towards a spiritualist Mormonism/Mormon non-theism

[© Tweed the Younger]

interesting you should bring up that point, which I anticipated.  I have begun working on the Canonical Text of my movement, currently with the working title Towards a Latter-Day Saint Non-Theism: A 21st Century addendum to the Book of Mormon.  Perhaps in the section I have planned which is titled "Suggestions for an Interpretative Theology" I shall address this question, namely, if I am taking the various pillars of Mormonism to task, why am I doing it in a spirit of continuity?

here is a segment from the Foreword to my work, which may be illustrative for you:

The author’s goal as regards this “21st Century Addendum” is multi-faceted.  First, he would like to carve out a space to work within the Latter-Day Saint tradition while coming to terms with the untenability(2) of its theological-historical claims; the serious problems of its oftentimes ruthless and disgusting history; the intellectual bankruptcy of Mormon scholarship, particularly its archaeology, which attempts to find basis for the utter fiction that is the Historicity of the Nephites and Lamanites; and, the unfortunate commoditization of the religion propagated by the largest church within the movement, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.


(please note that any segment of the work taken prior to its official 'publishing' is very much subject to change, and, thus, non-Canonical.)



I encourage you to continue to poke and prod me, Nathan, for I value your insights on these topics; in fact you will likely be referenced in the work itself (as will jmfcst).

[asexual trans victimologist]

First of all, I'd like to warn you that it is very difficult in this day and age to attempt to put together a canonical religious text without seeming cultish. I know that's not what you're about but others may not. Putting this forth at first as a theologically agitatory text within Mormonism as it currently exists may be a more prudent way to do things if you intend to attract a movement of any significance.

From your thread on your missionization in the Forum Community board, it seemed like the things that appealed to you about Mormonism were (or at least included) its culture, its sense of solidarity-as-outsiders as Mikado mentioned, those elements of Mormon practice and belief and living standards that are not explicitly bound up in some of the more unsavory elements of its history or outlandish elements of its scripture, and possibly its uniquely American character and provenance? Is this a fair assessment of the areas in which you intend to maintain more or less unbroken continuity with previous Mormon movements?

[© Tweed the Younger]

I'm far too lightheaded and exhausted from alcohol abuse last night to reply now, but you're helping me to organize my thoughts, and I will keep you and the rest of the Community appraised as this thing rolls on.

[So the Heroes Fall]

I think you'd have to be at least baptized as a Mormon first to attempt to start something like this.

Have you even looked into that? It's usually not hard to get baptized, parents that want their baby baptized in a church that does that usually just need to ask the pastor and they'll schedule it in an upcoming service, and all I had to do to get baptized was sign up when they put that around and have like a 15 minute talk with one of the pastors. I don't know if the LDS are bigger on more requirements and whatnot, but in most cases it's not hard. And to answer your IRC question I didn't have to pay anything, I don't know if the LDS charge, but there's a huge stigma toward churches charging anything for it (I think some Catholic and Episcopalian ones do for a special baptism service for babies, but then the charge is for the special service, not the baptism itself, more comparable to a wedding.)

[© Tweed the Younger]

yes BRTD, I have actually been in discussion with another author on this project, and he basically recommended that I spend more time on the inside of LDS to gain material.  I was going to ask a missionary online at lds.org if baptism was free but they apparently are understaffed and I gave up.  I'll get to it again soon.

[© Tweed the Younger]

currently beginning work on 'On Staying Sober: A Practical Defence', which will narrate my own story as regards substance use, and how LDS doctrine, tradition, and heritage have helped me to overcome my substance abuse problem.  moreover, I will argue that this should not mean that the LDS Church should stand in the way of drug de-criminalization/legalization; in fact, I will take to argue that the proper interpretation of Latter-Day Saint tradition is not opposed to the legality of drugs as such, but simply preaches voluntary abstinence at the individual/household level.

the second part of the section on substance will be a 'more secular' argument in favor of the disease model of addiction and the concurrent treatment of the problem as a public health problem; and will scathingly criticize the LDS Church and its adherents for their support of criminalization.

[© Tweed the Younger]

I should note, in doing research, it is simply amazing how Mormon understanding of issues such as diet, exercise, hydration, mind-body connection, and disease model of addiction dates to the mid-1800s, long before the scientific/rational community was able to arrive at the same conclusions... an affirmation of my faith.

[So the Heroes Fall]

That's a pretty consistent and not uncommon position, the California Council of Churches endorsed Prop 19 despite none of of their member denominations actually supporting marijuana use obviously, they just considered the cost of marijuana criminalization and effects on families and the poor to be much worse. I'm sure many congregations in California full of olds overwhelmingly voted against anyway.

[© Tweed the Younger]

it is likely that it is a minority position within the LDS movement.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

just glanced over the last couple of days posts of this thread....I am understanding it correctly that Tweed is attempting to create his own religion?!

[asexual trans victimologist]

just glanced over the last couple of days posts of this thread....I am understanding it correctly that Tweed is attempting to create his own religion?!

More like his own theological school within an existing religion. I still wonder if he might not be a little young, but it's less crazy than it sounds.

[© Tweed the Younger]

interesting, it seems like most of the BYU students replying to this article oppose Prop 8:

http://universe.byu.edu/index.php/2012/02/16/letter-religious-freedom/