So Whose Voice Is It?

Having just finished Jon Krakauer's book, Under the Banner of Heaven, I have done some thinking about spirituality. Add to it the religious supporters of both Obama and McCain with their own odd takes on religious responsibility and this is quite a time for questioning what religion does. Frankly right now, I would be more comfortable voting for an atheist than anybody from any fundamentalist religion.

Obama has been under pressure because his pastor of many years said some things that most Americans would find offensive. Obama says he also finds them repugnant. The question logically asked then is-- weren't you listening? Then there is the supporter of McCain who believes Christianity's goal is to destroy Islam, a statement which has recently received less play because of the big news centering on Reverend Wright and his possibly damaging Obama's political run-- if the media dwelling on this long enough can make the story take hold. At least maybe now people won't be worried Obama is a Muslim... not that it should matter.

What should matter is religious fundamentalism, and it's what Krakauer's book explores using the Mormon Church. People are in religions because of questions about what is out there. Why are we here? Religions usually explain that and then tell us what we are supposed to do about it. George Bush said he was told by god to run for president. He also said he got his advice from his father in heaven, not his earthly father. To whom was he listening?

Krakauer's non-fiction story blends together the past with the present. Yes, it uses the Mormon church to show how religions develop, how they impact people's decisions, but it could be ANY fundamentalist religion. It illustrates how blind faith (something many churches praise and demand) can destroy lives.

Krakauer received criticism from the Mormon hierarchy for his book as they accused him of religious bigotry, distorting facts, etc etc. Their response was the norm when any religion is explored for its history, its pluses and minuses. Most religions have the potential to be misused by those who promote violence. Even Christianity with its Jesus, who taught love, also has the passage where he tells his followers to pick up their swords when he is gone-- and there have been plenty who have done just that.

What makes Krakauer's book so powerful is how it explores Mormonism's foundation, Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, the original teachings, fundamentalist polygamist cults, while telling the story of a double murder committed in the 1980s that used the philosophy of a religion as justification-- in fact a demand that murder be done in the name of god.

The story switches between the Mormon history, modern Mormon fundamentalist cult leaders, two brothers who committed murder using the excuse of prophecy and their own supposed ability to directly communicate with god, and the author and his exploring of these issues. While Mormonism is the vehicle, the book is really about faith without logic, in whatever form you find it.

Most of the history of Mormonism, I knew. Details I learned. When my husband and I were first married, we were exploring Catholicism and Mormonism at the same time. We would go the Catholic priest's office to discuss Catholic doctrine and then have a Mormon couple come to the house to give us a lesson each week on Mormonism.

How that came about is I'd had a young woman come to the house who was selling Avon. She and I began discussing religion; and although she was fallen away from Mormonism at the time, she thought highly of it, and introduced us to the couple who came to give us instruction. So I would read the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, while attending Mass, studying the Catholic catechism, and trying to decide if it was Mormonism or Catholicism that was the one true church today. At that point in my life, having grown up with no religion, finding the one true religion seemed important to me.

Although I had learned quite a bit about Mormonism before rejecting it for my own faith, I didn't know as much as I do now about modern day Mormon fundamentalist offshoots. I didn't realize how many secret (and otherwise) polygamy cults there are nor how damaging they are to children as they appear to be mostly intended to give older men their pick of teen-age girls.

These fundamentalist cults are not part of the Church of Latter Day Saints, but they believe they are the true descendants of Joseph Smith. They also believe that if Mormonism became the dominant religion in this country, which as it's growing so fast is possible, that it will once again legalize polygamy which is supposedly the one true way to live spiritually. I would have thought polygamy is about three or more adults who agree to be married (which would mean a woman could have two husbands also), but it isn't how it's practiced in these cults nor how Joseph Smith or the original leaders of the church taught it.

The book is a fast read but its ideas won't leave you when you finish the last page. If like me, you believe you have heard that small, still voice-- whose was it?