McCain-Jeffs?
Ain't it the way.The LDS Church launches a massive publicity campaign to explain that it is not (no way!) connected with those wackjob polygamous groups. And the push is showing results, news outlets around the nation are picking up heartwarming local stories about wonderful Mormons who limit themselves to one wife.
What happens? Those freakin' polygs post one lousy Internet statement
arguing that they, indeed, are Mormons and, pfffft, all that LDS branding down the drain.The so-called fundamentalist Mormon statement goes into great detail, but here is pretty much all you need to read:
Despite differing in many respects now from its earlier teachings and practices, the LDS Church still has much in common with Mormon Fundamentalism (which is founded in early Mormonism).The statement points out:
- Both groups share a belief in the same set of scriptures, including the Book of Mormon.
- They revere many of the same prophets, including Joseph Smith, Brigham Young.
- Both groups accept all of Smith and Young's teachings — except that the mainstream LDS later jettisoned polygamy.
9 Comments:
I hate the 'fundamentalist" distinction that the media and now the polygamists are trying to hold on to. fine, if they are "fundamentalist", then I propose we be called "normal Mormons" to distringuish us further.
The polygamists left out some fundamental differences:
1) Normal Mormon women can wear what they want.
2) Normal Mormon women can leave the home unacompanied, and even travel out of state - alone!
3) Normal Mormon women can go to college.
If that is not enough to differentiate the "normal" Mormons fromthe "fundamentalists", then I don't knwo what is.
Comparing the centuries-old Sunni-Shia discord (and they do, in fact, worship different descendents of the Prophet Mohammed) with a wimpy little number-of-wives issues gives too much credibility. I'd rather liken it to Bill Clinton and his brother, or the embarrasing drunk Uncle at a Pioneer Day celebration.
The difference is
1) Normal Morman men can not wear what they want.
2) Normal Morman men can not leave the home unacompanied, and even travel out of state-alone.
3) Normal Morman men can not go on a fishing trip without another Morman.
4) Normal Morman men can not stay out of all the social programs without being punished by a normal morman women.
Mormans beleive in the Book of Mormon....Period.
Normal Mormon families don't kick their sons out unless they're gay.
Dear Friends,
I think we owe it to our Muslim brothers and sisters to clarify that neither the Sunni nor the Shia worship any descendant of the Prophet Muhammad. They worship God, and God alone -- no one else.
Islam is very much a monotheistic faith, comparable to Judaism in its emphasis upon the oneness of God. The Christian notion of the Godhead or the Trinity is incongruent with how Muslims understand the teachings of the ancient prophets that they share with Jews and Christians. Thus, they accept Jesus as being a great prophet, but not as the Son of God. Likewise, Muhammad, in their view, was also just a great prophet, not a deity.
I think what the anonymous poster above was trying to say is that following the death of the Prophet Muhammad, the Shia thought they should follow the leadership of his nephew Ali, while the Sunni rejected the idea of needing to follow the Prophet's relatives.
To help illustrate that difference, some have compared the Shia to the Catholics (who believe in following the Popes as heirs of the authority Christ gave to Peter) and the Sunni to the Protestants (who believe in following the authority of the Bible alone). I hope this is an explanation that is fair to all parties. If not, please forgive me and set me straight.
-------
As for the concept of what is a "Normal Mormon," ignoring the predictable oxymoron jab, I personally want to place less emphasis upon being normal and more emphasis upon being a decent human being. For me, the ideal Mormon is not someone who is always going to be well understood by the natural man or a world that obeys a different master. Thus, the true Mormon is going to be a pilgrim -- a stranger in a strange land, oft rejected, persecuted, and despised -- a peculiar person.
Ultimately, then, as Mormons, our hope must NOT be based in winning the fleeting friendship of imperfect human beings, or in being seen as normal, but rather in trusting a perfect God.
Should we try to make friends? Yes.
Should we try to help outsiders understand us? Yes.
But, in the end, we know that many will eventually seek our blood as has frequently happened in the past. No doubt such will consider themselves to be fully justified due to Utah's liquor laws, or some other equally weighty matter, but that is besides the point. It always starts out as a joke -- a little ridicule here, a snide remark there -- but these things help to shape attitudes that eventually harden and manifest themselves in acts of violence.
It's true.
It has always been thus, regardless of who the persecuted minority has been. (It appears to be part of the necessary process of dehumanizing the enemy before destroying him.)
That is why words matter. The little things matter. The way we treat one another in blogs matters.
With respect to the so-called fundamentalists, I wish them well. Though I do have serious disagreements with them regarding Mormon history and doctrine, I do not want to see us throw them under the bus as we rush to save ourselves. I believe we will have better results in bringing more of them back to the true oracles if we treat them with love and kindness.
And, I think that is what Jesus would have us do.
Love,
A.W.
P.S. In my family, we don't "kick out" our gay family members. I'm sure there are some Mormon families out there that have made that mistake, but I personally do not know of any -- none.
At extended family gatherings, I go out of my way to embrace my gay relatives. The issue of sexual orientation is NEVER raised -- ever.
A modification to the previous post:
The polygamists left out some fundamental differences:
1) Normal Mormon women can wear what they want. (Except for the garments and "modest" clothes. The exception for "modest" clothes being BYU cheerleader oyfits and all athletic uniforms because BYU would have to explain the 1950's dress code of "normal Mormons" to regular America on ESPN.)
2) Normal Mormon women can leave the home unacompanied, and even travel out of state - alone! (With the advice and permission of her husband. After all "normal Mormon" women are unworthy of the Priesthood and need a man's guidance.)
3) Normal Mormon women can go to college. (With one of lowest female graduation rates in the country. After all it's the "Mrs Degree" that's the real reason for attending BYU and going to class with all those RMs.)
Yes, those "normal Mormons" really treat women as intellegent equals with men, unlike those "Fundamentalists." The lack of a prairie dress and bad hairstyle does not mean equality for women in the LDS Church.
Normal Mormons? Oxymoron.
Pure and simple
This post has been removed by the author.
When I attended cheerleading camp at BYU when I was 16, I was not allowed to enter the lunchroom in 1) my cheerleading skirt or any skirt shorter than my knees or 2) sandals. There is a strict dress code at BYU, and there is a dress code for LDS Church members, though they are modern in their dress (and certainly many youth flout it).
Read the actual statement from the "freaking polygs", themselves: www.principlevoices.org. The "differences" you mention are not different at all, which is what we point out. The truth is, most fundamentalist Mormon families are not even practicing polygamy, though they believe in it.
They:
1) wear what they want
2) leave home whenever they want, and gasp, even do so unaccompanied. I even drive my own car(s) and book my own flights.
3) attend college (I have a 3.9 GPA at the U. of U.; and many plural wives have post-graduate degrees).
4) divorce losers.
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