ZTAMich, I think Measi said it all beautifully.

I hope that if you explain to your friend that you appreciate what she's trying to do for you, but you're just not interested in religion being part of your friendship, she'll understand. If not... well, you may have lost a friend.

I think it's a shame when people can't see past religion in friendships. I had a friend (roommate, actually) like that in college who spent most of the year trying to convert me. It really strained our friendship and we ended up losing touch.

I just hope that you don't think ALL LDS are so pushy based on your experiences with this one girl. We're not all out to convert you, I promise! (though if you're interested, hehe.....)

As a convert to the church, many if not most of my friends are non-members...so I can understand the relationship you have with your friend, ZTA, because i'm there as well. My opinion with LDS people who have non-member friends and family is that it's not any sort of intense pressure from the church itself that leads us to want to bring people to the Gospel...it's that we love it so much and what it's done in our lives and want the people we care about to feel the same joy. I, for one, would never pressure any of my friends to learn about it if they're not interested, but am simply always here if they do have questions or want to investigate the church a bit. But the truth is, when i'm hanging out with my good friends, church isn't something i'm usually thinking too much about at that point! The advice already given was great, to express to your friend that you enjoy spending time with her but aren't interested in the church. I imagine the pressure you're sort of feeling now won't continue, she likely just wanted to share with you her happiness! As a non-member, I dated an LDS boy who I really liked, and after establishing the fact that I wasn't interested in investigating (at the time, lol), he never even asked if I wanted to go to church with him or brought it up at all.

Actually students on mission do not hurt the grad rate, I only know from an a athletic grad rate standpoint because a student that has completed a mission is excluded from the date which means it does not count for or against the institution. Besides that the grad rates at BYU are pretty good. here's a link to them just click onb and scroll down to BYU and the info will come up. If my link doesn't work you can go to NCAA.org click on education programs and research click on grad rates.

here's the link

NCAA Grad Rates

Thanks everyone for the advice! She and I don't hang out that much and only became friendly after she asked if anyone in our graduate class wanted to see the Temple. As a Christian myself I understand the need to share one's faith so I know in a way where's she's coming from. Next time it comes up I'll make my feelings known in a nice way and see what happens.

Well, I understand what she means. It CAN be a sin...*if* you have a problem with it. Because the Bible teaches if something is a problem for you, even if it's not wrong, it's best not to do it.

It all depends on the person. While most of us can kiss and not think a thing of it, other Christians might feel guilty or lustful doing it. And if they do, it is best for them not to do it. :)

Kind of off hand, but did anyone see the episode of south park about the new family that was mormon?
It intrigued me enough to read up on the facts of the religion.
I wondered if anyone here that was mormon could tell me if they saw it and their reaction.
Sarah

i'm not mormon, but i go to school in Utah so i know a whole lot about the religion...and NO not everyone in Utah is mormon. Salt Lake City is 60% non mormon just so you know ;D

If you go here, that statistic is more like 50%. Close, though.

I was sure you were wrong, so I wanted to look it up :) looks like your point was valid, though -- most of the other references I found indicate the percentage of LDS members in Utah hovers around 70-75%, but the percentage in Salt Lake City is much lower.

Is everyone at the University of Utah mormon?

Yes. Even the Catholics, Hindus and Jews there are Mormon.

I know someone who went there, and he is not Mormon. He had fun, but he had to get used to the near beer or whatever they call it. At the time, alcohol above a certain proof was not sold in that area. I forget the details.

That's what I thought, that there's a little tiny mormon wearing garments in each and every one of them.

I'm Catholic marrying a Mormon. I too felt hte pressure in the beginning but they've totally eased off. However, his dad is Catholic & he tells me that once a week w/out fail, the missionaries go to their house to talk to him. It's been over 30 years but my future father-in-law doesn't wish to convert but they don't give up. I can only hope I don't have to deal w/that type of zealousness. Oh boy. That won't be pretty.

I went to the Redlands temple last year before it was dedicated & while it was indeed beautiful, everyone kept asking me about the spiritualness & wonder you feel in the Celestial Room. I had no idea what they were talking about b/c I felt absolutely nothing other than "Gee. This is a nice room." When we left, I kept being asked if I had felt anything & I had to tell them that I didn't feel anything. I think they wanted me to feel some sort of spiritual awakening so perhaps I would consider converting. My fiancee just rolled his eyes at his family & told them that they should really stop bothering non-members friends & family about their religious practices & beliefs.

Bumping because I had a question or two.

One of my sisters was baptized LDS this weekend and was confirmed the following day. She got the full immersion in a font (I think someone on a previous page wanted to know what it was called.)

Anyway, I went to the baptism and listened to the "president" speak (bishop couldn't make it) and he mentioned something about a sealing ceremony and the whole "from here to eternity" ritual.

I guess my question is to LDS look down upon re-marriage, say if the spouse dies young? My old roommate had a lot of mormon friends in Utah and started getting a ton of wedding invites when we were 20. So what if one of the spouses passes away at the age of 35? Can the widow/er marry again after being sealed like that?

Another thing I was curious about was the elders or missionaries. The missionary that trained my sister actually performed her baptism. So I got the impression that anyone can perform a baptism or do any sort of thing in the church (speeches for example.) Is there a special blessing they need to get beforehand? I was just curious really.

FACT: Until 1974, blacks could not hold positions in the LDS church, and were only allowed to become Mormon priests by decree from the top church official elaborated on an age-old edict that declared blacks "spiritually inferior" to whites.

FACT: Brigham Young's original sermons (which are considered gospel in the LDS faith, if I'm not mistaken) contain references to black Americans who trace ancestry to Africa as decendants of Cain and Ham, and relates that these individuals will not be granted access to Heaven.

FACT: Even when blacks were admitted to the priesthood, the gospel relating spiritual inferiority for African Americans was never repealed or reinterpreted (hence "elaborated").
--

Now, these two facts have accounted for a considerable amount of what would normally be considered 'bad things', especially in Utah - the supposed inferiority of blacks led to institutionalized racism, much of which is purported to exist even today.

Utah is 0.9% black, and for good reason - it was made known that blacks weren't welcome by the LDS church.

Now . . . an organization that earns more than $7 million per DAY, but gives little back to beneficent organizations, and supported institutionalized racism into the mid-70s (that's 19, too, not 18) . . . why isn't more made of the actions of what is the FASTEST-GROWING religion on the earth?