Oh my heck, I'm from Utah!

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Though I'm living in Texas right now, I grew up in Utah, USA. Normally a "Hey! Guess where I"M from!" thread wouldn't be even slightly interesting, but I've noticed to my amazement that there are at least 3 members of SP here that I've seen that are from Utah! It's one thing to have several from the same country, but not the same state. That's pretty cool. Kitrax, outputrotation, and some others... I just thought it was cool to see so many members here that were from the good ol' beehive, considering the diversity here at SP.

Of all the states in the US, few are as notorious as Utah. Since Utah is such a notoriously strange, unique and beautiful place, I thought it would be interesting to start a thread on it. Everything from the glory of nature (Moab, the Rocky Mountains, kick-ass snowboarding) to them wacky Mormons, of which I was once among their number, Utah is nothing if not interesting. It's kind of a place totally unto itself.

I find the whole stigma of Utah itself to be very intrigueing. I've lived in Texas for 3 years now, and there hasn't been one person...NOT ONE...whom I've introduced myself to and said I was from Utah who didn't immediately go, "Oh, so are like, a mormon?" Every time. Now I don't know about you, but the way I was raised it was considered rude to directly ask someone, especially a virtual stranger, what religion they were. I guess this doesn't apply to Mormons. Then there is the endless barage of stereotypes and odd notions, like "What's up with the green jello? or "Do mormons have like 12 wives?" or "They're not even Christians!" which is my personal favorite, considering that the church's actual name is 'The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.' Does everyone think we're one giant in-breeding cult or what? I wish a lot of the wierd things people hear about Utah were all complete rubbish, but sadly most, if not all, are based on at least some fact, and some are just plain true.

I'm sure some of you have heard or even believe something to this effect, so I'm sure this will get interesting.

ps - The tone of this post's title was intentional. No one in Utah is 'allowed' to swear, so every curse word has it's own popularly accepted substitute. As in, 'Go to Heck!', 'You're an A-hole,' 'That's a gosh-darn shame,' or the ever impacting 'You mother-fotcher!'

God, I wish I was making this stuff up.

[ April 28, 2003, 20:36: Message edited by: Death Rabbit ]

 

When I say I left, I mean I don't practice anymore. I'm not an atheist, I just don't buy what the church is selling, that's all. You're right - it is rare. Most mormons are very happy in their little mormon world, I just wasn't one of them. There have been quite a few incidents in my life envolving the church that have left a very bad taste in my mouth, and I don't really want anything to do with it anymore. So I haven't officially denounced my membership, but I could if I wanted to. And as far as I know, if I were to "quit," it's possible that I would be let back in, possibly re-baptized. But I don't know for sure. You can however be excommunicated. It's from that that there's no way back in.

 

Tal, you must be joking! LOTS of people leave the church. Some come back, just like any other church. Take my brother (please! ba dum pum) he left the church when he was 20. he could come back tomorrow, if he wanted to.

Maybe you have us confused with the Moonies?

I'll answer any questions as long as I feel I'm not being baited.

[edit] You can rejoin even after excommunication -- excommunication is what's really rare.

 

Those of us who still are Mormon call these people "inactive" members, and they are usually bombarded with missionaries and home teachers.

Anyways at first I thought this thread was to promote Utah...well, for every high point Death Rabbit presents to you, I can show you twice as many low points of the cursed state. I hate this state so much me and my friends like to say, "Brigham Young just got lazy and didn't want to make the extra effort to go to California where everyone would be happy."

"This is the place!" This is what he said when he saw the Salt Lake Valley...well I wish I could go back in time, give him a G.P.S. and say, "No it isn't, but your almost there! Just 750 more miles till you reach sunny California!!!

The only good thing I can think of that this state offers is "the greatest snow on earth"...well, at least that's what some of our license plates say. I personally hate snow.

 

@ Kitrax

Not necessarily. This thread is about the good, the bad, the incredibly wierd, the blatantly hypocritical, and the downright lame that is....Utah. Whatever you want to add. Bash away if you like.

I love the nature of Utah and miss it dearly. I used to live in Cache Valley, right next to Logan Canyon, which is one of the top 10 scenic drives in the US. I miss hiking there and never thought I would miss snow as bad as I do. Here in Houston, Texas, there are no mountains and we never get snow. I never thought I would miss snow, to be honest, but you tend to miss things that you have your entire life. Christmas, for example, just seems half-assed without snow.

I too became fed up with Utah, which is why I ended up in Texas. I just had to get the hell out, and from the sound of it, I'm guessing you'd like to do the same.

 

Utah is a beautiful state. the snowboarding and rockclimbing terrain is the best.

I'm sure nobody will mind if don't touch the Mormon aspect

 

Too funny. I've been to the "Mormon Mecca" a few times, and it seemed like a nice enough place to me. But not having lived there, I can't say much. As for the "oh, my heck" and "you fetcher" sort of phrases, well, not all Mormons use those. Some simply do not swear or use such lame substitutes, while others (like me, sadly), don't have such control and simply swear like sailors. I'm trying to quit, but it's tougher than smoking! I mean, with smoking, you just don't buy any more cigs, right? But my lips are always with me.

 

You know what's pretty cool?
There must be around the 6 or 7 dutchies here on the boards frequently and The netherlands are much much smaller then your utah

In fact MoN and Faragon probably live in a radius of less than a hundred miles of me. It's not that big a deal.

 

Tal -- I don't. What's a Moonie?

I met quite a few Mormons in Alaska when I lived there -- they seemed to be on every street corner, sweeping through neighborhoods looking for converts. We had scouts at the ends of our street that would put out the alert when they were spotted.

 

@ Apeman

I know it's not that big of a deal, I just thought it was interesting. Despite Utah's size (it's the 4th largest state in the US, I believe) it has a relatively small population of only about 4 million people. So to have some many people here from my home state was interesting to me. Of all 50 states in the US, Utah is very unique, whether you have a favorable opinion of it or clear disdain for it (ala Kitrax and myself when I lived there). Utah has a very strange reputation here in the states. There are few places here where people immediately put you into a category when you tell them that you're that place. That's why I brought it up as a topic - to discuss the wierdness of Utah, not to say "Oooh look - we're from the same place!" People from Utah take a sense of solidarity with the wierdness, I guess. Kind of an "I know your pain" vibe. Delaware, for example, is rather lame...and wouldn't start a topic were I from there.

[ April 29, 2003, 16:13: Message edited by: Death Rabbit ]

 

I think I've seen somebody from U.K Yorksire, if I remember correctly, and thats hardly any time from me at all. I could drive to Yorkshire in about half an hour (if I ever get to take my test!).

 

I know nothing about Utah, except that it's biggest city is Salt Lake City, Olympics were there, it joined the US 1896. One of its religious leaders (or the religious leader ?) was killed (lynched ?) in another state.

Mormons. Are more common than one might think. We've got them even here.

What's so special about Mormons ? Ahm, concidering black tea and coffee as a drug. At least here they do that. That's a little bit extreme for my taste.

Sidenote: My country has to take a lot of responsibility for spreading weird Religions: Presbyterians, Babtists, Amish-people. But I am quite sure, that the origins of Mormons have nothing to do with my country.

 

Argh! OK, here goes. FOR INFORMATION ONLY! (In other words, I am answering questions posed here, not proselyting. If I wanted to proselyte, I'd go on another mission!)

In the early 1830s in the Eastern States (New York, Illinois, etc) a young man named Joseph Smith claimed to have had a vision from God. He later claimed to have had several others, both from God and his Angels. He was told of the location of a sacred book chronicling the dealings of Christ with some of the inhabitants of the Americas. He was given the power from God to translate this book, known as the Book of Mormon. It is not a replacement to the Bible, but merely another set of records from an entirely different geographical location; namely, the American continents.

OK, with me so far? Like every other denomination at the time, Smith's followers began proselyting. They gained many followers. They became unpopular; the Governor of Missouri, I believe, issued an extermination order. The Mormons, as they were now colloquilally known, fled west, establishing new cities and then being driven out of them by mobs. Joseph Smith was killed by a mob while imprisoned at the ironically named Liberty Jail in Illinois. His successor was a man named Brigham Young. Under his leadership, the Mormons headed into the far west, seeking refuge from the constant oppression. They went as far as Utah, where they stayed and established cities, towns, farms, etc.

They practiced polygamy, which was not illegal at the time. The U.S. government passed laws making the practice illegal. For myriad reasons, the practice was officially repudiated by the church in the late 1880s. Utah became a State soon after. It is still known for it's staunch Republicanism and its strict (and some would say) overly conservative social culture.

Now, anyone can stop going to any church at pretty well any time. To me, that's "leaving", and it's easy to do. People will talk to you, but there is no force or any of that sort of thing involved, like the Moonies or the Branch Davidians. No more persuasion is used than, say, the Baptists or the Presbyterians. Now, a person who REALLY wishes to dissassociate him/her self from the church can ask to have his/her name removed from the records, which in effect is asking to be excommunicated. Thirdly, if a member of the church commits a particularly heinous crime, or violates the tenets of the church severely, he/she can be excommunicated after an ecclesiastical court of sorts is held. If that happens, his/her name is taken off the records of the church. They can, if they wish, apply for re-baptism, and sometimes it happens.

I was kidding about the Moonies, Tal, I just picked them out of the air because they start with the letter "M".

I hope that answers the questions posed herein.

Whew! My longest post ever!

 

So you're a Mo then, eh Depaara? Where did you go on your mission? Are you a natural born or a convert? I don't know why, but I kinda had a hunch that you were.

Great mormon history recap, by the way.

 

Thanks, Death Rabbit! Funny thing is, when it comes to religious knowledge, the Old Testament is my area of focus, with recent Church History being my weakest point. Anyhoo, I was born to Mormon parents. The had 6 kids; I'm the last (note to everyone -- the rhythm method DOES NOT WORK; my existence proves it) and of those six I am only the second to stay with the church. The rest of my brothers are either criminals or perverts. I served my mission in Japan, on the island of Hokkaido. Was tons of fun -- I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

I guess my Mormon outlook just shines through, huh? Unlike many Mormons, though, I have seriously questioned my faith and looked at other viewpoints, both in the Christian world and elsewhere.

 

It was an interesting read, Death Rabbit. I've always thought that EVERYONE in Utah is a mormon. I mean look at Donny and Marie