Why are Mormons so gullible?
 

Especially when it comes to get rich quick schemes. Stories like this drive me nuts.

Five men have pleaded guilty in federal court to defrauding investors of $20 million in a long-term scam that preyed mostly on churchgoers.

One of the bogus stories used to lure investors: Descendants of Mormon church founder Joseph Smith had created a $1.6 trillion trust fund held overseas, and investors were needed to bring the money back home.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/m...1m18fraud.html

I think the "victims" in these frauds largely deserve what they get. I've met many members intent on taking a shortcut to success and they believe that their faith entitles them to wealth.

Maybe it is born out of desperation. What with larger families than average, tithing, etc. I don't think it is particular to Mormons though, since pastors are freqently fleecing their flocks, and secular con men do quite well. However, I won't waste my breath arguing that the LDS are more gullible than average. Maybe we are just more trusting. Or dumber ( I know this fits me).

Nobody can con an honest man.

Mormons tend to believe in fantastic outpourings of blessings stemming from righteous living, including untold wealth not linked to normal economic prudence and guidelines.

Often the con men will pose as good, upstanding members of the church, so the gullible won't think about second guessing them.

Just to add to the comments above, there's a pretty strong strain of Weber's "Protestant Work Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism" in Mormonism.

I love the title of this thread. It's so apropos. Mormons are gullible because gullibility is in-bred and reinforced positively from birth. Gullibility is a signature trait necessary for propagation of the tribe. Call it a form of natural selection.

More words of wisdom from the man who was able to shed the trappings of his family; who proudly only listens to classical music, only goes to opera, and doesn't allow his children to watch tv; and is not dogmatic or inflexible.

Talk about gullibility.

I would say that it is because that we are conditioned to take things on faith. Some people mistakenly or inadvently convert this into a faith in individuals. I don't personally understand this because I am incredibly suspicious of anyone who seemly is exploiting my fellowship with him in the church for financial gain. I am probably unreasonably hypersensative to this. I walk miles around ever offering my services to anyone.

I also recall growing up that a relative involved my parents in a particular type of investment which made them a fair amount of money and which they offered to many of their church friends who also made money from it for a time. Ultimately, however, to everyone's surpise, the relative was defrauding everyone and when it fell apart everyone lost their money. I know to this day that my parents feel as though they caused many of their closest friends to get screwed. So my view on this is colored by that experience.

When I do business with members it is because I have sought out their services or they have sought out mine. I insist on paying and recieving fair value.

I believe this to be true as well. We're a faith based people who for better or worse can be identified as charasmatic too in our approach to faith. So I think we can allow ourselves as anyone can to be misguided by our feelings.

I hate working for members and have tried my best in the past to avoid as my experiences for the most part have been bitter.