In trying to become a published author, I realized that I need to make a distinction between my private life (read: my cussing and complaining about family members as well as my near-obsessive love of Battlestar Galactica) and potentially public-because-I'm-the-new-Al-Franken life. Ahh, it's fun to dream and self inflate.
From this point on, anything to do with my book (working title: Oh My Heck! An Insiders Guide to the Mormon Culture And How To Avoid It or possibly Oh My Heck! How To Recognize and Avoid Mormons - hahahaha) will be here and the rest will be... not here.
I welcome discussion about the topic of my book. No personal information (beyond things shared in that book) will be allowed in comments here for safety reasons. Thank you for respecting that wish.
We are a peculiar people.' ~Brigham Young. Well, you don't say.
Firstly, things that disappointed me or that I felt didn't get the treatment necessary to having a layman understand:
- This should have been three parts, with the first focusing entirely on Joseph Smith. It needed to be mentioned how often he cheated on his wife, covered it up, blackmailed men for their wives to become his* for eternity, and his first prosecution by the law, in which he was jailed for a brief time and fined heavily. That was before the Golden Bible was written, incidentally, and most devout Mormons (esp. converts) do not know this for fact, and are actually TRAINED to disbelieve anything "unsavory" about Joseph, because it's Satan turning the hearts of the people against Truth. <-- actual comment by my church leaders growing up when questioned.
- The lack of mention at how few of the original "apostles" that gave credence to Joseph Smith's "vision" remained in the church shortly after its creation and subsequent harassment. (And how many of those men had to give their wives and property to Joseph to be allowed "back in.")
- The lack of mention at how almost every "plural" wife Joseph Smith took was 26 or younger, and considered by all to be "comely." Uh huh. Yep, the Lord wants you to raise up a puuuuurdy nation unto him. Riiiight. Ugly/Old Women=/=Pleasing Unto Me, thus sayeth the Lord.
- Small, but irritating as I lived there for years: They continually showed Bryce Canyon and Snow Canyon (southern Utah) as the place that the pioneers settled, which is false. They settled in what is now Salt Lake City and Ogden, almost 300 miles north. (Just one of those geological things that bugged me. Never mind. *G*)
- Regarding the Mountain Meadow Massacre, they failed to mention that the Arkansas wagon train was rumored to have several hundred dollars in gold coin, plus a large herd of longhorns, which were highly valuable on their own. Brigham Young was building an army, so gold and supplies would be essential.
- They failed to mention the Blood Vow that was made among the participants of the slaughter (read: murderers) at Mt. Meadows that required them to kill (and spill the blood) of those that spoke about the incident afterward. And how this was carried out in the church houses. I'll give you a moment to let that sink in. A man would be killed, his entire body's supply of blood drained out, if he spoke about what he (or others) did. (This happened in the Touquerville Stake House, of which my ancestors were members.)
- They skipped the succeeding President after Brigham Young, John Taylor, and he is PIVOTAL to the polygamist movement! He was the one that said he would die before he would allow the "Principle" (as it was called) to be taken from the earth. He is who took members aside and had them practice in secret, after being ordained in the "Full Keys of the Kingdom of God" so they could continue to do so. Incidentally, my cousin is married to his grandson. His family? Practices polygamy. (Skeeerry.)
I was very happy that they mentioned Joseph Smith's early shenanigans as a treasure seeker for money before he "found" the plates. Please know that I was a devout Mormon, from a line going back to the origins of the Church, and I was never, NEVER taught any of this. We were taught, by our leaders, by our "doctrine teachers," that the world would want to push us off the straight and narrow with lies and slander about Brother Joseph. And he was just a Man. (Although he's practically worshiped. Go to downtown SLC and you'll see what I mean.) They teach you to turn away from truth, to "pray and have personal reflection so that the Lord may show you the way."
I'm all for prayer, if that floats your boat, but I can hold a book on quantum physics and ask the Lord to impart his wisdom in me, but eventually, I'm going to have to crack those books.
The Book of Mormon got a soft treatment, imo. I've talked about it at length. Historians and scientists go bananas when the Mormons try and profess its contents as fact, because there is nothing but evidence in opposition of that. That's... that's a really tricky god, there, making each side out to be wrong. I was taught in my seminary classes that one of the reasons the American continent's Indians didn't attack Christopher Columbus (I'll give you a minute to remember where Columbus landed) is because Jesus came to the Americas after he was hung on the cross. He was white and glowy (because dead Jews become night lights?) and that story was passed down through the Indians and they thought maybe Chris Columbus was the Second Coming. I shit you not. There's so much fallacy in there, it'll make your head swim.
They discussed how there was a "mass hallucination" or possibly Actual Miracles™ happening when the Kirtland temple was dedicated. (Note: that church is no longer LDS property.) As I grew up in the church, we were constantly regaled with fantastical stories of angels "bearing witness' to everyday schlubs like me. When the Logan (Utah) temple was dedicated, people declared that they saw Indian Warriors (Nephites) long since dead and angelic in presence surrounding the temple, to allow them passage in, so that they may partake of the blessings within. There was the deeply Mormon story of the plague of crickets that threatened their food stores, and a mystical cloud of seagulls appeared out of nowhere (heaven sent) and devoured them. As I prepared as a youth to enter the temple and perform "baptisms for the dead"**, my leaders - with beatific expressions on their heavenly turned countenances (this is how they talk) - told me of their experiences. Shared stories written by the Church for the youth. One such story was of a girl doing baptisms, and being filled so much With The Spirit that she could see a balcony along the ceiling with people - angels? - standing in line with happy, no, joyous expressions on their faces, waiting for their names to be called. And they would hear their name as the girl performed the baptisms and be Quickened with The Spirit and enter heaven.
The long and the short of it, if you were REALLY righteous, if you were REALLY connected to the spirit, you would See. Anyone ever hear of the Salem witch trials? Like you want to be caught not seeing heaven's bounty, right? It's hammered in from infancy that those who are most spiritual (read: worthy) will "see into the heavens as if the veil between the places have been lifted." <-- actual quote from my patriarchal blessing at the age of 20. Oh, boy. You can bet I wanted to see angels!
One other thing I wish they talked about: how EVERYONE originally associated with Joseph Smith and the creation of this religion no longer was a member. The Church will tell you it's because of greed, of wanting to have the religion tailored to their wants/needs (instead of Joseph's?), of Satan's influence on the weakness of man. But a reasonable person will look at the facts: Person A claims something as truth. Persons B through M say yes, it is so. A few years down the road, B through M have all left the church, been kicked out (their property given to Joseph) or have nothing but disdain for that period of their lives. This is telling. And it's telling you that it was a sham. There must have been those that believed deeply, because who doesn't want to think that you can directly talk to God because He loves you? That's a lovely idea. It's all the "horses and steel and Jewish descendants in America" and "god wants me to sleep with many women and marry them in secret, even though they're married already" that is wackadoo.
The actual "revelation" that Joseph Smith received (written in 1843, although he was known to practice it in 1831 when they'd left Palmyra and were relocating in Kirtland, Ohio) in regards to plural wives is thus: D&C 132. (There's a whole lot of hoohaw, then skip to 30, where he hits the Abraham bidness. Because the prophets of old did it... So can I! The really special part is where he hits on the adultery bits, because he was being accused left and right of it. Well, how convenient that God had something to say about that! (verse 41 on the same link.) Then, to REALLY save his neck, God wanted to speak out directly to Joseph's legal wife, Emma Smith, about her getting all fed up with her husband's philandering. (With her friends. And the baby sitters. In her house.) That would be 51-52. Because she was all, "If it's good for the goose..." and Jesus was all "Oh, snap! No, no, for women are to be cleaning my man's house, yo, and taking care of the kids. You don't get to go philandering, because then Joe Smizzle won't know your baby is his baby, and how can he be all 'BOOYAH' to Jebediah with his larger righteous number?" Except Jesus was far more literate and deep breathy/sighing about it.
Brigham Young (the second President of the Church, and the leader that brought the Mormons from Illinois to Utah) said himself of women in reference to Zina Diantha Huntington Jacobs, married to Mr. Jacobs for time, and Joseph Smith for eternity (and allegedly bore Joseph a son that died in infancy. While married to Mr. Jacobs.), then later removed from Jacobs' house and "given" to Brigham as a wife for "time." (worn out yet?)
"The woman you claim for a wife does not belong to you. She is the spiritual wife of brother Joseph, sealed to him. I am his proxy, and she, in this behalf, with her children, are my property. You can go where you please, and get another, but be sure to get one of your own kindred spirits." (emphasis mine)
Please do not be disillusioned that polygamy is ANYTHING like polyandry. People choosing to cohabitate with others whom they love, and make adult decisions about their lives is NOT the aim/principle of polygamy. I've discussed this at length before (link to come.). Some would argue that polygamy is a small portion of the Mormon's history, but in a way, it's the very essence of what they are: outlandish claims, lies to cover up, tweaking and "revelation from God" to make it seem palatable, then changing their stance to sway public opinion in their favor. Just because Modern Mormons (the majority converts not connected to the history of the church) aren't familiar with the truth of their prophets participating in pedophilia and rape "In the name of God" doesn't make it go away. And that's what I think they want - they want the ugliness to go away so they can continue on the path to "becoming" a regular ol' religion.
And please know that Mormons are COMPLETELY AWARE that they still believe in polygamy. That's one of the things that kills me! It's not in THIS life, but they fully expect polygamy in the next. I'll explain: my father was married and sealed to my mother in the temple for time and all eternity. They divorced civilly (Well, no they didn't, but I mean in the legal sense.) My father then marries my step-mother in the Mormon temple for time and all eternity. So... when he dies, he has two wives in heaven. If my mother had wanted to marry a man in the temple for time and all eternity, she couldn't. She could marry him for her life on earth, but in heaven, she's my dad's wife. How do you get around this? You get what is called a "temple divorce." This isn't granted often. You have to get permission from one of the 12 apostles that run the church, for starters. They break the "seal" between my mother and my father so she can marry another man and be HIS wife in heaven.
This is still in practice. Ergo, temple going Mormons (read: devout) are fully aware of polygamy in the next life is normal for many Mormons.
*: In the Mormon faith, a man and woman are "sealed" in the temple for time and all eternity. It is possible to be sealed for only time (life) or only for eternity (post-death)
**: In the Mormon faith, you must be baptized by someone with "authority" in order to enter heaven. If you died before those priesthood powers were restored on earth, or before you could meet and become a Mormon yourself, I, for example, could have been baptized in your stead. Your name would be entered into Heaven's Record, and you could choose in the next life to accept or not. This is that big "tub" on the backs of twelve oxen in every temple - a baptismal font.
One reason why I think the church is so successful - although they exaggerate their numbers, 12 million means how many are on the rolls. A huge portion of that is inactive, or they refuse to give up the names, like in my case (and my children's case, grr.) - is that in a way, they are selling the American Dream overseas. They go to the poorest countries and have huge numbers of baptisms. The church has its own welfare system, for one. (And I admire that, actually.) The Church teaches that you can be blessed NOW for your clean living, unlike the catholic idea of blessings in heaven. (There's that too, it's the here and now blessings that are unique.) They profess that God loves YOU. God will talk to you, God is talking to his leaders NOW, he is living and real. (Like, Jesus is flesh and if you cut him, he would bleed. But be able to heal himself like Claire on Heroes. :D) They preach success is directly linked to godliness. If you are righteous, you will have money, essentially. Yeah, that's going to turn a few heads. =P
It's very strange to realize that I've been to these places: Navoo, the Carthage Jail where Joseph was assassinated, Independence, MO... They're held in such respect, you'd think you were walking the path of Christ to the cross. And while I was in Navoo, they didn't mention the Navoo Expositor (the printing press Smith had destroyed for printing "slander") except to say that a disgruntled former member (who wanted to give the Church his revelations because why couldn't he?) printed lies about Joseph. And that was that. O_O I love that this PBS show mentioned how that was the very OPPOSITE of what it is to be American. Freedom of press/print is such an ingrained concept to us, and it's amazing that Smith & Co. were shocked at America's revile when they heard of it.
I'm very much looking forward to the next part, as they look to discuss something that should be an affront to anyone who considers themselves an intellectual, or a believer in freedom of thought: BYU, the bastion of Mormon Thought, routinely fires professors that don't toe the line and further Mormon Doctrine. Prof. Nielson wrote an article about how maybe gays should be allowed to be married. I'm honestly blown away that he wasn't excommunicated. (I think he wasn't because the public eye was on the Church, and Mitt Romney was getting his campaign in order.)
D Michael Quinn was a professor that was granted UNLIMITED ACCESS to all of the Church's Records (this is and was unprecedented) to write a book about polygamy. He was given this access BY the Church! They hoped his would be less inflammatory than "Mormon Polygamy" by Richard Van Wagoner (who was excommunicated after writing what is THE definitive tome on the topic. Side note, he grew up down the street from my dad and is a good friend of his to this day.) Quinn showed his work to the church. It was not favorable. (How could it be?) and Hinckley (an apostle at the time) said to go forth with it, if he felt he should. The implication was DO NOT PRINT THIS. He printed it. He was kicked out and raked over the coals.
Note that one of the "apostles" that got in Quinn's face was Dallin H. Oaks, who is on the PBS program saying how sad it was that people can't get over the Mountain Meadow Massacre. How sad they can't "get over" babies of the age of 8 being SHOT IN THE FACE. Or HACKED TO PIECES. That's so sad they can't just "let it go." He's a supreme asshole.
I hope they mention Boyd K. Packer, who said to the entirety of the Mormon church that one of the greatest dangers facing their members were "intellectuals." I'll let THAT seep in, and the implications of an educated church-ship on their rolls and the fear that must create. (What I was actually taught, by the church in church, about the Mountain Meadow Massacre: the US government had threatened to kill Mormons, not unlike the Missourians. There had been rapes and murders leading up to the event, so the Mormons were prepared to defend themselves. They acted alone without church governing, and worked with Indians to attack, and unfortunately murder a FEW of the Arkansas party. It's a tragic tale where people didn't obey the church. That was their official stance in the 1980s. And it is complete and utter bullshit.)
I think that what I find most irritating about the Mormons themselves (and on their own, they are every bit as nice or rude as any other person. It's getting them in a group that makes them weirdos) is their ignorant superiority. "Our Church is the One True Church. We alone know everything truthful, we alone know what God wants, we alone have the restored keys of the Kingdom of heaven, and unless you toe our line, you will be barred from heaven's blessings." And yet, hardly any of them know their originator was jailed on fraud. That he had a hit man that attempted to assassinate a US Governor. That Brigham Young ordered a group of people killed as a show of power and to gain property. That the 3rd leader pulled many men aside and instructed them to continue with the "most blessed of dispensations, Plural Marriage" as much as the church wants to deny and forget that. (I'd ask anyone who doubts this to look up the Smoot Case.) Mormons follow perfect obedience, and pledge allegiance to the church and its leaders twice a year. If you don't toe the line, you are barred from its "blessings." Anyone who says otherwise either doesn't know, or is lying because it makes them uncomfortable.
If I can impart any wisdom it's this: The Mormon Church changes its history routinely to stay midstream. They deny their history, even though there is a record. They hide their followers from the truth, and claim that to listen to the truth is giving in to Satan's lies and whisperings, and that will chip away at their faith, and then they'll be alone and godless. And so their people cling to their BS. I abhor this religion because it is based on lies, and built a surprisingly strong foundation on even more lies and bloodshed, and deny their people access to facts so they can exercise their faith. All religion is suspect, imo. But a religion that coerces and lies and flat out rules their people with an iron thumb is no church to follow, let alone believe in.
Edited To Add: A negative response to the doc on the PBS blog that perfectly illustrates the fingers in the ear, deep, regretful sigh that is the average Mormon in the face of fact.
With all that has been said thus far, I must add that I feel quite misrepresented as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I felt a darkness and sadness prompted by the cynicism displayed throughout the show. The truth about the church can only be discovered through an individual study of it. No one can gain a true understanding of what we are and what we believe by listening to others opinions; opinions represented as truth in a mask of intellectualism.
Joseph Smith would reply to this documentary by saying that regardless of the outcomes created by it, the kingdom of God will roll forward with increasing momentum. Indeed he said, "the standard of truth has been erected; No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent,visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear,till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the great Jehovah shall say the work is done."
Eye. Roll.I appreciate your efforts to inform the world of who we are, no matter what your motives are in doing so. I just want to say to anyone watching and reading that in the end truth is truth, and stands independent of commentary and cynicism. The only way to know truth is to seek it out yourself, independent of the opinions of others.
To say that I feel vindicated in a way is an understatement. (See?! I wasn't making it up! You CAN'T make it up!) I've also been grinding my teeth, frustrated with the lack of holding people's feet to the fire. Another long discussion, feel free to question, comment, disagree, make paper hats. (For those unable to watch it, it is online at PBS.org here.)
AND IT CAME TO PASS...
Right off the bat, let me quote the breathtakingly horrible Dallin H. Oaks, one of the members of the leadership of the LDS church who said he felt sympathy for those that participated in the Mt. Meadow Massacre (poor little murderers, unable to look at themselves in a mirror.) This is from the opener last night:
"It is wrong to criticize the leaders of the church. Even if the criticism is true."
And that, right there, is why Mitt Romney shouldn't be elected President of the United States. Oh, and why they either need new leadership in the LDS church (I utterly DESPISE Oaks) or why members should re-think their religion. (the sound of Martin Luther hammering away comes to mind)
Things I wished they talked more about:
- The Church's stance on homosexuals. Sure, they said be gay but don't practice it. So Morrissey could be a member. Let's talk about how members treat gays. It's not kind. (there are acceptions, but they are rare.)
- The inherent racism in the Church and how that is in DIRECT OPPOSITION to Joseph Smith's earlier teachings. (Interesting, no?) Smith was a HUGE abolitionist. (Remember, 1830-43 is the time frame.) He had NO PROBLEM with blacks, with them holding the Priesthood, with them being members. Fast forward to his death and Kimball taking over. No more "darkies." Not for well over 100 years. I remember CLEARLY when we were told in church (and I was 5 at the time) that blacks could have the Priesthood, and the grumblings. How the men were told to pray and search deep. God wanted it. How many people LEFT the church as a result. (Polygamists still deny black people/anyone not white the Priesthood, and believe specifically that blacks "bear the mark of Cain." Um... didn't everyone but God's elect die in the flood? *g*)
- I wanted more insight into WHY Historians/anthropologists/thinking people decry the validity of the Book of Mormon. (Example: the Nephites/Lamanites - descendants of Hebrews - had horses, steel, highways, major cities. There is NO SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE to support this, in fact, that has been shown to be false again and again. STEEL?! In 200 BC. Yeeeeeeaaaaaaaah.)
- The fact that Joseph Smith was a Mason (one of his plural marriages was held in a Masonic lodge, in fact) and that most of the "rituals" involved in the temple are taken from the Masons.
- And lastly, the Pearl of Great Price and the "lost" books of Abraham and Moses that no one else knows about. And that scholars laugh about.
I felt the automatic knee-jerk reaction of "no, no, they're not getting it right!" that has been ingrained in me since I was a child. See, it's like this. You're told from infant-hood that People Are Going To Try And Sway You. That they are going to take you from the Straight And Narrow Path. So we need to Hold To The Rod! (The iron rod. <-- for the former Mormons reading *g* By the way, we always sang under our breath "Hold to my Rod," which was dangerous as my father was the choir director, so he could hear us. Ha ha!) Back to the indoctrination. Other churches teach about us at the pulpit. How bad we are. How they need to stop us. (Whether this is true, I've never found, and I've been to many churches. But in Mormon church, this is commonly taught.)
So you have this mindset of Us against Them. And We Are A Peculiar People. And In The World, But Not Of It. A part of the world, but Apart. So anytime someone that is NOT a member begins any discourse, the immediate reaction is "here we go...." And you roll your eyes and wait for a break in the convo so you can break in With The Truth. And admonish them to search their hearts and pray deeply for God To Tell Them of the One True Church. (Please know that Mormons believe they have the ONLY church that is just what god wants. Either Mormon or cast aside, y'all.) And if you look at the letters on PBS.Org, you'll see how many people have that knee-jerk reaction "this is ALL LIES AND HATE!" *wipes spittle from cheek and blinks*
Let me put it this way: you should know by now my stance on the Mormon Faith. I thought this was almost a fluff piece. I was SINGING THE HYMNS in the background and getting nostalgic. Boy, when that father started reciting the prayer for baptisms of the dead, I was saying it, too. I practically yearned to dip my head back and get right back in there. Why? There was something very telling in the second half of last night: the author, Terry Givens, talked about how each ward (like a parish) was a family. And that's right! You know everyone, you see them almost every day of the week (church isn't only on Sunday) you go to socials, dances, dinners, etc. Mormons are encouraged to do business with other Mormons first. Don't date outside the church, etc. I was one of those devout girls dreaming of going to the MTC (mission training center) and going on a mission. When that little kid was singing "I Hope They Call Me On A Mission" I was singing along. Yep.
And think about how insidious that is. (Oh, they don't see it that way AT ALL.) You go to "Primary" after the sacrament service. Primary is 2 1/2 through 11. You sing songs, you have a lesson about the church, and then you sing more songs. This is two hours long. Now, some of the songs are silly and fun like "Popcorn Tree." I still sing that to my kids. And some of them are teaching you how to be a Mormon, and what's required of you. A LOT of indoctrination is done through song. (And I should know, my father wrote hymns for the church, and exposed us girls to the Business of Indoctrination that way.)
Examples: "An Angel Came to Joseph Smith"
"We'll Bring The World his Truth"
"Book of Mormon Stories" (that my teacher tells to me...) Man, I can hear the piano of Sister Broadbent just LOOKING at this title. It has fun hand movements, whole body twirls... And loads of Mormon dogma. Like "Families Can Be Together Forever." (I can garan-damn-tee you than any Mormon or former Mormon is singing everyone of those songs under their breath right now.)
But that's their right, right? They have a church, why not sing songs that celebrate that? It's because the songs have an exclusionary element to them. (Except, and seriously now, there's not much sweeter in this world than when the Primary sings in sacrament meeting on Mother's Day and sings, "Mother, I love you" and I'm TOTALLY TEARING UP THINKING ABOUT IT, AUUUGH. Little four year olds?! And then they walk to mom and give her a flower. Gaaaah.)
So enough with the singing, Laura, get to a point about something. Okay... Did anyone see that woman that had been converted, that had come from a life of drugs and pain? And she was singing a gospel-type song? (I'm talking about the black woman.) Ooh, Laws. That does NOT happen in the Mormon church. It is calm, ever peaceful. No applause EVER. You murmur "amen" when someone sings a magnificent (or terrible) solo, plays a piece of music, etc. I bet that sounds really weird to a lot of you church-going types. The first time I went to a black church, I was blown away. That is NOT how it's done in the LDS church. And this is significant.
I hope you noticed how the Mormon leaders spoke. How the devout Mormons had a special cadence to their voice - they ALL adopt it. (As well as a middle initial. you can search high and low to find a male member that doesn't aspire to a higher office of the church that doesn't use an initial. I used to tease my dad about how he needed one to move up the ranks. ...because it's true.) Hinckley, the current president, closes his eyes and speaks with a lulling cadence that he got from the previous president, Hunter. Who got it from Ezra Taft Benson. Who ... You get my point. It goes back to David O. McKay, the first clean-shaven prophet of the 50s that was buddies with Eisenhower. All Mormon males - who want to move higher in the offices, and they all do - adopt this weird "blessed and peaceful" tone of voice, this weird lilting of speech, and it's like a sleeping pill. (Ask anyone who had to sit through General Conference.)
So they, in a way, anesthetize you with their speech patterns. And then get to say things like Boyd K. (see the initial? hee!) Packer in 1993:
"The greatest dangers to the Church are gays, feminists, and intellectuals."
Keep in mind that this was a GENERAL ADDRESS to the ENTIRE population of Mormons. (And an upstanding Mormon reaffirms his beliefs in everything the prophet has said, as well as the Priesthood, at a general Conference. Right hand raised and everything.)
So that crap squeaks by in a quiet tone, and gets planted in the subconscious, then we all sing "We Thank Thee O God For A Prophet" and everyone goes home.
Baptisms for the Dead
Boy, that's a controversy, isn't it? I felt utter shame last night at a) remembering my times doing it with fondness (because you're taught that you're fulfilling God's mission on earth, and He Loves You for it) and b) wanting to rant and rail at the church for doing Holocaust names. That man broke my heart last night. "My family was killed for being JEWS. I want them to remain on the record as JEW." And he has every right to expect them to comply.
And the church leader they asked about that seemed like such a nice guy, right? So polished and quiet and thoughtful... All that was missing was an initial. *g* But listen to what he said: (paraphrasing) we have stopped this since 1995, and have complied with the requests of this group." (The group of Holocaust survivors and the Orthodox Jews.) But here's the thing that he said that maybe went past your radar:
"UNLESS THEY ARE NAMES SENT IN BY OUR JEWISH MEMBERS."
How can you be Jewish and Mormon? Ask my Uncle Jerry, born and raised Heeb from Jersey. Converted in his 20s to Mormonism, devout as they come. Still goes to temple on Saturday, Mormon church on Sunday. (Mormons believe they are a Lost Tribe of Israel, and also the Elect.) SO, if my Uncle Jerry gives names of Holocaust survivors to the temple workers, they'll continue on. THIS IS WRONG. And the man had a point: 200 years down the road, the church has legal documents (church documents of marriage, birth, death and baptism are legal historical docs) showing that Moeshe Rosenbaum was baptised Mormon. EVEN THOUGH IT WAS DONE POST DEATH. Wrong wrong wrong.
A Mormon would argue that the person is in the next life (the Spirit World) and has the presence of mind to accept or reject that baptism. And... who on earth is recording the yeas or the nays? EXACTLY. This isn't something they think about, because they are entrenched in the idea that They Are The Truth, and it's a Gift they're offering. (I'm thinking of Seinfeld's parents being aggravated and upset by the Fruit of the Month club. Hahaha.)
For those who have read my other posts on Mormon church history, did you nod when they mentioned how the church reprinted the Book Of Mormon and changed the logo? I've been saying it for years: the fact that they constantly change their image is upsetting and wrong. Be who you are - a bunch of wackadoos. Hahaha. The current church has very little resemblance to the church Joseph founded, aside from the beliefs in the Book of Mormon and the temple rites. (And those have been changed, too.)
Joseph spoke with passion (and acted out on his passions, AHEM.) The current trend is mild, passive, peaceful, calm. *falls asleep* But that's a great way to keep your populace in order, something Joseph had EXTREME difficulties doing. He claimed to get revelations (very convenient ones, coming up btw) so his membership did, too. And then, all of a sudden! God spoke to Joseph and said that no one has the power of revelation that will affect the Church aside from Joseph. You can only get PERSONAL revelation. (Like, what job to take, who to marry, which business venture will be successful. God is now your personal Magic 8 Ball! ...ask me again later. *g*)
So this 13 year old girl shows up in Kirtland, Ohio, and boy, is she a looker. And Joseph tells her that God commanded they wed. (This will be spiritual wife #8) And this girl says Nuh Uh. And Joseph comes back to her with a revelation just for them! (In her words)
"[God commanded he take me for a wife] He (Joseph) got afraid. The angel came to him three times, the last time with a drawn sword and threatened his life. I did not believe. (good girl) If God told him so, why did he not come and tell me? The angel told him I should have a witness. ... I was afraid. Joseph said he came with more revelation and knowledge than Joseph ever dare reveal. Joseph said I was his before I came here and he said all the Devils in Hell should never get me from him. I was sealed to him in the Masonic Hall...."
~Mary Elizabeth Rollins Lightner, in her biography printed by the Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine. This is also in an account in the Navoo Temple record.
Surely the insidiousness of Joseph is apparent. But Mormons are taught that this is proof! This is proof of Christ's Hand in everything, and how important it is to Obey. Boy, do they love obedience.
Fact: you will go on a mission if you are a boy, or you will have a hard time getting married, getting further in the priesthood, and having respect of your peers. (Did anyone else notice the missionaries ignoring that homeless guy on the street? Uh huh. He has no tithe to pay.)
If you do not have children (or even get married by 30) you are pitied. Or if you're a man, suspect. I had a cartoon on my desk at work (I worked at the University's Arts & Letters dept.) that had a young BYU coed and some women clucking sadly over her. "23 and not married? Poor thing. They'll find you a mate in the next life." And some girls - those that are either closeted or unattractive by the Mormon Male Paradigm (assholes) - resign themselves to spinsterhood because Mohonry Moriancumer, the hot guy in the ward with everything going for him, won't have them, and they won't marry outside their faith. And besides, there are all those slain men (like Joseph Smith's brother Alvin!) that died before being sealed in the temple, so you can be sealed like baptisms for the dead! NICE.
NO THAT ISN'T CRAZY TALK.
I could go on and on and on. About my friends on their missions being held at gunpoint by guerrilla soldiers in Columbia and Chile. Contracting life-threatening diseases, almost dying, and trying to go back on their mission so God Isn't Disappointed. About families that hold conferences to discuss whether Mother and Father should go to a hotel room for the night and Make a Baby so their spirit children can come forth. (!!!!) About how Margaret Toscano, excommunicated for asking too many questions, should have shut those men up with D&C 121 (men wielding unrighteous dominion) but they wouldn't listen to her. About how I remember CLEARLY the blue posters on the bulletin boards at my church growing up telling women and men to fight ERA. (Oh, they didn't say it in sacrament meeting, but it was in the Sunday school classes after, and discussed with the Visiting Teachers that came once a month to your house.)
About how they claim to be all about the family, but ask ANY member where their dad/husband is on Sunday, his one "day of rest." He's at the church in a meeting, or with another family teaching them. He sure isn't home.
Gah, I'm getting an ulcer. Or maybe it's that I haven't had breakfast yet...
Let me say this in closing: the Mormons are tight familial units. Sometimes that' s a bad thing. Sometimes it's something amazing. They care about their community. They have the BEST welfare system in the world, and I don't say that lightly. They are organized, they believe fervently in doing what they think the Lord has commanded them, and for the most part, they make excellent employees because they tend to be honest to a fault.
But if you look at what their church has hidden, what their church prevents THEM from knowing... It's not worth it, imo.
New to Vox, feel the need to fill in this blank space, will get used to things eventually.
Hello! This is now the lamest entry in the whole blogspot, GO ME!
on *taps mic*