MM: And your question for me is?
Q: Well, why wouldn't you point out the insanity of it? Mormons believe their leader, Joseph Smith is a direct descendant of Christ, for example. That Jesus came to the US after the resurrection. That Mormons become Gods and will rule planets - all kinds of stuff like that. It sounds like they fell for a great scam that at the time included polygamy - what a nice recruitment tool.
MM: Are you convinced that all Mormons believe these things? Do all Catholics believe in the Virgin Birth, for example? Truly believe? Or that Jesus was God's son rather than "just enlightened"? Do all Buddhists believe in the stages of death and rebirth, down to the gory details? Do all Hindus believe in all the hundreds of gods? Do all Muslims really expect 70,000 virgins greeting them in heaven? Not the ones I know.
Q: Well, they all teach that stuff to their trusting and innocent children.
MM: All religions do that. This is a valid discussion. Do parents have the right to teach their children anything? Anything a parent believes in, they can teach their own children. It must be so. The problem is built in - one man's lie is another man's truth.
It is always sad to see children indoctrinated, even if it leads to positive results behavior-wise. Children have such exquisite intuition and such a natural sense for truth and goodness. In so many cases their ability to think for themselves gets destroyed. Not just by religions. There are so many other influences like TV, peers, governments. Everybody wants to own the growing generation's mind! For the ancient reasons of money and power.
Luckily children grow up and become rebellious, and hopefully at some point, free adults. Many children who grow up without religion... in order to rebel, become religious fanatics. Just like many who grow up with religion, become fanatic atheists. All of us ultimately need to discover freedom. Freedom is the only state to be in.
Q: So, are you saying that the Mormon religion is as good as any other religion?
MM: In terms of what?
Q: Truth for one.
MM: Ah, truth. Truth is independent of religion. Religion is really just an organizing principle for large populations. As such the Mormons and the state of Utah seem to be doing rather well. What is interesting about Mormons is that they believe in present day revelation, much like Quakers. As such their religion can be inspired by new notions that go against the old ones. New insights and reformations, be they through science or divine insight are the only hope for all the religions.
Your relationship and destiny with God is never dependent on religion even though religions can be helpful. Just like eating is never dependent on any particular diet, except in people's minds. Diets, like religions, can be helpful or harmful. But - in the end it is all just food, just like religions are all just "food for thought". If the truth could be handed to you with the simple trick of a religion we all would be free already.
Well-being, wholeness, holiness and oneness with God depends only on your intuition.
Q: You sound non-committal to me.
MM: You sound disappointed.
Q: Yes.
MM: I am committed to only one thing.
Q: Which is?
MM: Your freedom. God means freedom. Absolute freedom. You are afraid of it.
Q: What does that have to do with trying to evaluate a religion?
MM: I am trying to set free the one who feels the need to evaluate, from that particular kind of insanity.
Q: :-)...I think I get it. Thank You. Live and let live, and look in the mirror.
MM: Yes...and then get rid of those mantras, too.
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