THE THIRD FACE OF MORMONISM

An Opinion

                A group of dedicated LDS Mormons, in apparent conjunction with FAIR (Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research) have created a new organization called, Mormon Defense League – MDL.org.  The League’s alleged purpose is to counter  and correct misconceptions about Mormonism and the LDS Church – a justifiable endeavor.

                Why does MDL feel it is necessary to create their organization?  To those of us familiar with Mormonism the answer is quite obvious.  There are people who are saying things about the LDS brand of Mormonism that are not correct.  Some of these people, like Bill Maher, a liberal TV personality, are in a position to influence the public and wrongfully damage the reputation of Mormonism and the LDS Church.

                Before continuing with this thesis, I should explain that to me the concept of “Mormonism” is an all encompassing term that includes all the doctrines, traditions and true believers that have evolved (in various directions) from Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon.  The LDS Church is just one segment of Mormonism, although the largest and most influential.   Since the martyrdom of Joseph Smith in 1844, there have been many schisms branching out from the original thesis promulgated by Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon.  One such schism is the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, FLDS, which has been very much in the news of late – because of the unlawful debauchery of its prophet, Warren Jeffs.  It is suspected that it is partly because of the perverted and criminal acts of Warren Jeffs that the MDL was organized.  It seems people are confusing the FLDS with the LDS. 

                In order to make my contentions simple, let’s divide Mormonism three ways:  (1) the orthodox LDS Church, (2) Mormon fundamentalism and (3) Mormon history.  The LDS Church is Mormonism refined into a benign, patriotic, family orientated way of life.  Mormon fundamentalism involves the many splinter groups who attempt to keep alive and who think they are practicing the controversial teachings of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, primarily polygamy.  The third face of Mormonism is its history; from its inception in the 1830s up to the present Mormonism is fraught with violence and corruption.  The unsavory Mormon history is to the LDS Church what the Inquisition is to Christianity and the sword to Islam.  It is human nature for those who feel superior to their competitors to perpetually remind their competitors of their unsavory past.  Whether we like it or not, we are inherently in competition with each other.  Therefore, in pursuing dominance it is easier to find fault than building up a positive image of one’s own “righteous” cause.   So the Muslims like to remind Christianity of the Crusades, ignoring their own violent conquests.  And Christians like to remind Mormons of polygamy and the abuse that it fermented.  And the Christians, except for a brave few, sheepishly castigate Islam for its violent, pathological tenants and acts – in fear of zealot retaliation.

                The MDL has its work cut out, thanks to men like Warren Jeffs.  Joseph Smith and Brigham Young didn’t help.   Smith and Young did some good things but to the objective eye, they also did some bad things.  Warren Jeffs, like it or not, is a debased copy  of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young.  It’s too bad but some of the things Smith and Young did and stood for (like polygamy) will be a millstone on the shoulders of a reconstructed LDS Church.  To say that the FLDS or Mormon fundamentalism has no connection to the LDS Church is not correct.  The two are driven by the same doctrines.   Mormon fundamentalism is a modern portrayal of what Nineteenth Century Mormonism looked like under Brigham Young.  The proof is in the many Nineteenth Century anti-Mormon books that are easily accessible on the Internet. 

                Joseph Smith is to Mormonism what Martin Luther is to Lutheranism and Mohammad to Islam.  These men are what you want them to be.  You can portray them as surrogate gods or devils, in my opinion they were both.

                So what is the essence of this thesis?  Believe it or not my intention is not to trash MDL, for although I might feel duty bound to iconoclast Mormon apologetics and Mormon authority, I am sympathetic with the MDL mission as long as its propaganda, like some Islamic apologetic organizations, does not ply absurdities.

                My misadventure in Mormonism taught me, the hard way, to think for myself.  My message therefore is don’t play it safe by automatically succumbing to what seems to be the majority consensus.  Don’t be beguiled by fancy academic credentials.  A PhD doesn’t automatically make one a moral authority.  And above all don’t automatically trust ecumenical offices, political or religious – because they don’t always tell the truth.  Votes and money are what drives this Republic.  The First Amendment has been instrumental in making America great, but it is under attack and being exploited by stealth – to wit:  political correctness, multiculturalism and a perverted infatuation with diversity.  Freedom of speech is being censored by inflated and embellished accusations of bigotry and racism. 

                If there really is a God who created man, and inserted into him a soul, he gave his creature a brain to think with, but far too many of God’s creatures aren’t using it, because it’s less stressful to be a sycophant; in other words it takes energy and will power to be an autonomous thinker as opposed to a thoughtless follower.