Krakauer's take on Mormon History
"...The centerpiece of the story is a grisly double murder committed in 1984 by Ron and Dan Lafferty, Mormon fundamentalist brothers who claimed to have killed at God's direct command. In Krakauer's expert hands, the bizarre details of this brutal crime play out against the equally bizarre history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) and its subsequent splintering into fundamentalist sects over the issue of polygamy -- a sacred doctrine put forth by Mormon founder Joseph Smith in 1830..."
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?cds2Pid=1268&isbn=0385509510
I repond:
Is there an above average acceptance of CAM and/or presentation of fanatical craziness in Utah compared with other US communities (i.e. Bible belt, non-religion affiliated pioneer communities)? How about world communities (i.e. Islam)?
What are the specific aspects of the unique cultural background and/or religious beliefs in Utah that may contribute to an acceptance of CAM and/or fanatical craziness?
There's been much commentary, but little empirical analysis. A Doctoral thesis in the making here.
I suspect we can stay tuned for the like story about Singer-Swapp and another about Elizabeth Smart - both of these Utah tales have Mormon fundamentalist (better labeled as "religious fanaticism") foundations.
Readers should understand it may take more than information from novels written to entertain to draw any conclusions about Mormon fundamentalist or mainstream history, beliefs, or society.
Having taught community classes on CAM with an emphasis on scientific method in the state, and as a member of the predominant religious culture here since birth, I could ramble on about my observations and summations. I'll stop short at stating that people here of any background or belief system can learn to discern between medicine and quackery, and I've found nothing in the widely preached Mormon doctrine that would cause me to consider grasping any peddled alternative health remedy over established medical practice.
I'll hold to my conviction that no order of CAM is created, preached, or sanctioned by authorities of the LDS Church. Nor is any business venture. Unfortunately, we often tend to appear as a gullible people. I'm convinced this is because we don't practice what we preach.
Mormons are often people with deep Christian convictions, and therefore, religious emotion. There is no more powerful sales tool than emotion, and no more deep-rooted emotion than those associated with one's religion. A savvy salesperson only needs to strike the right cord. In my view, there are few things as unchristian as making a sale or taking advantage of someone through the association of the person's religious convictions.
BYW, I am currently reading "Complications" by Dr. Atul Gawande, I think many on this list would enjoy the author's perspective on today's medical system. Check out the reviews on B&N.
It saddens me to hear when LDS faithful include aspects of superstition in their beliefs and associate CAM with their religious conviction.
I remember 18 or so years ago that AMWAY commerce had become so popular in some LDS circles that merchandise was delivered and orders taken almost in conjunction with ancillary Church meetings. Some distributors would venture to infer that AMWAY type commerce was akin to Brigham Young's united order and was sanctioned by "The Brethren" who "wouldn't really come out and make a formal statement to this end, now would they." I still laugh at how silly this is and wonder if this was the closest I would ever came to meeting a real Dannite.
The LDS Church uses 100% volunteer, lay ministry for local congregations. My Bishop (Pastor over my congregation) is a land developer, my Stake President (a leader between regional leaders and Bishops) is an anesthesiologist. All but the smallest minority of leaders are sincere in their "calling" but all are human and fallible. LDS Church history is full of great spiritual leaders that fell into the trap of using their Church influence to further their personal ambitions. The Book of Mormon warns of this, as did Joseph Smith. Sometimes the influence is unintentional: "That Bro. Jones used to be a bishop, maybe we better try them ear candles he's selling," or worse "...that investment proposition of his must be on the up-and-up."
Joseph Smith said he saw an Angel. That's an extraordinary claim. Members of the LDS Church accept this. Maybe to some degree, some Church members are conditioned to accept the extraordinary, common to CAM claims. There are plenty of predators ready to exploit one's ire for the extraordinary. Joseph Smith organized a religion, its precepts being founded in the Old and New Testaments. Members should be very skeptical of anything requiring extraordinary acceptance, especially when it doesn't have a precise and firm basis in their established religious doctrine. That's why the AMWAY association with Church hierarchy concept is plain silly.
Janice Lyons site (non-LDS affiliated) is a great resource for addressing CAM from a religious viewpoint: http://www.cinam.net/
The LDS church puts absolutely everything on-line on the WWW, from conference addresses right down to the entire Sunday School manual I use to teach my seven year olds.
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?cds2Pid=1268&isbn=0385509510
I repond:
Is there an above average acceptance of CAM and/or presentation of fanatical craziness in Utah compared with other US communities (i.e. Bible belt, non-religion affiliated pioneer communities)? How about world communities (i.e. Islam)?
What are the specific aspects of the unique cultural background and/or religious beliefs in Utah that may contribute to an acceptance of CAM and/or fanatical craziness?
There's been much commentary, but little empirical analysis. A Doctoral thesis in the making here.
I suspect we can stay tuned for the like story about Singer-Swapp and another about Elizabeth Smart - both of these Utah tales have Mormon fundamentalist (better labeled as "religious fanaticism") foundations.
Readers should understand it may take more than information from novels written to entertain to draw any conclusions about Mormon fundamentalist or mainstream history, beliefs, or society.
Having taught community classes on CAM with an emphasis on scientific method in the state, and as a member of the predominant religious culture here since birth, I could ramble on about my observations and summations. I'll stop short at stating that people here of any background or belief system can learn to discern between medicine and quackery, and I've found nothing in the widely preached Mormon doctrine that would cause me to consider grasping any peddled alternative health remedy over established medical practice.
I'll hold to my conviction that no order of CAM is created, preached, or sanctioned by authorities of the LDS Church. Nor is any business venture. Unfortunately, we often tend to appear as a gullible people. I'm convinced this is because we don't practice what we preach.
Mormons are often people with deep Christian convictions, and therefore, religious emotion. There is no more powerful sales tool than emotion, and no more deep-rooted emotion than those associated with one's religion. A savvy salesperson only needs to strike the right cord. In my view, there are few things as unchristian as making a sale or taking advantage of someone through the association of the person's religious convictions.
BYW, I am currently reading "Complications" by Dr. Atul Gawande, I think many on this list would enjoy the author's perspective on today's medical system. Check out the reviews on B&N.
It saddens me to hear when LDS faithful include aspects of superstition in their beliefs and associate CAM with their religious conviction.
I remember 18 or so years ago that AMWAY commerce had become so popular in some LDS circles that merchandise was delivered and orders taken almost in conjunction with ancillary Church meetings. Some distributors would venture to infer that AMWAY type commerce was akin to Brigham Young's united order and was sanctioned by "The Brethren" who "wouldn't really come out and make a formal statement to this end, now would they." I still laugh at how silly this is and wonder if this was the closest I would ever came to meeting a real Dannite.
The LDS Church uses 100% volunteer, lay ministry for local congregations. My Bishop (Pastor over my congregation) is a land developer, my Stake President (a leader between regional leaders and Bishops) is an anesthesiologist. All but the smallest minority of leaders are sincere in their "calling" but all are human and fallible. LDS Church history is full of great spiritual leaders that fell into the trap of using their Church influence to further their personal ambitions. The Book of Mormon warns of this, as did Joseph Smith. Sometimes the influence is unintentional: "That Bro. Jones used to be a bishop, maybe we better try them ear candles he's selling," or worse "...that investment proposition of his must be on the up-and-up."
Joseph Smith said he saw an Angel. That's an extraordinary claim. Members of the LDS Church accept this. Maybe to some degree, some Church members are conditioned to accept the extraordinary, common to CAM claims. There are plenty of predators ready to exploit one's ire for the extraordinary. Joseph Smith organized a religion, its precepts being founded in the Old and New Testaments. Members should be very skeptical of anything requiring extraordinary acceptance, especially when it doesn't have a precise and firm basis in their established religious doctrine. That's why the AMWAY association with Church hierarchy concept is plain silly.
Janice Lyons site (non-LDS affiliated) is a great resource for addressing CAM from a religious viewpoint: http://www.cinam.net/
The LDS church puts absolutely everything on-line on the WWW, from conference addresses right down to the entire Sunday School manual I use to teach my seven year olds.
posted by nawledge at
9:04 PM
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