Mormon Rules
From MormonWikia
Anyone who knows a Mormon has probably noticed that they abstain from many normal activities, like drinking alcohol, watching R-rated movies, or doing business and going out on Sundays. Mormons, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, believe that living a certain way will help them grow closer to God. They believe that in the scriptures and through prophets, the Lord gives commandments about appropriate behavior. Mormons keep these standards of behavior by choice; the Church does not force anyone to do (or not do) anything.
[edit] Video: The Mormon Word of Wisdom
[edit] Examples of Mormon Standards
The following are some examples of Mormon behaviors that are most easily recognizable. This certainly doesn’t include all of the commandments of God, these are just the most obvious differences between Mormons and others.
Mormons believe in the Word of Wisdom. It was received by the Prophet Joseph Smith as a revelation from God about how to take care of our bodies. It tells us not to drink alcohol, coffee, or tea; to eat meat sparingly (Mormons aren’t vegetarians: this was in a time when massive quantities of meat were normal for meals); and to eat grains, herbs, and fruits. Along with these “rules” come blessings of health, fitness, and wisdom. Mormons also believe that it is important to make good choices, and as alcohol and drugs can inhibit our abilities to do so, we refuse to ingest any of these substances.
Mormons also have high standards of what movies, TV shows, music, and other media they will watch, listen to, or read. Just like what we eat can change and affect the way our bodies function, what we look at or hear can hurt the way we think. Mormons do not want rude, vulgar, violent, offensive, or pornographic images or words in their minds, so they avoid these kinds of things. Not watching R-rated movies is a simple baseline standard that helps Mormons avoid things that may be offensive to God, but the standard has nothing to do with a letter-rating. Media choices should be made to carefully avoid things that may drive away the Holy Ghost.
Mormons keep the Sabbath day holy. It is a time to go to church meetings, study the gospel, spend time with family, and pray. We do not work on Sunday in remembrance of the 7th day of the creation, when God rested, and we do not do business so that others will not be required to work.
Mormons have standards of modesty so that their bodies will be covered. Mormons believe that the body is a holy creation of God, where the Spirit of God can dwell, and it should be treated with respect. Shoulders and midriffs should be covered, and necklines shouldn’t plunge too low. Shorts and skirts should extend to the knees. In this way, Mormons respect both their bodies and God as their creator.
Related to the sacredness of the body, Mormons also believe that standards of Chastity should be upheld. These standards include limiting sexual relations to married couples. Petting, necking, and other activities are also disallowed, to keep respect between unmarried couples. Laying down together or making out are discouraged, since they can lead to serious sins. Chastity is extremely important to Mormons, since sexual sins are extremely harmful to one’s spiritual health. Sex in itself is not seen as evil or wrong, but it is sacred and should only be allowed when God has approved it, which is within the bonds of marriage.
[edit] What happens when a Mormon “breaks the rules”?
For some sins, all that is needed is individual repentance, which includes changing to keep the commandments of God, praying for forgiveness, and not repeating the mistake. Sometimes when a sin is more serious, such as breaches of the law of chastity, the sin must be confessed to a Bishop. In these cases, bishops can help people to make better choices. A bishop is someone concrete that a person can check in with to help with breaking bad habits. A bishop can also recommend certain scriptures that will help people through the repentance process. Occasionally, for the most serious sins, there are disciplinary councils, which are also there to help people repent and become better. Sometimes, members who commit serious sins can lose certain privileges, like the ability to take the Sacrament or go to the temple. This is because people must be worthy to do these things, and doing them unworthily can cause problems for that person. These privileges can be restored through repentance, even when someone loses their membership in the church. These processes are to help and protect the people who have sinned, and also to protect the Church from people who may try to give it a bad name.
