I heart FLDS
April 30, 2008
Wow, I read this one straight for two and a half days. I am now officially obsessed with the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter-Day Saints. Not as in, I want to be a part of it, but I am fascinated about how a religion that is less than 200 years old is such a strong influence on so many people. There are actually records of the actions and words of its founders, and dispite lots of discepencies and hypocrisy, people are still strong believers.
I’ve decided that I need to be more educated about organized religion. I have always taken the stance that I am completely put out by organized religion, but in order to bolster that opinion, I would like to understand more about what people get out of their religious faith. Something that struck me most about this depiction of those of the LDS faith is how happy with their lives they are. You know what? I believe that they are. Sometimes I wonder if I would be “happier” if I were so entrenched in a religion. Perhaps I would be. However, I am willing to give that up for more nonconformity and rational outlook. Hmmmm.
And before you ask, yes, I have been watching Big Love. It’s aight. For a tiny, tiny millisecond of a moment, I had the thought that it would be appealing to be a wife in a polygonous family. (Not the crazy Texas compound way, but in the Chloe Seveigny sense.)
I really, really, really want to visit Salt Lake City.
May 1, 2008 at 3:35 am
I really like LDS too, it is so fascinating. I really want to read this book, too - it’s on my Amazon wishlist :D
May 1, 2008 at 12:14 pm
It is one of the more odd ones around. I went to a Mormon church for about 6 months just for fun. Joseph Smith and the gold plates just have me in stitches.
Pity I’m agnostic.
Have you seen Zeitgeist the movie?
http://zeitgeistmovie.com/
May 2, 2008 at 8:58 am
I’ve been trying to read this book for months now, but it never quite makes it into my hands, I’ll make a point of it now.
I grew up in SLC for my pre-teen and teen years, and my family still lives there, so I’m back once or twice a year even now. It is a fascinating and disturbing environment to grow up in. I can’t be there for more than about a week before I start to self distruct.
One of my favorite SLC stories from childhood:
Me, 16 years old, at the house of my best friend, sees a missionary announcment on their fridge. Some friend of their families had been “called” to Hawaii for his mission. I say, “wow. hawaii for two years for a mission, that doesn’t sound too terrible.” she says, “actually it would be horrible.” I look at her strangely and say “why”. she looks at me and says, “well he can’t get in the water that whole time.” I look at her even more strangely and say, “what? that’s crazy, why not?” and she says to me, absolutely dead serious, and without missing a beat “well the devil is more powerful in the water.”
end of story. oh, so many good crazy ass stories.
May 2, 2008 at 7:29 pm
I LOVE that I spelled destruct…distruct.
and families as well.
good times.