What Are Some Things Most Mormons Like That You Dislike?

[bobtheenchantedone]

What I'm talking about with St. Francis is the chapel designed to have amazing acoustics. The wooden benches that are carefully polished several times a week. The hand-painted murals, specifically commissioned for this chapel and done by a local artist (what a great way to give back to the community!). The gigantic mural of the crucifixion including depictions of people from various time periods and classes, which teaches me something new every time I contemplate it. The intensely symbolic baptismal font, beautiful in its symmetry and also in that they keep the water constantly recirculating - "living water." That is functional beauty, and these things are what make me feel so at peace and so in tune with the Spirit while I am there (in addition to, of course, the fact that it is a holy place overall). It is a place of love and beauty that was built by the very people who use it now.

It's also much more efficiently used than either our temples or our meetinghouses; one of the women there told us that it basically never closes. The lights never go out. Most of the times I have been there, there have been people sitting quietly in pews reading scriptures or praying. There are always classes and meetings going on - self-help groups, exercise groups, Bible study for children. They have mass every single day of the week, sometimes two or more.

And yet while those lights are always on and it is always full of people, those people (including children) are also very respectful. I was there for a choir concert recently, and during our sound check people of all ages kept coming in to listen for a while. Every single one of them - no matter the age - stopped and crossed themselves as they came through the door. The only raised voices I have ever heard came from we college kids. I never saw anyone run.

Mormon meetinghouses are nothing like. Open when they have to be. Closed every other time. All very very similar (at least the more recent ones; there are some from early days that have more individuality, but that went out about the same time individuality for the members did). Artwork is the same stuff we see in every chapel; most of us probably don't even really see it any more. Everything is carpeted, even the walls, and it's boring/uncomfortable carpeting too (when it's on the walls, and when you're in nursery, the softness of the carpeting matters). The furniture (and upholstery thereof, when applicable) is usually a little on the tacky side. Our chapels are dead rooms sound-wise, which makes me have a sad for every Mormon choir (do you know how ALIVE it makes me feel to sing in a room with good acoustics?) Sure, they get the job done (though in some ways they even fall short there - we really need to start implementing the cry rooms they have at St. Francis's) but they have no soul.

My therapist recently had me start anchoring: using memories of strong positive emotions to counteract negative ones. Now, whenever I feel anxious, I close my eyes and pretend I'm walking into the chapel at St. Francis, and open my eyes feeling calmer and happier. I hear that temples do the same thing for some people, but as an unmarried woman who could not have gone on a mission if I'd wanted to, I'm mostly denied access there. And the Mormon buildings I do have access to actually cause me anxiety rather than relieve it.

TL;DR: Mormon meetinghouses are nothing more than utilitarian, Mormon temples, though holy and beautiful (lavish, actually; what does someone who thinks our meetinghouses are overly beautified think of the temples?) are highly restricted; St. Francis rocks and I wish I lived there.

[wryness]

That really does sound like a beautiful place the way you've described it. Ah, brief moment of peacefulness...

Of course, in defense of Mormon meetinghouses--since we only have lay clergy, it makes sense they would only be open when they have to be; that way we don't have to pay someone to watch over them, and we can satisfy our paranoid-ness by avoiding break-ins, etc.

On the flipside, this does make missionary work a tad harder. I remember a few times on my mission where people mentioned wanting to pop into the church to see what it was like and finding it locked.

As a closer: I dislike ripping on Utah, which many Mormons who aren't from Utah seem to like to do (as a hefty-sized discussion thread on this forum attests.) Utah is not perfect, but it is good, so stop yer whinin', people!

[Portia]

Have you been to, say, the Granite Tabernacle? Or the old Provo Tabernacle? (RIP.) Or the Assembly Hall? All have good acoustics, and combine beauty with form, and feel like sacred spaces and are used by the community as well. There is actually a strong Mormon architectural heritage, which unfortunately has become brutalist and we are moving away from.

I wish Mormons cared more about walkable communities and opposing sprawl in general, but that's probably a Millennarian hope. ;)

[Violet]

Given the size of Salt Lake City blocks (dead space in the center of many) and the agricultural heritage, I think we (Mormons) are still a ways away from urban planning ideals and walkability. I think people are trying, but the planning of most historically-Mormon cities relies on a more rural plan, which transition much more easily to suburbs and a retail center than mixed-use, walkable spaces.

Sorry, urban planning is a pet subject of mine.

[Katya]

Given the size of Salt Lake City blocks (dead space in the center of many) and the agricultural heritage, I think we (Mormons) are still a ways away from urban planning ideals and walkability. I think people are trying, but the planning of most historically-Mormon cities relies on a more rural plan, which transition much more easily to suburbs and a retail center than mixed-use, walkable spaces.

Sorry, urban planning is a pet subject of mine.

Downtown Provo is getting better, though.

[Dragon Lady]

I'm pretty sure, if my memory serves, that in the Hastening the Work of Salvation broadcast a few months back, they announced that meetinghouses are going to start being open for at least a few hours every day with missionaries manning it. I'm pretty sure it's being phased in, though.