Jettboy wrote:

I am wondering what Jews think of Mormons. What do you know (or think you know) about them? Have you ever met one? What are some similarities or differences that you think exist between Judaism and Mormons? What kind of interaction should Jews have with Mormons religiously and personally? Add any other comments not related to these questions about the topic.

well, first, why?

and second, yes, we know lots of LDS. Our town is about 50% LDS. Our next nearest and dearest neighbors are LDS. Our kids closest friends include plenty of Mormon kids.
Our neighbors throw awesome parties, too, although alcohol-free, of course.

I think they are people. Some of them are terrific and some of them aren't. Like anybody else.

If you are talking about Mormon THEOLOGY, then of course I think it's looney tunes. But that doesn't translate to thinking that about the actual people!

Like a lot of folks, most were raised being taught LDS doctrine, and they mostly either don't think about it much, or accept it pretty much as a given. (I don't quite 'get' how they convert actual ADULTS, personally).




As for similarities: sure, there are some:

[LIST]
[*]LDS have certain dietary restrictions and so do Jews.(not the same ones, different ones).[/LIST][LIST]
[*]LDS have a cherished history of persecution, exodus and triumph, (Brigham Young in the role of Moses) and so do Jews (I'm not too sure about the 'cherished'  description, but certainly it's IMPORTANT).[/LIST][LIST]
[*]LDS have a history of being misunderstood and being unfairly depicted in the media and by other religions - ahem.[/LIST][LIST]
[*]LDS get a lot of flack about 'magic/holy undergarments' and I think that's a topic anybody with a tallit katan in their closet should avoid at all costs.[/LIST][LIST]
[*]LDS puts a lot of emphasis on family.[/LIST]



There are plenty of differences as well, of course:


[LIST]
[*]LDS believes in a God with an actual physical body. Judaism does not.[/LIST][LIST]
[*]LDS believes in a God that is not unique, but is one of several gods. Judaism does not.[/LIST][LIST]
[*]LDS believes men can aspire to become, not just 'like god', but can aspire to BE god (you get  your own personal planet).(LDS restricts this goal to men only.) Judaism, of course, does not.[/LIST]

There's likely lots more, but those are certainly some of the important aspects - off the top of my head, at least.


The only thing about the LDS church that bugs me these days, is their practice of baptism for the dead - although they do carefully say that it is really just a kind of OFFER, and the dead person has to agree to it to have any effect - but still. I really truly wish they'd stop 'baptizing' deceased Jews. It's at least kind of rude, to be going through that when they should know, or could know, that the persons they are doing it 'for' would never in their lifetime have agreed to anything like that.

It comes out of their idea that families will be reunited in the afterlife. But it's one thing to do that for your own personal ancestors, and something else entirely to do it for totally unrelated other people's ancestors.

Be nice to the poor LDS missionaries - they are out there knocking on door out of their own funds. The church doesn't give them anything at all, except some training and an assignment.