Zealots are more scary than Mormons…
Good evening, Netizens...
I have become more angry than ever before with the latest ration of “I am a Mormon” advertisements hitting our local airwaves. However, I admit to have several negative predispositions about Mormonism and their members. However, lest some of my detractors stand up and begin waving their arms much like a Queen Mary Verner re-election campaign committee meeting, I will add nearly any religious zealotry affects me the same way.
I am old enough to remember in past decades when the word from the Mormon Church was that no persons of color, including black people, could not become members in good standing in the LDS. I have always pondered the implications of the revelation from God to the Church President that changed all this. I also ponder the fact that once that particular revelation was made manifest, Brigham Young University almost immediately began granting scholarships to black athletes. The practices of black exclusion continued in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) until September 30, 1978, when the highest bodies of church leadership lifted the ban on African membership after stating they had received a revelation from God.
I also have also got some pretty gritty distinct memories of the backhanded acceptance by the official LDS church in Salt Lake City of the so-called “Jack Mormons” who still practiced plural marriages up to the 1980's. It is only in the last few years the Feds have begun legal action against polygamists.
Just so I keep this diatribe even-handed, during my travels through the Deep South, I also encountered several Christian groups, including several that practiced such things as snake handling and faith healing, both of which I accord much the same validity as the Mormon Church's past history.
Cartoonist David Horsey takes what I believe to be a very accurate view of the Mormon Church. Rather than chew out Mitt Romney for ostensibly not being a Christian, nor even to take umbrage with him for running to become President of the United States, he states in this cartoon that religious zealots are more scary than Mormons.
Having known various flavors of religious zealots, I couldn't agree more. Yes, I do believe Mormonism is a cult, but some religious zealots make Mormons look good by comparison. Of course, your opinions may differ.
Dave