BYU is Stephenie a Mormon?

[singleduetoedward]

I haven't posted in this thread before, but you all seem so nice! I am not Mormon myself, but my dad's side of the family is all Mormon. We live in southern Arizona, my grandpa's family moved up here from a Mormon settled colony in Mexico. My grandpa was raised Mormon but he was kind of a bad boy (drank caffeine, smoked, drank now and then) and married my grandma who was not Mormon. He was the only one of his family that kinda strayed from the Mormon faith, but he still keeps in touch with the rest of his family who are still alive so I know them fairly well.
I wasn't raised Mormon (I've only been to an LDS church a few times), but I've been raised AROUND people of the faith, and I truly appreciate them and the Church itself. I really think their beliefs make sense. Most people think I'm kinda nutty for that if they weren't raised Mormon lol, I really don't understand why. I guess most people just don't understand it and have these weird preconceived notions about them. Some of my best friends are Mormon, and most Mormons I've known are like THE nicest people I've ever met, and you all seem really nice too!
In classic teenage form, I went through a few years of rebellion and did some pretty awful things and after I got in some trouble, I'm done with all that and regret it sincerely and now TRULY truly understand and appreciate the principles of the Mormon faith and try to live by them as much as I can. This sounds dumb, but Stephenie's books really helped me. Not saying that she really put any religious intonation into the book..just that I really admired the characters, without them doing what is "cool" in today's media and society (drinking, drugs, sex, etc.).
Sorry for the LONGEST POST EVER!

[debussygirl]

In classic teenage form, I went through a
few years of rebellion and did some pretty awful things and after I got
in some trouble, I'm done with all that and regret it sincerely and now
TRULY truly understand and appreciate the principles of the Mormon
faith and try to live by them as much as I can. This sounds dumb, but
Stephenie's books really helped me. Not saying that she really put any
religious intonation into the book..just that I really admired the
characters, without them doing what is "cool" in today's media and
society (drinking, drugs, sex, etc.).
Sorry for the LONGEST POST EVER!

First, your long posts are appreciated.
And I'm glad someone outside of our faith can understand why we live certain principles. I've had people utterly confused on why Mormons don't drink. I always say, "Yeah, because it is SO much fun having a hangover. And getting DUI's, there like a Christmas present. Oh, and I've always wanted to kill someone while I drink and drive." Many people mistakenly think that our values are too controlling and would make any sane person feel oppressed. But really, it does the opposite. Our lives are so much better and happier! I know a lot of people who aren't members anymore, but are glad that they were raised on the values they were and still live them, because they know it is smarter.

[singleduetoedward]

ha yeah, every drinking experience I've had was a bad one so when people are like 'blah blah why don't you drink anymore?' I'm like uuhh...maybe because it was NEVER FUN in the first place and only got me in trouble or sick or both and was totally irresponsible...maybe that's it!

[debussygirl]

Yeah, my cousin (she's not LDS) went drinking with some "friends" when she passed out in the middle of the sidewalk and her "friends" just left her there. She was kind of my example of "I do not want to go through that" and proof that doing bad stuff doesn't make you happy-she was always miserable. But she's been able to clean up her act and is into church now, so we're all very grateful in our family for that.

[MRK]

OK a few quick questions...
I'm not mormon, so I hope this doesn't sound ignorant...

When Stephenie wrote these books, was she afraid of getting into trouble with the church? I mean, it is about VAMPIRES...she makes vampires seem cool, and although it has a lot of religious messages...I dunno.
I guess I remember back in the day when Julie from MTV's 'Real World' got kicked out of BYU for sharing a house with men. And more recently the guy that got his degree retracted by BYU because he made a 'sexy mormons' calendar filled with Hot mormon guys. He'd has his degree for awhile too.
Some of the best parts are Edward with his shirt off, or kissing Bella...or Bella trying to take advantage of Edward lol....
So....I dunno, do you think she was scared she might get her degree taken away? Or been banned from the church?
What if they would have been real vampires?

Also, someone posted earlier...once you mention youre an atheist people kinda judge you. I think it's because when you say youre an atheist...a lot of the time they mean 'I have a problem with God, and so I'm shunning him' (My brother passed away recently, and my other brother is kinda holding a grudge against God and claims hes an atheist.)
I have no problem and would not judge you if you just simply did not believe in any higher power. To me that's different than being AGAINST God. God DID give you free will after all
Do any of you agree with that?

It is hard for me to understand how an atheist could not believe in ANY higher power, cause this world is SOOO Amazing...
Also, when I was younger, I was abused and I truly believe God helped pull me through...but that's just my faith
This is awesome we can discuss this topic so freely on here

[Ellie Ibis]

More questions from a non-Mormon for you! (Even better, from a non-Christian/Catholic/Atheist. I practice Ásatrú.)

Anyway, I was curious as to how woman are viewed within the LDS belief system? As in, are there defined gender-roles to be followed--things that was viewed as "woman's work" and "men's work", etc.?

[MRK]

More questions from a non-Mormon for you! (Even better, from a non-Christian/Catholic/Atheist. I practice Ásatrú.)

Anyway, I was curious as to how woman are viewed within the LDS belief system? As in, are there defined gender-roles to be followed--things that was viewed as "woman's work" and "men's work", etc.?

I just googled Ásatrú...interesting. Are you scandanavian?

[Ellie Ibis]

More questions from a non-Mormon for you! (Even better, from a non-Christian/Catholic/Atheist. I practice Ásatrú.)

Anyway, I was curious as to how woman are viewed within the LDS belief system? As in, are there defined gender-roles to be followed--things that was viewed as "woman's work" and "men's work", etc.?

I just googled Ásatrú...interesting. Are you scandanavian?

German, actually. =) (But, no, I do not speak German fluently. The rest of family does, but I kinda fail at it.)

[awesomejen1]

More questions from a non-Mormon for you! (Even better, from a non-Christian/Catholic/Atheist. I practice Ásatrú.)

Anyway, I was curious as to how woman are viewed within the LDS belief system? As in, are there defined gender-roles to be followed--things that was viewed as "woman's work" and "men's work", etc.?

Growing up, and I think one of the main contributing factors to my non-belief in the church is the gender roles that is in place. I never understood why only men can have the priesthood (I realize a lot of religions are patriarchal, but that doesn't make it ok) Also, as someone who never has wanted kids, and doesn't like them either, I was always the odd man out basically because it is a womans duty to raise a family. Another issue I always took was how members of our ward looked negatively at my mom for working...they think women should stay at home and take care of the kids and what not, which I completely disagree with.
I always felt a subservient additude towards women in the church.

As to how athiest can beieve there is no higher power...I think it is a pretty easy jump personally. What is easier to believe, that there is some magical being in existance to create this world out of nothing, or that this world just was. If you believe in a higher power, then you are having to believe in 2 unexplainable things, if you don't believe in a higher power, there is really one one unexplainable thing.
I don't know what I am for sure...I don't belong to any religion, that is for sure, and the only reason I do not claim to be athiest is because I really want there to be more to this life then being born, living, then dying. But I don't know if I really believe there is an afterlife or anything, I just hope so.

As someone who isn't religious, I often wonder how people can look at a Bible and take it for more then just stories...so maybe someone wants to go into that. Personally, when I hear any bible story, it is just that, a nice story, usually has some moral to it to teach a lesson...but I could never look at it as fact, or historical, especially after how it was put together. I just think it is interesting. The way I see it is that if you believe it, you would probably believe it no matter what "proof" was said or done to show otherwise...same goes for someone who doesn't believe it. I have come to realize that once your personal beliefs are formed, really, everything will be influenced by that, and no arguments or "facts" will sway your opinion...I don't know if that makes sense, but it does in my head...haha!

[debussygirl]

Ok, I'll start from the top.
I don't know about anyone getting their degree taken away by BYU. I wouldn't think that SM would, because she hasn't done anything against the church--if anything she's encouraged other people outside of our faith to practice the law of chasitity. I'm sure she's okay in the church. I mean, all the LDS girls are so happy that we have an author that we can trust to give us a good romance story without negative things in it.
And Mormons shouldn't shun atheists, just for the fact that they don't believe in God. Like you said, God gave us free will and people can chose to believe in him or not. I have a friend who's atheist, and we both respect one another's beliefs. And I agree MRK, this world is too amazing to have just happened. We are too amazing to have just sprung up out of fish and monkeys.
LDS women are often viewed as being "oppressed". To tell you the truth, we have to be the least oppressed women in the world. We (the women) do not hold the priesthood, the men do, so people always try to get at Mormons as being sexist. But that is not true. Firstly, the blessings from the priesthood are just as much ours as men's. We recieve baptism, the holy ghost, baby blessings, endowments, and all other blessings that the priesthood bestows. Some, outside of the LDS faith, say that women can do anything men can do, so women should hold the priesthood. But God's plan for us is mostly based on our gender. Men can't have babies, just as women can't hold the priesthood. But as men can be fathers, women can partake in all priesthood blessings. In the LDS faith, being a mother and bringing God's spirit children into the world is the most sacred of responsibilities. Also, men abusing their wives or any woman is not tolerated at all. God loves his daughters and does not tolerate it when anyone, male or female, abuses his children. So, we do believe in "roles" but they aren't: women must cook and clean and man rules the house. A married couple share equally the responsibilities. The mother to bear and nurture children, and the father to provide and protect. Individual circumstances may create flexibility toward the family. To hear what our prophets and apostles have to say, read the Proclamation to the World, found here:
http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnex ... ntLocale=0
Sorry I take so long to explain stuff, I just don't want people getting half-baked ideas about my faith.