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Radical Mormonism, My Dad, Current State

The following is a true story my father told me about what happened to him in the Army many years ago. Not ment to reflect current views, nor LDS

My father was a minister in the army for many years. He served in Vietnam, was taken prisoner (returned, not long drawn out POW). In the 70's, there were some Mormons at an army base, spreading their word. My father would watch them, and then go around spreading his word (Baptist) to the people after the Mormons were finished. They didn't like this. From what I understand, where he was (Washington State) there were many Radical Mormons around the area, as these two were.

One might there was a loud banging on my fathers door. A guy from the room upstairs was at the door, bleeding profusely. He said he was attacked in his sleep by two guys. It was the two Mormons. They had accidentally got my fathers room wrong, and instead attacked the guy directly above him (we know this cause the guy at the door told my father to leave immediately, cause he had heard the two guys curse his name, and he was in danger)

As much as you might think I'm bashing, I'm not. My father measures most LDS/Mormons by this single event. I do not. Me saying that in this house would probably anger him beyond what I've probably ever known.

Have you ever heard of such things? Is it true that there is 'Radical Mormons' (if not now, then in the past)? My father told this story to a few teenage Mormons riding around the neighborhood who went up to him asking if he wanted to hear about LDS. They were shocked and said such people would be kicked out of the church immediately. Surprisingly during his story and conversation with these two young men, he never got angry, or 'judgmental' (till he came inside the house anyways).

Thoughts? Stories? Insights?

State Current Dad Mormonism Radical

Uranium, with all due respect, this story sounds like coming out from a movie! I have no reasons to doubt your dad's story but to be quite honest I find it to be quite hard to believe. In any case, I am not responding for that purpose. Assuming is a true story, it is very disturbing. I am not sure your concept of "Radical mormonism" But assuming that you may refer to religious fanatics, yes I believe we do have them just as any other religion does.

I think it has really little or nothing to do with the Religion itself but personal even mental issues of the individuals in question.

Radical Mormonism, My Dad, Current State Studies Doctrine Mormon

I believe it's true, cause you have to consider this was the 70's, and Washington. From what I've been told, that time and place this kind of thing happened before.

I do agree, it's a fundamentalist problem, no matter what faith it's attached to.

State Current Dad Mormonism Radical

Uranium, you have to understand a couple of things. First, any member of the LDS church who would behave in this manner would be immediately dealt with by the church - whether excommunicated or not, I don't know, but they would be dealt with. Second, anyone calling themselves "Radical Mormons" or "Fundamentalist Mormons" are NOT members of the main church: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

And, now, I need to understand a couple of things. These "two guys" hanging around the Army base: 1.) If they were not members of the military, how did they get on base after dark? Why didn't anyone go after them? 2.) If they *were* members of that Army unit, why were they not arrested by the MPs? From what I've experienced with military personnel, when one is attacked, they are usually backed up by the whole unit. I can't see two anonymous guys getting away with something like this. (I understand that you were not there at the time, and that it's a story passed on to you by your dad. You probably don't have these answers. I'm just asking.)

Lastly, I've Googled for "radical Mormons" and "Washington" and "1970s", and all I found was an obscure mention in a book about a couple of guys in Idaho. If there was some big movement of "radical Mormons" in Washington state in the 1970s, it didn't exactly make history.

There are a lot of urban legends out there. A little investigation can put many of them to rest as unsubstantiated rumors. Please don't judge an entire church by a story like this one.

State Current Dad Mormonism Radical

I tend to agree as well with the whole idea of there being some "radical" members of most faiths. There is always someone that is serving the Lord but doing it their way, not His.

What they don't realize is violence, anger and that line of thinking gets results so far from our goal (to bring others into the fold) you would think it would just be one of those "no brainers." But the adversary is cunning and I am sure he feeds them thoughts of "glory" for taking revenge or setting people straight. Unfortunately as in this case, it does not only effect those that it happens to but others as they stories are told over the years.

Radical Mormonism, My Dad, Current State

Here is a recent blog post by my father. Really, I never told him I'm posting here and he would probably be angered at the fact, and would probably tell me not to let you 'influence me' in any way.

It's an odd coincidence that he recently made that post. I never asked him about his army experience recently, but I was planning to so I could remember the details more clearly. One thing he often does is browse google to see whose linking his websites, so I'm going to tiny url this one to prevent the aforementioned.

Message Edited... LDS_forever: Link removed. Please read our constructive policy.

Edited: LDS_forever on 7th Dec, 2007 - 8:25pm

Radical Mormonism Dad Current State

I find this hard to believe and even if it is true I don't see how Mormons in general can be pinned to this because its not something taught at church. Whose to say that if something like this was intentional that there was other grievances outside of religion.