A Unique Look at Mormonism

[Mormonism Disclaimer: I do not support the Latter-Day Saint’s claims to be the sole arbiter of truth. I do not support the church’s racism, sexism, discrimination against homosexuals, nor their misuse of tithes and offerings for fraudulent purposes. I am not a practicing Latter-Day Saint, and I don’t identify as Mormon. I was raised in this faith, and find it fascinating and full of spiritual potential. I make no claims of affiliation nor support of the Latter-Day Saint churches nor any of its offshoots.]

Firstly, I want to make it clear that I am no longer a practicing member of this faith. I do not ascribe to its truth claims. I am a fascinated student of religion, and want to put my ideas into the conversation surrounding this wild and at times criminal religion.

I had put Mormonism away, and given up on sharing any of my thoughts about the odd religion’s doctrines. But my brother invited me to visit for a week at his home in LA, and he was feeling passionate about the sins of the church. I told him I had no interest in Mormonism anymore… that I had left it in my past. Our conversations must have sparked a dry forest in my mind, because I went back to Tennessee the next week and wrote a long list of topics that are unique to the Mormon Faith, many of which have been denied and rejected by the modern church. I became excited about these interesting myths and cosmologies again.

There are so many commentators on the church right now. Most of them want to point out historical discrepancies. They want to prove that Joseph was a con-man, and that the church leaders continue the con. They’re right. That work is important. But I haven’t seen anyone looking for the beauty in the religion. That beauty is what I believe caused my ancestors to love the religion. That beauty has fascinated me for decades. I want to present the interesting, the strange, and the beautiful stories of Mormonism.

I started by writing the list of topics thinking I would turn the topics into chapters for a book. I want to do this eventually, but I’ve thought, why the heck don’t I share these ideas as they come? I can share them on a blog right now! So that’s what I’ll be doing here. I want to present both the plain rituals and doctrines, then I would like to expound upon them, really dig deep into what they could mean, how interpreting the rituals and doctrines through a new spiritual lens could salvage something useful from a dying religion.

This work might be the last wiffs of smoke to rise from the rapidly burning faith… It might have no use at all for anyone. I don’t know. But I still love the stories, so I am going to share them and expound on them.