Unplugging from the Mormon Culture

Mormon Times ^ | June 11, 2010 | McKay Coppins

[Colofornian]

Growing up in Massachusetts, I used to see the BYU Bookstore as the epicenter of Mormon culture — and in a lot of ways, I guess I was right. Whenever I was in Utah...I would make it a point to stop by the bookstore and stroll down the aisles, filled with titles I couldn't believe existed: "Mormon Mythellaneous," "How to Stay Chaste While Being Chased" and "Book of Mormon Sleuth."

I overheard college students casually inserting words like "calling" and "RM" into their conversations. I watched them buy LDS-theme neckties and personalized CTR rings and scriptures with their names emblazoned on the front — done in less than an hour — and I did so with wonderment and the slightest bit of envy.

Don't get me wrong; I loved my trilingual ward in Massachusetts...But I often wondered what it was like to be so plugged in to Mormon culture.

Then I went to BYU.

As much as I pretended to be a hip outsider to the Provo scene...by the end of my first term at the Y., I had fully embraced Zoobie-dom. I learned that Mormon culture, specifically Utah Mormon culture, and especially BYU Utah Mormon culture, had its pros and cons...I never anticipated how quickly I'd lose touch with the cultural trends once I left "the bubble."

I first noticed how "unplugged" I was last week when I sat down to write my column. In the past, ideas were never in short supply. In a typical week at BYU, I had enough stimulating LDS-theme conversations to write 10 columns. In New York...Utah Mormon culture is all but nonexistent.

And while it might make writing a Mormon Times column more challenging, I think it's for the best.

I'm not saying Mormon culture is all bad

[Colofornian]

From the column: ...by the end of my first term at the Y., I had fully embraced Zoobie-dom. I learned that Mormon culture, specifically Utah Mormon culture, and especially BYU Utah Mormon culture, had its pros and cons...

"Zoobie-dom"???...Maybe Coppins meant a reference to this World Premiere at the Seattle True Independent Film Festival.yesterday: The Book of Zombie

[Tennessee Nana]

Zombies ???

yeah that would be one way of describing a cult like mormonism..

[iowamark]

RM = “returned missionary,” i.e. ready to marry.

[Utah Binger]

Don’t ask. Don’t tell.

[Alex Murphy]

"Mormons focus on accessible, social aspects of their religion. Although the Mormon system of doctrine is genuinely attractive to many of its members, many have argued that the primary "glue" of Mormonism is the heritage, culture, and family ties, not the doctrine and theology. In other words, the typical allegiance to the Mormon organization primarily stems from something other than doctrinal concerns. The average Mormon sitting in a pew does not care how or why their religion works, they only care that it works for them."
-- from the thread Atheoligical Tendency ~Open~

"It's not easy to learn a new culture, doctrine and terminology — just ask new converts to the LDS Church — one of whom was disappointed to learn that the fireside she'd been eagerly looking forward was not a bonfire. Or the one who showed up in tears at the office of Marleen Williams convinced that no Mormon man would want to marry her because she couldn't operate a hot glue gun....According to the study, members of the church can help new converts by being more open and by giving love and acceptance to them, especially as they struggle to learn LDS jargon and learn the difference between culture and doctrine."
-- from the thread LDS conversion is a process, study indicates

[RonF]

Mormon women have occasion to use a hot glue gun a lot?

[Colofornian]

Zombies ??? yeah that would be one way of describing a cult like mormonism..

Hit the time machine re-wind button. Kirtland, Ohio. It's June 4, 1833. We visit Joseph Smith, Jr. where he's writing out Doctrines & Covenants 97:6: And again, verily I say unto you, it is wisdom and expedient in me, that my servant Zombre [John Johnson] whose offerings I have accepted...

(Ya gotta understand Joseph was going thru a phase where he was naming people these other-worldly names like Ahashdah and Shederlaomach and Mahalaleel and Pelagoram and Gazelam and Shalemanasseh and Mahemson and the like).

All I can say is if you put "Zombre" [zombie] characters in with polygamy pods, that might begin to explain this whole bizarre scenario. (And then you've got grounds for a new creepy cult flick -- kind of a combo between INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS and NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD).

I actually wrote this (above) in mid-September last year...and here we have the delivered creepy cult flick delivered...as mentioned in post #1.

Zombre, eh? (Some demon was having the "last laugh" on Joe when he "revelated" that one to him)

[Salvation]

**Unplugging from the Mormon Culture**

God bless these people!