Why Mormons aren't liked in the South

[Aerows]

A very prominent reason is because of the Mountain Meadows Massacre. It gives you insight into how the religion works. I'm not saying that any other religion isn't bad, but I'm saying that Mormonism doesn't have unstained hands.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Meadows_massacre

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baker%E2%80%93Fancher_party

[rsmith6621]

1. Just Remember Donne Pass.

..... Im sure their god told them to eat each other.

[Aerows]

2. That was a disaster

This was entirely avoidable. Completely different situation.

[Raine]

11. Donner Pass and what happened there didn't have anything

to with being Mormon. It had to do with greenhorns not paying attention to the time of year, having too much stuff with them along with other problems that caused delays trapping them there in winter.

[Buns_of_Fire]

13. Listening to Lansford Hastings and Jim Bridger didn't help much, either.

Either way, Mormanism had nothing to do with the Donner Party tragedy.

[grantcart]

18. The push cart disaster was orderdered by Brigham Young and carried out under his execution.

It involved in deceiving poor ignorant European migrants with a promise of free land and gave them a tortured impossible trip with no way back in return.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormon_handcart_pioneers#Disaster_and_rescue

With leaders all the way up to Brigham Young, there was mismanagement

My great grandparents survived the Martin Company disaster.

[GObamaGO]

29. THIS!

[demosincebirth]

16. Donner Party wasn't Mormons. Anyone ever see the movie September Dawn?

[bettydavis]

3. why the hell don't they talk about Mormon racism more...

I'm sorry this is crap. Romney was 31 when they FINALLY intergrated. If ANY other white candidate for president was involved in a segregated organization until the age of 31 they'd be ineligible. He won't even say "it was wrong" it's his usual double speak. why did Tim have to die. He would've cloed this freak show down ages ago. our number 1 political problem is a failure of journalism.

[LeftyMom]

4. He spent 30 months as a missionary when the church was still explicitly racist.

I do think that needs explaining.

[Aerows]

6. It does

And I'm tired of being shy of discussing this aspect of his religion. It's necessary to discuss this.

[coalition_unwilling]

22. He supported a racist war (Vietnam) as long as it was just poor white trash,

n***ers, and sp**s fighting it.

I think that needs some explaining too.

[Skip Intro]

30. Hadn't heard of that. Do you have a link you can share?

thanks

[coalition_unwilling]

32. There's a photo that I've seen in numerous threads on DU of

Romney protesting at Stanford U. against anti-war protesters. IOW, Romney was protesting in favor of the war. But, like Cheney, Romney had 'other priorities' when it came to actually fighting it. Long and short, Romney was all for the war provided it was poor white trash, n***ers and s***s doing the fighting. Just not him or anyone from his socioeconomic class.

Well, I will look for links but before I find one, I'm sure someone else will have supplied one or more.

[Aerows]

5. I don't know why they won't discuss it

It's like it is taboo to discuss that this guy is a member of a religion renown for a massacre, and for strident racism up until 1978. It's like everyone has gone brain dead of the history of the Mormon religion, and shies away from discussing it because it isn't "politically correct". This man is a member of a religion that shat on blacks, killed people in wagon trains, and still believes in polygamy.

Sorry, I'm going to criticize Mitt on this, and his Mormonism needs to be brought front and center. They did it to President Obama, and we need to do it to this hooligan. Who chopped off the hair of another human being because it didn't mesh with his religious standards.

[cynatnite]

14. I've met mormons that are so racist that it would give you chills...it's that scary...

One guy proudly said that " n****** are worthless spear chuckers who were cursed by god". I called him a fuckin' racist to his face. He did not care one way or the other.

They believe this shit is in the bible and take it to heart. It's rampant in the mormon church. Anyone who says it's not either does not know what they're talking about or are liars.

I've seen racism, but this was a startling experience.

[Skittles]

38. sanctimonious chickenhawk

what an asshole

[ProgressiveProfessor]

7. Most southerners have never heard of it IME

[Aerows]

21. The Hell they haven't

Hi, I'm a southerner. We aren't all ignorant of facts.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

28. You seem to be much better informed on many issues that your typical Southerner or Northerner

for that matter.

[txoctodem]

8. Mtn Meadows

I will not vote for Romney, but it is not because of his religion. The Mtn Meadows massacre was horrible -- the persecution (and massacre) of Mormons before they fled to UT was also inexcusable. Any off us who adhere to any religion or denomination can point to actions in the past and in the present by persons who claim to be acting in the name of their God. We can deplore the actions, but that does not change our affiliation with the faith we hold.

As for the race question -- how many southerners (and others) in the past justified slavery, or womens' equal rights by quoting from the Bible? It would be better if Romney would more publicly disavow his/their past beliefs on this question -- as his church leadership has.

Let's stick to policies, character and abilities as we choose a POTUS! And I firmly believe our candidate is the hands down winner in all categories!

[pennylane100]

15. We could do that and then lose the election.

Or we could do whatever it takes to win. The future of our democracy is coming under fire and that seems like a very bad time to show the repugs how upstanding and honorable we are. They will be laughing all the way to the White House, the congress and the courts. Knowing that we played by the rules will not bring much comfort.

[Aerows]

23. Hi

You are new here. Defending Mormonism much? Let's talk facts. I don't like Mitt Romney. I'm not going to hold back on a shred of ammunition against him, his religion included. Mormons weren't "persecuted", and the fact that they killed about 120 people should give you pause.

[HiPointDem]

33. the poster wasn't defending mormonism, he was saying that every organized religion & group

of people has similar things in their history.

120 people is actually a pretty minor massacre. plenty worse in us history; some connected to religion.

point is, romney wasn't at the mormon massacre, & i doubt it's a winning issue for the dems. actually, i think it would generate sympathy among the partisans for the unfair attack.

people excuse the extermination of entire indian tribes, slavery, and large massacres of people overseas on the grounds that "that was then".

i bet i could connect an obama ancestor or two with something similar. what's the problem with attacking romney on his policies or record, or even on his current religious practice?

[renate]

35. you make a good point!

Holding a person responsible for his or her forbears' behavior isn't something that would let very many of us off the hook.

Welcome to DU!

[n2doc]

9. They like democrats, especially black ones, even less

'they' referring to the t-bagger types and the fundies. Not the minority of sane, good people down south.

[Aerows]

24. I'm one of the sane ones

I know other sane ones, too, and we do love our President .

[Lars39]

10. Not sure any of the Southern Baptists I know have even heard of that.

They will vote for Romney over Obama simply because their preachers will tell them that Romney's views on X, Y and Z agree with what Southern Baptist believe. Throw in a personal racism against black people, and many will vote for Romney without even once considering Romney's religion.

[Aerows]

26. Doubtful

Some will, but many won't. It's viewed as a cult, and don't underestimate that viewpoint.

[RebelOne]

12. No Mormons that I know of here in North Georgia.

But there are plenty of Southern Baptists that come knocking at the door on Saturday.

[Tsiyu]

17. I always thought it was because many Southerners live, eat and breathe

a literal translation of the book of Revelation.

Specific to Mormons, one tenet of Revelation is that one is not to add to, nor take from, the "Word" (many fundamentalists have a relationship with the "Word" that is more cultish and legalistic than in other faiths.)

Since Mormons added their own bits, Revelation-Worshippers believe Mormons are accursed and evil and defying God.

That's the way I always heard the argument against them, but then we have a Mormon community with their own place of worship up here in Appalachia and they appear to fit in with all the other faiths and lacks of faith be-bopping around up here.

[backwoodsbob]

19. oh fucking please

I live in the south and this is the first time I ever heard of this.

This is likely the LEAST likely reason people from the south dislike Mittons

[Honeycombe8]

20. I don't know much about Mormons. I grew up in the south. I know about the incident.

But I know about it because I watch a lot of documentaries and PBS. I'd guess most people have never heard about it.

I think Mormons aren't liked in t he south primarily because of the strong Bible Belt thing...strong Babtists and such. They regard Mormonism as a cult. Mormons aren't liked in the north, either, though, just not disliked as much, I guess, as in the south.

[Aerows]

25. That's part of it

They are viewed as a cult. I wanted to bring up the slaughter incident, though, because it gives insight to their religion.

[Art_from_Ark]

27. One of my history teachers in Arkansas spent a week talking about Mountain Meadows

Last edited Mon May 28, 2012, 11:52 PM - Edit history (1)

This would have been early '70s. I don't know if he held any particular grudge against modern Mormons, but he certainly didn't hesitate to get a jab or two in against the early Mormons. He took special delight in showing us a contemporary cartoon of either Joseph Smith or Bringham Young in bed with a dozen rather unpleasant-looking women.

[Skip Intro]

31. Southern my entire life, never heard of this.

Not in school, at home, among friends, on local media, etc.

I'm sure many Southerners (along with many from other regions of the US) don't like the Mormon faith, as many do not like the Catholic faith, or any other faith that differs much from their own.

Seems a bit of a broad-brush to paint an entire region with a particular opinion or mindset.

[HiPointDem]

34. I bet at least 3 out of 4 southerners don't even know what that was. same with northerners.

i doubt southerners "don't like romney" because of something that happened in 1857.

seems pretty ridiculous to me, akin to saying voters "don't like kerry" because some of his ancestors dealt in opium, turning a large percent of chinese into addicts.

or "don't like bush" because one of his ancestors had a hand in helping wipe out most of the indians in new england.

or people "don't like obama" because some of his ancestors had lots of slaves.

http://duvallgenealogy.blogspot.com/2010/03/inventory-of-personal-estate-of-mareen.html

The reasons for the tendency of some protestants to see mormonism as iffy & non-christian are quite different, i think. rooted in history, but often operating today as simple prejudice passed on through the usual channels.

[stranger81]

36. Missouri, another state south of the Mason-Dixon, also

Has a nasty history with Mormons:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormon_War_(1838)

[lynne]

37. Where in the south? I'm southern, have never heard of this -

- and I do historical research and genealogy as a hobby.

Maybe "in the south" was too broad a geographic area for your statement. The east-coast southerner has no reason to know about what occurred in Utah in 1857.