5 Reasons Why Mormonism Is Actually Kinda Cool!

5 Reasons Why Mormonism Is Actually Kinda Cool!

Alex Boye is a Mormon, and has sung with
N' SYNC and the Backstreet Boys

I think that Mormonism has a reputation for being a church of conformists run by stodgy old white guys. Granted, there are limits to what we legitimately should or should not do that not a lot of other non-Christians live by. And even amongst fellow Christians, we've gotten some raised eyebrows (no coffee?!?!?! I'll never live!!!). But it's actually kind of a cool place, as long as you're OK with wholesome fun.

So in no particular order, here are 5 reasons that Mormonism is a fun, cool experience:

1. Man, are we ever full of musicians, actors, athletes, you name it. Check out famousmormons.net if you don't believe me. There are the well-known ones, of course: Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite), Lindsey Stirling (rock-violin chick), David Archuleta (came in 2^nd on American Idol), and Brandon Flowers (lead singer for The Killers), the entire band “Imagine Dragons,” etc. etc. etc. But there are also less-known Mormon celebrities that you may have never heard of. For instance, did you know that one of silent film's greatest celebrities, John Gilbert, was Mormon? He was ranked 28 in the top 100 most influential people in the history of film. Or, that Alex Boye sang alongside N'SYNC and the Backstreet Boys? True stories. How about this – that the inventor of television, Philo Farnsworth, was a Mormon who lived in little Rigby, Idaho? Or that the inventor of the Ruby programming language - Yukihiro Matsumoto – is an active member of the Church also?
   Also, there are plenty of once-Mormon or lapsed Mormon celebrities. I think my favorites are Aaron Eckhart (Two-Face on “The Dark Knight”), Paul Walker (R.I.P. - From “The Fast and the Furious” series), and Amy Adams (The Princess on “Enchanted.”)
2. We've got some pretty fun traditions. They range from the well-known to the hilariously obscure. I mean, anyone can go visit the lights on Temple Square around Christmastime, but who hasn't wanted to go on a “Brigham Date”? Popular at the Church-sponsored Brigham Young University, a Brigham Date is where one or two guys will take four or five girls out at once. And yes, I get it, it is tongue-in-cheek. We can laugh about that stuff, too, you know.
   If you're trying for something more down low, though, try the annual ward Christmas Party, where a local geographic congregation gets together to hang out, make lasting friendships, and eat good food. Don't expect to see booze or skanky girls at this “party,” but it really is fun, in a good, clean, wholesome way.

3. 

   Joseph Smith was a pretty cool guy, though
   Mormon history has covered that up a lot.

   Our first prophet, Joseph Smith, was quite a rabble-rouser. Nowadays in Sunday school, we get the impression that he was a priestly, almost stogy character, but nothing could be further from the truth. He was innovative, impressive, charismatic, and kept absolutely everybody on their toes. (A small example: mission calls used to be read from the General Conference pulpit... with no advance notice to those who would be called!) Although you'd be hard-pressed to find such an adventuresome spirit in the Church nowadays, Joseph the Prophet was actually pretty rad.
4. Mormons take create a family atmosphere that nurtures fun recreational activities. Every Monday night, Mormon faithful gather in families to play games, sing songs, shoot the breeze, and generally enjoy each other's company. What exactly happens at these “family home evenings” depends entirely on the family, their own preferences and interests, and how they're feeling on any particular night. Couples also work to regularly go on dates and keep the flame alive, whether married or just dating. I personally have known middle-aged and older couples who still make it a point to date each other every week. I'm actually very impressed.
5. Mormons get technology. Whether it's the work of BYU animators who are being recognized for their creation of good, clean fun films (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/26/magazine/when-hollywood-wants-good-clean-fun-it-goes-to-mormon-country.html?pagewanted=all), to the proponderance of Mormons who gravitate towards Pinterest, to Mormons who come up with good-natured memes all over the place (Examples: search Youtube for “Tom Cruise on Home Teaching,” or “Book of Mormon Style” will know what I'm talking about. Or a quick Google Images search for “Uchtdorf memes,” “Jeffrey R. Holland memes,” or “Hey Girl Mormon Memes.”), you'll find us hanging out, chatting, and just enjoying ourselves online.

A screenshot from "Estefan," a Student-Emmy
winning animation put together by BYU students.

Well, there you have it. Five reasons why Mormonism is kinda fun, kinda cool. I echo the words of early Mormon leader Heber C. Kimball, who asserted, “I am perfectly satisfied that my Father and my god is a cheerful, pleasant, lively, and good-natured Being. Why? Because I am cheerful, pleasant, lively and good-natured when I have His Spirit.” I know I've felt that Spirit when I've been in Church and with others of my faith.