I am in a cult and I believe in polygamy. I am going to have 15+ children when I’m older. I hate anyone who does not believe the exact same ideas I do. I’m republican and absolutely against people having rights, naturally. I live for the day I get to move to Utah. I judge anyone who drinks diet coke and I abhor dancing. My favorite musical is the Book of Mormon, it’s absolutely classic. I met a cute guy today and now my wedding is in two weeks. I am a witch and grateful this is not Salem, 17th century. I am Mormon, oppressed, and definitely not Christian. My name is Molly, let me speak to your manager.
Surprise surprise, none of these are true. These are all accepted ideas about beliefs that come from history, a random single person, or nowhere at all. I’m a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and usually people think they know more about my religion than I do haha.
It is not a cult, that would be hilarious though. Those are social movements or groups that usually take ideas to an extreme- the members have to be highly committed and sometimes are encouraged to distance themselves from friends and family. The leaders are greedy, charismatic narcissists while President Nelson is a super nice guy. I’ve read in more than one social media comment that the church is a cult because we don’t have any mainstream Christian beliefs but that’s not true.
Polygamy is actually not allowed, it’s banned in all states except slight legalized in Utah (which ruins my entire argument). I think people probably get that idea from the show on Netflix about the “Mormon” families who have multiple wives but in reality you’d get excommunicated. The olden day church unfortunately did use to practice polygamy but please don’t judge us. We’re new and improved and we only have monogamous relationships now.
I will admit the stereotypes about having a lot of kids, being Republican, getting married fast and living in Utah are kind of true, a lot of members are into that stuff. I am allowed to drink diet coke, we just try not to drink coffee, alcohol, or do drugs or smoke. However I would never judge people who do enjoy those things.
I would never hate someone if they chose to leave the church or if they had a different opinion, and that’s
definitely not the church as a whole. A lot of members individually are losers but they don’t represent the entire
church (don’t judge a book by reading a single word lol). As Christians, we’re taught to love everyone no matter
who they are or what they chose to do. This church has taught me to be a more charitable and understanding person,
although I’m still kind of the worst.
Thank you for reading :)
Not gonna lie, that first paragraph caught my attention. I found it interesting how you started off the topic like that. Because it's true, Netflix really loves to dramatize things like that. Similar to how some people still believe that Hawaiian islanders live in huts or tents--like in Moana. At any rate, I'm glad you've learned how to be more charitable and understanding. I might know a few who should take notes from you, haha!
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I was a little shocked by the first paragraph and this is what caught my attention in the first place. But, it was really cool to finally learn the truth due to what you had said about Netflix and all the social media about it. I also liked the fact that you did learn to just accept all the social media hate and put it to the side rather than take it personally. So, yeah, you did great! - Zeth Sy
ReplyDeleteYour first paragraph and tittle really caught my attention. I love how in your first paragraph you mentioned all these scandalous/grand assumptions about all members of Christianity and you later shut them all down. Thank you for educating on your experience and about your church. :)
ReplyDelete- Elisea Armado
The title and first paragraph were really good attention grabbers and made me interested to see where it was gonna go and as someone that doesn't know much about religions because I didn't grow up around them it's pretty interesting for someone to be aware and try to say their piece of mind for the accusations their religion has against them and it is pretty admirable of you to defend your beliefs. Good Job! -Ruby Treto
ReplyDeleteI feel that your writing is very relatable to this day. Currently, many people of authority have claimed the Christian title, but don't portray that "Christian" image and it just destroys the reputation of Christians and everyone sees any type of Christian as extremist Republican. In reality, that's not true as Christians are dispersed in their politcal and even types of religious beliefs. It really does suck that the majority are seen in such a way due to extremist viewpoints but stay strong!
ReplyDelete- Deisha Son
I had much enjoyment reading your piece. It was very comedic throughout all of it, and not only that, but educational. I personally have never met a mormon or been exposed to the religion, so you have taught me some new things haha. This text has shown the negative effects stereotypes of how they predefine a person just based off appearances or social group associations, before even getting to know them. I believe it is important to denunciate stereotypes (even though some may be somewhat true somehow haha) to get to truly know a person without prejudices or prejudgement, so props to you!
ReplyDelete- Chloe Baronia
The first paragraph really caught me by surprise and I really enjoyed the juxtaposition between the first paragraph and the rest of your piece. It's interesting to see how you addressed misconceptions about your religion and how that personally affects you, and I commend you for setting the story straight. :) Thank you for teaching me a bit more about you!
ReplyDelete-Aubrey Peterson
I really enjoyed your writing, the first paragraph really grabs the readers attention. Your opposition is very relatable and there are many stereotypes that are to this day being believed in. These stereotypes in which people are in qualifies for their social stance, which is wrong but it is what we go through. goodjob! - kayla cecilio
ReplyDeletethe moment i saw "15+ children" i was immediately intrigued because that's such an uncommon and huge thing to want but of course, the more i read the more i became fascinated with the rest of the story. it was really cool learning all these things that honestly, nobody would ever guess! it's really cool :)
ReplyDelete- alissah w.
Your first paragraph really caught my attention because I was in shock but the second paragraph made me feel relieved because I did believe it at first. I'm glad that I was able to read an very interesting story while also getting educated.
ReplyDelete-Brianna Cordova
When students are often told that you really want to grab the audiences attention, many of them struggle to do so (speaking mostly for myself). I can honestly tell you that you caught my immediate attention just based on the title. Especially after the first paragraph my full attention, and interest was in your blog. Great job! -Zoe White
ReplyDeleteThank you for this story that helps to clarify stereotypes. I was really caught off guard by the first paragraph. I enjoyed learning about a new religion and branch of Christianity.I was intrigued from the start and I was hooked until the end. Good work. -Layna Griffith
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure everyone who read this was caught off guard and taken by surprise with the opening paragraph but it was a part of why this piece was so fun to read. It was really interesting that you started with the misconceptions of your church and later shut them down and I found it really important to the whole point of your story that people in the church are not blind to the misconceptions and do not judge those who may believe those things without being familiar with the religion.
ReplyDelete- Alec Bobadilla
Your first paragraph really surprised me and instantly got me interested. Sine I honestly don't know that much about Christians, I probably would've believed everything in the first paragraph so I really like the way you addressed just how inaccurately the reputation Christians have. I really enjoyed your piece! - Mireya Chavarria
ReplyDeleteI like how you started the piece with the dramatized attention grabber. It was very useful and prompted me to read the rest of the piece. I also liked how you incorporated a comedic element in order to efficiently explain the stereotypes about the Mormon religion. Great job overall!
ReplyDelete-Darren Domond
I love that your piece was both informational and comedic. I am glad you wrote this piece to prove to others that those stereotypes are false because not all Christians are how people perceive them to be. I really enjoyed this piece and how you brought light to this topic. The first paragraph did hook me onto this piece and I really enjoyed it. Thank you! - Alezza Deserva
ReplyDeleteWow the first paragraph really caught me off guard hahahha but it is a nice introduction to which you actually claim the exact opposite in the rest of the work. I know many individuals or society in general tend to judge religions that do not fall under Christianity and often do not spend time to educate themselves. Hopefully, you will never have to face those judgements personally or any of your family and friends because it really does take a toll on your faith and your whole being. I love how you focused on correcting the misconceptions while also educating others! - Eiana Dugang
ReplyDeleteI love how you spoke your truth and crushed the false beliefs that most people believe have. It truly is amazing how many people actually believe in those false beliefs. Not every person who has Mormon beliefs are they same and i love how you specifically conveyed that.
ReplyDelete- Jenna Carey
As everyone else is saying, the first paragraph, specifically the first sentence really took me back. I think it was a great idea to start off with such a bold beginning to possibly get readers to go "woah, I wanna see what this is about." I admire how you stand your ground and call out all the stereotypes you face and really this post was just a great read :)
ReplyDelete-Sean Yutuc
Whoa! You totally caught my attention in the beginning. A very nice attention grabber. It was very interesting how you started off topic. You are totally right Netflix does like to dramatize things. Anyways, I'm pleased to know you have learned to be more of an understanding person. Great work! - Angel I. Gonzalez
ReplyDeleteWow, your piece was powerful. I like how you started off with the stereotypes that people carry and how those can be false. I also like how you pointed out how social media conveys these stereotypes which really shows how harmful the medial can be when it comes to people's religions, identities, cultures, etc. Lastly I enjoyed the slight humor and light heartedness which created a good satire piece. Overall good job! - Jaylin Tillman
ReplyDeleteWow... the first paragraph had me shook haha. But everything else was informative, yet light-hearted at the same time. I loved how you approached this serious topic in the eyes of a normal high school teenager who ever-so-often loves to give comedic relief. Reading this really changed my perspective in regards to this religion. And you're COMPLETELY right... it's ironic how some really people think they know more about specific religions than people who are actually of that religion.
ReplyDelete- Donna Laan
Your first paragraph had me in shock, I had to read the first sentence again to make sure I read that right, but then after you cleared up that those were just assumptions about your religion, but I enjoyed how you cleared up these assumptions.
ReplyDeleteI love the comedic and educational approach! I admire how you defended your religion calling out and correcting the negative assumptions/stereotypes. People believe anything and everything. I didn't know much about Mormon Christiaity so I definitely learned a lot! Thank you for educating! -Arianna Perez
ReplyDeleteThe whole thing was really good in the writing itself and I find it very interesting to read about these false stereotypes and how you chose to correct them. -Rebekah Diaz
ReplyDeleteGreat hook with interesting commentary and Irony. The beginning to the end I just wanted to keep reading more and more. Great work!
ReplyDelete_Anthony Lassos
I like the contradiction between the title and first paragraph. It immediately grabbed my attention. Hearing personal beliefs and ways of life is always interesting as it usually differs from the stereotypes. - Caden Minniefield
ReplyDeleteI really liked the hook of your first paragraph! It kept me intrigued! I also like how you talked about, and debunked, the stereotypes surrounding your religion. Some of them I've heard of, and some not, but I'm glad I've gained a new perspective on this topic.- Somi Nebedum
ReplyDeleteHi Mandy, I really like you big twist in the first part of your story. I am not Mormon so I wouldn't know anything about the religion, but I also liked how you explained yourself without bashing other faiths as well. Good Job! -Kylie Ornelas
ReplyDeleteYou had me in the first paragraph, not gonna lie. That worked well to catch my attention with its shocking statements. I liked how you spoke about stereotyping in general, using Mormons as an example since many people wouldn't use that as one. Great job. -Gannon Smith
ReplyDeleteHi Mandy, I really loved your piece. I can resonate with what you said about one person representing the entirety of a group; constantly feeling the slightest need to prove people wrong about their misconceptions can be a heavy burden to bear. I am quite unfamiliar with Mormonism, so it was great to learn more about it. It is wonderful to see you take pride in what you believe. Awesome work. - Kendra Rolff
ReplyDeleteTo be completely honest with you, I was one of those people that believed all those things that you mentioned in your first paragraph LOL. But thank you for clarifying all of these false beliefs. I love the way your piece flowed and your kindness of the words. I feel as though I would be so aggressive trying to clarify all these stereotypes hahaha. Great work overall. - Devin Davis
ReplyDeleteHi, I really like how you started off by showing how people view the Mormon church and contrasting it to how actual members of the Mormon church are. This is something that happens with all religions, even my own which had ties to the Standoff in Waco.
ReplyDeleteI really liked how you were able to communicate to the reader as if they were a friend by using "haha," and just overall using a very friendly tone throughout your piece. It made your writing engaging, fun, and interesting - especially your introduction paragraph that was so shocking. Your piece was very unique and I enjoyed learning new things regarding Mormonism. Good job! - Keilan Hooper
ReplyDelete