After reading Escaping the Saints I have been thinking about posting on something so contoversial, I think I might just make everyone angry. So I stalled on it. But now I think I will share with you anyway.
Similarities between Islamic fundamentalism and Mormonism: Some introductory thoughts
After reading/listening to Escaping the Saints and getting about half way through Reading Lolita in Tehran, it has become apparent that these two religious movements share many similarities. They are:
1. Both of their key leaders married 14 year old girls while they were in their 30s.
2. Both limit the things that their academics are allowed to read, think about and
speak of that may run in conflict with current religious leadership.
3. Both have secret police that seek out and oppress dissidents (look up the Daneites in Mormon life for instance).
4. Both officially condone polygamy (although the mainstream Mormon church has chosen to take a break from this for a while, plural marriage still is a religious tenet of Mormonism.)
5. Both think they are going to be having mad passionate sex in eternity with their plural wives.
6. Both are vocally patriarchal, and view women as property of men.
7. Both have special clothes that they are supposed to wear, although Mormons are a little more superstitious about theirs.
8. Both have a culture which sees itself as victims, and thus justify much of their behavior that may be questionable as self defense of an oppressed minority.
9. Both shun and threaten harm to family members who disagree with official religious teaching.
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You need a trackback feature.
I kinda like the mad passionate sex in eternity with their plural wives- thing.
Yes, Don, it is a draw for many men!
Ok, Michele, I understand what you are saying. Here is something to think about though. Would this be hard to hear because we have such strong prejudices against Islam, or because Islam is so bad.
Your opinons are your opinions and you chose to write them in your blog. I would like to comment on number 8. It sounds as though you may be talking about Michael Jackson. In answer to your question in my blog -- as a person of color, it hurts to see another person as such become involved in the system such as Michael Jackson and even O.J. In my opinion those trials were hyped up and publisized too much. O.J.'s trial is the only one I have seen that was actually shown on T.V. pretty much every day. I'm not one of these "everybody is picking on me because I'm black" kind of people but I believe I am capable of seeing a situation for what it is. I'm not prejudice against any race -- I view people as people no matter what race they are. I just believe that the media exaggerates situations, especially those that involve celebrities of color. I prayed about this situation asking to have him convicted if he is guilty and letting him be acquited if he is not.
Actually, Gig, this was something that was brought up in Escaping the Saints. That they justified past errors and continue to justify things that are immoral through a culture of victimization which says that the ends justify the means.
They being Mormons.
Islamic terrorists have the same ends justify the means mentality when it comes to terrorism. These countries are evil. Thus killing non combatants justifies the means of hurting greedy, millitaristic America.
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