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Title: Understanding Mormon Theocracy and Dominionism [They Make Jerry Falwell Look Sane]
Source:
Kos
URL Source: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/4/6/14487/59554
Published: Apr 6, 2007
Author: Brahman Colorado
Post Date: 2007-04-06 15:13:47 by ...
Keywords: None
Views: 569
Comments: 17
Today is the 177th anniversary of the founding of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in upstate New York. It is blythely known as "conference weekend" when all of Mormondom tunes into T.V., Radio, Satellites and worship services out of Salt Lake City to hear the living Prophet, Seer and Revelator and the 800px-Temple_Square_October_05_(8)_c Council of Twelve Apostles speak in the historic Tabernacle in Temple Square as they have done bi-annually since arriving in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847. The importance of this world-wide event corresponds with the blogoswarm weekend on Theocracy and Democracy and the knowledge that progressives need to understand the dominionist religions of America. Since Utah is one the most Republican States in the union, electing some of the most conservative legislators and officials to federal, state and local positions; it is necessary to understand the beliefs officially and folkloric of the Mormon peoples and leaders. What is their position on the creation of a theocratic America? This is my contribution based on the doctrines and beliefs of the Mormon Church. * Brahman Colorado's diary :: :: * 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. This passage from Phillipians 2:10,11 KJV is key to understanding dominionist thinking in Christianity. It literally claims that in heaven and earth, everyone will bow and confess Jesus as Lord. To accomplish this, the Church is the ultimate corporation. Tax free cash in the form of 10% tithing receipts and a male priesthood order that is organized around the world like an Aryan Wehrmacht. Branches, Wards (congregations), Stakes (Dioceces), Regions and Missions with Command Central in Salt Lake City; control businesses, economies, communities and governments through it's sheer organizational prowess, power and outreach. The Church rivals only the Federal government and The Catholic Church in real estate holdings. Because the church does not release any financial reports, no one can accurately determine the wealth and income of The Church. The Present Earthly realm: Mormon Missionaries. The church has over 50,000 young men and women serving missions as they seek to teach the gospel to every "kindred, nation, tongues and people". As one of the fastest growing religion in the world, the Mormons now have over 13 million people members worldwide and have grown exponentially over the last 30 years. missionaries The gospel will go to the Gentiles first, then the Jews. Then the arm of the Lord will convince the nations, heathens and Ten Tribes of the gospel. 9 That through your administration they may receive the word, and through their administration the word may go forth unto the ends of the earth, unto the Gentiles first, and then, behold, and lo, they shall turn unto the Jews. 10 And then cometh the day when the arm of the Lord shall be revealed in power in convincing the nations, the heathen nations, the house of Joseph, of the gospel of their salvation. D&C, 90:9-10 (canonical scripture of the LDS) We look forward to the time when "every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ." Then "shall the earth be full of knowledge like as the waters cover the sea." Journal of Discourses 11:93 , John TAYLOR (3rd Prophet of the Mormon Church) The Past... Mormon Temples are where the dead are evangelized by baptism by proxy. The feverish pitch of geneological research to find all the people of the earth who have ever lived and baptize them as Mormons so they may choose to accept this temporal ordinance as a condition of Heaven is one of the mainstays of the "every tongue confess" doctrine. The dominion over the dead and their salvation is quite the task for the Beehive State... it is truly amazing to ponder the resouces that are spent for these activities. Undaunted, only the most faithful Mormons flock to the 124 temples around the world, where they baptize, bless, ordain and marry the dead in their special Temple garments,robes and ceremonies 24/7. The Mormons have a cliche that they often repeat to outsiders, "it is sacred..not secret." Polygamy was an institution of survival, dominion and merit, IMO, as a strategy for conquering the vast American Western Wilderness in the 19th century. The "Mormon Empire" stretches from Alberta Canada, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado. On my Grandmothers side, her great-Grandfather had 19 wives and 64 children. The commandment to multiply and conquer the earth was interpreted literally by the early Mormom Pioneers. (Ironically, The Romneys and Udalls are all distant cousins of mine.) Remnants of this doctrine contributute to the statistical phenomemon that Utah's dependency ratio, the number of youth (under age 20) and elderly (ages 65 and over) there would be for every 100 people of working ages (20 to 64 years of age), could rise from 90.1 in 1995 to 97.7 in 2025. The 1995 and 2025 ratios rank the state as the 1st largest and 1st largest,respectively, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The Future...Mormon influence and power has increased financially, socially, and most important, politically. Mitt Romney represents the best chance for Mormons to achieve a long desired milestone; President of the United States and leader of the World. First aspired to by original Prophet and founder, Joseph Smith, Jr.; he was a candidate in the 1844 campaign who intended to run with Sidney Rigdon as his running mate. The effort was aborted when Smith was murdered on June 27, 1844. Mormons have sought the acceptance and prestige on a world stage for their ideas of Family values and religious dominion for a very long time. This, they refer to as the United Order. The original dedication and future location for this global communal effort was envisioned by the Prophet Joseph Smith in Jackson County Missouri in Independence. Joseph Smith identified Independence, Missouri as the original but lost whereabouts of the Garden of Eden, a story so central and key to the secret Temple ceremonies. "This is the (real) Place" for the coming Zion of Mormonism where righteousness and obedience will beckon the second coming of Jesus to receive his earthly kingdom in glory. With financial muscle ,organizational grassroots infrastructure and religious zealotry; they are within striking distance of that "glory".
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#1. To: ... (#0)
Hmmm. I find the quoted part to be misleading--at least in my experience. I am a non-Mormon (thank God) in an area where we have many Mormons--probably a majority. When I became interested in genealogy several years back, the local Ward/Stake/Whatever has a Family History Center. I went there and these folks bent over backwards to show me how to start and progress thru research. NEVER once did they either attempt to get me interested in their religious endeavors OR attempt to learn who my ancestors were in order to 'baptize them' into anything, let alone Mormonism. I believe that their goal is that everyone trace their ancestry, and when people opt to make CDs of their family trees or books or whatever, that they will share this info with their members to see if they have any mutual ancestors that will help fill in their 'missing' ones. I don't have a problem with that---hell, who has a lock on their ancestors? Especially some of them menfolk sowing their oats and all that stuff. I must say that all the Mormons I've known over the years have always attempted to patronize businesses of one of their 'own' first, and then outsiders. If one of their families falls on hard times, they are quick to help them get back on their feet, including helping to find jobs. And even when they make visitations door to door, I've never had offensive pushy people--rather, they've all been very respectful when I've said I'm not interested, or whatever.
Whenever the young men on bicycles come by here I invite em in and chat with them about any thing but religion, usually the Utah backcountry, offer the some water or a beer. (No beer accepted ...yet). They have always seemed happy for the hospitality and relief from the religious doctrines. Never worried that they were "casing" the place, unlike some groups I know of. I understand, however, that the Mormon's use of psycotropic pharmacuticals is quite high due to a guilt of imperfection instilled by the temple. Man do they love their four wheelers, motor cycles speed boats and anything else that makes a racket in the desert.
Id suggest studying Mormone doctrine... it's quite an eyeopener
I read the Book of Mormon once...literary chloroform, ugh.
"Be convinced that to be happy means to be free and that to be free means to be brave. Therefore do not take lightly the perils of war." -- Thucydides
I've tried to glean some from some websites, asking questions, and trying to read some of the Book of Mormon..........thanks, but no thanks. That is not omy idea of what I want to be involved with.
I taught a class on cults .. learned quite a bit about quite a few different pseudo-Christian religions.. very interesting.
At a church I attended years ago, Dr. Walter Martin came and spoke at length. I purchased his book and tapes. The JWs quit stopping at my door.
"The line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes nor between parties either — but right through the human heart." — Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
OH he was so good. I used to listen to him on the radio quite a long time ago..
You didnt convert? :P
They prefer young widows with children.
"The line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes nor between parties either — but right through the human heart." — Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
"People like truth, it gives us a fucking benchmark." - dakmar
You didnt convert? :P It was excruiciatingly dull. Nothing like the Old Testament. You know, wars, murder, rape, incest, backstabbing, stealing...all those things that make a good book.
"Be convinced that to be happy means to be free and that to be free means to be brave. Therefore do not take lightly the perils of war." -- Thucydides
I had to offer them bonghits while playing early Sabbath records, they quit coming around after that. Prolly spend $20 - 30 just shooing them away, with no reimbursement at all... A far cry from todays "deciders"! :)
"People like truth, it gives us a fucking benchmark." - dakmar
:)
"The line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes nor between parties either — but right through the human heart." — Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
They get an extra star in their crowns because of people like us.
"The line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes nor between parties either — but right through the human heart." — Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
They don't even bother to talk to me long enough to discover exactly how impressionable I am, that's what really hurts.
"People like truth, it gives us a fucking benchmark." - dakmar
#2. To: ... (#0)
The feverish pitch of geneological research to find all the people of the earth who have ever lived and baptize them as Mormons so they may choose to accept this temporal ordinance as a condition of Heaven is one of the mainstays of the "every tongue confess" doctrine. The dominion over the dead and their salvation is quite the task for the Beehive State... it is truly amazing to ponder the resouces that are spent for these activities.
#3. To: rowdee (#2)
(Edited)
And even when they make visitations door to door, I've never had offensive pushy people--rather, they've all been very respectful when I've said I'm not interested, or whatever.
#4. To: rowdee (#2)
#5. To: Zipporah (#4)
Id suggest studying Mormone doctrine... it's quite an eyeopener
#6. To: Zipporah (#4)
#7. To: rowdee (#6)
#8. To: Zipporah (#7)
#9. To: robin (#8)
Dr. Walter Martin
#10. To: YertleTurtle (#5)
I read the Book of Mormon once...literary chloroform, ugh.
#11. To: Zipporah (#10)
#12. To: robin (#11)
Mormon Fight!
#13. To: Zipporah (#10)
I read the Book of Mormon once...literary chloroform, ugh.
#14. To: robin (#8)
The JWs quit stopping at my door.
#15. To: Dakmar (#12)
#16. To: Dakmar (#14)
#17. To: robin (#16)
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