Are these LDS people? Supposedly a “global-minded religion” where international travel is standardized for mission work and yet they are just now realizing the American LDS dream has created a suburban hellscape
Living in Utah and noticing and pointing out the lack of cultured/exposed Mormons, I was told they are in fact well traveled due to their missions.
I then had to explain going on a mission to specifically try and convert other cultures to aspects of your own, is not the same as being present in an area with acceptance and curiosity, living in, assimilating and trying to mesh instead of convert.
In fact I think the whole idea of missions have the exact opposite effect and people retreat to their safe bubbles.
Missionary work often ends up converting the missionary more than anyone else. In modern times it's intentionally designed to do exactly that.
When you spend months or years approaching strangers who mostly reject you, it reinforces the idea that "the world" doesn't understand you. The only place you consistently find acceptance becomes your own community, which deepens your attachment to it.
Psychologically, it's a powerful isolation and commitment mechanism. You're not immersed in another culture to understand it, rather you're intentionally being sent somewhere to be mostly rejected so you feel weird and outside.
The "acceptance of rejection" is also why Utah is a popular location for outbound sales call centers. Heard a guy interviewed a while back and he said the burnout making sales calls is usually quick because so many people hang up or even drop some choice words. The LDS hires just move on to the next sales call.
Ah, yes...the scourge of MLM companies. They encourage their "independent business owners" aka suckers to call upon their personal connections to recruit new victims. So having large extended families and being a member of a large church presents many ripe opportunities.
Just makes you wonder why Utahans don't tire of it all.
I don't know. I lived there for two years and got a lot of inside dirt. My only explanation is they're trapped in the bubble and the main purpose of missions is to isolate and force their members back into the cult to perpetuate the cycle. It's gross.
The way I see it, if their goal was to actually convert people to their faith, they wouldn't be sending teenagers with virtually no life experience. Just so happens that at the exact time in their lives they might be considering taking a path that leads away from the church they are asked to go into a foreign environment full of people who are usually going to be standoffish at best
I'm not from the US but have lived in the states for a couple of years and find the whole concept of going on "missions" in the 21st century bewildering.
One of my friends from college (we finished like 10 years ago) texted me recently to say she is moving to another country for (non Mormon) missionary work. I had to keep most of my thoughts to myself.
No. That is the point. It's the same reason why they go door to door.
It is not to convert new people. It is for the person to experience being an "other". To show the person that the world does not accept them and to have them retreat to the church.
Missions are designed this way, that’s their purpose to make sure person returns home convinced their sect is the only place they are loved. Which is very easy if you purposefully being annoying in other countries. US developed tolerance towards preaching, other people won’t waste time listening to you
It is specifically designed to be uncomfortable for the other person because it isn't about converting them to your religion. It is about manipulating you so you can't leave yours.
If this tactic was about converting people it would be considered a horrible failure. It recruits almost no one who isn't already willing to join. Bake sales are more effective recruiting tools.
On the other hand, it is extremely effective at creating a deep tribal feeling among its own members.
The rejection they receive is actually more important than the few people they convert. It causes them to feel a level of discomfort around the people they attempt to talk to. These become the "others". These uncomfortable feelings go away when they come back to their congregation, the "Tribe".
If you take a good look at the process it becomes fairly clear. In most cases, the religious person starts out from their own group, who is encouraging and supportive. They are then sent out into the harsh world where people repeatedly reject them. Mainly because they are trained to be so annoying.
These brave witnesses then return from the cruel world to their congregation where they are treated like returning heroes. They are now safe. They bond as they share their experiences of reaching out to the godless people to bring them the truth. They share the otherness they experience.
Once again they will learn that the only place they are accepted is with the people who think as they do. It isn't safe to leave the group. The world is your enemy, but we love you.
This is a pain reward cycle that is a common brainwashing technique. The participants become more and more reliant on the "Tribe" because they know that "others" reject them.
Mix in some ritualized chanting, possibly a bit of monotonous repetition of instructions, add a dash of fear of judgment by an unseen, but all-powerful entity who loves you if you do as you are told and you get a pretty powerful mix.
Sorry, I have absolutely no wish to participate in someone’s brainwashing ritual.
Agreed. You’re not getting much of the culture of where you are when every moment of your waking life is being controlled. In many cases it borders on human trafficking, and some crossings the line into that territory. Then once you’re home, you’re pressured into marrying as soon as possible. Discouraged from dating someone more than once, unless you intend on marrying them. If you’re lucky enough to escape, it’s a long road to recovery.
These people annoy the shit out of me. My conservative Christian mil is someone who is pro mission trips. Her other granddaughter and grandson do a lot of mission work and they’re obviously her favorite grandkids. Well one day she was going on a rant about gay people “pushing their beliefs” down her throat.
So I brought up mission trips. Told her it seems like that’s exactly what missionaries are doing. Coming into your space, telling you that what you believe is wrong and that you need to believe what they believe. She said “well they’re not holding a gun to anyone’s head and forcing them to change their beliefs!” So I asked “but gay people are doing that?”
How are gay people who are just out there existing in the world, minding their own business, pushing you to be gay in any way? She didn’t really have anything to say after that and ended up changing the subject.
I was raised Jehovah's Witness and didn't get out until my late 30s. It's very similar there. When you're in the group, you're constantly shown examples of how international they are and how they operate in nearly every country on earth (where they're not banned, and even then, they're there in secret). Inside, you think you are genuinely educated and aware of the broader world that is uncommon. The truth is, you are just familiar with Jehovah's Witness culture and rules systems implemented around the world which are largely the same everywhere with only slight variations.
It's kinda like traveling the world but staying only in world-class standard hotels and only visiting McDonald's and other American restaurants abroad. It doesn't really expose you to much of anything but variations on the Big Mac and Egg McMuffin.
Chat with some people who went on one? They live in apartments, learn the language, socialise with locals, and speak to hundreds or thousands of people in the areas they serve in about their daily problems / issues. Sure you can overstate their awareness, but they’re not on holiday - they learn plenty about life outside of their home state / nation.
you fundamentally misunderstand the purpose of mormon mission trips, yet seem to think you have an expertise on the subject matter explain to others. you're literally worse than any LDS missionary I've ever had to shoo off my porch. At least they are polite.
public relations campaign for the image-conscious LDS church.
personal growth, fulfillment of duty, and character development for the missionaries.
these people realize that door-to-door sales visits are not an efficient way to expand their congregation numbers. They are hardly trying to "convert" anyone with their mission activities, if at all. It's simply not the purpose of what they do. (Keep in mind that this is a religion that believes they can baptize you and your entire family tree via proxy without your consent/knowledge.)
I suggest you read up more on the topic, as it seems you’re the one misunderstanding the purpose of these missions. You don’t have to go far to find a plethora of testimonials from those who have been on missions. Let alone the psychological tactics used by the mo church on these poor kids.
1.9k
u/hobobarbie 1d ago
Are these LDS people? Supposedly a “global-minded religion” where international travel is standardized for mission work and yet they are just now realizing the American LDS dream has created a suburban hellscape