Mentality to avoid even the appearance of evil -- oh, grow up already, Mo's!!
by AngelCowgirl Jan 2012
So I bought this insulated travel mug that keeps hot stuff hot and cold stuff cold.
TBM [Mormon] family members are FREAKING OUT, telling me that it looks "too much like a coffee cup" and "everyone will think you're drinking coffee!"
*gasp* oh no! How horrible!
I told them... so what? First of all, 90% of the local population drinks coffee. Nobody will bat an eye. And secondly.. SO WHAT? Why should I give a crap what anybody else thinks, especially over a beverage?! If somebody seriously wants to judge me based on what beverage cup I carry and what they think is in it, hey, go for it.
So the TBM family is totally up in arms about me now. They can't believe I would allow myself to even "give the impression" that I'm not following the W.o.W. and what kind of example am I to the "Gentiles"...
I lost my temper and told them to grow up and go sit at the cool kids' table since they are obviously still stuck in the mentality and maturity of junior-high games.
Whaddaya wanna bet my evil mug conveniently disappears within a week?
dthenonreligious
Re: Stupid Mentality to "avoid even the appearance of evil" -- oh, grow up already, Mo's!!
Buy and flask and use it for a water container. Brazenly take a slug of it in front of your family and then give a little hiccup.
Sorcha
Re: Stupid Mentality to "avoid even the appearance of evil" -- oh, grow up already, Mo's!!
OMFG, the TBM behavior you're describing is sooooooooo shallow. I encounter similar from DH sometimes, before he remembers that I don't give a flying fubar what other people think of me.
You'd think your evil mug came from Satan's cupboard. Sheesh.
Agree with you: TBMs should grow up. Such drama over a mug?? Oy.
jacob
"I don't drink coffee, I'm Mormon"
I can almost smell the smugness. Don't they realize that rule is for other Mormons, not for the people who don't give a rat's ass.
dthenonreligious
Re: "I don't drink coffee, I'm Mormon"
But, but,but...their way is the Lord's way.
AngelCowgirl
Re: Stupid Mentality to "avoid even the appearance of evil" -- oh, grow up already, Mo's!!
Hahaha, thanks you guys! I needed some chuckles.
Sorcha, I think 'Satan's Cupboard' is what I will engrave on the travel mug for all to see! Kinda sounds like the name of a rock band, maybe... *bats eyelashes innocently*
peepstone
Re: Stupid Mentality to "avoid even the appearance of evil" -- oh, grow up already, Mo's!!
I have an insulated travel mug with the BYU logo on it that I do drink coffee out of. My wife bought it from the online byu bookstore. What exacctly do they think people are going to drink out if it... hot cocoa? But I live in the midwest so there aren't a lot of TBMs around here.
Sorcha
Re: Stupid Mentality to "avoid even the appearance of evil" -- oh, grow up already, Mo's!!
LOL. It does sound like the name of a rock band. Go for it. Engrave it. Hee hee.
jessica
Re: Stupid Mentality to "avoid even the appearance of evil" -- oh, grow up already, Mo's!!
The only people who care whether or not it is coffee is other TBMs no one in the real world cares at all what you drink.
jeebusinasidecar
Re: Stupid Mentality to "avoid even the appearance of evil" -- oh, grow up already, Mo's!!
Jesus, it's not like you bought a hip flask!
enoughenoch19
Re: Stupid Mentality to "avoid even the appearance of evil" -- oh, grow up already, Mo's!!
I will tell you the same thing as I told another blogger......go to this site:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFuEXHXXqvQ&feature=related and then put it on your ipod and play it for your family next time they act like such idiots..........
Mia
Re: Stupid Mentality to "avoid even the appearance of evil" -- oh, grow up already, Mo's!!
Good Grief, thats the best they can do?
Please go to Starbucks and have that baby filled!
They do that.
Oh the humiliation and shame when someone sees your vehicle at Starbucks. We actually got scolded in RS for not avoiding the appearance of evil, even if you were only buying a pastry. They really need to let go of that dumb idea.
Dr. Nick
Re: Stupid Mentality to "avoid even the appearance of evil" -- oh, grow up already, Mo's!!
Hi Everybody!
Mia, your comment just reminded me of something I've Been planning for a while. I'm hoping to attend the Colorado wine festival this summer. Wouldn't it be fun to wear a BYU shirt while sampling all the wonderful wines?
Makurosu
Coffee is evil. *snicker*
You used to be able to buy Salt Lake Temple shot glasses in SLC. I don't know if they are still for sale.
Mormons sound so silly when they say things like that. How can a religion that makes such a fuss about something as innocuous as coffee expect to be taken seriously? Good grief. If your insulated mug disappears, I would immediately go out and get a Starbucks mug.
rowan
Re: Stupid Mentality to "avoid even the appearance of evil" -- oh, grow up already, Mo's!!
I have said it before and I will say it again: Don't be surprise when Mormons act like Mormons--be surprised when they don't!
I remember a SS lesson (sometime in the 70's) about this person that was taking a shortcut at night through a neighbor's watermelon patch and getting a load of bird shot in the tail. Even though this person was not there to steal, his actions gave the "appearance of evil" and so the neighbor was justified in shooting the innocent traveler. The traveler was not there to steal the watermelons, he was just trespassing for a shortcut to his home.
I call these kind of "stories" just another form of Mormon Malarkey.
ajhart
Re: Stupid Mentality to "avoid even the appearance of evil" -- oh, grow up already, Mo's!!
Hahahahaha yes!!!
bezoar
Re: Coffee is evil. *snicker*
The temple shot glasses are still available. I've seen them at Cahoots in the 9th & 9th shopping area in Salt Lake. You can also get flasks with the Salt Lake temple on them, or the angel Moroni in the Jack Daniel's logo with the words "Jack Mormon."
I bought a copy of "The Miracle of Forgiveness" at the D.I. I hollowed it out and keep my Jack Mormon flask in it. I also got the Gordon B. Hinkley biography. It's big enough for a flask and two shot glasses.
Spencer L Jensen
Yes, we Mormons are quick to obey with order and exactness...
...except in the case of:
secret signs & combinations,
excessively opulent temples,
paying for exaltation,
denying civil rights....
CA girl
Sorry to repeat myself but
it bears repeating:
Judging other people by their appearances IS evil. Why should I avoid appearing evil to people who are actually BEING evil?
I've asked this to a Mormon before and she had to admit it was a good comeback.
Funny story though...the former first minion in the bishopric lied and told a bunch of people I left the church because I was offended. He knew this wasn't true but told people, including his own daughter, this lie anyway. While I have no patience with him, I'm still friendly-ish with his wife and a few weeks ago she mentioned how much she wanted to go to Starbucks and try the hot cocoa. But when she mentioned it to her husband, he told her he didn't want to support a coffeehouse so she wasn't allowed to get a hot cocoa there. Well, I'm perfectly happy to support Starbucks so the other day, I was near one and picked up a salted caramel hot chocolate for her. Then I dropped it by her house and she almost died laughing. She loved it and said was going to leave the empty Starbucks cup in the garbage right where her husband could see it, just to bug him. He was obviously getting on her nerves with his fanatical Utah Mormon crapola. She is from CA like me so I told her I bought it for her because "friends don't let friends become Utah Mormons." She knew exactly what I meant and appreciated both the cocoa and the cup of sanity and perspective.
I hope it bugged the crap out of first minion too.
omreven
Example to the gentiles? Really?
AngelCowgirl Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> the W.o.W. and what kind of example am I to the
> "Gentiles"...
Example to the gentiles? Really? They seriously think nevermo's look up to them over coffee? Seriously, WTF?
CA girl
Re: Example to the gentiles? Really?
Yes, they really think that. They really think people are impressed that they don't drink coffee and tea. They think if they mention they don't drink coffee because they are Mormon, people are going to gasp with admiration and ask to know more about Mormonism, an obviously wonderful system that produces such pure and good people that they don't fall to the temptation of coffee.
They really think people admire the heck out of them for their high standards.
quebec
Re: Example to the gentiles? Really?
Yes, because let's not forget that we were constantly being told that people observed us. (Yes, I know, it turns out that it's only the other mos that observe mos)
Makurosu
That's brilliant!
I want to follow your example. :)
polymath
Re: Stupid Mentality to "avoid even the appearance of evil" -- oh, grow up already, Mo's!!
My TBM family actually uses these kinds of beverage containers. My siblings (and their families) and my parents use them a lot. They are really nice in the summer AND the winter.
If they are freaking out about the "appearance of evil" over a BEVERAGE CONTAINER - I'd wonder about why they immediately think "EVIL" over something so innocuous?
Mote vs. beam perhaps?
anagrammy
I USE A FLASK!
Seriously, I have to keep my water intake up and it fits perfectly into a pocket in my purse.
It is the perfect alternative to a cup when you "care" what other people think.
The appearance of evil trap has no bottom. I once was reported for sucking a Tootsie Pop while driving. The bishop's wife saw me and told her husband. Guess I should have been willing to avoid lollipops.
Why didn't I think quickly enough to tell her it was a "marital aid" (my favorite explanation which stops all further questions).
Anagrammy
Tabula Rasa
Re: Stupid Mentality to "avoid even the appearance of evil" -- oh, grow up already, Mo's!!
So? You walk around with boobs and a vagina too which may tempt the men. Next thing you know, you'll have to get rid of those too.
Ron
cl2
It is all about appearances
Doesn't matter what you do as long as nobody knows. At least that is what I learned as a TBM.
I've told this story many times--when my gay ex left me--having cheated extensively (just to make it clear, I don't care--he found himself in an impossible situation)--but his parents, two of the most selfish people I have EVER met in my entire life. His mother calls me a few months after he left. She just found out he is gay and left his family--and she says, "Does he smoke or drink?" I said, "No." She said, "Oh, good." WHAT THE F8CK?????
As long as you AVOID THE APPEARANCE--anything else is just fine.
jaredsotherbrother
Re: Stupid Mentality to "avoid even the appearance of evil" -- oh, grow up already, Mo's!!
Wow, now that's a jarred loose memory.
Mia
Re: Sorry to repeat myself but
You are such a good friend. She needs to keep you in her life.
jaredsotherbrother
Re: Stupid Mentality to "avoid even the appearance of evil" -- oh, grow up already, Mo's!!
My dad was a big "appearance of evil" guy. When my mom wanted to dress up the holiday table with wine glasses to contain the Martinelli's, he put the AOE kibosh on the plan. After a couple of seasons of holiday acrimony they finally settled on some ugly cut glass water goblets. Poor mom.
NeverMo in CA
Re: Example to the gentiles? Really?
I can assure TBMs that never-mos either don't think of the non-coffee and tea drinking one way or the other or, if we do hold an opinion about it, it is not one of admiration.
onlyme
Re: Example to the gentiles? Really?
And i'm sure if a mormon were to offer a Jewish person some bacon and they said, "no thanks, i'm Jewish" it would make the mormon consider converting to Judaism too, right?
ronas
Re: Stupid Mentality to "avoid even the appearance of evil" -- oh, grow up already, Mo's!!
I don't suppose drinking actual caffeine counts as the appearance of evil?
Tedious
Re: Stupid Mentality to "avoid even the appearance of evil" -- oh, grow up already, Mo's!!
I work in a place where we have a number of interns from time to time from mormonland. There just so happens to be a Starbucks adjacent to our office and everyday I and a few others head off to get the caffeine.
Our intern decided to come along with us and bought a hot chocolate at the start of the internship. Starbucks makes hot chocolate in the same cups as coffee so I suspect it was dangerous territory.
Well, another intern spotted our little party from afar and the very next Sunday the intern's Bishop spoke to the intern about it - about creating the impression that they were drinking coffee if they weren't actually drinking coffee.
That was the last time our party had the intern. The intern said the Bishop said they should be setting an example to others by refraining from such things upon which I pointed out that no one cares in a majority Mo-less workplace what they drink. Ever.
ronas
Re: Stupid Mentality to "avoid even the appearance of evil" -- oh, grow up already, Mo's!!
When you consider what Mormonism is founded on, it's not all that surprising that appearance is so important.
I was twice in meetings with two different bishoprics (as ward clerk) where it was almost shocking how much the bishop correlated what someone wore to church as an indicative of how converted people were to the gospel (which is why I now always wear a blue shirt when I go to church with my wife.) In one case there was a guy who was cheating on his wife, rarely came to church, and yet the bishop's biggest concern was how much this guy dressed up when attending.
ginger
Re: Stupid Mentality to "avoid even the appearance of evil" -- oh, grow up already, Mo's!!
When my DS's class at school was having their Christmas party, the room mother was e-mailing us about who can help donate what. She said she had a large coffee urn that she could bring for the hot chocolate. She emphasized twice that she only used it for hot chocolate and not for coffee. Who cares!
"Recovery from Mormonism - www.exmormon.org"