I just don't get it. Why do mormons have to promise no loud laughter in the temple? I always thought laughing signified one's joy in savoring the beautiful life on earth that one has been given.

This just mystifies me.

Dude! Then you've never heard my ex-mother-in-law laugh!

Just sayin'...

Ron

I've always wondered about this too. Why is laughter such a taboo? Especially when everyone feels so relieved when a high authority tells a story that is actually funny.

Loud laughter and Lightmindedness were always so frowned upon, everthing in the church had to be so serious and pious. I can't believe I ever felt guilty about laughing so long and hard it hurt, when it is actually a way to recharge your soul.

Control! Control! Control! Control!

No sincerity, individuality or authenticity allowed.

I was told the loud laughter is symbolic of people ridiculing others for their Mormon-defined MORAL choices.

Or at least there wasn't when I was growing up. The apostate beliefs of the gentile world were fair game.

Remember "Name of the Rose"?

Laughter is very dangerous because it removes fear.

Its just a sick mind control game.

Osama Bin Laden used to slap and yell at his sons for "Showing their teeth in a smile". That was greatly forbidden in their home-- only dignified, restrained, closed-mouth smiles were allowed.

It's really hard to guilt, shame and beat down someone who feels good about themself.

"Don't laugh now. Really."

But who knows? I've seen Mormons get a hearty laugh right in the parking lot of the temple and in sacrament meeting. Just like any of it, it's just so much sh*t.

If loud laughter is truly a sin, I am in DEEP trouble!
I laugh SO MUCH when I read rfm.

we were taking a lunch break or something - basically free time - and one of the people I was attending with said something that struck me funny, and without thinking, I laughed.

I couldn't believe the volley of "SHHHHH!" that came at me from all directions. Downright hostile.

I didn't know that you weren't supposed to laugh. My bad.

Why don't Mormons engage in "loud laughter"

The main reason, is that it's part of a temple covenant.

Law of the Gospel:
We are required to give unto you the Law of the Gospel as contained in the Holy Scriptures; to give unto you also a charge to avoid all lightmindedness, loud laughter, evil speaking of the Lord's anointed, the taking of the name of God in vain, and every other unholy and impure practice, and to cause you to receive these by covenant.

MORE on temple covenants here:
http://www.lds4u.com/lesson5/templecovenants.htm

Loud laughter is thought to be associated with vulgarity, orgies,drunkenness, filth, and dirty jokes, etc. It was not gentile in the times the LDS Church was starting up either.

The idea, from the Bible, particularly is to be sober minded.
There are scriptures on a "merry heart" and mouth filled with laughter.

But the key seems to be to avoid loud laughter, which is vulgar, but marry laughter is fine.
Something like that.

The fact is that loud laughter, a good belly laugh, is one of the most healthy things we can do. Not just a little snicker, or a laugh, a real big deep belly laugh!
It's true: Laughter is the Best Medicine.Check out the physical, mental health and social benefits here: http://www.helpguide.org/life/humor_laughter_health.htm

I have shared my Door Sign to keep Mormons away many times on this board. I only used it once. That got the results I wanted: no more missionaries or other Mormons being obnoxious, and pestering me!
I purposely used a section of the Law of the Gospel:

NOTICE:

I am under no obligation to:
avoid all loud laughter,
lightmindedness,
evil speaking of the lords anointed or
any other impure or unholy practice

Enter at you own risk
Rachel, My New Name

My conclusion: avoiding loud laughter is not healthy!
Draw your own conclusions from there! :-)

Imagine you are in the temple or sacrement meeting or any other meeting and the leadership says something so incredibly stupid that some one starts to laugh, then every one laughs. Then someone notices that the emperor has no clothes.

People who are a little sour or dour don't notice the humor of priesthood guys flaunting their authority. They don't see how funny it is to worship temple hats, veils, and underwear. They don't burst a gut over middle managers or car salsmen bishops who say they speak for God or over eternal polygamy and the preexistence. Loud laughter could bring down the church faster than dynamite.

My mom does this thing where she shuts her mouth really tight and nearly turns purple.

My dad tries to swallow his laughter and then become distracted.

What a sick, sick cult.

The church as with other religions that employ psychological arresting methods to keep the congregation lethargic, weak, for effective control. The irony is that they encourage joy, it is a central theme of Christmas, they comission artifacts that beautifies and promotes happiness such as people blissfully living in heaven with eyes rolling heavenward in spiritual orgasmic estacy. Yet their methods to achieve such happiness, is through poisonous black murky ink foggy shame, anger, violence, Control freak rules... Such as no laughter.

If heaven were real, and somehow I find myself on the other side. It would be a very confusing place to live.

So it's ok to have a small amount of fun, but not really a belly laugh worth of fun?

I've always thought God has a sense of humor. Mormons are really missing out.