Someone I know has started going to the LDS church and sometimes temple for a few months now. I've no personal experience of mormonism but am just concerned about what he's getting into from what I've heard about it.

I'm sure they are very friendly and well meaning (and persuasive) so I don't want to criticise his new friends. But do you have any advice of what to say to him, perhaps to help him question / critically evaluate what he'll be hearing? He is a teenager.

Thanks for your help.

Come here to get the truth.

If he's a teenager, he's very likely *not* going to the temple, other than maybe doing "baptisms for the dead." So he isn't experiencing the really wacky nuttiness of the temple. And you have to be a full-fledged member to go do baptisms for the dead.

He's probably getting heavily "love-bombed" by his newest bestest mormony friends. This is very likely all about social interaction, not actual belief/doctrine. So I doubt bringing up doctrinal issues will make any kind of dent in his newfound social group.

It might be worth talking about what he'd have to give up to be an actual mormon...doing anything on Sunday, coffee, etc. And mentioning how "fickle" his new mormon friends are likely to be -- how they'll stop loving him so much if he finds he doesn't believe mormonism.

Otherwise, he's going to have to figure things out on his own.
Good luck.

iichtk wrote: "If he's a teenager, he's very likely *not* going to the temple, other than maybe doing "baptisms for the dead." So he isn't experiencing the really wacky nuttiness of the temple."


Just goes to show how wacky & nutty the real temple stuff is if...you know....doing baptisms for random dead people *isn't* wacky nuttiness.

:-) :-) :-)

:)

You're right he is involved in lots of new social activities at the church and he's given up caffeine. And I think you're right that reading about doctrine / contradictions in their faith probably isn't going to make it onto his list of things to do.

Thanks for your super quick responses and kindly advice, and any other tips to come.

Tell him he will be required to give 10% of his income to the this church.

Tell him to get out NOW.

Go for this.
No lengthy explanations needed.
Any explaining will be raised in answered questions.
If he does not pick up on this now, on the shelf” and save him a lot of time, life and money.
When, whatever bothers him, whenever— he will know he is not locked in, there is a way out, he is not alone or bad in this, and can get out.

Does he think it's a good idea to follow a Con Artist?
Mormonism is a religion created by a Con Artist.
The Con Artist who founded Mormonism had the personality characteristics typical of Psychopathic Personality Disorder.

Does he think a religion founded by a Psychopath is going to be healthy?

The features of Joseph Smith's personality appear in this video:
http://www.fisheadmovie.com/watch1

That clip is from a movie explaining the disorder, paid for by a Psychiatrist who really felt the world needed to understand that many of our powerful people have this disorder.

He won't be allowed to question anything, I backed out on baptism and glad. Once you go in harder to leave

Thank you kind strangers! I think he has taken their 6 week course and been baptised. These are great bits of advice.

I heard they are encouraged to say they believe even if they don't, in testimony. Is that right? Dangerous kind of group-think. (And so he'll need people he can speak honestly to... esp if truthfulness is not a priority in that place.) Thank you again.

They will give him tons of attention and the girls will flirt like crazy.

Over time, maybe he will realize the friendship is all about the group think.

Or maybe, while he is being "fellowshipped," he will completely buy into the bogus claims - hook, line and sinker.

If he doesn't conform to the expected mindset and culture, the friendships fade.

If he has an emotional need to belong, he will believe anything.

Ask him what made him join-really what was it that made him join- pretty flirty sister mishs, hardy welcoming handshakes and arm around the shoulder "glad to see you-welcome", testimony meeting, the BOM, the FV, the alleged apostasy, lonliness, relative passing, wanting to lead a better life?
then when it tells you, mention there is as lot more to moism than what he has experienced and ask him to google Mormonisn and cruise the internet the good and the bad.
Then ask "are you really sure"?

Ask your friend does he realize it's a cult trying to draw him in?

Tell him of the fraud involved in the inception used to dupe people into joining, and then enslaving them (and their money,) for a lifetime.

Does he know how it divides and destroys families from the inside out, by ripping them apart?

Also let him know that Mormon missionaries and members "love bomb" new members into the church aka cult. Once there, they are soon forgotton and passed over as the missionary efforts concentrate elsewhere.

The love bombing your friend is experiencing now will be replaced by isolation and pseudo friendships that will not last the test of time.

If you know him well...give him ...a letter to my wife written by an exmormon to his wife...or CES letter.com....if your not close friends...just print and mail it to him...it may be far easier to see through the fraud with weeks of brain washing than years...if it goes as usual very soon the novelty wears off and your just another sheep who no longer gets belly rubs...if it was the social aspect that attracted him...it will begin to wane in ...3-2-1

Forget about giving him advice, he will be trying to convert you soon.Trust me, it will happen

Yes!! Do what the shepherd did when it started to snow.

Get the FLOCK out of there