Comment Re:lawyers (Score 1) 851
Just a coupla things: the statue mentioned way above is of Brigham Young, the polygamist leader of the Mormons when they headed West and for 40 years in what became Utah. He led the biggest splinter group after Joseph Smith was killed.
Cult? Mormonism is clannish and closed, but not as agressive, from my point of view, as, for example, the Branch Davidians. Scientology seems slightly more aggressive with people once they're in, but Mormonism definitely is more agressive with people who are thinking of joining. I personally think Mormonism's weirdnesses (polygamy, sacraments for the dead, visions, etc.) are more acceptable than Scientology's (engrams, tin cans, etc., etc.) -- at least the Mormons' are in the Bible (...like slavery and mutilation, I know, I know.)
One cultish/clannish thing that applies to business: a lot of the persecution of the Mormons in the midwest and after they went to Utah was because Smith and Young both wanted Mormons only to trade with Mormons, and not with "gentiles." This made their neighbors (who were excluded at best and left with losses at worst-- Smith had a failed bank, for instance) hoppin' mad. Later on, polygamy didn't help none at all.
As far as scam artists among the Latter-day Saints... Mormon record-keeping and strict parishes (you don't choose where to attend Sunday meetings) means lots of free and easy-to-exploit lists for schemes by fellow Mormons.
Just a little more info.
PS I'm a Mormon, so that may affect how you take what I say.
Cult? Mormonism is clannish and closed, but not as agressive, from my point of view, as, for example, the Branch Davidians. Scientology seems slightly more aggressive with people once they're in, but Mormonism definitely is more agressive with people who are thinking of joining. I personally think Mormonism's weirdnesses (polygamy, sacraments for the dead, visions, etc.) are more acceptable than Scientology's (engrams, tin cans, etc., etc.) -- at least the Mormons' are in the Bible (...like slavery and mutilation, I know, I know.)
One cultish/clannish thing that applies to business: a lot of the persecution of the Mormons in the midwest and after they went to Utah was because Smith and Young both wanted Mormons only to trade with Mormons, and not with "gentiles." This made their neighbors (who were excluded at best and left with losses at worst-- Smith had a failed bank, for instance) hoppin' mad. Later on, polygamy didn't help none at all.
As far as scam artists among the Latter-day Saints... Mormon record-keeping and strict parishes (you don't choose where to attend Sunday meetings) means lots of free and easy-to-exploit lists for schemes by fellow Mormons.
Just a little more info.
PS I'm a Mormon, so that may affect how you take what I say.
