Mormon Nuance Quiz: What type of Mormon are you?
What kind of Mormon are you?
In the expansive and wild world of the bloggernacle we are presented with a litany of descriptive labels attempting to provide members with titles to accurately portray their position on the spectrum of LDS belief.
True Blue Mormon, Apologist, Neo-apologist ,Nuanced Mormon, Progressive Mormon, Liberal Mormon, Post Mormon, Ex-Mormon….
There are certainly more.
The point is that while you and I may use the same label we have no standardized way to know that label is really communicating our location on the spectrum accurately.
I consider myself a nuanced Mormon but we may have to spend an hour together before we both know what I mean by that. Being the analytical guy that I am, I long for a system that could assess and convey our location on the belief spectrum to one another in an efficient and accurate way.
This 10-question quiz spanning 10 common areas of discussion is an deeply imperfect first step to try to achieve that goal.
I don’t attempt to connect any score with any label but I dream of a conversation online or in person where I say, “Hey I’m Tyler. These days I’m an 18.” And then we have a really meaningful exchange of ideas with a shared understanding of where we are both coming from.
Give it a try and see where you land.
Directions:
· Choose one answer for each question
· Choose the answer that fits you the best even if no answer is perfect for you
· Don’t overthink it, go with your first impression
· This is not a permanent score, it could change tomorrow or next week, we always reserve the right to change our mind as we learn and grow in our faith
Scoring:
· As = 5
· Bs = 4
· Cs = 3
· Ds = 2
· Es = 1
· Note: My answers are marked with an *
Scriptures
A) Scriptures are always literally true; evolution and science do not supersede scriptural accounts.
B) Most of the Bible is historical with some symbolism, the Book of Mormon is a historical record.
C) I have never really thought about the historical nature of scriptures very seriously and just do my best to read them.
D) No scripture should be considered historically accurate; science offers truth, scriptures offer faith.*
E) The scriptures are collections of faith promoting stories, allegories, and fables constructed, curated, and consolidated by those in positions of authority who had the mixed intentions of wanting to give people something to hope for and to be afraid of.
Prophets
A) Definitely speak for God; they do not commit serious sins, they both accurately and consistently relay the will of God to His children on Earth.
B) Probably speak for God; they make mistakes but speak for God well enough to follow what they say.
C) I like to think they speak for God; if they do it is hard to know when they are speaking for God and when they are speaking as a man.
D) May or may not speak for God; generally seem to be trying their best but have made, and continue to make mistakes.
E) Likely don’t speak for God; tend to offer the conservative views of elderly affluent white men that may be well intended but are ultimately self-serving.*
One True Church
A) The LDS church is the only true church on earth and the only way to receive the fulness of God’s eternal blessings is by participating in it’s saving ordinances in this life or the next.
B) The LDS church may or may not be the only way to return to heaven but access to the priesthood and its ordinances add important value to any set of Christian beliefs.
C) The LDS church offers more than any other Christian church for those seeking Jesus Christ but I also believe all Christians are deserving to go heaven if they live their values.
D) The LDS church is similar to any world religion in its efforts to bring forth good for its people. Muslims, Buddhists, Jews, Mormons, etc. represent different God inspired and validated ways to find happiness in this life and the next.*
E) Participation in a religion is not necessary to be a good person or go to heaven; God will ultimately judge us on the nature of our character regardless of which religious sects or values we choose to accept or reject.
God
A) God is an exalted physical man and the father of all spirits on this Earth as well as others. He creates spirit children through physical ‘relations’ with His wife(s) and we have the potential to be Gods just like Him.
B) God has a physical body and the LDS teaching about the godhead is accurate, the Trinity is a false doctrine; teachings about our capacity to become like God and eternal progression are somewhat speculative.
C) God’s characteristics are not that knowable, but He is likely similar to the Christian concept with maybe a little difference; those differences are not as important to me as the comfort I get from believing in a supreme, all powerful creator.*
D) God exists but we probably don’t know much about what He/She is like.
E) I don’t really know if God exists but I hope for it.
First Vision
A) The account of the first vision in the Pearl of Great Price is the one I believe to be true. The other accounts do not contradict anything I believe about this 1838 account.
B) What, there are different versions of the first vision? That’s news to me. I should probably read the other accounts but that won’t change how I feel about Joseph’s experience.
C )Joseph had some kind of spiritual experience that was important to him and the details of his recollections aren’t as important as the impact the story has had on me.
D) The differences in the accounts are noteworthy and I find it a little weird that Joseph would struggle to remember the basic details of an experience that was so profound and unique.
E) Joseph appears to have fashioned his story after other similar accounts of the time and seems to have made the story better as the years went on.*
Joseph Smith Character
A) Joseph Smith was chosen by God in the pre-existence, spoke for God throughout his life, and was unjustly persecuted for carrying out the will of God. Any criticism of his life and choices is unfair and unfounded given his calling and the trials of his life.
B) Joseph Smith was God’s mouthpiece and while he made some mistakes the revelations, scriptures, ordinances, and institutions he brought forth cannot be questioned.
C )Joseph Smith is a complicated person but the many mistakes he made are not a concern to me.
D) Joseph Smith is a deeply flawed and powerfully influential person; it is clear that he did not always behave as a prophet should yet the church he founded has done a lot of good.*
E) Joseph Smith seems to have been acting in good faith at times, acted deceptively at other times, and appears to have used his influence inappropriately in ways that makes me question his intentions and his message.
Polygamy
A) Polygamy was commanded by God and played an important role in the early church but now is no longer necessary and so God provided new revelation that it is not to be practiced again until the eternities.
B) Polygamy was Joseph Smith’s best sense of what God wanted him to do and we cannot assert our modern values on people from hundreds of years ago.
C) Polygamy makes me uncomfortable; I don’t like to think about it, I’m just glad we don’t have to practice it today and I don’t think we will ever have to practice it again.
D) Polygamy seems to be one of the bigger mistakes in the history of the church and it’s legacy of heartache and misogyny is important to remember.*
E) Polygamy is wrong today, was wrong in the 1800s, and will be wrong forever. It was likely a cover story for Joseph and other influential men to have justified sex with multiple women. The political and financial threats to the church and the Utah territory seem to be the most likely impetus for the ending of the practice.
Commandments
A) The commandments represent the mind and will of God for His children and must be followed in order to obtain blessings in this life and exhalation in the next life. Failure to follow the commandments as written in the scriptures constitutes sin and requires repentance by the sinner and forgiveness through the atonement in order to enter the celestial kingdom.
B) The commandments represent important principles necessary to live a Christlike life; some commandments help achieve that goal more than others though all commandments should be followed.
C) The commandments represent the best understanding of ancient and modern prophets whose intentions have been to help people be happy by living a shared set of values. I am more likely to be happy by following those commandments in ways similar to my friends and family.
D) The spirit of the law is more important than the letter of the law; my focus is on understanding the spirit of the commandments and living them in a way that works for me without fear of judgment from my Heavenly Parents or from church leaders.*
E) The commandments represent some combination of common sense, general moral goodness, and arbitrary measures. These rules are useful to many people and have been used to control large groups of people and/or make it easier to identify those who are in or out of certain groups.
LGBTQ
A) The Family Proclamation is God’s will for his people and represents the eternal nature of marriage and families. Acting on same-sex attraction is not and never will be acceptable to God.
B) The church is doing the best it can to abide by God’s truth while still extending love to all of His children, hopefully that love will help gay people find peace living celibate lives or entering into mixed orientation marriages.
C) I am deeply conflicted by this topic; on one had I believe that same-sex attraction is wrong and on the other I recognize that it’s not a choice and it feels hard to tell these people they can’t go to the celestial kingdom with the person they love.
D) God loves all people whether gay or straight. In time He will make it possible for any two people who love each other to find full fellowship in His church and in His eternal kingdom.
E) The church’s position on LGBTQ issues is in direct contrast with the teachings of Jesus Christ whose example of inclusion and unconditional love to all people, particularly those marginalized by modern religious establishments, showed us the manner by which we should likewise include and love in His church.*
Women
A) Men and women are equal in the church. God has created a pattern by which the priesthood can be in every home and each calling in the church is fulfilled by the power of the priesthood whether done by a man or a woman.
B) While women don’t have equal influence in church leadership they fulfill important roles that are better suited for their uniquely female gifts.
C) I am troubled by the lack of gender diversity in the most influential callings in the church at both the local and highest levels but trust that is God’s will and He knows best.
D) Those who can hold the priesthood has changed repeatedly throughout the scriptural record. Starting exclusively with Levities, then to all Israelites, then to white Jews and Gentiles, then to any Mormon man, and will eventually be extended to Mormon women once the church finds it in their best interest to do so.*
E) The systemic marginalization of women by a structural patriarchy is a disservice to the church and its members and represents a serious threat to the growth/viability of the church in modern times.
I’m an 18. What are you?
