I've noticed over the years, as Mormonism has done everything it can to go mainstream, that the members of the church act like they have one foot in the church and one foot in the real world.
They go above and beyond to act normal. In conversation, they throw in the occasional "hell" or "damn" to show an attitude of, "yes, I'm Mormon, but not THAT Mormon. I'm an edgy. I am hipster. I am one of the cool ones."
Not so.
When I was growing up, we were a "peculiar people." We didn't go to all lengths to appear like everybody else. Mormon families were fine knowing that they were different.
Today, literally every LDS person I know acts like they are "on the edge." Today, many will even drink alcohol occasionally and pretend that they also question the same things about the Mormon religion that the rest of the world questions. Yet, the rubber always meets the road. These people still marry in the temple. Still attend most of their meetings. Etc.
Look Mormons, the world knows (especially now) that you wear your grandma's undies and live by a behavioral code which prevents you from actually being like everybody else. Just because you choose to break one or two little Mormon rules, does not make you a "crazy" Mormon. It just means that you lack the conviction to follow something you actually believe in because you are (rightfully) embarrassed of your religion.
This weird "we are all the same" attitude taken by so many LDS members today drives me crazy because it is so FAKE!
The 'we are all the same' attitude is so evident when all the women veil their faces in the temple during the 'true order of prayer'.
Not one person is an individual. They look the same, they chant the same words, they obey the same instructions.
Mormons ARE strange in their belifs, behavior, and attitudes. Mormons ARE peculiar as a people because of their history. Mormons don't have a monopoly on 'crazy' either.
The individual must be 'broken'and in many ways reject their own individuality.
Sad that they do it so willingly.
Until they wake up and realize they've been 'had' big time by a corporate vacuum with a religious nozzle on their wallet. By then, it is almost impossible to be completely OUT.
In order to survive, some must keep one foot in and one foot out. Maybe Hokey Pokey is what it really is all about.
I agree... I believe it is a survival tactic for many to keep one foot out. While I was still in the church, I had one foot in and one foot out, but it was because at my core, I knew the church for what it actually is.
I'm more talking about the people who like to act as if they are "on the fringes", even though they are fully TBMs. Growing up (I'm 28), there were people & families here and there who seemed to be on the "wild" side, but only a couple per ward. You know... the ones that had the non-LDS friends even though it was outside of the norm. The ones who dated at age 15, not 16. The ones who accepted gay marriage even though the LDS church generally hated it.
I have noticed that TODAY, most LDS people seem to think they are "that" Mormon. The wild one. Many try to dress all hipster. They post moderate to liberal news articles occasionally. Check in on Facebook at the local clubs from time to time (even if they don't drink).
I don't understand: 1) why so many of them act this way without realizing that they are all doing it and 2) when it became the cool thing to pretend to be half in and half out of the cult.