What we can learn about atheists from the Book of Mormon

I was reading an interesting new analysis of Korihor the other day. It’s interesting, because until recently, I had never stopped to consider just how ridiculous some Mormons must think atheists to be based on this sample of 1. Of course, I’m pretty sure many or most members realize that things…aren’t really like this…but, who knows?

…Also, the argument that Book of Mormon religion is actually a thinly veiled guise of Protestant beliefs (which kinda makes sense considering many of the unique Mormon doctrines aren’t even spoken of in Nephite days…and Korihor in particular lambastes the idea of original sin — something the church also disagrees with.)

But anyway…wouldn’t it be useful to see how atheists are viewed according to the Book of Mormon?

Who do we want to keep in the church?

So, the latest report that people are buzzing about is the Pew study that suggests that more people are drifting around from faith to faith. I guess the reason people are buzzing about this is not from this conclusion, but from the reasons and explanations for this conclusion. Many people are leaving because of a gradual spiritual drift; they just cease feeling that their spiritual needs are filled by one congregation, so they go to another. And while many may temporarily become unchurched, the data suggests that once unchurched doesn’t mean always unchurched — these people still have a spiritual bone in their body.

So, Times and Seasons was discussing this issue from an LDS standpoint, and in many ways, I think the church should be happy to have these kinds of statistics, because the church thrives on converts (especially from other Christian denominations — I’ve heard…but I don’t have any numbers on this, that the areas that the church does best is in areas that have had established Christian populations). However, the nagging question is…how does this churn affect the church?

Seriously, now? Going after the CEREAL?

A fun post at By Common Consent made me evaluate my childhood through my breakfast habits…did I grow up Mormon enough?

So when I see gleaming boxes of Apple Jacks and Frosted Flakes (all close to free if you hit it right with sales and coupons), I find it hard to resist. I try to avoid the blatently hydrogenated cereals, which eliminates the favorite Captain Crunch, Raisen Bran Crunch (surprising, isn’t it?) and Fruity Pebbles (which, if you leave it soaking long enough, will turn your milk an appetizing shade of chartruse). But that leaves Apple Jacks, Frosted Flakes, Froot Loops, Honey Nut Cheerios, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch fair game for my pantry, all for a pittance. And I gather them all, like a chicken gathering her hens. Or, something like that, if hens came in flakes baked in sugar.

So I’m curious. Does anybody else have a mildly dysfunctional relationship with sugar cereal? (Although, now I think about it, I don’t know what a functional relationship with cereal would be.) Does sugar cereal represent something about childhood, or am I the only one here? And does anybody else think grapefruit is manly?

A mildly dysfunctional relationship with sugar cereal? Are you kidding me?

Satan destroys the family not through gay marriage, but illegal immigration

Dear Utah…you guys are really special.

Utah County Republicans defeated a resolution opposing well-heeled groups that a delegate claims are pushing a satanic plan to encourage illegitimate births and illegal immigration.

Don Larsen, a Springville delegate, offered the resolution, titled “Resolution opposing the Hate America anti-Christian Open Borders cabal,” warning delegates that an “invisible government” comprised of left-wing foundations was pumping money into the Democratic Party to push for looser immigration laws and anti-family legislation.

Larsen said Democrats get most of the votes cast by illegal immigrants and people in dysfunctional families.

But it’s not the Democrats who are behind this strategy, Larsen said. It’s the devil.

“Satan’s ultimate goal is to destroy the family,” Larsen said, “and these people are playing a leading part in it.”

Larsen’s resolution contained quotes from the New Testament on the battle between good and evil. The copy of the resolution handed to delegates stated it “fulfills scriptural prophecies about our times.”

Larsen offered a similar resolution at the 2007 convention. That also was defeated by delegates.

David Rodeback, a delegate from American Fork, urged delegates to forcefully reject the resolution, as it would do the party more harm than good.

Rodeback said the religious language Larsen used would push people away from the GOP.

Joel Wright, a Cedar Hills delegate, agreed. He said George W. Bush was able to win the presidency because he had 40 percent of the Latino vote, while John McCain was defeated when he only got 28 percent of Latino ballots.”We are not going to be the majority party if we keep pushing the Latinos out,” Wright said.

But Cameron Sevy, a Provo delegate, said the GOP shouldn’t be ashamed to say that America is a Christian nation.

Eeeh.

On nihilism

I guess I’m a notorious SparkNotes armchair philosopher.

Let me explain. I don’t consider myself a reader at heart (to be quite honest…reading doesn’t captivate me. I remember being in English class reading an essay by Annie Dillard about how “the written word is weak.” And I remembered that this was the first essay I had ever strongly identified with in my life. Movies and video games and all of these other media can immediately use visual effect and auditory effects to captivate your attention, but traditional books just have words on a page. The goal is to write in such a way that people get past the mechanics of words-on-page and instead experience the story behind that. But for me, I rarely get past words-on-page. I think I wrote about how I liked the internet, blogging, shorter articles, and the like for a similar reason.)

So, anyway, what I’m trying to say in a roundabout way (shame on me for using such a gigantic parenthesis) is that this is going to be an article about nihilism…coming from a guy who never read a book by Nietzsche from cover to cover, but has read enough internet articles about those books to think he has the idea down.

Exciting hearsay

It’s so exciting to find out that someone is “worried about the spiritual direction you’re taking.” Not because of the ensuing nagging about how you should get on the right track, but because at this point, you can feel comfortable that you know where you are and where you’re going and you have a security in that that others can’t fathom.

As others have read entries from the blog (or my super-cryptic-yet-not-so-religiously-flattering Facebook notes) — especially those who may only have seen me as a good ole Mormon boy — I have started hearing this from the grapevine. And even though this gossip probably is meant as bad gossip to them, it seems pretty sweet to me.

EDIT: And now, I’m aware that a curiously increasing subset of people will see a post like this and come to a different conclusion. Obviously, this post is proof positive that I have a complex of rebeliousness and act out for the attention.

If you convert *away* from Mormonism….

So, in my email inbox, I got this story about a Mormon boy going to Notre Dame. His parents were happy…or at the least, “reassured” in his decision to go there, because they knew that a school with “religious values at its core” is a better alternative than most. I guess that’s reasonable if these are your criteria for schools.

…but they weren’t so reassured, most certainly, when their son converted to Catholicism.

While the article itself doesn’t say so much from the parents’ perspective, what’s fascinating to read is this one Mormon commenter’s comments.

What if we aren’t a peculiar people?

The Mormon church teaches that its members are a “peculiar people,” and when you look at Mormon beliefs and practices, I guess it’s not too far of a stretch. To justify some particular rules that we follow (Word of Wisdom, Law of Chastity, etc.,) we wear our peculiarity as a badge of honor. In the world, but not of it. And son on.

And furthermore, this idea is not just a Mormon idea. Exceptionalism is something that most children are taught. I don’t have the research handy for a link, but several studies have found that most children generally view themselves as being exceptional. Despite the reality that there are limited spots for universities, limited job opportunities in upper echelon careers, etc., most people believe they will be the ones who are earning more than average, scoring higher than average, etc., It just seems like a matter of course. And intuitively, I don’t know of anyone who *seriously* consigns himself to mediocrity (or worse!)

As a long-time honor student, I’ve had the same feeling. I haven’t been so lofty-minded to think I’d be number 1 all the time, and in fact, I know enough to know that I am utterly outclassed by some people and subjects. Yet, I have a belief that things will work out. And yet…what happens when things don’t work out? What happens…for example, when we become unemployed? Scott’s post at By Common Consent does a great job (and there’s a similar situation at Mormon Mentality by ESO) at hitting some themes I’ve seen in other areas of my life or in other people’s lives (and especially in addressing the unique Mormon intricacies of such an event.) But I wanted to comment further…what do I think as a nonbeliever?

Remark on a second Christian chain mail

This is a sequel to the first article in the ’series’.

I know my mother has better things to do with her job than to forward these emails to everyone in her address book…I just haven’t gotten her to realize it. And so, today, I got a particularly…infuriating…email.

This is a long one, so I’ll just advise you to click the more link if you want to read the wall of text…

My Tribe, a personal realization

I was reading one of Chanson’s classic articles that she reposted on Main Street Plaza, and in sleep deprivation, I came to this golden personal realization.

In this article, Chanson describes to a secular Jewish blog community Mormonism’s self-created kinship with Judaism. If you want to read about the nuts and bolts in an easy-to-read manner, start reading the article I linked above. I’ll say that when Chanson described the relative shortness of the entirety of Mormon history…and also the shortness of American history — yet how fiercely loyal to each culture people seem to be…I had to think about things.