NOM

Thought for the day. Is shaking hands a more prevalent greeting gesture among Mormons than other faiths? Seems like it is a default priesthood practice to shake hands in daily greeting, even if you are already aquainted with the person. Is shaking hands less or equal in prevalence among mormon women?

Also it seems like a quirky returned missionary behavior in casual social situations as well.

Yes, it's more common in Mormonism. Very strongly ingrained in Mormon cultural interactions. It happens quite a bit in general American society, but not nearly as much as in Mormonism.

Yes, shaking hands is more common among Mormons. Also squeezing so hard it hurts the other person because you have been taught that a firm handshake is best, is only done among stupid RMs.

Women do not shake hands near as much as men. It started after all as a way to show the other person you didn't have a weapon. Since women anciently didn't go around killing random strangers, women had no need to demonstrate that they did not carry a weapon. So, shaking hands is kind of a guy thing, that women have only taken up because in the modern business world it is considered friendly. 100 or so years ago, a man did not expect or demand to shake a woman's hand. It was considered rude to expect a woman to touch you just because a man would in the same situation. But Mormon men were never taught not to be grabby about their own "right" to touch and be touched by a woman. I have had Mormon men literally grab me and bruise my hand thinking this is "friendly" behavior. It is not. Please watch the woman's reaction and if she does not step forward or reach out her hand, then leave her hand alone. You as a male have no right to grab at any part of female anatomy. Let HER offer to shake hands. And please, do NOT bust her hand in a "firm" handshake. Women's hands are smaller, so the amount of pressure you use to give a firm shake to a man's hand is too much pressure for the smaller hand of a woman. It hurts. You would never smash a child's small hand, so what makes you think women like their hand crushed? And please, if a woman takes a step back at hand shaking time, leaver her the hell alone. She is probably a sexual assault victim and does not like to be touched by men. Leave your male manners for other men. It is not "friendly" to grab a woman's hand. It is aggressive.

Also, respect that many older people have arthritis and shaking hands at all is very painful. Respect it if they do not offer to shake hands.

It is not an insult to you if someone declines to shake.

NOM challenge - next time you shake hands with one of your TBM friends, slip that little finger and index finger into place like a true patriarch and watch the reaction on their face!