Comments on: The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance

By: Kaleena

Kaleena — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:40:55 +0000

I just finished reading this and I love, love, LOVE this book. This book is so far my most favoritest read of the year (so far). I highly recommend reading this book. And it’s fast to read and hilarious too!

By: Josh

Josh — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:38:06 +0000

“She doesn’t blindly follow what others buy so easily.”

“Without going into great lengths, naivete is bred into Mormons from birth.”

Guys, really? Let’s ease up on the stereotypes just a bit, shall we? Many (most) of Elna’s readers/admirers are folks just like her– smart, thinking people who have genuine religious experiences (or what they believe to be genuine religious experiences) and are trying to live as they believe God wants them to in a world that doesn’t see it the same.

People who assume all Mormons are naieve or don’t spend much time thinking about their faith are, quite simply, completely clueless. I would wager that Mormons spend (on average, alas, there are plenty unthinking ones– as there are in any faith tradition, including atheism) far more time asking the “big questions” than most people do, and is not even close.

Try to open your minds to the possibility that someone could consider carefully on the big questions and come to a different conclusion than you do. That kind of intolerance doesn’t help anyone.

By: Andy Hatch

Andy Hatch — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 09:22:04 +0000

As an ex-Mormon from birth(and recovering dork), this is a very apt description. (And I just discovered ‘This American Life’ and this episode blew my mind). Without going into great lengths, naivete is bred into Mormons from birth. Those that can resist it can make it out, but my other 5 siblings are certainly lifers. It’s not easy. The way out is tough, but if you read Bertrand Russell’s ‘Why I’m not a Christian’, you get the gist of how some make it out.

Also, my choice of voiceovers was IDENTICAL, with the exception of adding Tom Waits

By: Courtney

Courtney — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 07:01:32 +0000

I think I may be the Baptist version of Elna Baker…or some dim offshoot.

By: Carin Channing

Carin Channing — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 04:12:26 +0000

IJWTS that I caught that episode of This American Life and LOVED it. She’s brilliant.

By: Gabriele

Gabriele — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 22:36:10 +0000

Great review Mike. Wonder whether this would be a great discussion starter in the little old ladies book club?

By: Just_Kelly

Just_Kelly — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:43:54 +0000

I’m a member that constantly struggles with what the girl in this book sounds like she is struggling with. “kind of an outsider among Mormons, she questions things. She doesn’t blindly follow what others buy so easily.” And the fact I’m choosing to advance my career at 26 instead of have children is **gasp** unconcevable to many in my church.

I always say I feel like a square peg trying to fit in a round hole. Still, I refuse to let others dictate how I feel, what I think, or how I behave.

Def going to pick this book up.

By: Hadleyphoto

Hadleyphoto — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 05:35:55 +0000

I would love to read this. There is a great book by Jon Krakauer (Into Thin Air and Into the Wild – both excellent) called Under the Banner of Heaven, which goes into the fundamentalist mormons today and how screwed up their society is. It is really heavy, but interesting. On a lighter note, the NY Times has these amazing little poignant videos called “One in 8 Million – http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/nyregion/1-in-8-million/index.html. They are sort of TAL pieces with photos. Anyhow, there is a nice one about a woman who left her Hassidic jewish community. Her name is rivka_karasik, check it out!

By: Apes

Apes — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 16:15:31 +0000

i need this boooooook!!!

By: swartzfeger

swartzfeger — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:23:01 +0000

Interesting story, Mike. I’ve just spent the last 3 months as an ‘investigator’ — in LDS parlance, someone who’s considering joining the church. I really was doing it for a weekly support group hosted by the local (only) Mormon church in town. I occasionally attended church or helped with church functions out of thanks for hosting the non-denominational support group. As a writer, I was also doing it out of intense curiosity of being around people that were so similar yet so different.

For starters, I’ve never met a kinder group of people that will mobilize at a moment’s notice if someone needs help. Mormons put rubber to the road, flat out. As a Roman Catholic, I’ve attended non-Catholic functions or retreats in the past and have definitely been informed that my presence as a Catholic was ‘uncomfortable’ or ‘inappropriate.’ Interestingly enough, this has never been the case with non-Christian religions, such as Jews or Sikhs. LDS members were nothing but warm and welcoming (not like hey dude, let’s go out for a beer and get fucked up welcoming, but hey dude, let’s try my wife’s killer jello recipe welcoming).

Dorks — this is kind of a tough call. Dorks in the sense that Mormons aren’t necessarily marinated in our 24/7 culture of cynicism. Dorks in the sense of not dropping the F-bomb every 30 seconds like yours truly, looking for new/creative ways to string together expletives to relieve my tourette’s. One Saturday afternoon I helped the local missionaries move an out-of-state couple into their new home. The Bishop of the ward showed up to lend a hand, riding a motorcycle and wearing a Simpsons t-shirt.

I really dug into LDS scripture and beyond, even going into LDS esoterica/apocrypha like the King Follet discourse (which most mainstream LDSers have never even heard of). I’ll say this — LDS doesn’t discourage questioning or scrutiny… they actively encourage it. I will say that there’s not an inch of wiggle room for challenging it. The church is the family, and vice versa. I couldn’t imagine being a GLBTQI Mormon… you’re not only losing your family now, but for *eternity*.

It was an interesting few months I spent with the local LDS. Their faith is inspiring and yet in some ways, frightening.