robbiefl
13th October 2005, 05:25 PM
I first became interested in Mormonism through my love for American history. I found the entire saga of 19th century Mormonism fascinating and, as Harold Bloom would write years later, I thought that Joseph Smith--despite the unsavory aspects of his character--really was something of a religious genius. His later Nauvoo-era theology fascinated me.
I never took the gold plates story literally. It seems obvious to me that it was a hoax. Also I saw immediately that the traditional Christian theology of "The Book of Mormon" had no firm hold on Joseph Smith's imagination.
I joined the LDS Church and struggled to come to terms with the institutional rejection of historical facts, as well as with the amazing ignorance of the LDS membership regarding their own history and the implications of the more original concepts in mid-19th century Mormon theology. When Harold Bloom, in 1992, began writing about Joseph Smith and Mormonism, I became convinced that he had a much better understanding of and deeper respect for Mormonism than did the LDS Church.
I decided to go inactive in 2002. Over the previous twenty years the LDS Church has slowly but steadily morphed into just another Evangelical Christian denomination. (Evangelicals will heatedly deny this, but it's true nevertheless. Look at current LDS social mores, look at LDS art and inspiration writing. It's sense of life is essentially the same as that of Southern Baptists.)
I knew I was not Christian. I knew I was not LDS. But I knew very well that I was very much a Mormon--though I didn't know what kind.
My philosophy was more or less objectivist in nature. I rejected the supernatural altogether; my world view was naturalistic. Theologically, the label that seemed best to fit me was Deist.
My appreciation for the later Nauvoo-era theology of Joseph Smith came primarily from my conviction that he was re-imagining the entire concept of God, and trying to make it conform to the rationalism of the Enlightenemnt. So my respect for Jospeh Smith came not frommy reverence for him as a prophet with supernatural powers and links to God--not for him as a shinning example of Christian virtue (he most certainly wasn't). My respect came for his ability to think outside the book with regard to religion; for his embrace of pluralism (evidenced by his later polytheistic theology) and for his positive view of human natue and life on earth.
When I tried to explain this to LDS friends, they didn't know what to make of me. In their view I could not possibly be Mormon.
In January of 2004, I came across a new movement: Reform Mormonism. I have since identified myself with it.
Think of it as being to LDS Mormonism what Reform Judaism is to Orthodox Judaism.
It's rational, progressive, respects the individual, views art and ordinances as art (mam-made, not Divinely mandated). They accept Feminists, Gays, Intellectuals.
They have a website at: www.reformmormonism.org. There is also a Yahoo Discussion Group--which can be linked to through the above website.
There is also a Reform Mormon Gospel Doctrine Class blog which I've been writing for over a year--which can also be linked to through the movement's main website.
I never took the gold plates story literally. It seems obvious to me that it was a hoax. Also I saw immediately that the traditional Christian theology of "The Book of Mormon" had no firm hold on Joseph Smith's imagination.
I joined the LDS Church and struggled to come to terms with the institutional rejection of historical facts, as well as with the amazing ignorance of the LDS membership regarding their own history and the implications of the more original concepts in mid-19th century Mormon theology. When Harold Bloom, in 1992, began writing about Joseph Smith and Mormonism, I became convinced that he had a much better understanding of and deeper respect for Mormonism than did the LDS Church.
I decided to go inactive in 2002. Over the previous twenty years the LDS Church has slowly but steadily morphed into just another Evangelical Christian denomination. (Evangelicals will heatedly deny this, but it's true nevertheless. Look at current LDS social mores, look at LDS art and inspiration writing. It's sense of life is essentially the same as that of Southern Baptists.)
I knew I was not Christian. I knew I was not LDS. But I knew very well that I was very much a Mormon--though I didn't know what kind.
My philosophy was more or less objectivist in nature. I rejected the supernatural altogether; my world view was naturalistic. Theologically, the label that seemed best to fit me was Deist.
My appreciation for the later Nauvoo-era theology of Joseph Smith came primarily from my conviction that he was re-imagining the entire concept of God, and trying to make it conform to the rationalism of the Enlightenemnt. So my respect for Jospeh Smith came not frommy reverence for him as a prophet with supernatural powers and links to God--not for him as a shinning example of Christian virtue (he most certainly wasn't). My respect came for his ability to think outside the book with regard to religion; for his embrace of pluralism (evidenced by his later polytheistic theology) and for his positive view of human natue and life on earth.
When I tried to explain this to LDS friends, they didn't know what to make of me. In their view I could not possibly be Mormon.
In January of 2004, I came across a new movement: Reform Mormonism. I have since identified myself with it.
Think of it as being to LDS Mormonism what Reform Judaism is to Orthodox Judaism.
It's rational, progressive, respects the individual, views art and ordinances as art (mam-made, not Divinely mandated). They accept Feminists, Gays, Intellectuals.
They have a website at: www.reformmormonism.org. There is also a Yahoo Discussion Group--which can be linked to through the above website.
There is also a Reform Mormon Gospel Doctrine Class blog which I've been writing for over a year--which can also be linked to through the movement's main website.