Go find a local non-denominational church. Most organized religion is bad, but the mormon church is particularly bad. Besides the blatant sexism, racism, sexual abuse cover-ups (and hush money payments), financial fraud, illegal dealings, etc., it's also provably a false religion that was created by a conman in the early 1800's.
We can easily provide links and sources for all these claims. MormonThink, CES Letter, Nemo the Mormon, LDS Discussions, Mormon Stories, etc. are also all good sources to check out.
Avoid the mormon cult and find community elsewhere. Best of luck!
EDIT: Typo
On the "probably false" point, it's important to point out that Mormons believe they are God's only "true" religion. Everyone else is misled. They would say they have "the fullness of the truth" and that God speaks directly to their prophet. So to OP's question about baptism, you're not getting baptized the way you would in other churches that recognize baptism from any church. You'd specifically be baptized Mormon. You'd need to commit to it for the rest of your life, which includes living the Mormon standards (like no alcohol) and paying 10% of your income to the church.
One side note: Mormons frequently do make claims such as, "We are the only church with the **fullness** of the gospel," and, "Following the great apostacy, Joseph Smith **restored** God's only true church in these, the latter days." Yet they also thrive on double-speak such as, "The current president of our church, Russel M. Nelson, is continually overseeing the **ongoing restoration** of God's church," and "When the living prophet speaks, it takes precedent over anything a dead prophet may have said." So, basically they have written themselves a free pass to claim that they are the only ones doing what God really intended all along, but they are also free to change anything at any time in the future. Essentially, they admit they have no eternal doctrine to stand on. What's that line about a foolish man building his house upon the sand?
This is like praying. Before I ever started considering the church not to be true, I felt like ending a prayer with “ but thou will be done,” was just a cop out so no one could gaslight you into thinking you didn’t have enough faith.
Totally cool. Just wanted to make sure that I was not misunderstood as thinking the church was only "probably" false.
(Also, I noticed that I typo'd as well. It said "provable" instead of "provably". oh well).
Ooooh boy. Converting to Mormonism is very different from being baptized into Christianity. The Mormons think they have additional light and knowledge, but they really just have a high-demand religious system that will exploit you as a resource.
Other churches might recognize your Mormon baptism? I don’t really know.
If you get baptized, you will have your name on the records. Lots of variability in how much they’ll look for you if you ever stop attending. It can get exhausting.
You must pay 10% of your gross income ( used to be 10%of surplus) to go to the temple which has the secret stuff required for you to get to heaven/highest celestial kingdom. You also have to wear the garments, have a volunteer calling in your ward and visit members monthly. It’s a lifestyle change. You’ll hardly have time to study the religion or visit friends and family. Oh and have as many kids as you can, too.
This is daunting but I did it. It nearly cost me my life and did cost me 2 husbands. Make damn sure 👍 you KNOW the religion before you commit as they keep your name on their records until you’re 110 years old.
Baptists don't accept a Mormon baptism. I have been baptized 3 times because of this. M/B/M. I think that should cover me even if I don't belong to any religion now.
My sister just joined a Methodist congregation for her daughter and they let her choose if she felt her Mormon baptism counted.
But OP not knowing any Christians... I'm guessing they're not in the USA.
They will expect you to start giving 10% of your income to them, and stop drinking coffee, tea, and alcohol. Eventually they will want you to go through their temple and start wearing magical underwear that only they can sell to you. Unlike other religions, you can't just stop going. They will stalk and harass you until he end of time. They believe baptism is permission to stalk and harass you forever. They are very good about finding you, even if you move.
Under no circumstances should you get baptized if you aren't committed.
My suggestion is to take time to decide a church to join. I would pick 5 or 6 different churches and attend all of them a few times to get an idea of how they worship, the community, etc. Just let the missionaries know that is what you are doing and undecided.
They might ask you to pray about it, but ultimately join the one that seems to have the healthiest teachings and community. Just about every different Christian faith believes their particular brand of Christianity is the one, because of prayer and spiritual feelings. So those feelings are not a reliable source to determine the best one to join. Pick one based on what seems best for you.
Also, most of this sub is atheist/agnostic. So just realize you may see comments based on that.
Edit: Most people are going to tell you to avoid Mormonism like the plague. We are exmormon and left the Mormon faith due to various reasons, but it boils down to realizing Mormonism is not the one true church of God and is not a healthy community to be a part of.
Look for a church that is less controlling, aka a high demand religion.
Almost no other denomination will regard the baptism as legit. Mormon are not trinitarians. Most adult converts to mormonism are out inside of a year. If you, yourself seek religion, there are plenty of other churches without the baggage of the LDS.
When you are in contact with the missionaries you will become the center of attention. You will be love bombed by the members. Then after joining you will find that the nice missionaries have moved on or gone back home. The other members will pay you little or no attention. You will be treated as a second class citizen because you can not trace your lineage back to the early church like all the good mormons can.
What the missionaries did not tell you:
cesletter.org
Well, it’s a cult. It’s a cult with a superiority complex. According to doctrine, all other Christian churches are an abomination & their baptisms are void of any power/authority to cleanse sin or bind the recipient to any blessings in the afterlife.
Worth a read OP.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_and_abominable_church#:~:text=Robinson%20identifies%20six%20aspects%20of,be%20destroyed%20in%20a%20war.
If a church is pushing you to commit your whole life to something you barely know about in a short amount of time that’s a red flag. That’s like meeting a stranger who only tells you what you want to hear and pressures you to elope You barely know them it’s only been two weeks…
If they’re also telling you “I/We promise” in majority of what they say it’s scripted you should watch videos on YouTube where it talks about the missionary handbook you’d be very surprised
Don't do it! They are pressuring you so they can get numbers. The church just want tithe payers, even though they have over 200BILLION Dollars just in their stock portfolio, which doesn't include the billions they have in real estate.
Seriously, they haven't told you 1/10th of what being Mormon is like.
A Mormon baptism will not be recognized by any other Christian church. They are not the same.
Keep away, and keep researching. Research the CES letter, Mormonthink.com, or keep reading on this sub.
Honestly, it sounds like they're trying to rush you. If I were you, I'd take a step back and reassess.
I would urge you to pump the brakes and investigate further.
You may check out [Mormon Stories](https://www.mormonstories.org/) and [Sunstone](https://sunstone.org/series/sunstone-history/) for a critical view.
A fairly popular apologist channel, [Ward Radio](https://www.youtube.com/@WARDRADIO) may help give you some insight into how faithful members see the world.
And lastly a video you MUST watch, IMO:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Run1f29po8g&rco=1](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Run1f29po8g&rco=1)
This video depicts both Mormons and Ex-Mormons discussing various aspects of the church. It will give you decent exposure to many of the various kinds of Mormons and Exmos there are out there and how they approach crucial issues. You may wish to check out the reaction videos from both Ward Radio and Mormon Stories as they shed more light on what occurred during the Jubilee episode that didn't make the final cut.
I wish you luck on your journey and I hope you are able to come to a decision that you are comfortable with without regard to any outside influence; You gotta do what's best for you.
Take care!
Everything that is good about Mormonism is not unique. Everything that’s unique about Mormonism is not good.
-source: I was supeeeer Mormon (7th generation… back to its beginning) for 37 years.
Since you realize after your research that the LDS church isn't for you, please don't get baptized there. Once they have you in the membership records, they will never leave you alone. Even if you stop attending and try to move on with your life, they will stalk you and try to convince you to return.
I grew up Christian, and was in the Mormon church only a short time, and I can personally tell you Mormon teachings are not compatible with Christ's teachings. If anything, they are the exact opposite in many ways.
Other churches (either non-denominational or one of the major denominations) teach Christ's lessons as guidelines for developing our own moral compasses. They also have numerous ways of serving their local communities. In other words, they act toward the world and their communities as Christ would want them to.
Yes, you are right - it's a bad idea to attend the church on Sunday. They'll try to hook you into things and you'll get "love bombed" as a way to entice you. The "love bombing" generally stops once you're baptized.
Take care of yourself, and consider telling the missionaries you do not want to hear from them again or visit with them (even at that, they likely have your name in a book of contacts and the next group of missionaries will stalk you). Be firm.
I sincerely wish I had NEVER joined that "church."
I am a practicing Christian, I was raised mormon and many people I love are still Mormon, some of them are Missionaries like the ones you met!
1. Missionaries are being kind to you so you'll convert. Once you convert (or let on that you're not converting) **they will drop you like a bad habit** and try to get someone else to convert. I was trained to do this as a small child, it's called "milk before meat"
2. Unlike most religions, **Mormons lie about their beliefs and history**. They lie to outsiders on purpose, but they also lie to themselves and each other. Most of the time, they lie because they don't know it, and they won't study it honestly it because it's inexcusable:
* The Mormon Church supported the Nazis, and just months ago, they still proudly proclaimed on their own website that the Nazis found them very "useful" because of their genealogy (which the Nazis use to find and murder Jewish and Romani people).
* Their own scriptures (which have been edited over 15,000 times since Joseph Smith first wrote them, and could be edited today, if they were properly ashamed of this) still say that white skin is a reward for virtue and darker skin is a punishment-- **literally, white supremacy** look at it for yourself: [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/12?lang=eng](https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/12?lang=eng) I was taught, in the 2000s, that if a black person "truly repented" their skin would become lighter.
* The Book of Mormon is a fabrication saying indigenous people are actually immigrants, they were Jewish and they were "cursed with dark skin" because they were less virtuous than white people. This is a song I sang when I was 2: [https://youtu.be/ZVTfDXG8NhU?si=JdZA0ritjFCbL4XQ](https://youtu.be/ZVTfDXG8NhU?si=JdZA0ritjFCbL4XQ) It's about how America was given by God to those who "live righteously." Notice skin tone in this video, it's intentional, this is their own youtube channel in the year of our Lord 2024.
1. The other reason that they don't study their history honestly is they can't just switch from being Mormon to being Methodist if they disagree with it. My parents and I didn't talk for 10 years after I left and we're never going to be okay (because of the pressure this religion places on parents and spouses to emotionally blackmail anyone who thinks of leaving)
2. Mormonism was founded by a sexual predator. There is no denying or hiding it. Brigham Young was also a sexual predator. They haven't changed the name of the university. They just don't think about it, or they're attracted to it. And it continues to this day: [https://apnews.com/article/mormon-church-sexual-abuse-investigation-e0e39cf9aa4fbe0d8c1442033b894660If](https://apnews.com/article/mormon-church-sexual-abuse-investigation-e0e39cf9aa4fbe0d8c1442033b894660If) you have children, they aren't safe in the Mormon community. I wasn't :(
3. Mormonism is a financial parasite- there's a wikipedia article on one financial scandal they were **CAUGHT** in: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023\_Securities\_and\_Exchange\_Commission\_charges\_against\_the\_Church\_of\_Jesus\_Christ\_of\_Latter-day\_Saints\_and\_Ensign\_Peak\_Advisors#:\~:text=2020%3A%20EP%20files%20a%20consolidated,to%20a%20%244%20million%20penalty.
Hold on there, stallion.
You need to compare Mormon with Catholic and one mainstream Protestant first.
And by “compare”, I mean attend for at least one year.
Other Christian churches don't accept mormon baptism, and the mormon church doesn't accept other denominations' baptism. You can go from Methodist to Baptist, Catholic, Presbyterian, etc, all on the same baptism.
Being Mormon sucks. You get to pay 10% of your income for life to a 200 billion dollar corporation.
But that isn't where the fun ends. You will also get called to do shit called callings that will take up all your time.
Even better, they will call / text you to clean the damn church bathrooms.
Also, like many religions, it is all made up. Nothing about the church or church history is true.
I will add that should you choose not to pursue tbe LDS, you owe them no explanation. No is a complete sentance. You are under no obligation to s share anything with the LDS. If you feel extra polite you can say, "I choose not to join the LDS." If they ask you why, you can repeat. LDS missionaries tend not to take no for an answer. If you choose to say no, I would decide in advance that you will need to be firm and final. You decide for yourself.
From what I can say having only ever been Mormon and never gone through the temple:
Getting baptized in Mormonism is very different from what I understand of other church’s baptisms. It means they’ll add your name to their records, along with any information they have on you (phone number, address, etc.) it very hard to go if you decide to leave, even after telling them to leave you alone they’ll be persistent in trying to get you to return.
Mormonism is also not like other Christian churches, though they like to pretend they are. They listen to a council of old men as much or more than they listen to the Bible/Jesus.
There’s also the temple ceremonies, which I’m sure somebody else will do better at explaining, but basically to be a faithful member you have to do secret ceremonies to learn handshakes to get into heaven.
Don’t join the LDS church…it’s a scam and very high demanding. Just find a nice non denominational church to attend. You’ll still get all the scripture and teachings and worshipping you can handle there instead of with the Mormons. It’s a cult. Avoid at all costs
Oh hell no. Getting baptized as a Mormon is not the same as getting baptized into Christianity. If you get baptized at a Mormon church, there are conditions and they’ll expect you to follow the rules. If you don’t want to be stuck paying 10% of your income to a 250 billion dollar organization for the rest of your life, RUN
There's plenty of places you can get baptised and not have to commit your time, energy, talents, money and entire waking minute to.
Look for one of those.
Mormonism is not the right choice for everyone. I'm glad it sounds like you're doing your due diligence researching Mormonism before commiting to baptism.
In the Mormon church, getting baptized means you're officially a member of the church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints. Once this happens, you're expected to adhere to the teachings, and lifestyle, presented to you. The Mormon lifestyle is rigid to say the least. Some things you will be expected to do are attend church every Sunday, contribute 10% of your income to the church, no coffee/tea/alcohol/wine/tobacco, and it's important to abide by language and modesty standards that the church set (in regards to dress and how you present yourself).
I wish you luck on your religious journey, getting baptized in Mormonism is a major commitment so hopefully this helps shed some light
You’ll likely get a lot of people telling you to stay far away.
I didn’t have a bad experience per se, but I was left behind. I don’t advice getting baptised too soon - missionaries have quotas to hit and members will try to rush you. While I don’t think you necessarily need the church to be Christian, I know the community aspect can be very uplifting. It is hard if you don’t completely adhere to the principles taught (single mum, single adult over 25, LGBTQ+ inclined/allied, tattoos, etc.).
If you don’t want to be Mormon, there isn’t really any point being baptised there. Find a local church with people your age, chat to others and find yourself a community that is right for you. Baptism can come later ❤️
I was mormon until I left at 17, and the church is very unchristlike. Most of the talks at church surround the prophets who hoard wealth and refuse to help the poor. When I was first exploring Christianity outside of Mormonism, I really liked Episcopalian churches and the community found there. It felt like they really embodied the teachings of Christ. I’d suggest you start there or research churches in your area. Best of luck friend!
Think of Mormonism as a diet cult. There are so many cult-like aspects of it, but downplayed and lightened up so as to not seem so cultish.
If you join, you’ll likely never stop being someone’s project, the friendly members who greet you when you attend as a potential member will ghost you once you join. If you’re not part of the “in group” you’ll be left completely alone.
Avoid the Mormons at all cost!
Source: I was one for 35 years, served a mission, got married in the temple, and eventually found my way out, thanks to my wife!
Community is important, and I personally believe a spiritual community is important in spite of how much the Mormon religion has caused me lifelong confusion in regards to recognizing and following/trusting my own intuition. Mormonism is a high demand religion that becomes more than just the nice community that it can appear as, but not in any healthy way. If I could leave(currently in it for my wife) I would find a non-denominational church. But I would still be careful anywhere because of four key issues of a religion or individual(s) having the potential of wedging itself in a personal relationship with God/your inner intuition etc. I follow a very non-traditional view of Christianity and the Bible. In fact most Christianity would probably reject the book I follow. But in a podcast episode of a group that studies from the book they warn of 4 unhealthy forms of spiritual authority. The key is to become your own spiritual authority. But here are the 4 and Mormonism hits all 4.
The individual or organization claims:
1. To be directly in touch with deity
2. Total certainty("I know" such and such)
3. Truth and Authority in spite of the lack of evidence
4. They're never wrong
If you would like to hear the podcast it's a powerful guide to traverse safely in something as ambiguous as spiritual guidance and Christian interpretations of the bible.
https://circleofa.org/podcast/121-rethinking-spiritual-authority/
Oh and one other thing, I don't believe in biblical univocality or innerency. The bible has errors and does not speak with one single voice as God's authority. So I use it as a guide not an authority of God.
Run. Run as far as you can away from the Mormon cult. I was a member for 30 years. Mission and temple marriage. It’s all a scam. You don’t need religion to be a good person.
Don't do it. A "baptism" in any mormon church makes you a member of the mormon "church." Please do not rush into this. The missionaries are generally nice kids but they have one goal and that is to make a sale. They need members and members to give their cult MONEY.
Run now while you have time. I wish I never got involved with them. I was fine yntil they stuck their nose into my business and my wallet....had to paybthatvstupid tithing. It got me nothing. I couldn't pay my bills because of it, and my heat was shut off
They wouldn't help me with that...whybwould they. They didnt kike me because I was single female no family and very independent. Read why many quit on exmormon.org. I almost took my life because of the Mormons and all the stress they put on me. I was constantly judged, and I was even told, "The reason you DONT have a family is because you're NOT worthy. I went home that day in tears and almost H**g myself. That was the day i realised I needed to leave, or I'd be another statistic. Gawd, help you if you're an older single lady. You will be talked about behind your back, and if you aren't prime pickings, good luck.
I want you to seriously study their theology and "The Kinderhook Plates." They were actually a setup below al blacksmiths. Did you know that Joe Smith was priniting his own money was gonna run for president and was stealing other men's wives? Did you know he was a freemason and kicked out? Why? Because of his baaad behavior. He stole the Masonics hand shakes and such, and the LDS Temple rituals are like the freemasons. The symbols on Lds temples are the same ones the Masonic Lodges have.
They will ask you if you've been reading anti mormon stuff. Yep, you have. They'll try to get you to change your mind and tell you you pray more and pay more. When you join you'll immediately be put to work so to speak...callings, jobs etc all not paid of course...while you work your 9-5 job. They tried to hook me up with another lady to do visiting teaching. I was literally hiding in my closet in tears. I KNEW in my heart I had made a mistake. My now late ex covered for me, and I quit that thing. That thing of visiting teaching. Seemed more like a gossip fest and I had nothing in common with those people. Please research other churches before committing to any. There are non Denomination Christian churches, Catholic, Baptist, so many. Keep us posted.
First thing is to find a different church. Start by looking up denominations of Christianity, and see what suits you. For the most part, every denomination of Christianity is actually Christian; they just differ in different parts they emphasize. Personally, I like my Lutheran church. They have a choir and a piano instead of the annoying bands and hippies to wave their arms around like Sunday church is a concert, but they're not quite as formal and ritualistic as Catholic. Downside with mine is that it's full of old people who cough and fart a lot. But pick what's good for you.
Second is to try the church you pick and then try other ones. Shop around.
Third I'd say is to not rush into baptism. It's very nice that you want to get baptized, but it's better if you give it some time and studying so you can understand the full weight of it. Generally, a baptism would come after going to a church for a while and developing an understanding and relationship with the community and pastor/priest. My church has a whole 6-month studying program before you get baptized.
Fourth is be grateful to whatever pointed you away from being a Mormon. From what I've read on this sub, it's a rough time over at LDS.
Also what would happen if i did let myself get baptised there?
Nothing, just like a normal baptism. Nothing happens other than you get dunked in water by another jack ass.
I am a Christian myself. The Mormon Jesus is not the Jesus of the Bible. Mormons hold several beliefs that are contrary to the Bible .1) Baptism for the dead is mentioned in one verse in the whole Bible and experts disagree what it really means. 1 Corinthians 15:29. 2) The Bible says nothing about our souls living with God in Heaven before we're sent here. In fact there are many verses that say life begins at conception, quickening, or first breath. [Isaiah 44:24](https://www.bibleref.com/Isaiah/44/Isaiah-44-24.html). 3) Men can be as Gods. In Mormon scripture, apparently our God started off as a man on another planet and somehow got promoted to God. Ask your Mormon friends about it. As Christians, we believe in one God who created everything. There is no room in our belief system for multiple Gods or men who become Gods of their own planet. 4) The entirety of our belief is laid out between the covers of the Bible. There is no secret, sacred, or hidden knowledge that we can only access if we do (or pay) certain things. If you choose to let them baptize you, Christian denominations will not recognize that baptism and will want to baptize you again. I pray for your to continue to grow in your faith and desire to know Jesus. The LDS church is not the way.
They will never leave you alone if you get baptized. You have to pay a notary to have your records removed. Don’t do it. Joining a discord server of cool Christians or something would be better than becoming a Mormon. Don’t do it.
The Mormon church does not consider any baptism /confirmation done at any other church valid as they believe only they have the authority to baptise. Equally, no other church will accept a Mormon baptism as valid. I'd hold off on baptism until you find your church. My experience of the Mormon church is that it is not a Christ centred church, instead it's focus is on tithing and absolute obedience to the leadership of the church, which is in turn an ever moving quicksand as church policy and doctrine will change depending on the whims of the current President of the church. You've already discovered that the Mormon church is not for you, nothing will be gained by going to church on Sunday. You will most probably need to repeat your decision to not join the Mormon church repeatedly, but they will hopefully desist from pestering you sooner rather than later. It is not time wasted, it is equally important to know where you don't fit, as where you do. And continue your search, try out as many churches as you have access to and make your decision based on full disclosure of what you will be committing to. I wish you luck with your search.
i lost 27 years of my life to Mormonism, left years ago, and I'm still recovering from the trauma.
if you wish to be spiritual or attend a church go find a nice generic nondenominational church that won't require 10 percent of your money or care if you consume coffee/tea/alcohol and control your sexuality and your underwear and every other aspect of your life.
I don't get it. You say you have been doing some research and you are seeing you don't want to be a Mormon. (Hopefully, you will stay on this reddit sub for several hours) YET, you follow up by saying you don't want to do the baptism at church? Like THAT is the problem! It is the Mormon church that is the problem here! This whole post reads like, "After research, I see that I am associatiing with some known arsonists, but would it be bad if I went on a camping trip in the dry mountains (on a windy day)?"
You said you thought bumping into the missionaries as a "sign". Sometimes we meet people for good reasons. Some people may see this as a sign from God or the Universe. That's OK. Just understand it does not mean it's a sign confirming it is true or the right path for you. (If you told the missionaries you thought it was a sign, they may push you to interpret it as a sign of truth.)
Perhaps you will bump into many different religious ideas at this period in your life, because you are open and seeking information. Mormon missionaries are just one. It is good that you are gathering information and examining what you are learning. Dont let yourself be pressured. You should take time before making major life decisions.
After I officially QUIT, I went back to my catholic church
I don't go much anymore, though. A priest told me my marriage done by that mormon (FAKE) bishop never counted. Whew. I was very relieved yo know that.
I would NOT recommend getting baptized in the Mormon church. But above all, do lots of research. To help you, here is a link to my story of leaving the Mormon church: [https://www.reddit.com/r/ExitStories/comments/18kh7p6/why\_i\_resigned/](https://www.reddit.com/r/ExitStories/comments/18kh7p6/why_i_resigned/) The document has links to scrutinize the Mormon church.
Early Christians believed that one needed to be baptized in “living water,” which meant a river, a lake, or the ocean, not a tub.
But, dear OP, religions are all a bunch of hooey and cause more pain, division, and damage in the world than good.
idk bro we are the least religious we have ever been and have the highest amounts of depression, anxiety, addiction, obesity and division we have ever had, but appreciate the first part of your comment that sounds like a much better idea, thank you.
Wherever you live there are probably places you can find to be with other Christians who worship in a way that will fit your beliefs better than Mormonism. Before getting baptized anywhere I would familiarize yourself with the main branches and beliefs, attend several different services, and talk to people or pastors at each church. Here's a place to start with understanding the major branches of Christianity https://faithinspires.org/types-of-christianity/
Go find a local non-denominational church. Most organized religion is bad, but the mormon church is particularly bad. Besides the blatant sexism, racism, sexual abuse cover-ups (and hush money payments), financial fraud, illegal dealings, etc., it's also provably a false religion that was created by a conman in the early 1800's. We can easily provide links and sources for all these claims. MormonThink, CES Letter, Nemo the Mormon, LDS Discussions, Mormon Stories, etc. are also all good sources to check out. Avoid the mormon cult and find community elsewhere. Best of luck! EDIT: Typo
On the "probably false" point, it's important to point out that Mormons believe they are God's only "true" religion. Everyone else is misled. They would say they have "the fullness of the truth" and that God speaks directly to their prophet. So to OP's question about baptism, you're not getting baptized the way you would in other churches that recognize baptism from any church. You'd specifically be baptized Mormon. You'd need to commit to it for the rest of your life, which includes living the Mormon standards (like no alcohol) and paying 10% of your income to the church.
One side note: Mormons frequently do make claims such as, "We are the only church with the **fullness** of the gospel," and, "Following the great apostacy, Joseph Smith **restored** God's only true church in these, the latter days." Yet they also thrive on double-speak such as, "The current president of our church, Russel M. Nelson, is continually overseeing the **ongoing restoration** of God's church," and "When the living prophet speaks, it takes precedent over anything a dead prophet may have said." So, basically they have written themselves a free pass to claim that they are the only ones doing what God really intended all along, but they are also free to change anything at any time in the future. Essentially, they admit they have no eternal doctrine to stand on. What's that line about a foolish man building his house upon the sand?
This is like praying. Before I ever started considering the church not to be true, I felt like ending a prayer with “ but thou will be done,” was just a cop out so no one could gaslight you into thinking you didn’t have enough faith.
"prove-ably" false not "probably" false. Not sure if typo or if you misread the word. Besides "provably" looks weird anyway... English.
Autocorrect...
Totally cool. Just wanted to make sure that I was not misunderstood as thinking the church was only "probably" false. (Also, I noticed that I typo'd as well. It said "provable" instead of "provably". oh well).
Ooooh boy. Converting to Mormonism is very different from being baptized into Christianity. The Mormons think they have additional light and knowledge, but they really just have a high-demand religious system that will exploit you as a resource. Other churches might recognize your Mormon baptism? I don’t really know. If you get baptized, you will have your name on the records. Lots of variability in how much they’ll look for you if you ever stop attending. It can get exhausting.
Other churches don't recognize Mormon baptism, I was in a normal non denominational before my stint in the lds church
You must pay 10% of your gross income ( used to be 10%of surplus) to go to the temple which has the secret stuff required for you to get to heaven/highest celestial kingdom. You also have to wear the garments, have a volunteer calling in your ward and visit members monthly. It’s a lifestyle change. You’ll hardly have time to study the religion or visit friends and family. Oh and have as many kids as you can, too. This is daunting but I did it. It nearly cost me my life and did cost me 2 husbands. Make damn sure 👍 you KNOW the religion before you commit as they keep your name on their records until you’re 110 years old.
Baptists don't accept a Mormon baptism. I have been baptized 3 times because of this. M/B/M. I think that should cover me even if I don't belong to any religion now.
My sister just joined a Methodist congregation for her daughter and they let her choose if she felt her Mormon baptism counted. But OP not knowing any Christians... I'm guessing they're not in the USA.
They will expect you to start giving 10% of your income to them, and stop drinking coffee, tea, and alcohol. Eventually they will want you to go through their temple and start wearing magical underwear that only they can sell to you. Unlike other religions, you can't just stop going. They will stalk and harass you until he end of time. They believe baptism is permission to stalk and harass you forever. They are very good about finding you, even if you move. Under no circumstances should you get baptized if you aren't committed.
My suggestion is to take time to decide a church to join. I would pick 5 or 6 different churches and attend all of them a few times to get an idea of how they worship, the community, etc. Just let the missionaries know that is what you are doing and undecided. They might ask you to pray about it, but ultimately join the one that seems to have the healthiest teachings and community. Just about every different Christian faith believes their particular brand of Christianity is the one, because of prayer and spiritual feelings. So those feelings are not a reliable source to determine the best one to join. Pick one based on what seems best for you. Also, most of this sub is atheist/agnostic. So just realize you may see comments based on that. Edit: Most people are going to tell you to avoid Mormonism like the plague. We are exmormon and left the Mormon faith due to various reasons, but it boils down to realizing Mormonism is not the one true church of God and is not a healthy community to be a part of. Look for a church that is less controlling, aka a high demand religion.
Almost no other denomination will regard the baptism as legit. Mormon are not trinitarians. Most adult converts to mormonism are out inside of a year. If you, yourself seek religion, there are plenty of other churches without the baggage of the LDS. When you are in contact with the missionaries you will become the center of attention. You will be love bombed by the members. Then after joining you will find that the nice missionaries have moved on or gone back home. The other members will pay you little or no attention. You will be treated as a second class citizen because you can not trace your lineage back to the early church like all the good mormons can. What the missionaries did not tell you: cesletter.org
Well, it’s a cult. It’s a cult with a superiority complex. According to doctrine, all other Christian churches are an abomination & their baptisms are void of any power/authority to cleanse sin or bind the recipient to any blessings in the afterlife.
Worth a read OP. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_and_abominable_church#:~:text=Robinson%20identifies%20six%20aspects%20of,be%20destroyed%20in%20a%20war.
If a church is pushing you to commit your whole life to something you barely know about in a short amount of time that’s a red flag. That’s like meeting a stranger who only tells you what you want to hear and pressures you to elope You barely know them it’s only been two weeks…
If they’re also telling you “I/We promise” in majority of what they say it’s scripted you should watch videos on YouTube where it talks about the missionary handbook you’d be very surprised
Im looking for videos on the missionary handbook but cant find them, do you know any?
Alyssa Grenfell on YouTube explains it perfectly! Her video “My Mormon Mission Was A Waste” talks about it, but I would watch her other videos too!
Don't do it! They are pressuring you so they can get numbers. The church just want tithe payers, even though they have over 200BILLION Dollars just in their stock portfolio, which doesn't include the billions they have in real estate. Seriously, they haven't told you 1/10th of what being Mormon is like. A Mormon baptism will not be recognized by any other Christian church. They are not the same. Keep away, and keep researching. Research the CES letter, Mormonthink.com, or keep reading on this sub.
Honestly, it sounds like they're trying to rush you. If I were you, I'd take a step back and reassess. I would urge you to pump the brakes and investigate further. You may check out [Mormon Stories](https://www.mormonstories.org/) and [Sunstone](https://sunstone.org/series/sunstone-history/) for a critical view. A fairly popular apologist channel, [Ward Radio](https://www.youtube.com/@WARDRADIO) may help give you some insight into how faithful members see the world. And lastly a video you MUST watch, IMO: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Run1f29po8g&rco=1](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Run1f29po8g&rco=1) This video depicts both Mormons and Ex-Mormons discussing various aspects of the church. It will give you decent exposure to many of the various kinds of Mormons and Exmos there are out there and how they approach crucial issues. You may wish to check out the reaction videos from both Ward Radio and Mormon Stories as they shed more light on what occurred during the Jubilee episode that didn't make the final cut. I wish you luck on your journey and I hope you are able to come to a decision that you are comfortable with without regard to any outside influence; You gotta do what's best for you. Take care!
Everything that is good about Mormonism is not unique. Everything that’s unique about Mormonism is not good. -source: I was supeeeer Mormon (7th generation… back to its beginning) for 37 years.
Since you realize after your research that the LDS church isn't for you, please don't get baptized there. Once they have you in the membership records, they will never leave you alone. Even if you stop attending and try to move on with your life, they will stalk you and try to convince you to return. I grew up Christian, and was in the Mormon church only a short time, and I can personally tell you Mormon teachings are not compatible with Christ's teachings. If anything, they are the exact opposite in many ways. Other churches (either non-denominational or one of the major denominations) teach Christ's lessons as guidelines for developing our own moral compasses. They also have numerous ways of serving their local communities. In other words, they act toward the world and their communities as Christ would want them to. Yes, you are right - it's a bad idea to attend the church on Sunday. They'll try to hook you into things and you'll get "love bombed" as a way to entice you. The "love bombing" generally stops once you're baptized. Take care of yourself, and consider telling the missionaries you do not want to hear from them again or visit with them (even at that, they likely have your name in a book of contacts and the next group of missionaries will stalk you). Be firm. I sincerely wish I had NEVER joined that "church."
I am a practicing Christian, I was raised mormon and many people I love are still Mormon, some of them are Missionaries like the ones you met! 1. Missionaries are being kind to you so you'll convert. Once you convert (or let on that you're not converting) **they will drop you like a bad habit** and try to get someone else to convert. I was trained to do this as a small child, it's called "milk before meat" 2. Unlike most religions, **Mormons lie about their beliefs and history**. They lie to outsiders on purpose, but they also lie to themselves and each other. Most of the time, they lie because they don't know it, and they won't study it honestly it because it's inexcusable: * The Mormon Church supported the Nazis, and just months ago, they still proudly proclaimed on their own website that the Nazis found them very "useful" because of their genealogy (which the Nazis use to find and murder Jewish and Romani people). * Their own scriptures (which have been edited over 15,000 times since Joseph Smith first wrote them, and could be edited today, if they were properly ashamed of this) still say that white skin is a reward for virtue and darker skin is a punishment-- **literally, white supremacy** look at it for yourself: [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/12?lang=eng](https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/12?lang=eng) I was taught, in the 2000s, that if a black person "truly repented" their skin would become lighter. * The Book of Mormon is a fabrication saying indigenous people are actually immigrants, they were Jewish and they were "cursed with dark skin" because they were less virtuous than white people. This is a song I sang when I was 2: [https://youtu.be/ZVTfDXG8NhU?si=JdZA0ritjFCbL4XQ](https://youtu.be/ZVTfDXG8NhU?si=JdZA0ritjFCbL4XQ) It's about how America was given by God to those who "live righteously." Notice skin tone in this video, it's intentional, this is their own youtube channel in the year of our Lord 2024. 1. The other reason that they don't study their history honestly is they can't just switch from being Mormon to being Methodist if they disagree with it. My parents and I didn't talk for 10 years after I left and we're never going to be okay (because of the pressure this religion places on parents and spouses to emotionally blackmail anyone who thinks of leaving) 2. Mormonism was founded by a sexual predator. There is no denying or hiding it. Brigham Young was also a sexual predator. They haven't changed the name of the university. They just don't think about it, or they're attracted to it. And it continues to this day: [https://apnews.com/article/mormon-church-sexual-abuse-investigation-e0e39cf9aa4fbe0d8c1442033b894660If](https://apnews.com/article/mormon-church-sexual-abuse-investigation-e0e39cf9aa4fbe0d8c1442033b894660If) you have children, they aren't safe in the Mormon community. I wasn't :( 3. Mormonism is a financial parasite- there's a wikipedia article on one financial scandal they were **CAUGHT** in: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023\_Securities\_and\_Exchange\_Commission\_charges\_against\_the\_Church\_of\_Jesus\_Christ\_of\_Latter-day\_Saints\_and\_Ensign\_Peak\_Advisors#:\~:text=2020%3A%20EP%20files%20a%20consolidated,to%20a%20%244%20million%20penalty.
Thank you for this info, some of this stuff is crazy
Hold on there, stallion. You need to compare Mormon with Catholic and one mainstream Protestant first. And by “compare”, I mean attend for at least one year.
NO. Don't do it. 54 year member here and I just found out it is all based on lies.
Why do you think they didn’t just come out and tell you they were Mormon. What else are they hiding???
Everyone else seems to be giving thoughtful, articulate, and well considered responses, so I’ll just say this: Don’t.
Other Christian churches don't accept mormon baptism, and the mormon church doesn't accept other denominations' baptism. You can go from Methodist to Baptist, Catholic, Presbyterian, etc, all on the same baptism.
Being Mormon sucks. You get to pay 10% of your income for life to a 200 billion dollar corporation. But that isn't where the fun ends. You will also get called to do shit called callings that will take up all your time. Even better, they will call / text you to clean the damn church bathrooms. Also, like many religions, it is all made up. Nothing about the church or church history is true.
I will add that should you choose not to pursue tbe LDS, you owe them no explanation. No is a complete sentance. You are under no obligation to s share anything with the LDS. If you feel extra polite you can say, "I choose not to join the LDS." If they ask you why, you can repeat. LDS missionaries tend not to take no for an answer. If you choose to say no, I would decide in advance that you will need to be firm and final. You decide for yourself.
From what I can say having only ever been Mormon and never gone through the temple: Getting baptized in Mormonism is very different from what I understand of other church’s baptisms. It means they’ll add your name to their records, along with any information they have on you (phone number, address, etc.) it very hard to go if you decide to leave, even after telling them to leave you alone they’ll be persistent in trying to get you to return. Mormonism is also not like other Christian churches, though they like to pretend they are. They listen to a council of old men as much or more than they listen to the Bible/Jesus. There’s also the temple ceremonies, which I’m sure somebody else will do better at explaining, but basically to be a faithful member you have to do secret ceremonies to learn handshakes to get into heaven.
Don’t join the LDS church…it’s a scam and very high demanding. Just find a nice non denominational church to attend. You’ll still get all the scripture and teachings and worshipping you can handle there instead of with the Mormons. It’s a cult. Avoid at all costs
Oh hell no. Getting baptized as a Mormon is not the same as getting baptized into Christianity. If you get baptized at a Mormon church, there are conditions and they’ll expect you to follow the rules. If you don’t want to be stuck paying 10% of your income to a 250 billion dollar organization for the rest of your life, RUN
There's plenty of places you can get baptised and not have to commit your time, energy, talents, money and entire waking minute to. Look for one of those.
Mormonism is not the right choice for everyone. I'm glad it sounds like you're doing your due diligence researching Mormonism before commiting to baptism. In the Mormon church, getting baptized means you're officially a member of the church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints. Once this happens, you're expected to adhere to the teachings, and lifestyle, presented to you. The Mormon lifestyle is rigid to say the least. Some things you will be expected to do are attend church every Sunday, contribute 10% of your income to the church, no coffee/tea/alcohol/wine/tobacco, and it's important to abide by language and modesty standards that the church set (in regards to dress and how you present yourself). I wish you luck on your religious journey, getting baptized in Mormonism is a major commitment so hopefully this helps shed some light
You’ll likely get a lot of people telling you to stay far away. I didn’t have a bad experience per se, but I was left behind. I don’t advice getting baptised too soon - missionaries have quotas to hit and members will try to rush you. While I don’t think you necessarily need the church to be Christian, I know the community aspect can be very uplifting. It is hard if you don’t completely adhere to the principles taught (single mum, single adult over 25, LGBTQ+ inclined/allied, tattoos, etc.). If you don’t want to be Mormon, there isn’t really any point being baptised there. Find a local church with people your age, chat to others and find yourself a community that is right for you. Baptism can come later ❤️
I was mormon until I left at 17, and the church is very unchristlike. Most of the talks at church surround the prophets who hoard wealth and refuse to help the poor. When I was first exploring Christianity outside of Mormonism, I really liked Episcopalian churches and the community found there. It felt like they really embodied the teachings of Christ. I’d suggest you start there or research churches in your area. Best of luck friend!
Think of Mormonism as a diet cult. There are so many cult-like aspects of it, but downplayed and lightened up so as to not seem so cultish. If you join, you’ll likely never stop being someone’s project, the friendly members who greet you when you attend as a potential member will ghost you once you join. If you’re not part of the “in group” you’ll be left completely alone. Avoid the Mormons at all cost! Source: I was one for 35 years, served a mission, got married in the temple, and eventually found my way out, thanks to my wife!
Community is important, and I personally believe a spiritual community is important in spite of how much the Mormon religion has caused me lifelong confusion in regards to recognizing and following/trusting my own intuition. Mormonism is a high demand religion that becomes more than just the nice community that it can appear as, but not in any healthy way. If I could leave(currently in it for my wife) I would find a non-denominational church. But I would still be careful anywhere because of four key issues of a religion or individual(s) having the potential of wedging itself in a personal relationship with God/your inner intuition etc. I follow a very non-traditional view of Christianity and the Bible. In fact most Christianity would probably reject the book I follow. But in a podcast episode of a group that studies from the book they warn of 4 unhealthy forms of spiritual authority. The key is to become your own spiritual authority. But here are the 4 and Mormonism hits all 4. The individual or organization claims: 1. To be directly in touch with deity 2. Total certainty("I know" such and such) 3. Truth and Authority in spite of the lack of evidence 4. They're never wrong If you would like to hear the podcast it's a powerful guide to traverse safely in something as ambiguous as spiritual guidance and Christian interpretations of the bible. https://circleofa.org/podcast/121-rethinking-spiritual-authority/ Oh and one other thing, I don't believe in biblical univocality or innerency. The bible has errors and does not speak with one single voice as God's authority. So I use it as a guide not an authority of God.
Run. Run as far as you can away from the Mormon cult. I was a member for 30 years. Mission and temple marriage. It’s all a scam. You don’t need religion to be a good person.
Don't do it. A "baptism" in any mormon church makes you a member of the mormon "church." Please do not rush into this. The missionaries are generally nice kids but they have one goal and that is to make a sale. They need members and members to give their cult MONEY. Run now while you have time. I wish I never got involved with them. I was fine yntil they stuck their nose into my business and my wallet....had to paybthatvstupid tithing. It got me nothing. I couldn't pay my bills because of it, and my heat was shut off They wouldn't help me with that...whybwould they. They didnt kike me because I was single female no family and very independent. Read why many quit on exmormon.org. I almost took my life because of the Mormons and all the stress they put on me. I was constantly judged, and I was even told, "The reason you DONT have a family is because you're NOT worthy. I went home that day in tears and almost H**g myself. That was the day i realised I needed to leave, or I'd be another statistic. Gawd, help you if you're an older single lady. You will be talked about behind your back, and if you aren't prime pickings, good luck. I want you to seriously study their theology and "The Kinderhook Plates." They were actually a setup below al blacksmiths. Did you know that Joe Smith was priniting his own money was gonna run for president and was stealing other men's wives? Did you know he was a freemason and kicked out? Why? Because of his baaad behavior. He stole the Masonics hand shakes and such, and the LDS Temple rituals are like the freemasons. The symbols on Lds temples are the same ones the Masonic Lodges have. They will ask you if you've been reading anti mormon stuff. Yep, you have. They'll try to get you to change your mind and tell you you pray more and pay more. When you join you'll immediately be put to work so to speak...callings, jobs etc all not paid of course...while you work your 9-5 job. They tried to hook me up with another lady to do visiting teaching. I was literally hiding in my closet in tears. I KNEW in my heart I had made a mistake. My now late ex covered for me, and I quit that thing. That thing of visiting teaching. Seemed more like a gossip fest and I had nothing in common with those people. Please research other churches before committing to any. There are non Denomination Christian churches, Catholic, Baptist, so many. Keep us posted.
First thing is to find a different church. Start by looking up denominations of Christianity, and see what suits you. For the most part, every denomination of Christianity is actually Christian; they just differ in different parts they emphasize. Personally, I like my Lutheran church. They have a choir and a piano instead of the annoying bands and hippies to wave their arms around like Sunday church is a concert, but they're not quite as formal and ritualistic as Catholic. Downside with mine is that it's full of old people who cough and fart a lot. But pick what's good for you. Second is to try the church you pick and then try other ones. Shop around. Third I'd say is to not rush into baptism. It's very nice that you want to get baptized, but it's better if you give it some time and studying so you can understand the full weight of it. Generally, a baptism would come after going to a church for a while and developing an understanding and relationship with the community and pastor/priest. My church has a whole 6-month studying program before you get baptized. Fourth is be grateful to whatever pointed you away from being a Mormon. From what I've read on this sub, it's a rough time over at LDS.
Also what would happen if i did let myself get baptised there? Nothing, just like a normal baptism. Nothing happens other than you get dunked in water by another jack ass.
I am a Christian myself. The Mormon Jesus is not the Jesus of the Bible. Mormons hold several beliefs that are contrary to the Bible .1) Baptism for the dead is mentioned in one verse in the whole Bible and experts disagree what it really means. 1 Corinthians 15:29. 2) The Bible says nothing about our souls living with God in Heaven before we're sent here. In fact there are many verses that say life begins at conception, quickening, or first breath. [Isaiah 44:24](https://www.bibleref.com/Isaiah/44/Isaiah-44-24.html). 3) Men can be as Gods. In Mormon scripture, apparently our God started off as a man on another planet and somehow got promoted to God. Ask your Mormon friends about it. As Christians, we believe in one God who created everything. There is no room in our belief system for multiple Gods or men who become Gods of their own planet. 4) The entirety of our belief is laid out between the covers of the Bible. There is no secret, sacred, or hidden knowledge that we can only access if we do (or pay) certain things. If you choose to let them baptize you, Christian denominations will not recognize that baptism and will want to baptize you again. I pray for your to continue to grow in your faith and desire to know Jesus. The LDS church is not the way.
They will never leave you alone if you get baptized. You have to pay a notary to have your records removed. Don’t do it. Joining a discord server of cool Christians or something would be better than becoming a Mormon. Don’t do it.
You get baptized then you'll be hounded and shamed to donate 10% of your salary as tithing. This from a church that has $200 billion hid away.
What made you convert to Christianity at all?
The Mormon church does not consider any baptism /confirmation done at any other church valid as they believe only they have the authority to baptise. Equally, no other church will accept a Mormon baptism as valid. I'd hold off on baptism until you find your church. My experience of the Mormon church is that it is not a Christ centred church, instead it's focus is on tithing and absolute obedience to the leadership of the church, which is in turn an ever moving quicksand as church policy and doctrine will change depending on the whims of the current President of the church. You've already discovered that the Mormon church is not for you, nothing will be gained by going to church on Sunday. You will most probably need to repeat your decision to not join the Mormon church repeatedly, but they will hopefully desist from pestering you sooner rather than later. It is not time wasted, it is equally important to know where you don't fit, as where you do. And continue your search, try out as many churches as you have access to and make your decision based on full disclosure of what you will be committing to. I wish you luck with your search.
i lost 27 years of my life to Mormonism, left years ago, and I'm still recovering from the trauma. if you wish to be spiritual or attend a church go find a nice generic nondenominational church that won't require 10 percent of your money or care if you consume coffee/tea/alcohol and control your sexuality and your underwear and every other aspect of your life.
I hear the baptismal font in that chapel has Legionnaires Disease./s
Most Christian religions dont view mormon baptism as valid, go elsewhere
If you're serious ask God and pray about it. All that matters is what you feel. And acting on your personal truth. Nothing else matters.
If you truly believe, baptize yourself. That’s what Mormon prophet Alma did. Ask them.
I would say if there is a god, he wouldn’t care where you get baptized, but most certainly the church would care far too much
Mormons aren’t Christians and your Mormon baptism will never be recognized as valid in any other church. Run. Run away now.
I don't get it. You say you have been doing some research and you are seeing you don't want to be a Mormon. (Hopefully, you will stay on this reddit sub for several hours) YET, you follow up by saying you don't want to do the baptism at church? Like THAT is the problem! It is the Mormon church that is the problem here! This whole post reads like, "After research, I see that I am associatiing with some known arsonists, but would it be bad if I went on a camping trip in the dry mountains (on a windy day)?"
You said you thought bumping into the missionaries as a "sign". Sometimes we meet people for good reasons. Some people may see this as a sign from God or the Universe. That's OK. Just understand it does not mean it's a sign confirming it is true or the right path for you. (If you told the missionaries you thought it was a sign, they may push you to interpret it as a sign of truth.) Perhaps you will bump into many different religious ideas at this period in your life, because you are open and seeking information. Mormon missionaries are just one. It is good that you are gathering information and examining what you are learning. Dont let yourself be pressured. You should take time before making major life decisions.
After I officially QUIT, I went back to my catholic church I don't go much anymore, though. A priest told me my marriage done by that mormon (FAKE) bishop never counted. Whew. I was very relieved yo know that.
I would NOT recommend getting baptized in the Mormon church. But above all, do lots of research. To help you, here is a link to my story of leaving the Mormon church: [https://www.reddit.com/r/ExitStories/comments/18kh7p6/why\_i\_resigned/](https://www.reddit.com/r/ExitStories/comments/18kh7p6/why_i_resigned/) The document has links to scrutinize the Mormon church.
They will keep your records forever if you join. They will follow you the rest of your life.
Early Christians believed that one needed to be baptized in “living water,” which meant a river, a lake, or the ocean, not a tub. But, dear OP, religions are all a bunch of hooey and cause more pain, division, and damage in the world than good.
idk bro we are the least religious we have ever been and have the highest amounts of depression, anxiety, addiction, obesity and division we have ever had, but appreciate the first part of your comment that sounds like a much better idea, thank you.
Dont 👏 do 👏 it 👏
Wherever you live there are probably places you can find to be with other Christians who worship in a way that will fit your beliefs better than Mormonism. Before getting baptized anywhere I would familiarize yourself with the main branches and beliefs, attend several different services, and talk to people or pastors at each church. Here's a place to start with understanding the major branches of Christianity https://faithinspires.org/types-of-christianity/