Mormonism in America: Social Perceptions and Discrimination Essay Example

to Christianity, and for this reason, there is no argument that the public should have to doubt the legality of the church. The followers also believe in a real family set up, where they call for a strong family relationship. According to them, the development and maintenance of a real family are the priority. They believe that a good family is an indication of a good church in the future. These followers are generally against the way in which the print and electronic media portray the religion. They claim that their image in the public domain arises from what the public learn about them through the press.

The public commenced the opposition to Mormonism since its inception in the year 1830, and the opposition continues even to the present times (Hanks et al. 118). Since that time, the Americans perceive the Mormons as people who do not qualify to be part of either Christianity or Muslim. Some of the people in the public domain felt that Mormons might be false worshippers. They claim that the leaders of this church are liars, and aim at deceiving their followers. The public campaign against Mormonism was similar to the one directed to the Masons and Catholics, as well as the Native Americans. The ones against the faith believed that the religion was an alien sect, and to them, it was a threat in disguise. This perception accelerated the rate of rebellion against the faith, a move that sparked a feeling of discrimination in the Mormons.

The public accused the Mormons of being exclusive in nature, where they claimed that the all the other forms of Christianity are not genuine (Corrigan

et al. 29). The Mormons felt superior to the other Christian denominations, and that they were the most righteous of all the denominations. The feeling of superiority sparked the bad feelings of the public against the Mormons, and hence the stronger sense of discrimination against them. The effect of the opposition was the forceful migration of the Mormons to a place known as Utah, where they went to establish a control base. To the people opposed to Mormonism, a force could spell doom to the unity and stability of the American society. It was a threat to the social, political, and religious togetherness of the Americans.

The element of discrimination against the Mormons arose because of the notion that Mormonism was a mysterious cult (Corrigan et al. 103). According to the majority of the American public, they felt that the religion denied non-Mormons a chance to fulfill their dreams, both in the political and social set ups. In addition to that, those opposed to the religion believed that it was un-American, and was against the democracy of the United States. The reason is that the country advocated for monogamy because it was to them a way of doing away with immorality. However, the Mormonism religion advocated for polygamy, something that made the public to be so much against them. These issues raised concern and anxiety among the mainstream Americans, whose reactions made the Mormons feel that the rest of the population was discriminating against them.

The rate of discrimination against the Mormons is high in the United States. It ranges from the media to the public and remains rampant (Judd et al. 71). The media, according to

the Mormons, is the source of the discrimination against them. They believe that the manner, in which the media portrays them, means a lot regarding their image to public. The problem of discrimination is the main issue that disturbs the minds of most Mormons, and it remains a challenge up to the time when the public change their perceptions about the religion and its followers.

Some factors accelerate the feeling of discrimination of Mormons by the public. One of them is that the public does not have a clear picture and understanding of what the religion is all about (Judd et al. 104). This is the main problem that makes the public hate the Mormons. Secondly, the citizens do not see the Mormons as Christians. They think that the religion is a sect that does not have a common source or goal. Additionally, they believe that the standing of the religion on matters of the family is against the morals of non-Mormons. For this reason, those who do not profess the Mormon faith find it difficult to follow its standards and doctrines. The evangelical Christians do not appear to match the beliefs of this controversial religion, and that makes the Mormons feel that the other Christians are against them. The difference in teachings is a factor that contributes to the problem of discrimination.

It has been, and remains difficult, for a person professing the Mormonism faith to get chances in the public offices (Campbell et al. 131). Most of the Mormons are qualified to hold positions, but due to the perceptions that the public has on the religion, they fail to get the chances. For instance, Mitt

Romney attempted to vie for the presidential nomination. He neglected to get the ticket because of his stand regarding Mormonism, and the public could not give him the ticket to vie for the seat. It is among the problems that discrimination poses to the Mormon population, which constitutes two percent of the entire population. Romney sought to have an end to the prejudice against the Mormons, but he could not get the opportunity. The failure of the candidate to get the ticket is a clear indication that the public is against Mormonism and those who follow the religion.

The anti-Mormonism movement addressed some issues of concern to those who were against the religion. For instance, those in New York questioned the truth about Smith, the founder of this religion (Campbell et al. 198). They sought to know the truth about the claims that the man owned some controversial gold plates. They also asked whether the plates belonged to Smith or to the people living with him at that time. Most importantly, those opposed to this religion questioned if the man possessed any calling to become a pastor and to come up with his church. This was the center of conflict, which made the public to believe that the religion is not Christian in any way. They made their comrades believe that the sect was false, and it did not have any vision to lead people to the way of Christ. The public held this notion, despite the fact that the Mormons claimed to believe that they believed in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It was a sign of discrimination based on the religious beliefs.

The opposition of

the religion extended to areas such Ohio. Here, the public believed that the challenges facing the banking sector at that time originated from the Mormons (Campbell et al. 217). Though there existed no tangible evidence to support the claim, it was clear that the public did not believe that the Mormons are part of the American society. If at all they did have a positive take, they would not attribute the challenges to the members of the religion without proper evidence. In Missouri, the Mormons would vote as a community. Their unity posed a political challenge, due to the influence that the people possessed. The challenges were too many, to the extent that the political leadership of the region had to issue an order requiring the treatment of Mormons as enemies. The order would remain for a long time, making it hard for the Mormons to stay and operate in the region. It was one of the ways to show that the residents of Missouri were not ready to tolerate the Mormons, nor to accept them as part of the legal residents. The order by the political leaders showed the depth of discrimination and hatred towards the members of the religion.

Illinois also saw some persecutions against the Mormons. The reasons behind the abuses included the domination of the group in areas such as economy and politics (Flake 64). Their unity was a threat in Illinois, the same case with other parts of the United States where they lived. The mistreatments became too much, and the Mormons had to move to another place known as Utah to establish their territory. Once again, it dawned on them

that the government was not for the idea. Before they could do anything, the President had already sent an army to the region to fight them. He claimed that their establishment was a threat to the national security. The war that ensued between the Mormons and the army led to the loss of lives and destruction of property. The Mormons questioned the legality of the war, arguing that they had the right to come together like the rest of the Americans. This was again a sign of discrimination against the Mormon community.

From the look of things, it is clear that the Mormons face discrimination for reasons, some of which do not have any logical sense. The public discriminates against them because they feel that the people are a threat to them in many ways. It further appears that their unity is a point of concern to the public. The issue about the legality of the religion is a point of controversy, where the Mormons and non-Mormons hold differing views about the faith. On one side, the Mormons believe that they are true Christians, considering that they do what the other Christians do. They also have some common beliefs with the other Christians, which include the resurrection of Jesus Christ. On the other hand, the non-Mormons have it that the Mormonism is a sect or a cult, whose aim is to mislead people and divert them from the right ways. The issue of discrimination will remain a challenge to the Mormons, until the time when their religion will become acceptable among the public. However, there is some hope for positive change, given the observations by some

of the Mormons that discrimination is decreasing.

Works Cited

Hanks, Maxine, and Jean K. Williams. Mormon Faith in America. New York: Facts on File, 2003. Internet resource.
Corrigan, John, and Lynn S. Neal. Religious Intolerance in America: A Documentary History. Chapel Hill, N.C: University of North Carolina Press, 2010. Print.
Judd, Katherine Ann, and Brian Vandenberg. "Effects of Religious Stigma and Harm on Perceived Psychopathology." Mental Health, Religion & Culture 17.5 (2014): 508. Publisher Provided Full Text Searching File. Web. 30 Nov. 2016.
Campbell, David E., and Robert D. Putnam. "America's Grace: How A Tolerant Nation Bridges Its Religious Divides." Political Science Quarterly 4 (2011): 611. Academic OneFile. Web. 30 Nov. 2016.
Flake, Dallan F. "Religious Discrimination Based On Employer Misperception." Wisconsin Law Review 2016.1 (2016): 87. Publisher Provided Full Text Searching File. Web. 30 Nov. 2016.