment moderation and I don’t know if she’ll accept my comment or not)

I would also ask you kindly to look into other religions and other acts of Genocide and notice that it’s rampant in all religions and cultures. Not just the one you are choosing to examine and pick apart. Not that that makes it right, but it doesn’t unfairly point a finger at any one religion.
If you look into a religion only choosing to see what you want to see, of course the outcome is going to be what you originally wanted it to be in the first place.
Maybe you will notice the plea that is also in the front of the Book of Mormon that asks the reader to ponder it prayerfully.
Not spitefully.
I could be offended and find fault by a children’s book if that’s the attitude I took into reading it.

Phew. I’ll get off my soapbox now. It’s a teenage FICTION novel. Does it really matter what church the author chooses to go to every Sunday? Really? REALLY?

Meh.

PMS.

Late night.

xoxo if you’re still here in the morning.

I don’t drink. Used to. Don’t anymore. In my choice of religion we are commanded to follow the Word of Wisdom. The word of wisdom basically breaks down to “eat stuff that’s good for you, avoid the stuff that’s bad for you.” Included in the list of things which are good for you are fruits, vegetables, whole grains and meat (in moderation). Duh. The things that fall under the “bad” category are alcohol, tobacco, coffee and tea.

(By the way, to any new readers, HI! I’m a Mormon. If you hate Mormons, kindly keep your mean emails and comments to yourself and just click away, hit unsubscribe and forget that 12,000,000 of us share the same planet as you. kthxbai)

So there you go. I don’t drink. That isn’t to say that I never drank, because WHOO did I drink. And you know what? It really isn’t for me. With my depression and inability to control myself as a hot drunken mess it’s really just better that I don’t. So even if it weren’t for the religious direction not to drink, I still wouldn’t drink. Same with cigarettes, tried one once, gagged and vomited in my mouth a little. Plus I spend a lot of money to smell good, why waste all that effort? As for the coffee and tea? I’ve had one sip of coffee in my entire life. Totally not for me. Icky. Tea? I broke down and tried some “magical” ginger tea whilst I was pregnat. Let’s just say that vomiting up ginger tea solidified my passionate hatred for all things ginger.

So that brings us to BlogHer, where the liquor and coffee flow pretty freely. I won’t be drinking any of it. However, I’ll probably be keeping a Shirley Temple and hot chocolate count somewhere in my sidebar. I personally am a lot more fun sober. Although when you see me dance, you may wonder if I didn’t take a little nip when no one was looking.

Are you worried I’ll be talking to you all the while silently judging you and condemning you to hell for that gin and tonic in your hands?

Depends. Are you going to be accosting me insisting that I shove liquor down my throat, calling me a big holier than thou sissypants sissy for not drinking?

No? Didn’t think so. Just as I know you will respect my reasons for not drinking, I wholly respect your decision to drink. You’re a big girl, you can handle yourself. So assuming Shirley Temples are free, I’ll have a few drink tickets up for grabs.

See you in 19 days ladies.

That whole hot mess in Texas? Completely different religion than mine. I’d like to tell you the whole history of the FLDS church but I’m not sure where to go for reliable information. I do know that my church put out a press release explaining the difference and I’d encourage you to read it since I could never explain it so eloquently without sheer plagiarism.

This is where I lose some readers after scathing emails about the horrible church that I belong to. (It happens every time I post about religion.) And that’s just fine. You’re all entitled to your own opinion. But I’d appreciate it if you’d keep your mean comments to yourself, save yourself the time spent writing the email and just hit “unsubscribe”. Thanks.

Anyway, the temple they keep showing in Texas and the temples that members of our church attend are completely different. While I won’t go into the sacred details of my temple worship I will tell you that there is no cyanide, no “wedding beds” and modesty is honored. The following quote is from lds.org:

“When individuals go to the temple, they should wear their best clothing, as they do when they attend church. When they are inside the temple, they exchange their clothing for the white clothing of the temple. This change of clothing takes place in a dressing room, where each person uses a locker and a private dressing space. In the temple, modesty is carefully maintained.

As individuals put their clothing in the locker, they can leave all their worldly distractions behind. Dressed in white, they can feel a oneness and a sense of equality with others in the temple, for everyone around them is similarly dressed.”

To explain it as easily as possible, nothing happens inside our temples that would offend even the most sensitive of elderly grandma. And truth be told I am sickened about the goings on in Texas.

Just as there are less than savory members of my church I’m sure there are some magnificent people who belong to the FLDS church. I’m willing to give them the benefit of the doubt just as I ask you to give me the benefit of the doubt that I am a good person trying to do good in this world, regardless of if you agree with my beliefs or not.

So there you go, your friendly neighborhood Mormon standing up for herself. Now be nice. And go enjoy the sunshine.