Dear me, YLE covering you – have you joined the Evil Welfare State Conspiracy? Or have you been a double agent all this time??

It’s obvious that their producers don’t read this blog!

Phil, I’m waiting your article about TV-fees and the fact that several people responsible for managing YLE didn’t pay theirs.

Yeah, just read that in Finnish Hesari. I guess I should start writing the translation.

Phil, I hope you actually get on air in some YLE programme. Once I was supposed to appear as an expert in a YLE programme, but they dropped me after they noticed my opinions don’t fit the programme theme.

Oh my god they have bought Phil!

YLE must have higher standards than BBC, Pasi

This is as big as Bush would pull out all troops from Iraq

Think that Steven guy was at our grade school telling about mormonism with his russien mormon friend some 12-13 yrs ago. Or then it was just other mormon from the U.S that spoke really good Finnish. I do remember he was from Arizona though.

So have you paid you tv-fee Phil?

Pssst! Phil, try to get him to drink a few beers

Steven looks a little kriippi.

Kristian #10, drinking tea is as great a sin as drinking beer for Mormons. So trying to get a Mormon to drink tea is just as effective. No tea, no coffee, no alcohol, no smoking, if I’m right. I don’t know if the Book of Mormon says anything about taking drugs, though.

I think it’s not that commonly known that Mormons are not allowed to drink tea, whereas everybody seems to “know” that Mormon men are allowed to have many wives. But Mormon religion actually changed its position on polygamy under pressure from the federal government, so that Utah could achieve statehood. Maybe Steven can tell if drinking tea really is that dangerous for a Mormon, after all many Muslims drink alcohol and other practitioners of religions do things their book says are a no-no.

Phil, ask him about magic underwear

Ask him if he’s paid his TV license.

Helsinkian #12 Tea has caffeine. Caffeinated soda is also ‘forbidden.’ As for beer, they’re probably better-off for not drinking it…..I guess…..it’s fattening, right?

@13,
the mainstream LDS are not polygynous, but many breakaway Mormon groups are. And it was not just about statehood, the Feds pretty much threatened the LDS with total confiscation of church property unless they renounced polygyny. Here’s a review of a recent, readable book on the nuttier Mormons: http://www.exile.ru/2004-April-01/book_review.html.

OK,

So now we know why the mormons have so hard time in Finland:
- No coffee = all the old women leave
- No tea = all the young women leave
- No beer = all the old men leave
- No multiple wives = all the young men leave

#18

Hi its Steven from the interview.

#8. I probably did speak at a grade school in Finland. Around 1987-1989? I’m originally from CA, not AZ, though. And all American missionaries probably look the same, huh?

I served in Imatra/Lapeenranta, Oulu, Hyvinkää, Hämeenlinna, Iisalmi/Kuopio, Helsinki (Marjaniemi area), and Turku during that time.

#10. Phil did offer me beer. I had to decline.

#11. Agree. I look verrry kriipi in that picture. I think Phil scanned the net to try to find the most religious zealot shot of me he could find. Probably wasnt hard to find.

#12. Actually, many Mormons drink herbal tea all the time. Don’t know how I’d survive Finnish winter without it.

#14. Before the show I talked to Phil about “magic underwear.” I said I’d answer any questions. He chose not to ask. Its not a big deal.

#15. Absolutely pay my TV license, although I complain about the price. Then again, last time I visited the US, TV there was completely unwatchable because there were commercials every 10 minutes. Made me appreciate the value of paid tv programming to help subsidize the content without so much commercial intrusion.

#16. Caffiene sodas are not specifically forbidden. Some Mormons dont drink any. I personally drink Diet Coke and Dr. Pepper. And quite often with no apparent consequences or tongue-lashings from my church leaders.

#17. There is absolutely no polygamy in the Mormon church today and was never in Finland. Practicing polygamists may say they are “breakoffs” of the Mormon church, but they are in no way associated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. my opinion? they are nuts, because one wife is more than enough.

But as said in the interview, there are fanatics and nuts in any religion. Some people mistakenly say things in the name of their religion when it is really a culture or personal issue that has nothing to do with the gospel.

Anyway, I’m a member of this church not only because I truly believe the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Bible, and the principles my church teaches, but also because it really makes my life better for me and my family. Not trying to force it on others, just sharing what I feel is true and can help others find peace and happiness if they are searching for it.

Steven—when in Germany, we tried to get a visiting work colleague—a Mormon from Washington state IIRC—to drink some shots. He declined too. You guys are good

He was a nice guy anyway. Didn’t drink soda either. No big deal, and nothin’ wrong with living healthy.

I enjoyed the interview!

Jebus loves you, have a banana
http://thereallygoodnews.blogspot.com/2006/11/bananas-atheists-nightmare.html

#23

And the worst part is that he was serious about it.

You don’t happen to know Sariah Kuosmanen from Finland do you? She would be around 26 or 27 now. In 2002 when she was in Gooding, ID she said your name in bible, my name in book of mormon to me and recognizing Lehi as a new name written for me based on a very old decision I thought WIFE and she said out loud I’ll be your wife as soon as you come up. I need to find her.

Sincerely,
Jon Beckmon