Ghost of a flea: Still no help for the widow's son

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August 29, 2007

Still no help for the widow's son

Depending on how Mitt Romney's bid to buy the Republican presidential nomination works out for him, we are going to be learning more than we ever wanted or needed to learn about the Latter Day Saints. This plus my love of all crackpot nineteenth century Masonic cults - and the sneaking suspicion I am, myself, a Mormon* - has lead me to reading more and more on the subject. That and Chloë Sevigny, obviously.**

Two YouTube videos are snarkworthy. First, and following some generalized griping about LDS Church reactions to dissent, an ex-Mormon takes issue with the role of women in the LDS; she was excommunicated for harping on about the subject. Second, a gay Mormon couple convinced they are going to be excommunicated for going public on ABC News. Watch if you will. Or take my word for the summary: These people are annoyed their high-handed, authoritarian cult will not accommodate their being women/gay. It's discrimination! One of the gay chaps even goes to far as to say that who gets into heaven is not up the LDS Church; it is up to God.

News flash to these disgruntled Mormons: You are not Mormons; you are Protestants (with some peculiar archeology and some sketchiness about the Trinity). If you want to have female priests or gay Latter Day Saints you need to start your own absurd religion. The United States is not yet run by a Dark Ages religious dictatorship so enjoy your religious freedom while it lasts. In the meantime, this sort of dissent reminds me of trolls attempting to direct the editorial policy of my blog and, failing to do so, accusing me of disregarding their "freedom of speech". I have no sympathy whatsoever for Mormons who feel excluded from their community due to their refusing this or that specific doctrine of salvation.*** As a non-Mormon I cannot set foot in their Temple and presumably am already condemned for all eternity.

So welcome to the club.

* What with my clean living and off-again-on-again love of Battlestar Galactica.
** Related, Chloë Sevigny on high-waisted jeans.
*** Particularly given that having repudiated The Principle most so-called Mormons are already apostate.

Posted by Ghost of a flea at August 29, 2007 06:23 AM

Comments

In general I agree, although I'm also in favour of the Martin Luther approach -- schism when you have to, but otherwise work within the system to try to get it back on track.

But I do grant that there's a significant difference. Luther was arguing for the Catholic church to abandon certain man-made "innovations" (like simony and indulgences) and return to a simpler, less materialist, framework.

I don't think anybody could argue that inclusive policies towards gays and greater sectarian freedom for women are a closer, truer reading of the original Joseph Smith, Jr.

Posted by: Chris Taylor at August 29, 2007 04:30 PM

Well, exactly. Now, had these dissenters insisted on sacred polyandry or that the Quakers on the Moon were gay Quakers on the Moon they would at least be in the spirit of the thing.

Posted by: Ghost of a flea at August 29, 2007 04:40 PM

You aren't condemned for all eternity, you just will not inherit the fullness of blessings in the Celestial Kingdom (at least, not immediately). It's the terrestrial kingdom for you, pal. See you there!

Posted by: Temujin at August 30, 2007 12:00 AM

HA! I will get the Telestial kingdom! I get the adulterers, the hookers and the liars ! w00t! And they will do my bidding.... oh yes they will.. They will dance as if they lived in zion...

whoops.sorry. got all excited

Posted by: Gorthos at August 30, 2007 03:40 PM

You'll find all the dirt you want on the Mormon church at utlm.org. Said site is the reason I'm no longer a Mormon, truth be told.

For the record, it's actually quite difficult to get excommunicated. I had to subscribe the stake president to Hustler before they took the hint and stopped having missionaries stalk me.

Posted by: Sean M. at August 31, 2007 01:57 AM