It’s still very much a mixed bag when it comes to media coverage of the Mormons.
In late 2007, when Republican and Mormon Mitt Romney was running for President, one in four voters said they wouldn’t cast their ballots for a Mormon as President, according to Pew. Slightly more than half of those questioned said they didn’t know much about the denomination. But it’s not only heavy media coverage of California’s hard-fought debate over Proposition 8 that has brought Mormons more press attention. It is also, of course, the popularity of Mormon novelist Stephenie Meyer and “Twlight”, the movie based on her bestseller.
Well, “Twilight,” other young adult books by Mormon authors, and Mormonism itself continue to be the topic of media discussion as reporters try to understand and then articulate the fundmentals of a faith still foreign to many United States citizens. Out in Utah, where Mormons are more than half the population, The Salt Lake Tribune published an story on the history of the denomination’s attitudes towards the cross. Focused on the work of a historian at California State University in Sacramento, the article examines the thesis that while originally Mormons were comfortable with using the cross symbol in jewelry and architecture, over time it was abandoned because of its links with Catholicism.
It’s no accident that Mormon steeples, temples and necks are free of Christian crosses.
LDS leaders long have said the cross, so ubiquitous among traditional Christians, symbolizes Jesus’ death, while Mormons worship the risen Christ. Some Latter-day Saints go even farther, condemning the cross as some kind of pagan or satanic symbol.
Now a historian at California State University in Sacramento claims in a just-completed master’s thesis that Mormon aversion to the cross is a relatively recent development in LDS history, prompted in part by anti-Catholic sentiments.
The reporter shows a knowledge of Mormon culture and theology that makes this a good read. It’s helpful to readers who want to learn more about Mormonism outside of the lens of political controversies and campaigns.
On the other hand, there is this enigmatic story, also found in the Salt Lake Tribune, about the decision by Deseret Book (owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints) to remove Meyer’s books from the shelves of its bookstores. This is the best quote in the story, and really the only one that offers a clue as to why the publishers would have removed the popular books.
Leigh Dethman, Deseret Book spokeswoman, wouldn’t answer questions about the policy, but sent a company statement by e-mail: “Like any retailer, our purpose is to offer products that are embraced and expected by our customers. When we find products that are met with mixed review, we typically move them to special order status,” the statement read.
What does the publisher mean by “mixed review?” Critical reviews — for sure. Maybe this is a simple story of a religious publisher deciding only to stock books of very high quality. Or mixed reviews by Mormon leaders? Ah, that would be much more interesting. Possibly the reporter could not get anyone to talk to him. What do Mormon leaders think of Meyer’s work? There’s a fascinating story there — it may not be a simple one to tell, but there’s a lot more there than meets the eye.
In another indication that Mormons and other theists may be still be unknown territory to some in the media, NPR host Robin Young interviewed Chris Crowe, a Brigham Young English professor, on why there are such impressive numbers (NPR says there are more than 60) of Mormon writers producing young adult and fantasy literature. Young does a good job of asking insightful, respectful questions about how some Mormon adult writers are able to create such realistic adolescent characters, how strict moral codes and nuclear families are depicted in these fantasy novels, and the “spiritual components” of being a writer.
Then Young asked Crowe: “what about the fantastical element” of Mormon (YA) fiction? She “rushes to say” that “I don’t mean the word in a pejorative way.” Then she gives some examples of “fantastical” occurences: the burning bush, the resurrection, and the idea of heaven and hell. Is there something in the faith that is fantastical that makes these writers more inclined to write those kinds of novels?
Not having had many conversations with people who used the word fantastical, I looked it up online. If an interviewer said my faith was ludicrously odd, or existed in fancy only, I might get a little annoyed — or think the person was a bit ignorant.
But Crowe doesn’t take offense. Smoothly, he makes a point I’ve heard Mormons make before — that in the Mormon faith they really do believe that otherwordly occurences are possible. “We believe that. I believe that.” Yet in Mormon literature, the boundaries of what is to be expected are tighter. If you are on a hero’s quest, you are “on a focused mission to accomplish something grand.”
This isn’t a bad interview — in fact, most of it is quite good. But it does seem to reinforce the caricature (I happen to believe it is a caricature) of the erudite NPR interviewer who explores the lifestyle of a group completely unknown to them — a mini National Geographic special on those rare birds, Mormons and other theists. It’s not surprising that many in the media are on a learning curve with Mormons — a denomination that is having a real, not a fantastical, effect on contemporary American culture.
Picture of Stephenie Meyer is from Wikimedia Commons
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Comments (19) |
May 2, 2009, at 10:51 pm
It’s not uncommon for conservative protestant groups to avoid the Cross in architecture, decor, and jewelry. I remember Baptist friends looking askance when I affected a neck cross in the early 70s. My step-father, a fundamentalist Christian, tells about the battle their bible-church leadership fought over whether to put a Cross on their new church steeple. One of their “liberals” snuck (sneeked?) up and placed one inside it. The rationale I’ve heard for this was the same as with the Mormons: the connection with Catholic tradition is too much.
May 3, 2009, at 4:26 am
I don’t know about 60 writers in “juvenile” fantastic type novels, but Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s game is a semi cult novel…the hero is a preteen who saves the world…
May 3, 2009, at 8:05 am
Robin Young did the exact same thing some years ago when covering the Mormon temple open house in Boston. She brought along her tape recorder & in her wonderment and sense of gee-whiz there was definitely the feeling she had her pith helmet on, being the brave explorer venturing into the jungle on behalf of the presumably secular audience. Your last paragraph is dead-on. Very thoughtful analysis.
May 3, 2009, at 11:49 am
The interviewer seems to believe that “the burning bush, the resurrection, and the idea of heaven and hell” are peculiar to the LDS.
Does she not connect these beliefs to Jews and other Christians, as well?
Very strange to not know about basic Christian beliefs.
May 3, 2009, at 11:52 am
I should have not included “the resurrection” in regards to Jews. Too quick on the “submit” button.
May 3, 2009, at 1:31 pm
For more on the “fantastical” element in Mormonism, and that is specific to Mormonism, see D. Michael Quinn, “Early Mormonism and the Magical Worldview.” It’s a fascinating look at the beliefs of early Mormons, Joseph Smith in particular, in the occult and what we might call today “alternative spirituality.”
It, for instance, delves deeply into Smith’s career as a “glass looker,” wherein he put two stones into his hat and put the hat over his face, and then told people where to look for buried treasure. He was remarkably successful in getting people to pay him to do this, especially considering that he was remarkably unsuccessful in actually finding any buried treasure. The Devil always seemed to move the treasure at the last minute.
It’s not really that surprising Smith would be into such things, growing up as he did in the burned over district, which gave rise to new religious movements of all stripes. I’m surprised not to see more coverage of this kind of thing in discussions of Mormon fantasy writers. Is there a connection between glass-looking and vampires? Seems at least as plausible as a connection between burning bushes and vampires.
May 3, 2009, at 5:38 pm
hoosier -
Haven’t read Orson Scott Card’s Alivn Maker series? It’s a fantasy series (very) loosely based on the Joseph Smith story. Card is a faitful Mormon - and he has his main character (Alvin Maker) use divining rods and magic plows. It’s set in an alternative nineteenth century America where folk magic actually works.
May 3, 2009, at 5:44 pm
The Cross was only recognized as a Christian symbol in the Fifth Century, after the Emperor Constantine used it as a battle symbol for his soldiers in his quest for the Roman Empire.
While Constantine supposedly converted to Christianity in 312 A.D., he wasn’t baptized until on his deathbed 25 years later. In the intervening years he had his wife and eldest son murdered, and from all appearances he continued as a worshipper of the sun god. Long after his supposed conversion he had coins minted with a portrait of himself on one side and a depiction of his “companion, the unconquered Sol [sun]” on the other. He mandated that the Sabbath be changed from the seventh day to the first day (Sunday, in honor of the sun.)
The “Christianity” Constantine endorsed was considerably different from that practiced by Jesus Christ and the apostles.
The Mormon Church, as a restoration church of the First Century, would, therefore, not use the cross as a symbol.
May 3, 2009, at 9:38 pm
Three points:
A non-Mormon, Christian friend of mine made this observation. If someone I loved, say my son, was killed in an automobile accident, I would not hang a picture of the car around my neck to remind me of his death. I’d probably keep a photo of him doing something fun. Think about it.
I don’t know much about Deseret Book, but why do we have to second guess? If the book doesn’t sell, it doesn’t sell. Take it off the valuable bookshelf and sell something that does sell. We call this “free market capitalism.”
Finally, I personally have witness miracles. I have benefited from the tender mercies the Lord has given me. I know there is a higher power that we can turn to. This is what we call “faith.” The whole idea behind “faith” is that it is something believed but not necessarily seen with the eye. There’s something redeeming about having a hope or faith in something bigger and better. It makes life 1000 times more bearable.
May 3, 2009, at 9:54 pm
Julia, I’m not sure Robin Young was just referring to the Mormons. It felt like a comment targeting the whole Judeo-Christian tradition. That doesn’t make it any less…cheerfully ignorant?
Peter Smith — If that’s why Deseret Book took the book off the shelf, then there really isn’t much of a story. It could have been a light news day.
May 3, 2009, at 11:39 pm
Bot, you aren’t cribbing from Hislop’s Two Babylons, are you?
May 4, 2009, at 12:45 am
hoosier,
I think you overestimate what “fantastical” things Mormons believe as much as modern Mormons might underestimate some of its history. To try and shoehorn Mormonism into some kind of unusual religious category apart from any other Judeo-Christian tradition is to make the same mistake as the NPR journalist. It sounds great to outsiders and unbelievers, but isn’t how Mormons see themselves or their theology. Joseph Smith’s “glass looking” translations are not seen any more spectacular as the Resurrection of Jesus Christ or the miracle of the blind man seeing after having clay put on the eyes; meaning they are all miracles.
The Mormon writer’s penchant for fantasy and science fiction doesn’t have a lot to do with believing in miracles that others might find “strange” and “fantastic.” Rather, it might have more to do with how Mormons define miracles and the supernatural. To give an example that one writer about the “Twilight” books no longer sold at Deseret Books notices, Mormons were for the most part not concerned with Harry Potter as leading to Witchcraft and Sorcery. On the other end of the spectrum, the books weren’t considered occultic guides that imparted magic secrets or powers. They were considered fantasy fiction and treated as no more serious than that. I can’t write a thesis why at this time, but wouldn’t that be a problem for a religion that supposedly believes unduly in the “fantastical” in their theology?
Science fiction and fantasy are used by Mormon writers the same way that C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien used them. In a world were religious themes and miracles are rejected or seen as only devotional topics, these two genres are the last literary arena to explore human spirituality. Noticed I used “explore” and not “hide” like some accusations against the Harry Potter series. Why there are so many Mormons using these methods for the exploration is still unexplored. What is known, for those who care to pay attention, is it isn’t simply out of any extra fantastical beliefs. Rather, there isn’t many modern literary traditions for exploring the highly existential and spiritual Mormon moral or theological narratives. The literary legacy of Dante, Milton, and Bunyan doesn’t have contemporary existence.
May 4, 2009, at 8:23 am
MattK
No, I’ve never heard or read of Hislop or the Two Babylons. Do you dispute what I said?
Bot
May 4, 2009, at 8:36 am
In UNC, Chapel Hill’s National Study of Youth and Relgion there was question on whether the teen belived in psychics or fortune tellers:
LDS 0%;
Evangelicals 5%;
Black Protestants 5%;
Mainline Protestants 4%;
Catholics 6%;
Jewish 3%;
Atheists 10%
So it appears that the occult does NOT attract people of the LDS faith.
May 4, 2009, at 11:02 am
Mormons originally rejected the cross for the same reason most early American Protestants did - too much connection to the “corrupt papacy.”
Eventually, American Protestantism largely got over these sentiments. But the Mormons were driven out of populated America into exile in Utah. While there, they were insulated from the same religious and social trends that swept American Protestantism. So while other Protestants ultimately accepted the cross, the Mormons never did.
Over time, we also came up with our own unique reasons for rejecting the cross as a symbol - such as claims that we focus on Christ’s life, not his death - or claiming that the symbol of the LDS Church is it’s people - stuff like that.
May 4, 2009, at 11:30 am
The attraction of the Latter-day Saint imagination both to the Young Adult fiction genre and to speculative fiction has been a focus of the academic study of Mormon literary culture well before Twilight. For a summary of Mormon Young Adult fiction (successful both in the niche LDS market and nationally), see my blog post (http://bit.ly/seDRj). In teaching the Literature of the Latter-day Saints at Brigham Young University, I account for this affinity to adolescent literature by relating the Mormon concept of eternal progression to the bildungsroman literary tradition (the coming of age novel). Joseph Smith himself authored a spiritual autobiography that can be considered in this tradition.
A theology based on evolving into progressively higher states of being links YA fiction and science fiction (or fantasy) where such themes are common (as in 2001: A Space Odyssey). Those studying Mormon literature have long discussed the affinity between Mormonism and speculative fiction. In this regard, see Marny Parkin’s impressive bibliography (http://www.mormonsf.org/) or the 1300+ entries in these two genres in the Mormon Literature & Creative Arts database (http://MormonLit.lib.byu.edu).
As for why Mormon bookseller Deseret Book has withdrawn Twilight from its shelves, there is a simple explanation. It isn’t because it is not selling, but because it is selling too well, and the content is simply of too dubious a nature for many of the very conservative Mormon patrons of that retail chain. Twilight is sexually titillating, at least for LDS young women who are taught to embrace an identity of virtue and chastity, and they (along with many of their mothers) are reading these books with more relish than many other Mormons feel comfortable about. Deseret Book sells bibles and religious materials and compares to the Family Christian Stores chain. How would the mainstream conservative Christian feel about their family-friendly bookstore selling a lot of vampire fiction?
Mormons have high aspirations to various kinds of political, religious, and cultural legitimacy. Public figures like Mitt Romney or Stephanie Meyer complicate those aspirations because Mormons are excited to see one of their own do well, but the very success of highly publicized Mormons makes them question the degree to which such public figures are truly representative of their faith. This is the typical trajectory of an emerging ethnicity.
Those interested in understanding Mormonism (and I include Mormons here) need to understand it less as a set of static beliefs and more as a dynamic ethnicity that—like the American culture in which it has taken root—produces prominent individuals who prove to be simultaneously more and less representative of their host culture. Is it really Romney’s or Meyer’s Mormon character that accounts for any of their success or failure? Maybe. But not even the beliefs evident in his politics or her fiction find simple correlation with Mormon doctrine. Nor does Romney or Meyer receive universal or unqualified approval from Latter-day Saints, either.
The Romney phenomenon has laid bare the fact that a lot of public sentiment about Mormonism has simply been prejudice. I think it has also generated good public discussion regarding the relationship between religion and politics. Meyer’s is a more complicated case, since her success says as much about her mostly non-Mormon readers as it does about this LDS writer. The more relevant question may not be regarding the Mormonism in Meyer but the vampirism in her readers—or whatever beliefs or appetites of the moment have stimulated the meteoric rise of this sort of story.
Any public representation of a group can stigmatize it, which is why the phenomenon of the religious celebrity is always problematic. Deseret Book may also reject Meyer’s fiction for the same reason Mormons reject the cross. Mormons do want to be marked, to be known, but not by a sign that has so much baggage that it becomes a red herring diverting people from something essential to the faith. Vampirism certainly fits in that category. But what of the cross? Mormonism truly tries to be a restored Christianity, and so it rejects a great deal of the culture of traditional Christianity (such as the crucifix) while simultaneously making claims of an even greater presence for Christ. It repeats the Protestant impulse of the 16th century. And like Protestantism (or Catholicism before it), Mormonism finds itself having to deal with the emerging forms of culture (whether celebrities or symbols) that may or may not resonate with their core faith.
Some have said Mormonism is a wake-up call for Christianity (in either a positive or negative way). If reporters are treating centuries-old biblical beliefs in the supernatural as though they are the product of a strange new religious cult, or if the Mormon imagination positing the immanence of the divine is represented as a novelty, then the sort of attention Mormons are receiving about their “fantastical” beliefs reveals that the mainstream no longer resonates with a miraculous and present God. Of course, that was the cry of Jesus against establishment Judaism in his day. Every religious tradition is always in peril of succumbing to the “routinization of charisma” as Max Weber puts it, nowhere more evident than in popular cultural representations of religion.
May 4, 2009, at 11:45 am
The Mormons eschew the cross because of their glib theology. The cross is where God’s wrath was placed on His Son for the sins of the world. Mormons disdain this idea because man is to work out his salvation and the idea of a penal sacrifice goes against Mormon teaching. This is typical of all false religions and sects. Jesus sacrifice is not enough, thus man must use his neighbor to reach heaven. The truth of Scripture is that God imputes Jesus righteousness to the sinner. The sinner apprehends this through faith in Christ. Therefore, now man may serve his neighbor freely without selfish gains.
May 4, 2009, at 12:25 pm
Trey, you keep telling yourself that about Mormon beliefs about Christ’s Atonement. I am sure it makes you feel better. As for me, I know what I believe and I don’t need someone else telling me what it is that I believe.
May 5, 2009, at 11:32 am
I believe Orson Scott Card has always drawn a strong connection between his attraction to writing sf/f and the Mormon love of history/religion pageants. (Although I may have misunderstood his meaning.)
Re: Constantine
Murderers can be Christians, you know. That whole “hospital for sinners” thing. Also, since the entire Sol Invictus imperial religion was an attempt to rip off Christianity (the Sun of Justice, the Bridegroom running across the sky, praying toward the East) and Mithraism. And frankly, Mithraism was doing a lot of ripping off Christianity as well, just like Gnosticism and Manichaeanism did. (Occult traditions always follow the trends of popular religious culture.) I admit that a lot of the older scholarship got the timelines and causality totally backward, however, so it’s understandable that a lot of people haven’t caught up.
Re: the cross
Apparently we shouldn’t remember the Tiananmen Square guy standing in front of the tank. Rather, we should replace the heroic, sacrificial image with a picture of him playing soccer and having fun. Yeah. ‘Cause tanks are scary.