Letters to the Editor
Pastafarians Unite!
Published Letters: 193 Editor's Choice: 5
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As an excommunicated Mormon -
[Read the article: Mitt Romney's Mormon detour]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]the description of Hinkley's funeral as having corporate overtones does not surprise me. I have always perceived the church as the first modern religious corporate entity.
As an adult, I found the weird combination of mysticism and corporatism an odd blend. The mormons had computers to keep track of tithing payments as far back as the 1970's. You would receive a printout and be asked to complete your tithe if the amount was less than 10% of your gross. They also believe in proxy baptism for the dead - you go to the temple and are baptized to allow the dead to join the mormon church in heaven. After death, if you are really good, you get to be god and have your own world or worlds to rule over. And don't even get me started on the funny underwear.
As a youth, I found the religion to be dry and boring. The church was probably among the first to develop modular teaching packets and programmed education in the Bible. We were also taught the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants (a book of revelation which contains revelations by many of former church presidents) and the Pearl of Great Price (further revelations and translations by Joseph Smith). It was all mind numbingly lifeless. If your leaders really talk to god, you would think that the conversation would be more interesting.
During Sunday school and later seminary classes (classes taught to every mormon high school-aged student - that was a laugh), the more interesting aspects of church history were ignored or downplayed (then, I suspect, Catholic catechism probably doesn't discuss the inquisition much either).
The mormon church, if not explicitly, at least implicitly teaches the gospel of success - if you follow the rules and pay your tithing, you will be rewarded by god with financial success on earth and rewards in heaven. It is the religious version of a cross between Dale Carnegie and Amway.
Oh well....
By the way, I was mortified when, in 1978, it was revealed that people of African-American descent were now, according to revelation by god, able to be full members of the church - a little late in the game...
...and in 1980, the leaders declared homosexuality an abomination before god. I can see declaring Hitler an abomination before god, I can see declaring Pol Pot an abomination before god, and I can see declaring reality television an abomination before god - but, even in 1980, even as a Montana transplant to the San Francisco bay area, I knew gay and lesbian young men and women who were better people than I was. No judgment on myself, but I knew at least a couple of these "Abominations" were nicer, kinder, and more supportive people than I was at the time (and maybe am still). So, I embraced my agnosticism and quit the church.
I came into the bishop's office with my clothing torn and a bleeding after a relatively spectacular bicycle accident, and told him that I wanted to be excommunicated. He tried to argue with me - I was going through a stage, I was having problems with the "Word of Wisdom" (the rules about not drinking or smoking or drinking coffee), I was being tempted - by something that was unexplained at the time - and later I figured out that he was referring to sex. He would not believe that I wanted to quit because of racism, sexism (women were being excommunicated for supporting the ERA), and homophobia - even though I was not black, female, or gay. If you can listen to someone whose clothing is in tatters and is bleeding on your carpet, but still decided to attend the interview, there is not much hope for communication.
Pax.
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@anonymous
[Read the article: Mitt Romney's Mormon detour]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]“Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting … because they have all power, and the angels are subject unto them” (D&C 132:19–20).
from http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=2526d326b221c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____
Sounds like you get to be a god if you make it to the celestial kingdom.
As far as the tithing thing goes....
At the end of every year, I was invited to an interview in the branch president's office. I was presented with a printout of my tithing payments for the year. I was asked if it was a "full tithe." If I said no, I was asked if I wanted to write a check or to pray about it. I wrote the check.
Your mileage may vary, but I know what mine was.
Pax
Happier as a Unitarian Universalist.
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and further more...
[Read the article: Mitt Romney's Mormon detour]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]If you haven't paid your 10%, you shouldn't have a temple recommend, so good luck with that celestial kingdom thing.
Pax.