Mormon Sub-Culture

The Mormon can be understood by taking a critical review on their values institution norms and artic-facts [1].  According to the Mormon their value the importance of a family, the reverence of God as well as the appearance of the teaching as taught in the book of Mormons. To the Mormons all that seems important to them is their interconnectedness to God. The Mormons value the relationships they maintain with the outside world.  According to them, it is how well they relate with the outside world that will attract more converts to their belief.

The norms of the Mormons are very different from that of the mainstream churches.  The Mormons dress and carry themselves around differently.  They have very high expectations of how the society should carry out their affairs. For instance the Mormons would not attend any other religious celebration apart from those strictly recommended for in their religion.

According to the Mormons they have laws, which regulate their conduct and determine what is wrong and what is right.  In other words the culture of the Mormons significantly varies from that of other cultures.  According to the Mormons, material possessions and wealth is not very important but what matters is the relationship one has with God.

The Mormons have some ideological settings as well as sociological settings that are different from those other cultures.  While the Mormons do not have strong attachment to material things, they have a single way of looking at things, which is different from other cultures.  They have some symbols, which they adore and hold dear to them. for instance, they have the symbol of the cross which they value for they see it as their link to their faith.

The Mormons have their kind of music, which defines their belief in worship.  For instance, they do not advocate for the use of musical instruments for they hold that as a way of distracting the attention from worship.  They have their own legacy of commitment, which leads them to view service to God as very crucial.

For instance, the Mormon culture calls for a special code of dress for the men, which is aimed at separating them from common cultures.  Their distinct behaviour and belief in the Book of Mormons is a clear attribution of their special sub-culture.  The Mormons do not ascribe to nationalism and they distance themselves from political affairs. According to Mormons the way one interacts with the surrounding world goes a long way in determining the kind and quality of life one is likely to lead.

Mormons have a special way of treating members of other religious beliefs.  According to them, anyone can convert to Mormon despite their colour, sex or socio-economic status.   Mormon culture is therefore defined by their commitment to the religion, the distinct code of dressing, the distinct way of talking as well as the distinct manner of reaching out to others.

Spirituality is given prominence in Mormonism while Mysticism is less emphasized[2].  Unlike other cultures, the Mormon culture is more spiritual oriented and this makes the life of a Mormon worshipper revolve around the temple, the home and the Mormon community[3].  According to the Mormons, there is nothing wrong with the way other people carry themselves differently but the question is, whether that conduct is in line with the preaching of the Book of Mormons.

The Mormons hold the view that paganism is evil and there is no room for it.  Another interesting characteristic of the Mormon sub-culture is the place women are given in the religion. According to the Mormons, women should play a less important role in the running of the church.  Mormons is largely a male-dominated religion, which holds that man is superior to the woman.

To the Mormons the woman’s place in the church is considered as that of offering support to enable the spread of their faith.  It therefore emerges that Mormons differ significantly from other mainstream churches in that they have not welcomed the emancipation of the woman.  The Mormons have succeeded in advancing their way of thinking and for centuries have stood up against pressure of influence and calls for the sub-culture to conform to conventional wisdom[4].  It therefore appears that the Mormons have been marginalized as a result of their commitment to adhere to their strict culture although this marginalization has taken the perspective of religious dimension.

The Mormons have also been marginalized in terms of political representation as well as in the war against gender discrimination, partly because of their high advocacy for privacy and secrecy.  However, the Mormon sub-culture has some form of freedom of its own especially considering the fact that in the previous centuries it tended to advocate for polygamy, a kind of freedom unheard of in other mainstream religious cultures.  Their efforts to lead a distinct kind of life has earned them respect in some quarters although some critics view that as suppression of fundamental human rights.

Therefore Mormon sub-culture is characterized by myth, values such as commitment to the faith of Mormon, ritualism especially in terms of the dressing code, emphasis on secrecy and privacy as well as strict call for every faithful to remain true to the faith upon conversion.

Work Cited

A. L  Mauss, 1984.  Sociological Perspectives on the Mormon Subculture.  Annual Review of Sociology 10.  pp 436-459

Brook, John. L. 1996. The Refiner’s Fire: The Making of Mormon Osmology, 1644-1844. Cambridge University Press. Pp 78-107

Daugherty, Doe & Margaret, Toscono. 2002.  Body, Hearts and Passions: Representing the Divine Feminine in the Mormon Church. Sunstone Symposium Presentation Session, SLO2254. pp. 27

[1]Brook, John. L. 1996. The Refiner’s Fire: The Making of Mormon Osmology, 1644-1844. Cambridge University Press. Pp 78-107
[2] Daugherty, Doe & Margaret, Toscono. 2002.  Body, Hearts and Passions: Representing the Divine Feminine in the Mormon Church. Sunstone Symposium Presentation Session,  SLO2254. pp. 27
[3] Brook, John. L. 1996. The Refiner’s Fire: The Making of Mormon Osmology, 1644-1844. Cambridge University Press. Pp 89
[4] A. L  Mauss, 1984.  Sociological Perspectives on the Mormon Subculture.  Annual Review of Sociology 10.  pp 436-459