02/14/2004: "Fundamentalist Mormons Make Me MAD!"

I've been reading John Krakauer's "Under the Banner of Heaven" today and it has me so upset. It's all about the Mormon religion, both the current day Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" and also the fundamentalist Mormons who still worship according to the original Mormon scriptures. The fundamentalists living out in small secluded cities in the west and canada, still have plural marriages and have 60 year old men marrying 13 and 14 year old girls! It's disgusting. These kids have no choice, the religion basically treats women as glorified vaginas and wombs.

Men are the only ones who have any authority in the church and exert total control over the women. These men will have up to 50 or more kids, all being supported by welfare, even though the think the american government is the anti-christ. It really makes me mad. I know that the regular LDS don't believe in bigamy or any of that, but it's still an extremely partiarchal religion. And the shit that is in the Book of Mormon is so out there. I mean, most "holy" doctrines are out there, but it is so full of such blatently wrong information, for example, talking about steel, and carts with wheels way before they were even invented, and talking about horses before they were introduced to the Americas, and that's only a few examples. Joseph Smith stuck his head into a hat in order to translate this magical golden book he found that no one else could see because the angel who showed it to him took it away again.

I saw on South Park the other night an episode called "the truth about Mormons" and it was so funny I laughed my ass off, but I had no idea that what the episode was basically showing what the Mormon's really believe.

I mean to me, it's no more crazy than most other religions...I just can't wait until the Mormon missionary boys stop by my house again. I think I'll invite them in for a good long chat! Reading this book has inspired me to write a short story and do some new paintings on the topic!

In other news, I was supposed to start the new painting today (the one I was commissioned to do), but I don't know, sometimes as soon as I HAVE to do something, I start putting it off. I mean, I want to do this painting, but instead I just kept staring at the blank canvas all day. I keep telling myself I'll get started any minute but it's already after 10 pm and so far, nothin.

Rick called tonight from DC. Jenni and Sean were visiting from Baltimore and I got to talk with Jenni for a bit, although with the 4 hour time difference they were all pretty tired. I miss them even more when they call and they're all hanging out together.

Tonight I was also supposed to go to a drag show for Valentines day, I think there was going to be a poetry slam and some cabaret type stuff as well. I'm sure would have been a lot of fun. I said I couldn't go because I'm painting, and that's not really a lie, because I have all my paints out and I've been doodling and thinking about it all night, I really can't start thinking like this is a block coming on because those can be self-fulfilling prophesies.

In even more boring news, I finally went out and bought a new office chair! It was only 99 bucks at Costco and it's perfect, it's adjustable, has lots of lower back support and has nice wide arm rests. I can tell already that it's going to be much easier for me to work at my computer from home now.

Anyway, my teapot is whistling at me from the kitchen so I'll sign off. Wish me luck!