The ten strict Mormon rules that dictate how members must live their lives
Here are 10 strict rules Mormons must follow controlling everything from underwear, sex, coffee and haircuts. SEE THE VIDEO
Here are ten strict Mormon rules that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints must follow.
See the list below:
1. Underwear
Mormons who have participated in “temple endowment” are required to wear a “temple garment” – a conservative white underwear set including a shirt and long shorts. The church’s General Handbook states: “You should wear the garment day and night throughout your life. When it must be removed for activities that cannot reasonably be done while wearing the garment, seek to restore it as soon as possible.” The uncomfortable underwear was not allowed to be altered. The sleeves meant women were not able to wear singlets, tank tops, or even shorts. There were three-hour queues at some stores when there was a slight change to the design this year – the first in 200 years. Some Mormon women paid more than $200 for the new set of underwear because it meant they could wear different clothing.
2. No dating before 16
The church says: “Do not date until you are at least 16 years old. … When you begin dating, go in groups or on double dates. Avoid going on frequent dates with the same person. … Date only those who have high standards and in whose company you can maintain your standards”. Sex before marriage is forbidden. Church leaders also ask young members if they masturbate.
3. History of Polygamy
Mormons originally believed it was acceptable for men to have multiple wives. For decades, women were trapped in these marriages but the church says it stopped the practice in 1890. The church says: “Today Church members honour and respect the sacrifices made by those who practiced polygamy in the early days of the Church. However, the practice is outlawed in the Church, and no person can practice plural marriage and remain a member.” Critics claim that the church’s founder Joseph Smith had as many as 35 wives, while church members were told that he only had one wife, Emma. The church says that anyone in a plural marriage, often in Salt Lake City, was not actually a Mormon and that “news media” were “confused”.
4. Haircuts, grooming rules
The Mormon church’s clean cut look is no accident. There are rules about how you can wear your hair. Missionaries, usually teenagers or in their early 20s, are sent out across the world to find new members. But the church does not leave it to chance. There is a detailed list of rules. “Choose a neat, conservative hairstyle that is easy to maintain and does not draw attention. Hair colour should look natural. If you decide to colour your hair, consider the time, cost, and impact on your missionary activities,” the church says. Male “elders” should be clean shaven and sideburns “ should reach no lower than the middle of the ear.” For women, or “sisters”, “nail polish and makeup are optional. When worn, they should be subtle in colour and style.”
5. Alcohol ban
Mormons abide by a code of health they call the Word of Wisdom, which was written by the church’s founder Joseph Smith in 1833. The Temperance movement – abstaining from alcohol – was gathering momentum around that time. “Mormons view the Word of Wisdom as a revelation from God that gives His counsel on how to live a healthy life,” the church says.
6. Coffee, tea, and hot drinks are banned
While an alcohol ban may be common among some religions, the Mormons take it a step further. Smith wrote: “Hot drinks are not for the body or belly.” In return for the drinks ban, “the saints” who follow the rules will be given “health”, which the church says is a “small price to pay”.
7. Clothing
The church has rules about what young missionaries should wear. Tight clothes, such as leggings, are banned for missionaries. Crop tops, miniskirts, spaghetti strap singlets, or another else considered “revealing, or distracting in any way.” The rules also state that clothes should “cover your shoulders”. And clothing must also be in “good repair and free of wrinkles”.
8. Thought control
The Mormon Church, according to a submission to an inquiry into cults, requires members to accept the church’s claims as absolute truth and to distrust secular truth. Adults surrender their identity and become known as “brother” or “sister”. Church leaders frequently use thought/stopping cliches such as ‘Doubt your doubts’.” The church discourages reading of unapproved books and websites. However, the church’s grip on reading habits has been challenged by the rise of the internet.
9. Tearing families apart
When Mormons leave the church, they often leave their marriages and their children. Former members claim they have been cut off when they start living outside the church. “Leaders frequently claim members who leave the church did so because they were offended or wanted to sin (drink alcohol or engage in illicit sex) or they never had strong testimonies,” a submission to an inquiry into cults claims.
10. Middle East links
The Book of Mormon claims that American Indians were descendants from one of the lost tribes of Israelites. The church says that they travelled from the Middle East to America about 600 years before Christ was born. A submission to a government inquiry into cults claims: For decades Mormon scholars, at Mormon Church-owned and controlled Brigham Young University, have claimed there is scientific evidence that supports the Book of Mormon’s genealogical claims. DNA analysis of Native Americans from across the Americas has found no trace of an ancient infusion of Hebrew DNA.”
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Originally published as The ten strict Mormon rules that dictate how members must live their lives
