Mormon Doctrine

LDS Culture

What Makes a Culture


All the following factors work to create a uniquely Mormon culture which to a large degree isolates Mormons from non-Mormons

  • The Sunday, and weekly activities of Mormons
  • Unique Mormon teachings that set Mormons apart from others (e.g. the constant wearing of sacred underwear; the avoidance of coffee and caffeinated soda)
  • Uniquely Mormon characteristics (e.g. reliance on feelings over critical thinking to discern truth or the practice of "bearing one's testimony as a defense to critical thinking")
  • Mormons are largely controlled by the great authority of a few men whose words supercede the words of scripture and whose instructions are continually heard through church periodicals and curriculum
    Uniquely Mormon concepts (e.g. conditional 'gifts' that their god is obligated to give once the requirements are fulfilled)
  • Unique Mormon definitions for common biblical terms (e.g. grace, salvation, damnation)
  • Words which are uniquely Mormon. For example deseret is a word only found in the book of Mormon that supposedly means honeybee.
  • Its own distinctive mythology, centered especially around the stories in the Book of Mormon and around Joseph Smith and the Mormon pioneers.