NOM

It helps Mormons to visit other churches because:

5. Services are not conducted in 3-hour blocks.
4. They can hear some new hymns.
3. Might be some nice refreshments after the service.
2. Their appreciation of other religious people would increase.
1. They could learn what an inspirational religious talk sounds like.

Number one is especially hard on them.

I visit other churches every once in a while to stave off spiritual inbreeding.

There are only about a dozen different lessons to hear at LDS church; generously, two dozen different lessons. 3 hours of lessons per week (minimum), every single week, there's going to be a lot of repetition.

I don't think the church is unique in this regard. Perhaps all faith cultures have between one and two dozen lessons that get revisited over and over again. The benefit of visiting other churches is to gain additional perspectives.

"If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things."

One of the problems with the black and white, true and false culture of the church is that it incubates pride that tells us that we hold exclusive rights to virtue, authority, and truth. The attitude becomes, "We are the true church, there is no need to look outward." We become spiritually inbred because we've placed artificial limits on our spiritual gene pool.

It helps Mormons the same way travel helps cure racism. Once you stop seeing people as the "other," it builds empathy.

I had someone tell me, in all seriousness, that he didn't believe other churches have the gift of healing. Simply because he had only seen healing done through priesthood blessings. I referred him to Oaks's talk (he can give good ones when he wants to) about how a Christian girl was healed without the benefits of the priesthood. And then sent the ignoramus on his way.

So count me among those who think it would be better to have Mormons visit other churches.

It has been my experience that Mormons do not generally like to participate with other religions. I think the leaders want to change this a little, but not too much. They want members to make contacts throughout the community so that others get interested, but they don't want members to really experience the spiritual feelings that other churches bring to their members. Those feelings threaten the claim that only the Mormon church can cure the world's evils. If the Mormon monopoly on spirituality is threatened, people may wonder why they are sacrificing so much for a reward that is available in so many other ways.

I have found that many other churches have no problem learning about many faiths. I once had a co-worked who asked for some help. He and his wife were part of a study group at his church. Each member of the group was asked to research another church and report on beliefs and history. His wife was going to present on Mormonism. He asked me for source material. At first, I tried to steer him toward scholarly books, and he borrowed a couple of those. But what got him really excited was the institute church history manual because it presents the Mormons as they want to be seen. I thought that curiosity was admirable. I don't see a lot of that in the LDS church.