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I almost made a comment on another thread a couple days ago about Shaman….at least I don’t think I actually made the comment. Anyway, as I was reading The Power of Myth, I was struck by how Joseph Smith resembled tribal Shaman. They were men who had a profound spiritual/psychological experience and then became the Shaman. They often would create rituals to help teach their tribe.
In this frame of mind I just found a great article on Sunstone. It is called Gordon B. Hinckley and the Ritualization of Mormon History. It is really well done. You can read it here:
http://sunstoneonline.com/magazine/issues/149/149-21-27.pdf The more I learn and think about my transition from literal to symbolic the more I can’t help but think we should keep some of our mythologized history the way it is. There is much to learn in the myths. Plus, without it we would possibly never be pulled out of the literal.
I’m not sure if this makes any sense or not.
Just as I think the creation myth can teach and instruct us even if not literal/historic fact, I think the BoM creation myth (gold plates/hill cumorah/U&T translation) can teach and instruct us even if not literal/historic fact. PLUS, by keeping it in this myth/sanatized form people grow up and eventually discover there is more to the story and are given an opportunity to grow spiritually. I actually feel like I learn more from our myths now than before when I was restricted by my literal thinking.
I don’t know what the perfect answer is. I would like to see the church more open about its factual history. However, I don’t think giving up our rich mythologized history is a good thing. Perhaps if we came to a place where literal believers and authorities did not feel threatened by symbolic believers (and viceversa).
just me wrote:Perhaps if we came to a place where literal believers and authorities did not feel threatened by symbolic believers (and viceversa).
Therein lies the rub. Very interesting article. Thanks for bringing it to attention.
There is a significant chasm between the myth-believers and the literalists. If Hinckley’s intention was to narrow that chasm, I don’t think he made any progress. If his intention was to widen the chasm, he may have made some headway. Considering the openness of the brethren towards non-literalist interpretations of the 1950’s, it feels like the culture of the church has taken big steps backward, or maybe more succinctly, widened that chasm.
While I don’t dispute the enlightening, milk/meat, potential of myth, I don’t judge Hinckley’s appropriation of mythologizing as an attempt at “enlightenment”. It seems to be more about connecting to a sacrificial past that justifies the “peculiarities” and encodes the “chasm” in an “us vs. them” mentality. Exactly like the post-WWII anti-communist movement. Adding “under God” to the pledge, demonizing the “reds”, creating the myth of the U.S. as a “christian nation”, spiritualizing the founders, etc.
These are myths that have continued, in one form or another, perpetuating the sense of the U.S. being a “chosen” nation, glorifying the sacrifices that have been made, and justifying all means for the “ends”, perpetuation of the myth of a “chosen” land. “You’re either with us or against us”. “And we’re right, as is perfectly obvious by the fact that we are a “christian nation”, “under God”, and have never lost a war.”
I am aware, as the article so succinctly points out, that this mythologizing has two sides. I guess I’m coming down on the “Hinckley’s Ritualization” was not helpful on the whole, and less enlightening overall. My judgment is based on the concept, “by their fruits…” Imho, the church, it’s culture and community, was not left in a better place than GBH found it.
You nailed it Just Me. I think about this topic all the time. What could our Church be like if every 5th or 6th adult sitting in class or on the pew was a person who understood the viewpoint of our religious myth on some level, was actively engaged in the Church, and most importantly STAYED in the Church to be there for others when they hit this phase in their journey?
IMHO we, as a Mormon tribe, desperately need this at this time in history in order to move forward and make progress.
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