What Kind of Mormon Are You?

Sometimes inventing new Mormon adjectives seems like a cottage industry. Iron Rod v. Liahona is the most colorful and enduring dichotomy, liberal v. conservative the most misleading. Several posts surveying the wider pool of Mormon subcategories have popped up lately.

"Mormons: Ex, Post, Anti, and New-Order" at Latter-day Commentary. A very pleasant survey of the Nethernacle. I'd like to invent my own category: Post-Exmormon, or someone who was once an Exmormon but has gotten over it. I'm not sure there are any Post-Exmormons; they never seem to get over it.

"Can a cultural Mormon believe in the Book of Mormon?" at Banner, Sword and Shield (gotta have that comma). "Cultural Mormon" seems like the least pejorative of the marginalizing labels, apparently suggesting a Mormon so designated is on the right side of the Mormon fence, but for the wrong reasons. So is it better to be on the right side of the Mormon fence for the wrong reason, or on the wrong side of the fence for the right reason?

"Mormon liberals, liberal Mormons, and the inadequacy of labels," at Weightier Matters of the Law. The title gives me a way to succinctly explain my objection to the term "Liberal Mormon": When most LDS hear the term, they think it refers to Mormon liberals rather than to a different way of thinking about religious doctrine and practice.

Comments

[Clark]

I don't see Iron Rod vs. Liahona as much better than Conservative vs. Liberal. In fact I see them typically used synonymously.

I like the idea of post-ex-Mormon though.

The rise of the term "cultural Mormon" is interesting although were I one I think I'd find it fairly pejorative. It is better than its predecessor of "Jack Mormon" though. (Which ironically started out as referring to non-Mormon Mormon sympathizers)

[C. L. Hanson]

Re: they never seem to get over it.

On any other blog I would reply with my usual friendly blah-blah-blah about how people raised Mormon shouldn't feel obligated to forget and renounce their own childhood.

In your case, however, I would say you're hardly one to talk. I don't normally comment here because I like to keep the discourse friendly, and you're blog isn't a good place for that since you don't seem to be able to mention any group outside the believing Mormon circle without saying something mean, bitter, or snarky about them.

[Dave]

Mean, bitter, snarky ... moi? C'n'est pas vrai! So how would you describe yourself, C.L., as a Mormon, a Cultural Mormon, a New Order Mormon, a Post-Mormon, an Ex-Mormon, or a Post-Ex-Mormon?

[Bill]

"I'm not sure there are any Post-Exmormons; they never seem to get over it."

I suspect there are quite a lot of these but it's difficult for you to be aware of them since they're not so visible. How would you ever find out about them, anyway, since, if they brought themselves to your attention, you would move them into the category of people who "can't get over it".

[Yet Another John]

Post-exmormons are probably so "post" that they identify themselves differently, if they identify with the LDS faith at all.

What I'm curious about, however, is there any other denomination, or religion, that as so many different names to describe various phases or levels of "mormondon"?

[Velska]

As far as the liberal v. conservative dichotomy goes, I usually say that I am both, simultaneously: I am liberal in what I allow for others and conservative in what I allow for myself.

"So is it better to be on the right side of the Mormon fence for the wrong reason, or on the wrong side of the fence for the right reason?"

What's wrong and right in this context, anyway? I have some sympathy for people who want to be a part of us even if they don't believe in what we do. Then, again, one could ask, doesn't that define them as hypocrites? That really isn't intended as a judgment, I'm just groping.

As far as I'm concerned, they are welcome to it, but they shouldn't expect to have standards lowered for them just so they can feel they belong. I believe the Church is more than just a social club, although the social dimension is definitely important.

[Seth R.]

Probably because once an ex-Mormon "gets over it" they become a lot less obnoxious and consequently, less visible on the Internet.

[Bookslinger]

Once I get re-baptized, I suppose I'll be a post-exmormon.

What should I be called now? I kind of like the term "Backslid Mormon". Midwesterners should immediately understand that.

I've been called a "stealth member" since I attend and do stuff with members. "Jack Mormon" would seem to fit, since technically I'm not a member, but "Jack Mormon" has evolved into a label for inactive members.

I usually say that I "attend" the LDS church. If a member asks me if I'm a member, I sometimes say "kinda-sorta-but-not-really" or "technically no".

[Dave]

Bookslinger, you are so not Ex-Mormon. For you, I'll invent a new category: a Pending Mormon. Or, for the legally inclined, we might term you "equitably Mormon" if not "legally Mormon."

[Nick Literski]

All these labels are incredibly subjective, of course. Some would consider most members of the LDS church as "ex-Mormons" or at least "post-Mormons," based on the degree to which that church has abandoned the teachings of Joseph Smith--the original and definitive "Mormon."

[Jim Cobabe]

Dave,
I never really know how others would like to be identified. Let every man pick his own categorization.

I personally have preferred to use the label "disciple".

I pray that the Lord will not condemn my presumptuousness.

[Todd Wood]

Don't call me a Mormon or an anti-Mormon. But you can call me a latter-day saint, Dave. I will take that label.

[Clark Goble]

I prefer to be called "master." So if everyone gets to pick their own identification I'd ask you call me that.... (grin -- just joking but you get the point. Words have meanings we don't get to control whatever our preference)

[Floyd the Wonderdog]

I had such an awesome conversion experience that I consider myself a Born Again Mormon (capitals required).

[Ken]

A neighbor at a social gathering once asked my wife and me what kind of Mormons we were. Feeling about six pair off eyes suddenly on us, I froze. My wife, however, was unfazed. "The kind who leave other people alone," she said. After that, no problem. And honestly, it made it easier to talk openly with our neighbors about the church when the subject came up.

[ed42]

Dont'forget "Pharisee Mormon" or "Nazi Mormon"

PS. Ken give your wife a hug, oh how I wish we were all "The kind who leave other people alone".

[Velska]

Floyd, I love "Born Again Mormon"!

I was so glad last April that elder Christofferson talked about the importance of spiritual rebirth in the vein of Alma 5:14. We need a mighty change of heart.