The last Mormon Manifesto was drafted in the 19th Century to ease Utah from priesthood to Statehood. I haven't read the Manifesto for years and one paragraph jumped out at me and deserves to be re-read:
I saw exactly what would come to pass if there was not something done. I have had this spirit upon me for a long time. But I want to say this: I should have let all the temples go out of our hands; I should have gone to prison myself, and let every other man go there, had not the God of heaven commanded me to do what I did do; and when the hour came that I was commanded to do that, it was all clear to me. I went before the Lord, and I wrote what the Lord told me to write. . . .
Despite my adolescent musings that I would be the one mighty and powerful who would rescue the church in the later days or be one of those missionaries in Jerusalem ushering in the Millenium, I am not saying the Lord is telling me what to write on this blog. I think Wilford Woodruff showed an important aspect of any Mormon's heritage: revelation leaves you an out.
Federal authorities about to toss you in jail for having multiple wives? God says stop.
Horny for a young girl and your wife opposes you? God says go ahead.
The Lord is adept in Mormonism of providing an out when the going gets tough, which makes me amazed when active participants in the religion are offended when they found out I took Moroni 10:4-5's ode to empiricism to heart and got a different answer than they did.
In 1890, Mormonism abandoned polygamy because the political climate (and the feds with their army) required it. One hundred and six years later those of us who have been influenced by Mormonism and its sublimated sexuality require a new Manifesto:
I see exactly what happens when nothing is done. I have had this spirit upon me for a long time. But I have to say this: I should be ostracized from my family; I should go to prison myself, and it is all clear to me. My experience tells me to write. . . .
A blog filled with dialogue on reconciling the sexual shadow cast by Mormonism on the psyche of its former believers.
A blog containing Mormon themed erotica.
A blog filled with blasphemy, heresy and sins against the Holy Ghost -- as long as it is arousing.
2 comments:
This god fellow is one of the most useful things select groups of men ever invented. After all, the invention of improved weaponry still requires that force be used and risk taken, including the possibility of loss of ruling class legitimacy if it goes poorly. But religion? What an effective way to control those under you with a puppet bugaboo to which only you hold the strings.
I still am amazed, having come out of it, at how clear it is that the god of Christianity is a major figure of fear, a mixture of an eternal abusive father and the a murderous terror figure.
Gluby,
Don't forget the benevolent, kind and loving God figure too.
One of the concepts that I have found most comforting, reconciling and liberating is that myth/religion is a metaphor for our current existence. In the myths we find counterparts for our abusive, murderous and dark ids and our benevolent, empathetic super egos. Eastern myths have female goddesses that are equally murderous and equally benevolent, so you can balance out regardless of your gender.
Belief in metaphor is belief in the Word and as the Apostle John (or somebody writing as if they were the Apostle John) said: "The Word is God."
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