Mormonism in pcitures

[porphyry]

I am, fortunately or unfortuantely, engaged in writing a political analysis of Brigham Young's rhetoric, in which I cannot possibly express my true fellings on the matter, but here are some images I came across colatteraly:

Smith receiving the Golden tablets from the Great Angel Moron:





And a series of lovely illsutrations from the Book of Mormon:


http://www.lds.org/hf/art/0,16812,4218-1-3,00.html

I could say a great deal bout this, but what would be the point? For instance that the real reason Young beat it out of Nanuvoo was that federal agents were on the way to arrest him for counterfeiting...

Comments

[benicek.livejournal.com]

Was he making fake federal gold coins out of those gold plates he found and melted down?

[malkhos.livejournal.com]

That's it! Counterfeit money, counterfeit religion--it's all the same as far as Malkhos is concerned.

[benicek.livejournal.com]

Is there such a thing as 'genuine' religion, then?

[malkhos.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. Well, from your perspective, I suppose the answer ultimately would be no. All Christian faiths, as I'm sure you're aware--and I don't care how many variants exist--trace their foundations back to the belief that a man died and came back from the dead. If you believe this could not possibly be true, then there is no such thing as a genuine faith; of necessity, it would be a big trickery like Santa Claus.

If, on the other hand, one takes that leap of faith that this could be true, then the question of which derivatives of this belief are more authentic than others. Having been steeped in Catholic theology from the moment of my birth, I can no longer take the objective view. Even Malkhos, pagan atheist that he is, believes Roman Catholicism ("the best of a bad lot" he says) is the most genuine because it can trace its roots to ancient tradition. And then, of course, all the innumberable offshoots of Roman Catholicism, too many to count, believe their own is the only one that's authentic and true.

So I guess the answer is no. Damn it, you've backed me into a corner! :)

[benicek.livejournal.com]

I see. 'Genuine' in the sense of 'most faithful to the earliest traditions'. Though surely protestants, especially puritans, would argue that Catholicism is the least genuine because it is so weighed down with practices and laws that accreted after the original disciples died.

As you point out, as far as I'm concerned all supernatural religions are false, because they claim to be above natural laws.

[malkhos.livejournal.com]

About your first point--absolutely you're right. It's an impossible question to answer, really; everyone thinks they've attached themselves to the one "true" faith and so therefore everybody else is wrong.

As to the second point, the rational part of me agrees entirely with you: nobody can rise above the natural law of death. Logic tells you this is true. But then, given my upbringing, that superstitious Catholic in me finds it impossible to believe that... which is irrational--and I hate to be called irrational!

Religion messes up one's mind, doesn't it?

[petrusplancius.livejournal.com]

Great angel Moron? His dress israther behind the times; I suppose when angels appear to people after another 2000m years, they will wear tail-coats.

[malkhos.livejournal.com]

I've already seen that, in a production of La Cenorentola in which the fairy godfather was dressed up to look like Rossini.

[romulus214.livejournal.com]

Actually the angel's name is Moroni-not Moron-
The only reason i know this, is that i have been doing research into Moroni, from a pagan perspective, not from i want to join persepective-

But it's Moroni-

[malkhos.livejournal.com]

Well, I know...but don't you think its better the other way?

A useful 'pagan' comparandum to Mormonism is Lucian's Alexander the False-Prophet (pseuodmanits), as I would guess you're aware.

Although, personally, I prefer to get my special revelation from the Great Angel Eleleth. And I'm still waiting for that reconciliation of relativity and quantum mechanics from Sandalphon.

[romulus214.livejournal.com]

Well I am familiar with Lucian's work which you mentioned-However-while i do have issues with the Mormons, I am willing to say that JS was in contact with something, which he named Moroni, and from there and so on came into being his religion-however, what JS taught isn't what BY taught or what is being taught-ie magick, divination, etc-He was more Pagan friendly then his successors are and were-

Granted my thoughts have made mormons uncomfortable, to suggest that Moroni was a nature divinity of the Hill Cumorah and that the Nephites|Lamanites were prob the same etc-

that is my two cents-

[malkhos.livejournal.com]

Well, it's fortunate because they are paying you a nice fee. I don't know why you'd think it was unfortunate anyway since you requested it. If it's unfortunate for anybody, that would be me, as I've weary days of listening to you go on and on about how crazy/evil/confidence tricksters/illiterates/etc. Joseph Smith and Brigham Young were.

[romulus214.livejournal.com]

? is that geared to myself? or did i miss something?

[malkhos.livejournal.com]

No, you didn't miss anything... perhaps I hit the wrong "reply" button--this journal is shared between me and my husband, which can be confusing for others sometimes. Sorry!

[romulus214.livejournal.com]

Oh no worries-I just wanted to make sure i missed anything :-)

[lordtangent.livejournal.com]

I actually thought about going to visit Hill Cumorah a few years ago when I was visiting the Finger Lakes, but at the last minute I decided to visit the nearby Robert Ingersoll Birthplace Museum instead. Ingersoll was interesting and wholly admirable, to be sure, but I regret missing out on the quirky fascination of that holy drumlin of revelation.

[malkhos.livejournal.com]

You were better off than going to a place where we can be absolutely confident nothing happened.

[algabal.livejournal.com]

I like those paintings.

I myself procured a nice illustrated edition of the Book of Mormon from a relative who had been somewhat unwillingly gifted it by a Mormon friend. I just think of it as very, very late Apocryphal literature.

[romulus214.livejournal.com]

I just think of it as very, very late Apocryphal literature.

I agree with you on that-

[malkhos.livejournal.com]

I think its past the expiration date.

Magic undies

[sophia-sadek.livejournal.com]

And then, there's th' magic underwear.