Mormons have secret handshake

[snopes]

Comment: Over the years I've heard a rumor that members of the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) have a secret handshake
they use in order to identify other members of the church. Is there any
truth to that?

[Mycroft]

Firstly (with apologies to LDS snopesters) I thought the 'secret identification' was the cheesy Osmond grin.

Actually I don't think they need a secret sign - it's not as though it's a secret organization.

[Mnotr2]

No, they do not.

[Floater]

You only have to look at their ill fitting suits and their not colour matching shoes.

[carter108]

Yeah and they use secret decoder rings to read their bibles.

[diddy]

Originally Posted by Mnotr2

No, they do not.

Or so you want us to think

I got it...

[Towknie]

Well, there are "secret" rituals to be able to enter the Celestial Room (or is it the Sealing Room?) of a temple are there not? If one were to travel to another temple, how would one properly identify one's self to gain entrance to the room in that temple?

Please correct me if I'm wrong. I read a couple books about this written by ex-Mormons, but it was quite a long time ago and the books were quite poorly written.

Originally Posted by Mnotr2

No, they do not.

It's the Masons that have the secret handshake.....

[Dr. Dave]

Originally Posted by Towknie

Well, there are "secret" rituals to be able to enter the Celestial Room (or is it the Sealing Room?) of a temple are there not? If one were to travel to another temple, how would one properly identify one's self to gain entrance to the room in that temple?

I have no idea what the answer to the second question is- I believe the answer to the first is yes (or close enough.) But, just to put the second question in perspective:

If a Catholic were to travel to another church, how would one properly identify one's self to take communion. If a Muslim were to travel to another mosque, how would one properly identify one's self to gain enterence to the sacred areas? If a Jew were to travel to another synogogue, how would one identify one's self to be eligible to be called to the Torah? and stop snickerting about the obvious answer to the last two

With apologies to members of the other religions if I bungled the analogy, I will say that for the last one I mentioned, I think the answer is appear to know what you are doing and convince the person who comes over and asks you the "secret question"* that you are legit.

*The "secret question" is "are you a Kohen or Leivy?"

[Cowboy Joe]

The ordinances performed in the temple are universal, therefore, you don't need to learn anything new when you visit one temple or another. The temple ordinances are not so much secret as they are sacred for Mormons. They are very special to Mormons and are not considered appropriate for discussion in every day conversation. Even among other Mormons, I do not discuss things related to the temple ordinances.

Of course, the temple ordinances are available to everyone and anyone, but you will need to have a few discussions with the guys who wear suits and ride bikes at the same time.

I had no idea we had a reputation for not matching the color of our shoes!

[franjava]

Originally Posted by Floater

You only have to look at their ill fitting suits and their not colour matching shoes.

And the nametags. You can spot 'em from 50 paces... suits and name tags and carrying Bibles.

[Dr. Dave]

Originally Posted by Cowboy Joe

I had no idea we had a reputation for not matching the color of our shoes!

Well, your recently most visible members have given you a rep for really well kept hair. (His campaign spokesman is (was) better looking than he is!)

[Hero_Mike]

I have read that one uses an ID card to identify one's self to enter a temple where they don't know you, and that they often ask people to show this when buying Mormon garments.

But as for "secret" handshakes, there are, I believe, three handshake-style gestures used in their ceremonies. I don't believe they are used outside the temple ceremonies, and it would be highly offensive if a non-Mormon used it on a Mormon in public.

[rose217]

I think the id card you are referring to would be the "Temple Recommend".

The only thing I can relate it to is it's like going to confession before taking communion.

Sort of.

rose - I'm not Mormon, but I once shared a bunk-bed with one. - 217

[AnglRdr]

It isn't a "hand" shake at all, if you know what I mean.

(I'm just trying to be clever and dirty. I don't really know. Never got that far in the church.)

[Errata]

Originally Posted by Doug4.7

It's the Masons that have the secret handshake.....

And we've already established that Mormonism borrows a lot from Freemasonry and that most of the early church leaders designing their rituals were Freemasons. So thats the thing that makes this hard to dismiss out of hand. It would be so easy to carry over one more element like that.

I would guess that Mormons don't have a secret handshake, because they don't need one. Its not a secret who is Mormon, and the church has good central records on their membership, so there is no need for secret identification. But then on the other hand they were heavily persecuted in the 19th century when they were being founded, so it wasn't always the way it is now. In a religion, rituals tend to stick around past the point at which they may have been practical.

[LilacFields]

Deborah Laake described the "handshake" in her book. I got the impression that's not taught until close to a wedding. So if you don't get married, you don't learn it (don't know if that's true but that's the impression she gave me). I know it's not really a handshake but can't think of a better word to use - hand gestures, maybe.

Of course, she was an ex-Mormon at that point so I have no idea whether or not her descriptions of Mormon ceremonies were accurate or if they were sensationalized to make the church look as odd as possible.

LF

[robbiev]

Originally Posted by Dr. Dave

If a Catholic were to travel to another church, how would one properly identify one's self to take communion.

Not sure about all Catholic churches, but in some, at least a few, you don't have to be Catholic to participate in communion, you just have to state you want to take communion (and possibly that you believe in Jesus, I don't remember).

[surfcitydogdad]

Originally Posted by Mycroft

Firstly (with apologies to LDS snopesters) I thought the 'secret identification' was the cheesy Osmond grin.

I'm not offended. I was never a fan, but that family certainly is the face of Mormonism to many people. To represent Mormons in the last decades of the 20th century, I think more of the late President Gordon Hinckley, a wonderful man and a PR genius. Gladys Knight is a Mormon convert; there are other Mormon celebs and politicians (some practicing, some not), but the Osmonds - especially Donny and Marie - are certainly right out there, human foibles and all, with their cheesy smiles!

My addition, besides the other answers offered: we don't need ID for anything other than going into the temple. That's called a "temple recommend." You get it from your local church leaders. If you're interested, as Elder Joe, er, I mean Cowboy Joe, mentioned, you need to see those guys in the white shirts and ties (or the young ladies, whose wardrobe is more varied), and they can arrange the first steps for you!

To simply go to church or any other church activity (there are many social events, and service opportunities), you generally just go, and are welcomed. An exception might be a youth dance (ages 14-18), where you simply have to promise to behave according to LDS standards. It's not hard; I used to bring my non-member friends to church dances, and they liked them, and told me the girls were much nicer than at high school dances, no one was drinking, and if you ask someone to dance, they almost always say yes!

If you move, and need to transfer your membership, it's all computerized, and it's usually quite simple (otherwise, you probably have a hard copy of something that shows you're a member). I know; I was a local membership clerk for several years.

The temple is different from going to regular church on Sundays, and not even all Mormons can go in - you have to be living according to certain minumum standards. The church may be a hospital for sinners, not a hotel for saints, but the temple is a sacred place for those who are at least trying to do what they're supposed to do. But, they let me in, so you obviously don't have to be very perfect!
No, really; I'm so obnoxious, a joker, a bit irreverent, and also a theological liberal, not to mention my political radicalism (and sometimes, in politics, my mean-spiritedness, as has been pointed out to me by our dear Lainie and others). Maybe it's for the sake of my lovely wife, who is a real "Saint," as in the name of the church!

I wouldn't call it a handshake, but you don't use it to get in, or prove your membership at any time. You show your "recommend" to the person at the desk just inside the front door. What might be called a "handshake" goes on in one of the rituals in the temple, which are very peaceful and edifying (and not similar to Masonic rituals). I enjoy attending with my wife. When we married in the temple, there was no additional "handshake" besides the one which we already knew, from attending the temple before we met and married.

One or more Masonic handshakes (but not the rituals) may be similar to Mormon ones, for reasons which are perfectly reasonable to debate, although some things we're not going to talk about in detail outside the temples. All that stuff - both Mormon and Masonic - is available on the Internet from ex- or anti- groups who are either born-again or just bitter.

BTW, I think very highly of the Freemasons, but I confess, I did laugh at the old Monty Python sketch about the funny handshakes! I imagine so do they; my Freemason friends tell me they love the Stonecutter episode of The Simpsons, which is a parody of the Masons. And, my LDS friends and I laugh at the many South Park episodes that feature Mormons. I think those guys like us; if they didn't, they would have treated us badly, as they have Scientology or Catholicism; tsk, tsk!

AnglRdr's little quip reminds me, I should retire now, as the DW has just gone to bed, and it was Valentine's Day. I sure married the right person, and, since we married in the temple, we're married forever, not just til death do us part. The woman really is a saint, and not just for marrying me!

Peace, Elder SCDD - a "practicing" Mormon, until I can get it right!

[surfcitydogdad]

waffles; sorry, having problems