General Discussion

jaysunb

(11,856 posts)

66. I got to know several of these young men after I got back

Sat Oct 20, 2012, 04:43 PM

Oct 2012

from Nam...they used to come by a couple times a month and sit and chat. They were very curious about my experiences in the war, and I was very curious about their anti black religious beliefs.
War, so they felt, was wrong, but both knew friends back in Utah that were serving or about to go. With so many conscientious objectors around in those days, I actually appreciated their sincere reasons for choosing a religious mission as opposed the military.
Of, course, they were also very apologetic about the exclusion of Blacks from their priesthood and felt Muhammad Ali had gotten a bad deal for the very same reason they were not required to serve.
Interesting times.....

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Two young Mormons rang my bell today, It instantly reminded me of my time in the jungles of Vietnam. [View all] pwb Oct 2012 OP

The horror...the horror. Brickbat Oct 2012 #1

LOL Angry Dragon Oct 2012 #2

They left home boys and will return men lunatica Oct 2012 #3

left home ... kardonb Oct 2012 #33

I think lunatica was referring to Queen Ann's truebluegreen Oct 2012 #38

Thanks. That was what I was talking about lunatica Oct 2012 #56

Actually, it's not all expenses paid. LDS Missionaries (or their parents) have to save up to pay for StevieM Oct 2012 #47

It's not paid and it's hardly comfy FreeState Oct 2012 #71

really, they have to "hope"? blueamy66 Oct 2012 #104

Yes they have to hope FreeState Oct 2012 #111

Hey I'm a Catholic and 2 missionaries invited me to shop a while back blueamy66 Oct 2012 #115

Must have been tough, heathen outside the wire, lobbing mortars at your studio apartment. Scuba Oct 2012 #108

Non if that is relevant to my post FreeState Oct 2012 #112

They always send the Elders out in pairs to talk to the gentiles. RomneyLies Oct 2012 #4

Welcome to DU, RomneyLies! calimary Oct 2012 #9

I'm voting on Monday RomneyLies Oct 2012 #15

I wish everyone would talk about this. gvstn Oct 2012 #86

Down Ticket No Vested Interest Oct 2012 #91

Interesting gvstn Oct 2012 #106

My liberal Democratic representative, etc. need more Democrats to caucus with and do what we want. freshwest Oct 2012 #92

In case Mrs. Robinson opens the door naked, holding a six-pack of beer, offering a good time. hunter Oct 2012 #23

Any sign of PTSD from the stress of constantly knocking on doors? OldDem2012 Oct 2012 #5

Not yet thankfully but I had some Flashbacks. pwb Oct 2012 #12

Samuel Barber's Adagio For Strings begins magically playing in the background wherever they go aint_no_life_nowhere Oct 2012 #6

This is one of the saddest, most heart-wrenching videos I have ever seen. classof56 Oct 2012 #39

oh I get it now CreekDog Oct 2012 #7

Took me a little while too. lol! savalez Oct 2012 #25

Mitt has horrible flashback memories of mangled Ikonoklast Oct 2012 #8

lol MFM008 Oct 2012 #51

Well played nt Kalidurga Oct 2012 #10

You can tell a Mormon mission veteran a mile away. lumberjack_jeff Oct 2012 #11

But he didn't get his money's worth on that $500 haircut...hair always goes every which way. onecent Oct 2012 #29

Is there an address we can send care packages to so that the missionaries don't have to suffer kestrel91316 Oct 2012 #13

Friend is a marine spec forces vet, has big black rot toby jo Oct 2012 #14

That's rich. ellisonz Oct 2012 #16

*snort* pinboy3niner Oct 2012 #18

Me, too. GoCubsGo Oct 2012 #55

Remember this one....? Bigmack Oct 2012 #67

That's very funny. LisaL Oct 2012 #21

I invite them in and 30 minutes later one young man is in tears and the other grantcart Oct 2012 #84

Guess I have to work on my delievery..... daleanime Oct 2012 #109

cult meme spreading: amborin Oct 2012 #17

Funny, this election we are not so much a Christian nation. pwb Oct 2012 #22

Post removed Post removed Oct 2012 #19

An AK-47? You poor dear, parents divorced and mom didn't have flex hours to get home to fix dinner? txwhitedove Oct 2012 #24

Hmmm.. *my* parents just celebrated their 50th anniversary, my mom never had to work... wanna play Ghost in the Machine Oct 2012 #74

WTF? I have voted to keep 'alerted' posts far less abusive than yours. Guess I forgot the txwhitedove Oct 2012 #78

If your post was, as you say, sarcastic then yes, I fully missed it, and truly apologize... Ghost in the Machine Oct 2012 #82

GITM, your apology is appreciated. I also appreciate veterans, guns, penises, mothers, and the txwhitedove Oct 2012 #87

I have never been one to mince my words here, nor bite my tongue to spare the feelings of others.... Ghost in the Machine Oct 2012 #117

See? It IS dangerous being a missionary! aletier_v Oct 2012 #54

Obviously a "LURPS" patrol aint_no_life_nowhere Oct 2012 #20

Well, better to promote a dumb religion than to participate in an immoral war I guess. Vattel Oct 2012 #26

I went there thinking it was right, but came home knowing it was wrong. pwb Oct 2012 #27

My reply to the original post was kinda assholish. Vattel Oct 2012 #32

So are you saying your relatives went to Canada or to jail? Or had Cheney deferments? Hmmmm?? WinkyDink Oct 2012 #46

and what if they DID go to Canada or jail...? Hmmmmm? stlsaxman Oct 2012 #68

Except the creep was also promoting the immoral war. The pig. Ineeda Oct 2012 #37

You know what? Most of our men DIDN'T HAVE A CHOICE BUT to "PARTICIPATE." WinkyDink Oct 2012 #45

They had a choice. Not an easy one, but whoever said that doing the right thing is always easy? Vattel Oct 2012 #81

Yes, but Romney was For the Vietnam war but Cha Oct 2012 #85

Very well played - Getting up off the floor malaise Oct 2012 #28

I believe William Tecumseh Sherman said it best when he said Uncle Joe Oct 2012 #30

Good one. glinda Oct 2012 #31

I remember visiting my Italian relatives in Parma, Italy. I was looking out the balcony and southernyankeebelle Oct 2012 #34

I have only crossed paths with one Mormon and he was... santamargarita Oct 2012 #35

You do know that Harry Reid is Mormon, right? IndyJones Oct 2012 #93

Harry converted No Vested Interest Oct 2012 #114

They will survive. They have a better support network than most. n/t jtuck004 Oct 2012 #36

I greet the Elders and ask if they'd like a bottle of water upi402 Oct 2012 #40

For those who missed it, check out Doonesbury's "American Mormon in Paris Not Vietnam" week kath Oct 2012 #41

They know not to darken my door. GentryDixon Oct 2012 #42

It's tough, living on warm beer and c-rats JustABozoOnThisBus Oct 2012 #43

I find it is my duty to talk to all evangelicals that come to my door Tribalceltic Oct 2012 #44

PTSD is a cruel companion that is always with you, and will never go away for good slackmaster Oct 2012 #48

You got that right. pwb Oct 2012 #49

You have my sympathy, and you are not alone slackmaster Oct 2012 #97

Mormons are out in droves these days. Big push by the head of the church. SleeplessinSoCal Oct 2012 #50

Yes, they are. xxqqqzme Oct 2012 #57

I see them all the time pedaling around town on their Humvee bikes. GoCubsGo Oct 2012 #58

Maybe when they charge up the next hill lapfog_1 Oct 2012 #52

That's if a roadside bomb doesn't get 'em first. GoCubsGo Oct 2012 #59

Best thread headline EVER! Maximumnegro Oct 2012 #53

Yeh, but were they speaking French? RagAss Oct 2012 #60

Did they turn from being boys to men right before your eyes? Quixote1818 Oct 2012 #61

They stopped coming to one of my neighbors jeff47 Oct 2012 #62

They come around my door, Permanut Oct 2012 #63

Lol... PsychGrad Oct 2012 #64

"I did what I call "active ignoring"... aletier_v Oct 2012 #70

Romney World is Different than the World We live In. Barbara2423 Oct 2012 #65

I got to know several of these young men after I got back jaysunb Oct 2012 #66

Did you ask if they were going to ship your job to China? closeupready Oct 2012 #69

Vietnam queentonic Oct 2012 #72

Honored you used your first post on my o p. pwb Oct 2012 #73

You may not have met them... MyTwoSense Oct 2012 #99

There are 131 national cemeteries in the U.S. pwb Oct 2012 #110

I hear the 16th Arrondissement Paris Offensive was a real hellhole for wealthy Mormon Missionary Zorra Oct 2012 #75

You can always spot a mormon missionary because of the name tags. hrmjustin Oct 2012 #76

Soldiers in Vietnam only had to face imminent death or mutilation. valerief Oct 2012 #77

Salt Lake City...... Canuckistanian Oct 2012 #79

thanks for doing a difficult job....my father was special forces..... rppper Oct 2012 #80

You also had ice cream every day too...... coldwaterintheface Oct 2012 #95

Thank goodness that.... rppper Oct 2012 #100

Back in the day it was a thankless job coldwaterintheface Oct 2012 #107

when fan #1 becomes pump #1!!! rppper Oct 2012 #116

... 68 Rex Oct 2012 #83

LOL.....pwb Skittles Oct 2012 #88

Imagine the PTSD of them having flashbacks of the black person that opened the door... Spitfire of ATJ Oct 2012 #89

Especially the black person that said.... Zambero Oct 2012 #96

Fuck 'em, I tell them to get a job.... WCGreen Oct 2012 #90

They are salesmen, nothing more. Lefergus70 Oct 2012 #94

You should have told them how you felt...nt barnabas63 Oct 2012 #98

LOL lonestarnot Oct 2012 #101

Oh great. Mormons. HomerRamone Oct 2012 #102

"I love the smell of freshly starched magic underwear in the morning..."nt Javaman Oct 2012 #103

Proselytizing is wrong, shameful, destructive.. pangaia Oct 2012 #105

Did they dig little holes in your lawn to crap in and try to swap c-rations for real food? Tierra_y_Libertad Oct 2012 #113