Posted on 05/29/2010 12:51:54 PM PDT by Colofornian
When Deseret Book announced it would not reprint Mormon Doctrine, I immediately thought of my Uncle Ed. The book was his spiritual guide, his religious hammer.
Uncle Ed swore by Mormon Doctrine. In fact, I once heard him say that if he were ever elected to anything, he would insist on repeating the oath of office with his hand on a copy.
When I left on my mission, he gave me an original "hardliner" edition of Mormon Doctrine, the one with all the doctrinal truths that were later quietly dropped, stuff about papists, blacks, communists and aliens.
I packed the book around South America for six months without reading it. I hung onto it because it was one of fewer than a dozen publications missionaries were permitted to read.
One day, stuck in a ratty apartment and running a 103 degree temperature, there wasn't much else to do, so I picked it up.
I got through the first 10 pages, then skipped around. Finally, I put it down. Rather than making me feel better about the gospel I represented, it made me feel worse. It was heavy and ominous and not for me.
I'm far too independent when it comes to overly legalistic treatments of stuff I love. Faith for me is more art than bureaucracy, and Mormon Doctrine read like a history of rock 'n' roll penned by Joseph Stalin.
SNIP
Detractors of Mormon Doctrine decry various social injuries caused by it. Most often cited is the claim -- in the hardliner edition -- that the Catholic Church was the church of the devil.
I didn't believe this then, and don't now. That part was eventually taken out. Today, most Mormons understand that the church of the devil is really the Internal Revenue Service...
(Excerpt) Read more at sltrib.com ...
Ah, the 1958 edition. 1958-2010, R.I.P.
Rather than making me feel better about the gospel I represented, it made me feel worse. It was heavy and ominous and not for me. I'm far too independent when it comes to overly legalistic treatments of stuff I love.
Indeed, this columnist is an independent sort...the type who'd especially be rubbed raw by the raw legalism in Mormonism.
When I left on my mission, he gave me an original “hardliner” edition of Mormon Doctrine, the one with all the doctrinal truths that were later quietly dropped, stuff about papists, blacks, communists and aliens.
- - - -
That is the edition I want to find!
Now that's just funny!
I had to fix it though.
I used to have one but cannot figure out what I did with it. Too many moves and too many books that I stopped caring about. My brother the Bishop reads it in the closet. I think the hardliners believe it to be canonized scripture.
I checked one is first ed, the other is a reprint of 2nd edition. I did a lot of programming for ABE books when they first started, so that is always the first place I look. :)
Now, to find the $200...
I think the hardliners believe it to be canonized scripture.
- — -
Most the LDS I knew did. We used to joke that it was the 5th volume of scripture when I was at BYU.
My mormon experience was in the 40s-60s and in the post polygamy enclave I resided in, there were no "soft-liners". All the doctrine that was taught there was the epitome of the "speshul, superior, better-than-youness, power hunger" that we still see on the threads in some cases....
The "oh so nice" facade was not much in evidence then...reminds me a LOT of what we see in the Obama cult....and in posts of some FR hard-liners.
BTTT
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.