Passivity and conflict

Pros of Mormonism from the perspective of the
Believer	Ex-believer
Mormonism teaches that we should strive for peace and love; it’s hard to argue that this is anything but good. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. Jesus taught us to love one another, to turn the other cheek, and to avoid contention. These teachings are good and are part of what helps Mormons become good, tender, kind-hearted people.	Some ex-believers might agree that, in some aspects, Mormonism teaches that we should strive for peace and love; it’s hard to argue that this is anything but good. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. Jesus taught us to love one another, to turn the other cheek, and to avoid contention. These teachings are good and are part of what helps Mormons become good, tender, kind-hearted people.

 

Cons of Mormonism from the perspective of the
Believer	Ex-believer
-- N/A --	It is true that many Mormons grow into very assertive people who communicate well and sort through difficult situations. However, this is not true for everyone, and Mormonism probably exacerbates undue passivity in many people. Turning the other cheek is not necessarily the best way to live life. Many people need to stand up for themselves, grow some backbone, and fight for what they think is right.   Many Mormons who leave Mormonism later come to believe that Mormonism promotes passive aggressive behavior. Mormons are often afraid of direct confrontation because they were directly or indirectly taught to avoid any conflict at all. This can promote an environment where good people allow bad things to happen because they are passive and don’t feel like they should stand up for themselves or stand up for others. When conflict does arise in the open, it can also foster a situation where one or both sides don’t feel capable of communicating. Communication is often still required, however, but it ends up coming indirectly (passively aggressive).