What is a Mormon.....? —nine :]

Can someone summarize what a Mormon is? :)

They're just people born into the Mormon faith. Most Mormons are good people, as you'd expect with any group. Their religion informs their view of God and heaven, and it also extends into their relationships with families and loved ones. It's a very holistic faith, which works very well at bringing together families and communities—so long as everyone in the group is Mormon. Mixed families work around it of course, but "the church" is always an impediment in those cases.

My extended family is mostly Mormon. They're smart, educated people who try to live as they believe they should. They give a lot of time and money to church in one way or another. For those who fit in (not gay, able to swallow the truth claims, interested in serving a mission and then marrying young and having kids), it seems to give them comfort and make them happy.

Their church claims to be the one true Christian church, restored by God and Jesus to Joseph Smith. It's a compelling story really, and would clear up a lot of confusion about the Bible and its doctrines ... if it held up to scrutiny. Still, most aspects of Mormonism are no more nutty than any other religion, and most members are blissfully unaware of the most damaging evidences that contradict their faith.