You Know, I'm a Mormon

So, you know, I'm a Mormon.  

I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

I created a profile about a year ago on Mormon.org.  I just barely finished it a few months ago.  Leave it up to me to draw out a quick to-do into over a year.  You can read my profile here.  I still worry about if I properly described myself.  Why do you think I get so wordy on this blog?  I'm worried I'm not going to give an honest appraisal of who I am.  

It's no secret that there are more t.v. adds about Mormons, billboards, etc.  Remember this meeting from over a year ago?  The one that worried me because two sets of twins had turned me into a recluse?  They asked me to come and view the new Mormon.org at this meeting.  Basically I was reminded that people don't know that Mormons and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints are the same thing and that we are indeed Christians.  

But, it didn't take a meeting to tell me that.  I've read things that people say about my religion.  And I know I don't have thick skin, cause it does hurt when reading articles that people think I'm brainwashed, that I'm uneducated and can't think for myself, or that I belong to a cult, or here is one that gets me every time, that I hate people who aren't just like me or don't believe the same as me.  

If they only knew me.  

So that is why I created a profile.  Maybe if more people knew actual Mormons (members of the LDS church) they would know that most of us are pretty decent people.    

And yep, I believe in Jesus.  The same person that lived and died and lives again for all of us, not just Mormons.      

_________________

* I did have to laugh when I looked up what a cult was.  If people think I'm part of a cult, I should know exactly what a cult is.  One part talked about "mind control" and well, don't many families do this?

Here are the 5 traits of mind control from Wikipedia, my after thoughts are in blue:

- People are put in physical or emotionally distressing situations (okay, this one doesn't seem to fit the bill of a family - though Lucy and Elsa may say it is distressing when I make them clean up their messes.)
- Their problems are reduced to one simple explanation, which is repeatedly emphasized (How often as a mom do I say, "We are a family, we love each other" as Lucy and Elsa are duking it out.)
- They receive what seems to be unconditional love, acceptance, and attention from a charismatic leader or group (Um, hello, isn't that my job as a mom - unconditional love and acceptance?  I'm still working on the charismatic part though.)
- They get a new identity based on the group (Well, you know I'm a fan of telling my girls often, "We are Melzers.  We work hard." or "We are Melzers.  We love one another." etc.)
- They are subject to entrapment (isolation from friends, relatives and the mainstream culture) and their access to information is severely controlled.  (Alright, I still let my kids watch some t.v., but you better believe I'm not okay with my girls surfing the internet on their own or watching any show that they come across.  Mainstream culture nowadays isn't really how I want my children to learn right from wrong.)

Obviously I know that "mind control" is more severe than my simple, "We are Melzers.  We work hard" but I guess I am guilty of trying to provide a safe haven in my home away from the stress and crazies of the world.  Oh dear, I'm brainwashing my children, alert the media :)