I’m currently reading a fascinating book called Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith by Jon Krakauer. It uses a brutal double-homicide (mother-child) committed by Mormon fanatics as the catch, but covers the entire history of the Mormon “church.” I now realize how incredibly little I knew about those wackos. I realize that doesn’t sound very accepting. I’m normally a very accepting person; you want your own religion, fine. But when the religion advocates misogyny, male chauvinism, polygamy, murder, and an incredibly antiquated patriarchal system of rule, as well as a complete disregard for any form of government outside its theology, then I have a problem with it.
Now, I know that many will say, “But Christianity and Islam also advocate many, if not all, of those same principles! True, if you are a Biblical or Koranical (!) literalist. The fundamental – but not fundamentalist – difference to me is that modern, reflective Christians and Muslims have outgrown those tired ways of thinking, and instead concentrate on the spirit of the faith, which in both cases is love and caring for your fellow human.
I will not make the dogmatic case that any faith has ultimate authority, even though I subscribe to a modernist Christian theology; none of us will know – if we do then! – the truth of the matter until it’s too late to communicate back to the rest of the unwashed masses still breathing. And that’s why I react so strongly to any “faith” that purports to have the answer to everything. And especially one that preaches outdated, harmful and repressive tenets. Which is why I could go on a rant about the Catholics as well, but I digress.
Come to think of it, Mormons and Catholics share quite a bit! Patriarchal. Repressive of females. Governed by “revelations” coming through a male leader who has some secret conduit to God not available to others. Established their own strongholds (Vatican, Utah) to escape secular governance. Aggressively pursue spread of religion via fomenting of procreation by using made-up policy (anti-birth control, polygamy). Incredibly secretive. Attempt to theocratize government with huge cash influxes.
Amazing that millions of people – I’m talking Mormons again – revere, follow, and devote their lives to a narcissistic, lying (the Mormons are quite proud that he was an accomplished liar), philandering, power-mad man (I’m talking about Joe Smith). But I guess I shouldn’t be surprised – history is littered with examples of this.