25 Bizarre Mormon Rules

Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, the Mormon Church is one of the largest denominations of Christianity. Better known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or LDS for short, followers consider themselves a restoration of the original church founded by Jesus Christ.

In the 19th century, Joseph Smith founded LDS during the Second Great Awakening. Their religious texts include The Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. The religion draws heavily from the Old Testament, notably the Ten Commandments, and consists of many Mormon rules.

The followers believe in Godhead; consisting of God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. Smith claimed to have a vision of God and his son, Jesus, telling him to restore the original church leading to the creation of the LDS. Mormons have an interesting belief system with a strict set of rules they must follow. To outsiders, these rules might seem strange and slightly overbearing. Nevertheless, Mormons must adhere to the doctrine and Morman faith to experience eternal life. 

Below are some of the religion’s weirdest rules that set them apart from other faiths.

Exploring 25 Fascinating and Unconventional Mormon Rules

1. Polygamy 

In 1843, founder Joseph Smith claimed to have a vision from God telling him that each Mormon man should have multiple wives. Smith told those closest to him about his vision, but they had to keep it from the government and other church members. Publicly, Smith denied practicing polygamy and would excommunicate anyone that did.

After his death, Brigham Young became his successor and went public with plural marriages, resulting in a 60-year battle with the United States government. The church fought to retain its right to practice polygamy, contributing to the cause of the Utah War.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, relations with the US government improved when the Mormon Church suspended the practice of polygamy. That resulted in several sects spinning off to form their own separate religion. 

2. No Same Sex Marriage or Abortions 

With the end of plural marriages, the church defines marriage as the union between a man and a woman. Mormons don’t recognize same-sex marriage. Since they also follow the Ten Commandments, they’re one of the most vigorous opponents of abortion.

3. Mormons Can Lie 

Mormons abide by many strict rules based on The Bible, their teachings, and law enforcement. They also oppose many cultural shifts, such as same-sex marriage. One thing they’re okay with is lying.

Unlike other religions, Mormons learn it’s okay to lie for the greater good and protect the community. They often lie to defend their rights and freedom. It stems from Mormons fighting the government over their right to practice polygamy. Not every Mormon believes in lying though, with many considering it a sin. 

4. Missionaries Can Only Play Half Court Basketball

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints maintains one of the most extensive missionary programs in the world. The LDS has several strict rules the missionaries must adhere to. While permitted to play basketball on half-courts, the church forbids Mormons from playing full-court games. Furthermore, they cannot play in leagues, and tournaments, or keep score. 

5. Female Clothing Must Be Modest 

The Mormon Church has a strict dress code for women to follow. The rules have evolved over time, stating women must wear modest attire. They must avoid wearing short skirts or clothing that shows off their figures.

In modern times, they can wear pants in certain situations, notably when doing missionary work. The church now permits dresses that come to the knees. The rules and women’s role in the church is constantly evolving. 

6. No Swearing

Nowadays almost everyone swears and uses profanity like they’re on a HBO series. That said, people still frown upon swearing in public, especially Mormons. They have a strict no-swearing or profanity policy.

They won’t use a “bad word” in situations like stubbing their toe or walking into a wall. It’s one of the first things people notice about Mormons since most people swear like they’re a gangster in a Martin Scorsese movie. 

7. Keep Three Months Worth of Food Stockpiled at All Times

The Mormon Church encourages followers to stockpile roughly three months of food and supplies. The practice dates back to the founding of the LDS and continues today. There are numerous reasons they accumulate food.

Some are preparing for the apocalypse or a natural disaster, while other followers are stockpiling in cases of personal tragedy or injury.

8. Missionaries Can’t Swim 

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a set of strict rules and guidelines that missionaries must follow. The church prohibits missionaries from swimming for safety reasons. Those outside the missionaries can swim as much as they like, but not on Sundays. Mormons refrain from all leisure activities on Sundays. 

9. Modest Hair and One Piercing 

Like women’s clothing, the LDS requires women to wear their hair in a modest style. They usually wear it in a basic ponytail avoiding any shine, products, or accessories that might draw attention to them. The Mormon Church prohibits them from wearing curls during the summer months. While they are allowed to have a piercing, they can only have one in each ear. Nose piercings and the like are not acceptable.

10. No Beards 

The counterculture of the 1960s and 1970s influenced the Mormon youth. Men began growing out their beards and facial hair. The combination of the change in women’s fashion resulted in the church setting stricter and harsher clothing guidelines. The church requires men to shave their beards to avoid appearing dirty. 

11. No Drinking Hot Beverages 

The Mormon Church follows specific rules established by the Old Testament, such as the Ten Commandments. They also have some additional rules each Mormon must follow.

They have strict rules against drinking hot coffee or tea. They make a clear distinction that Mormons abstain from hot beverages. Consuming caffeine is fine for a cold drink such as iced coffee or Coke, but hot is seen as a big no-no. 

12. No Eating Meat in Summer

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has interesting views on eating meat. The Words of Wisdom prohibit tobacco, alcohol, and hot beverages. To be considered worthy, each Mormon must follow those rules.

Eating meat is also referenced, although it doesn’t have the same implication since there seems to be some confusion. According to the texts, Mormons must eat meat sparingly in the cold and winter months. Mormons can’t eat meat during the summer months at all, making them vegetarians for part of the year. 

13. Missionaries Can Only Contact Family Twice a Year 

The Mormon church regards missionary work as an essential part of the journey of worthiness. At one point, they cut off all communication with loved ones to focus on work since family’s considered a distraction.

They can only call family twice yearly, on Christmas and Mother’s Day. In 2019, the church amended the rule to encourage more communication with family, including but not limited to phone calls, texts, and emails. 

14. Cannot Criticize Church Leaders 

One of the most severe offenses an LDS member can commit is criticizing the church, leaders, and policies. They are more than free to criticize the Church. In fact, the church encourages these criticisms as long as they keep it to themselves. The church forbids members from writing anything negative.

They even created the Strengthening Church Members Committee to monitor all LDS members’ writing. If they find any information, they forward it to the bishop to determine an appropriate punishment. 

15. Passing the Law of Chastity 

Passing the law of chastity is one of the church’s most controversial rules. During the days of Joseph Smith, it was common for a man to have multiple wives. However, since the change in laws in the 70s, the Mormon Church took a more strict view on sexuality, especially with teens. It begins on a child’s 8th birthday after their first baptism.

Part of the process requires a bishop to question the child about following the law of chastity and if they’ve been sexually active. They repeat this at age 12 and throughout their teens until adulthood. Questioning children about sex stirred up controversy. Nowadays, many bishops avoid asking the question or modifying it.

16. No Tattoos 

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has strict guidelines regarding fashion and trends. For example, the church has strict rules against members having tattoos. They oppose all body art and multiple piercings.

17. No Leisure On Sundays 

Mormons dedicate their Sundays to the Church. While some religions dedicate Sunday morning to Church, Mormons extend it throughout the day. Even when they leave Church, the day is still about religion.

They don’t have any leisure or enjoyment time on Sunday. Thus, they don’t read, watch TV, go to the park, or listen to music. Anything that’s considered fun is a giant no-no. Sunday is about reflecting and deep thought. 

18. No Dating Until 16 

Mormons cannot start dating until after they turn 16. Before that, Mormons of the opposite sex can only interact if it involves studying.

In most cases, they start dating around 18 after completing two years of missionary work. Once they turn 18, they start dating with the intent to get married, although the Church also prohibits premarital sex. 

19. No Kissing 

While premarital sex is banned, Mormon teens can kiss, but there are rules that also must be adhered to. They can kiss as long as it’s neither passionate nor too long. Those same rules apply to hugging and holding hands too. So really, physical touch isn’t a big part of the religion.

20. Divorce Is a Necessary Evil 

Marriage is a sacred bond among Mormons and their religion. The Church is strictly against divorce except in extreme cases. They view it as a sign and frown upon divorce.

Mormons have two wedding ceremonies. One is a more basic ceremony with family and lots of food. They have a second ceremony, which is the sealing of their bond at the temple. The bond can never break, even in the afterlife. 

21. Wear Undergarments At All Times 

Remaining clean and pure are two essential elements of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Mormons often wear undergarments beneath their clothing. Once they go through the temple, they must wear special garments. The silk or cotton undergarments are a reminder to stay pure, clean, honest, and virtuous. It’s important to remain faithful to the Ten Commandments. 

22. Soaking

Soaking is a controversial subject among Mormons. Many claim the practice is an urban legend, while others are adamant it exists. Essentially, soaking is a loophole around the law of chastity. The church prohibits sex outside of heterosexual marriage. However, soaking is sex without the thrusting, allowing Mormons to get around the rule without breaking it officially. 

23. No Oral Sex 

With all the strict rules about dating and kissing, it shouldn’t be surprising that four-play is also frowned upon. Most notably, the Church forbids oral sex on a man or woman. It’s strictly against religion which is another downer for those who follow.

24. Have Lots of Babies 

The church forbids premarital or oral sex but encourages Mormons to procreate. Indeed, they don’t believe in birth control or abortion. That’s why Mormon families are often large, with an average of 9.8 children per family. Even if they can’t afford to have that many children, the Church encourages them to have as many as possible. 

25. No Cigarettes, Alcohol, or Drugs 

It’s not uncommon for religions to forbid drinking alcohol, consuming drugs, and banning smoking tobacco and marijuana. Mormons also refuse these substances for being unhealthy and addictive. They believe these substances make a person impure on the inside. Therefore, they won’t pass onto the three heavens.