Question:
Daily beliefs of the Mormon religion?
Megan C
2009-03-19 12:10:28 UTC
On a daily basis what are followers of the Mormon religion allowed to do and not to do. i was told that they cant drink mountain dew or allowed to watch movies with the rating higher than PG and other silly things like that. Can someone please clarify things for me.
Seventeen answers:
Isolde
2009-03-19 12:15:05 UTC
These are exaggerations. We refrain from harmful things like tobacco, alcohol, coffee and tea. We are discouraged from watching R rated movies, but the choice is left to the individual. Being freed of addictive substances is hardly silly.
venus_smrf
2009-03-19 23:53:17 UTC
We pretty much do what everyone else does, at least for the most part. We go to movies and school and (unfortunately) work, and we spend time with our family and friends.



Still, are there differences? A few, yes. We wear what everyone else does, though we do believe in dressing modestly and tend not to buy clothing that flashes too much cleavage or bares the midriff. We also don't watch R-rated movies or movies that have excessive amounts of sex or crude language (PG-13 is fine in most cases, though it's up to the individual to decide which movies with that rating, if any, should be avoided). We also don't drink alcohol, use illegal drugs or engage in premarital or extramarital sex.



We have a few minor dietary restrictions--again, we avoid alcohol and drugs, but we have also been asked to avoid tobacco products, coffee, and tea, and to consume everything else in moderation (I personally find Mountain Dew to be revolting, but it's certainly not part of this list. My sister drinks it constantly).



Every single one of these items have been acknowledged as harmful by health experts the world over, but it's hardly some great sacrifice to avoid things that have been known to cause physical and emotional harm. We're healthier and happier and are free to make more choices than those who struggle with the effects of addiction or disease. Does that seem silly to you? Perhaps it does, but I'm grateful for a loving God who cares enough about me to warn me of things that can damage me.
2009-03-19 12:47:40 UTC
Sounds like some misconceptions... what a shocker!



ON a daily basis - we should be caring, loving, do any service we can, be honest, etc. We aren't supposed to drink alcohol, coffee or tea. Mt. Dew, or drinks with caffeine - there is really no doctrine saying we can't have those things, just a lot of Mormons don't because of the addictive nature of caffeine. We are counseled not to watch any R rated movies or even some PG-13 movies - depening on content.



Obviously, we are supposed to be as Christ-like as we can on a daily basis, read our scriptures, pray, etc.
Zach G
2009-03-19 12:27:34 UTC
Well I would love to answer your question. I myself am a Mormon. There is nothing that says that we can not drink Mountain Dew. We do have something that is called the Word of Wisdom, but that deals with things like Alcohal, Drugs, coffee, and black tea. There is nothing that says that we cannot watch movies with the rating higher than PG. We have received council from our Prophet today that we should not watch movies that are crude and extremly violent. So us as members try and be careful about watching movies that are like this. We still have our freedom of choice, that was given to us by God, and so it is up to each and every member to make that choice. On a day to day basis we are just like any other person. We have jobs, families and a normal life just like you. If you would like you can go to the websites that are below, and talk with a missionary from our church and he can answer your questions via chat. So feel free to ask questions.
♥ smile ♥
2009-03-19 19:14:59 UTC
I don't do drugs or drink alchohol or anything like that. I like Mountain Dew though. lol. Some people don't like to drink it because it has a lot of caffiene, along with some other sodas, and caffiene is actually a drug because it affects you negatively and it's addictive.

I don't like watching movies with a rating higher than PG13. I'm 14, and even some PG13 stuff I'd rather stay away from. I hate cussing, and I'd rather not watch two people who are like all over eachother to the point that it's just desgusting. I don't like when people take the Lord's name in vain, or say inapropriate things. I don't really feel that any of that is unreasonable to dislike, and a lot of people feel the same about them. So that's why we kind of tend to go for the movies with less... worldly content.
rac
2009-03-19 13:15:53 UTC
We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous and in doing good to all men. Indeed we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul. We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.

That is the 13th Article of Faith. If we use that as our standard to guide us through our daily lives, then we can seek after those things that benefit and bless our lives and shun those things that would harm us or detract from our eternal goal. Thus, any substance that would be harmful to our bodies is to be avoided. Likewise, anything that would be harmful to our spirits is also to be avoided. We stay away from entertainment that is not praiseworthy, virtuous or of good report. Most R and PG-13 stuff falls into that category. There are some meritorious films that are rated R for graphic depictions that I think are highly worthwhile but they have to be very carefully selected. I felt that Schindler's List, Amestad, Saving Private Ryan and Elizabeth, to name a few, were very good movies, despite their rating.

However, I favor musicals that are rated G and PG, like Sound of Music, Oklahoma, Fiddler on the Roof, etc. are more valuable.
jujukitty
2009-03-22 18:32:09 UTC
Here's how I just answered the same question this week:



Mormons can't:



Have non-marital sex

masturbate

drink alcohol, coffee or tea (though they will drink caffeinated sodas)

swear

watch R-rated movies

smoke or use any form of tobacco

use illegal drugs

wear two-piece swimsuits, short shorts, short skirts, or anything that shows a lot of skin

get tattoos

have more than one piercing in their ears or have any other piercings (that's women--men can't even have one ear piercing)

openly criticize church leaders or doctrine
2009-03-19 12:16:09 UTC
It depends on what kind of Mormon the person is. I know a lot of Mormons, since I live in a...Mormon-y town. Most of them are allowed to do basically what normal kids do nowadays. But I know a girl that's 15, and she's not allowed to watch anything over PG. Once, I asked her if she'd ever watched Juno, and she said no. I told her it was a cute story about this girl that got pregnant, and she quickly told me that she doesn't watch movies featuring pregnant girls.



The next day she gave me a Book of Mormon or something and invited me to her church. >.<



Anyway, the point is, there are varying degrees. I also know a Mormon boy that would be more than willing to post a picture of his penis on the internet if I asked him to. He offered. Sorry, I'm getting off topic. Anyway...most Mormons aren't psycho zealots. But there are exceptions, just like with just about every other religious group.
Caveman
2009-03-19 13:55:47 UTC
Yours is an interesting question. We are "allowed" to do whatever we want, but we are given counsel by our church leaders and the scriptures that guide us in what we should and should not do in our daily walk.



Yes, as noted above by others, we do have a revelation from God that is known as the Word of Wisdom (http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/89), which gives excellent information concerning what people should and should not consume. We believe that we should not take anything into our bodies that is harmful to them, which concept is confirmed by the Apostle Paul:



1Corinthians 3

16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.



As for what we do on a daily basis, I'll bet that we are quite diversified in our daily schedules, much the same as any other group of humans. We are employees, employers, homemakers, retirees, teachers, students, etc. You may find it interesting to know that we even eat, breathe, brush our teeth, use computers, go camping, go fishing, sleep, etc.
?
2009-03-19 13:46:20 UTC
You've had some great replies to your question. Isolde's short comment was succinct and informative. The comments left by Pinkadot and Rac were also well defined. The reply given by Tonya of Texas, in my view, says what must be said. Freedom to choose through the God-given gift of agency. I suggest that you read her reply again.



As for John C's reply--I had difficulty, and developed a headache, over his youthful vernacular and difficulty in expressing himself.



I, as a Latter-day Saint and a stake high councilor, choose to avoid all drinks having caffeine and tannic acid in them. I will drink an occasional carbonated beverage, such as a root beer and that does not bother me. Yet my downfall is hot chocolate in the winter months, knowing there are traces of caffeine in the drink. I'm not going to hell for drinking such because there is no prohibition in doing so. Common horsesense must prevail with free agency.



I truly try to avoid television shows featuring excess amounts of violence, especially with crude language and over-abundance of sexual scenes. I don't need to retain the vision of a nubile, naked woman in my thoughts when I must be prepared to do Church work. We men have trouble enough keeping our minds clear and clean and I certainly don't want to keep my thoughts tarnished and inappropriate.



Read Section 89 in the Doctrine and Covenants for a better understanding to your question.
Tonya in TX - Duck
2009-03-19 12:43:02 UTC
I suppose it really depends on the Mormon, just as with any other Christian.



There are varying opinions about caffiene in the form of soft drinks and other caffienated beverages that are not coffee and tea (specifically soft drinks and energy drinks). Some believe that ANY carbonated beverage should not be drunk. Some believe that any CAFFIENATED carbonated beverage should not be drunk. Others feel that any beverage is fine other than any form of alcohol, coffee and tea. While it's true that in a 60 minutes interview, then President of the Church Gordon B. Hinckley basically answered that we do not drink caffiene, some see that as a personal opinion since he was not "behind the pulpit" so to speak, while others see him making an official statement because he was speaking and being interviewed as President of the Church, not as Gordon Hinckley. Some even have personal opinions that diet or caffiene free sodas are fine, but the more caffiene a soda has the worse it is for you.



Movie ratings: We have been counseled to not watch rated R movies. This counsel, I believe, was given prior to the creation of a PG-13 rating. So, some will watch PG-13, some will not. I personally am very leary of PG-13 rated movies as most of them these days are just a hairs breath away from an R rating. But that isn't to say that I don't watch some PG-13 movies. But I do prefer to stick to the PG and G movies. My opion is that any really good movie is just as good without all the cussing, and sex, and about 85% of the violence. It's a personal preference.



Generally speaking a list of Do's and Don't's related to health issues can be found here, http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/89 although the list is not all inclusive, in the recent past it has been said that many of the things of our modern day were not created when the Word of Wisdom (as it has become known) was revealed, so the general course of action is to be aware of what you eat and what is harmful to you and what can be acceptable by using some common sense and moderation in all things.



Also, generally speaking, we don't cuss, or wear overly revealing clothing. We do pray (probably several times a day individually as well as with our families) to our Heavenly Father (aka God, the Father) in the name of Jesus Christ. We strive to be honest in our dealings with our fellow man. We are very family oriented, prefering to do things with family if a choice is required (many times, but not ALL the time). We are friendly with our neighbors, co-workers, fellow students, and society in general. While missionary work is on our minds (some more than others) we do think about things other than missionary work, and we do not become friends with someone JUST in an effort to convert them.



I guess you could also say in all honesty that we strive to do right, and sometimes that means that we don't do some of the things that modern society has deemed acceptable. We have our values, our morals, our standards and we strive daily to live by those things.



And please, don't misunderstand. We all (those in and out of the church) have our free will to do or not do as we choose. The prophets have given us guidlines and principles over time which have been given to us, we believe, by God, for our benefit when we see fit to live them. For all of us, there are things we struggle with in our day to day living which contradicts what we have been told and given to do. But that's not a Mormon thing, that a human race thing. We all know what to do in a given situation, but sometimes we just don't do it. That's what makes us human. For example, we all know that eating fried foods is not the healthiest thing in the world, but many of us (especially in the US) still eat it.
Betcha can't even Moaneek.
2009-03-19 12:16:10 UTC
Some hardcore Mormons don't drink ANY caffeine and others that are active just drink soda and that's it,no tea or coffeee.



As for the movies,they can watch whatever they want,whatever makes them feel comfortable.If it has a lot of nudity and violence or cussing then they refrain from it.
2009-03-19 12:23:12 UTC
I love the myths people create about the Mormon church We chose not to drink, Drinks containing caffeine, Tannic acid also the use of nicotine is not condoned. hey guess What all these things are unhealthy for you as well. As for rating we chose not to watch any thing that the whole family cannot watch but there is no rule layed down about it. As for magic under wear guess what we don't have to wear that either unless we chose. but the main item to remember is we have the choice to do as we see fit. I think this is one of the basic constitutional rights. that people seem to think we should not have.
ElCuervo
2009-03-19 12:16:30 UTC
Mormons are asked to refrain from any addictive substances, like caffeine. It is not a determining factor in your status as a church member though.



Mormons are also counseled to avoid any 'inappropriate' material in movies and/or music. They are taught to avoid 'R' rated movies. Again, if a mormon does watch these movies, it will not effect their church membership, and they will not get in trouble with the Mormon church.
Ender
2009-03-20 14:02:41 UTC
To be 100% in good standing you shouldn't:



watch erotic material

use coffee, tea, tobacco, alcohol, abuse drugs, or smoke

no sexual activity before marriage, faithful to partner after



Those are things that can limit your participation in religious activities.



---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Here are a few others that are discouraged, but are left up to the individual to decide what they do or do not do. There are no "consequences" for doing these things.



Dating before you're 16

watching R Rated movies (or worse)

making purchases on Sundays

participating in rowdy (for lack of a better word) activities on Sundays (sports, skiing, etc)

dress immodestly (short skirts, tank tops, low cut blouses), bikini's



---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



As for caffeine, there's nothing that says we shouldn't consume it. However, we're encouraged to practice "moderation in all things." Some choose not to drink it, however, that's their personal choice.



Hope that helps.
Xplore
2009-03-19 12:15:17 UTC
i think they live a strict life, to limit the damage that bad things do to us

what's wrong with that
2009-03-19 12:13:16 UTC
im not sure about all that but i know they have to wear special underwear and the women have to wear special bras too, made by the church or sumthin.. there weird.


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