Mormons: Why can't you go to other churches?

Question

So my best friend is Mormon, and although I'm more than welcomed and encouraged to go to HER church activities, she won't/can't come to MY church. I'm an evangelical Christian, and I was just wondering why she can't... Cuz she's also told me she was Christian, too. So Mormons, if you could answer that it would be great (I wanna understand her more but she continues to avoid it).

Answer 1

That's her personal choice. I have gone to other churches just for fun with my little brother. My parents never had a problem with it. I would go to church and tell all my friends about how we visiting other churches and they all thought that was pretty cool. The LDS church doesn't stop anyone from exploring other religions.

Answer 2

It might because her/his parents said no. Or some other personal reason.  I have been to other churches. I went to visit a Baptist, Lutheran, Catholic, Pentecostal, and Jewish.  I was never told not to go by any church authority.  When my children asked if they could go to a friends church I said OK. It was also OK if their friends wanted to come to our church service. But sometime the friends parents said no.

Answer 3

What are you talking about. I just went to a Lutheran Church last week. She probably doesn't want to waste her time.

Answer 4

...because they're members of a cult.

Answer 5

Your friend is probably mistaken. I am LDS - I am the Young Women President in my Ward - and I regularly visit other churches. I did an Alpha Course at the local Congragational Church last year, I attended a Children's meeting at a local Evangelical Church just last month, and I often go to the Anglican church with my Dad because he is an Anglican minister and it makes me happy.

Your friend may be interested to know that my Young Women have asked whether they can attend a worship service at an Evangelical/Pentecostal Church as a mutual activity. The Bishopric have approved it, and so now we are just trying to find a local Evangelical Church which has a midweek meeting on a Tuesday night.

One reason she may not be able to attend other churches is if she has a calling in her own. For example, as Young Women President I have to teach a lesson each Sunday, which means that if I am not there it causes problems. So I cannot attend a church which meets at the same time as mine, but I can if they have evening services, for example, which many do.

One of our Articles of Faith (I think it's the eleventh, can't remember off the top of my head but your friend will know) says that we respect the rights of others to worship as they will, and a recent article in the Ensign encouraged us to join in dialogue with other Christian communities.

Having said that, my thirteen year old daughter does not like attending other churches and always refuses to come with me. She says they make her feel uncomfortable, and she gets confused by the doctrine and doesn't like the different way of doing things (such as handraising and speaking in tongues). So it may actually be that your friend feels awkward about the idea of attending your church and is worried about what she will see there. I very much doubt any church leaders have told her not to go.

Answer 6

We can visit other churches.  I've visited other churches, and have never been told not to.

You should just ask her why she doesn't want to go, because there's certainly nothing in LDS teachings that prohibits us from visiting other churches.  

EDIT:  I don't know why I got a thumbs down.  I HAVE attended other churches, including to baptisms of friends of other churches, and I have NEVER been told not to.  It's the truth.

Answer 7

Mormans can attend whatever they want.  It is probably your friend's parents who don't want her to attend your church. It is for personal reasons, not because of anything the LDS Church teaches.  I have attended the services of many different faiths, but then, I am an adult and can decide for myself.  Your friend is being respectful of her parent's wishes.  

Answer 8

I can go. If a friend asked me to go to their church I would make them a trade. If they come to my church, I would go to their's.

The thing about our Sunday meetings is that they're so spectacular, my week is not the same if I miss it.

Answer 9

There are no rules saying you "cannot go."

I attended a Catholic service while on my LDS mission.

The difference that I found while attending another's service is that once they found out I was LDS/Mormon the attacks began.  It turned into a your wrong topping convention rather than a let's study the bible discussion.  This is probably what your friend is avoiding.  

Of all the investigators I've met and seen coming to an LDS service that hasn't happened on the flip side.  

Answer 10

It is possible she has a calling that requires her to be there every week.  Many of us teach, play music or serve in other ways on Sundays. Sometimes it is simply impractical to attend another church.  

Answer 11

I don't understand why you are asking an entire religion as oppose to the issue with you re buddy ?

People do different things they don't do them because of religion, maybe the problem is your friend , not a whole group of people .    

Answer 12

We can visit other churches.  

Answer 13

Like the Catholics, they may consider other Christian churches to be "apostate."  I was Catholic, now I'm Mormon and I still attend services at other churches w/ friends of other denominations.  I've never been told not to.

Answer 14

I am mormon and I have visited lots of other churches.

Hindu temple in Atlanta

Jahovah Witness meeting

Catholic Mass

Southern Baptist sunday school

7th day adventist meeting



Lots of other ones

Answer 15

Dont know where your friend got her info from...I have been Lds for 19 years and my moms side are all non-members.I have been to their church(s) on several occasions and so have others Lds members of my family.Usually though it was for a baptism or blessing

Answer 16

we can if we'd like, but most don't just because they don't want to risk falling away from our church or weaken our testimony. and if we do go, we usually don't go and believe in it or participate in it. we believe that our church is the ONLY true church.  

Answer 17

We can, bt maybe your friend has found the truth and decided even going somewhere else on Sunday is pointless. :D You should really find out more about it! :)