Comments | tyrven: Those Crazy Mormons.

tyrven

Those Crazy Mormons.

Jun 07, 2007 19:10

My dad loaned us Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer on audio CD, and Katie has been listening to it pretty much non-stop for the last few days. I haven't been listening too closely to it, but this particular clip caught my ear ( Read more... )

the rapture, ideologies, nunsploitation, quotes, humor

Comments 22

bbcaddict June 8 2007, 02:33:08 UTC

oh those crazy religios. reminds me of last weeks' Seattle Weekly- they had a story on t3h Morons Mormons
a great book!

Silly Mormons. jerklord June 8 2007, 02:48:23 UTC

Whoa, hahaha. My dad's side of the family is Mormon.

Re: Silly Mormons. tyrven June 8 2007, 02:51:29 UTC

I kinda wanna be Mormon.

Re: Silly Mormons. herbaliser June 8 2007, 04:56:13 UTC

you really don't. they don't drink or have sex.

Re: Silly Mormons. tyrven June 8 2007, 14:38:37 UTC

What's the point of having lots of womens if you can't have sex with them?

Thread 6

(The comment has been removed)

tyrven June 8 2007, 03:13:52 UTC

Agreed. I tend to think of religious founders as megalomaniacs with an overwhelming father complex. I doubt Mormonism is any different from any other religion, but it's an interesting case study because it's so recent. If this happened today, you'd like to think that people wouldn't take it seriously - but in reality all it takes is fifty or so people who need something to believe in (or, need for something to believe in them?) and once they have children it's pretty much guaranteed to spread since children often take their religious parents' beliefs for granted ( ... )

(The comment has been removed)

tyrven June 8 2007, 14:37:42 UTC

I have a weekly bible study with the Jehova Witnesses. I'd classify them as "true believers". They're very fundamental and take their faith quite seriously. But they don't bother me one bit. I think the difference is that they don't try to force their beliefs on me or judge me based on my decisions. Yes, they try to share their beliefs but that's different than trying to instutitionalize it.

(The documentary "Knocking" makes a comparable point - that the Jehova Witnesses demonstrate that fundamentalist beliefs can coexist in a peaceful and rational way, contrary to what one might expect based on other fundamentalist religions).

THe people who bother me are those that believe enough to point the finger, but not enough to look in the mirror.

Thread 11

herbaliser June 8 2007, 04:57:05 UTC

also on my friends list today

tyrven June 8 2007, 14:40:31 UTC

I've scheduled time with the mormons on at least two occassions (and I think it's closer to three) but they never show up. It's like they KNOW.

yep propertyofme June 8 2007, 09:06:11 UTC

i read the book, it is truly insane. there's a lot of stuff in there than made me go "wtf?! really?! that can't be possible." and yet, it is!

Re: yep tyrven June 8 2007, 14:44:52 UTC

Initially, I was pretty skeptical. It seemed he was focusing too much on the early church or the really extreme sects. Every church has extreme sects, after all. However, after eighteen chapters of constant examples, many from the first three presidents, you start to realize that while these may not be common place today that the church is certainly built on a rotten foundation. It's pretty interesting.

Still, despite all of that, the mormon's have done a lot of things right - and there are a lot of things I respect about modern day mormonism. For example, the mantra that you should breed, seek knowledge and pursue power is a great way to get your religion to spread.

I will be borrowing many of these ideas when I start my church.

Re: yep propertyofme June 8 2007, 18:59:23 UTC

well, maybe, but growing up in a town with 1/2 of the church-going crowd being mormon, you also learn some other things. Like, they don't support the gifted program. They don't actually want you to be smart. Smart enough, but not too smart. So, they want you to seek knowledge, as long as it's preapproved by the church board.

i'd think you'd be more interested in their tithing. The churches have financial advisors for the congregation who look at your financial status and say "well, you're tithing 15% right now, but it looks like you could do 18%. I think we should increase your monthly tithe."

I'd think that would be more interesting to you.

Re: yep tyrven June 8 2007, 20:01:34 UTC

I thought the standard tithe in the mormon church was 20%? Regardless, I know it's higher than normal and that's certainly a cornerstone of their success. (I also find the idea of any "tithe" outside of 10% funny - but then, if we have Martinis without gin ( ... )

Thread 6