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1526620219
| 9781526620217
| 1526620219
| 4.23
| 71,881
| Jan 06, 2022
| Jan 01, 2023
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liked it
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None
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Notes are private!
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1
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Jul 25, 2025
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Jul 31, 2025
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Jul 25, 2025
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Paperback
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1589588266
| 9781589588264
| 1589588266
| 4.57
| 7
| unknown
| Mar 18, 2025
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it was amazing
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Reviewed for the Association for Mormon Letters https://www.associationmormonletters.... It’s not often that a book comes along that encapsulates someth Reviewed for the Association for Mormon Letters https://www.associationmormonletters.... It’s not often that a book comes along that encapsulates something so completely in a few hundred pages. It’s extremely difficult for a book to touch on all relevant points in a relatively short space. It’s even more difficult for someone to do it in the format of a novel. Novels have to have a plot, and if someone isn’t careful, it can start to feel preachy or contrived. Some of the worst novels just feel like polemics set to a plot, where the protagonist spends time belaboring the point in long monologues. Or the plot itself can feel contrived—or some combination of both. Stephen LeSueur’s new book Every Man a Prophet could be called the quintessential Mormon novel. I personally haven’t read any other Mormon novels, so one might be tempted to call my bluff. I don’t mean that it is the best Mormon novel ever, although it has been called so by people more knowledgeable than I. But it is a great novel. As far as depicting and illuminating what it means to be Mormon, I don’t think I’ve ever read anything quite as impactful or comprehensive. The novel somehow manages to touch on every relevant Mormon topic without feeling contrived. The characters, although they all display some common and familiar tropes, never slip into caricature. There is real emotional depth and humanity portrayed and explored within these pages. It feels substantive and weighty in the way the best novels do. The plot revolves around two missionaries in Norway during the mid-1900s. Both come from quite different backgrounds, which are explored and revealed slowly over the course of the book in flash-back vignettes. The mission president becomes aware that the two missionaries, who have been assigned to an area in the middle of nowhere, have gone missing from their area. The search for the missing elders is on. This simple framing device serves as a vehicle for LeSueur to explore every aspect of Mormon faith and missions. Anyone who has served a mission will find themselves somewhere in these pages. The heavy obligation to serve, the obsession with obedience to mission rules, going above and beyond what is required as an act of sacrifice, the strange and esoteric vernacular and language, the myths and deep doctrine that missionaries amuse themselves with, the competitions for teaching discussions and baptizing, the strategies taken to get in the door with people. All of this and more is here. For those who have not been on a mission, this book will make you feel like you are on one. LeSueur could have stopped there, and the book would have been good, great even. But he chooses to interrogate a number of other angles of Mormonism, and this is where I think the book really shines. Because not only does he look at all the ins and outs of missionary life, but he also examines the nuance and trajectory of individual faith journeys. And so, we have the father of one of the missionaries who has a business publishing pamphlets that interrogate the deeper doctrines or sticky points of church history (from a faithful perspective) whose pamphlets run afoul of church headquarters. We’ve got the apostle who is plagued by doubts himself about his worthiness due to never having received a spiritual manifestation and this pushes him to be even harder on those around him who question their own lack of spiritual experiences. In fact, paradoxically, his lack of personal spiritual experiences and confirmation lead to him doubling down even more on his own judgment in some problematic ways. The mission president comes into conflict with church leadership due to his unorthodox way of handling himself. The missionaries find themselves at increasing odds with what they feel they are being asked to do and what they feel they should do regarding serving and caring for those around them. The non-member wife of a member of the branch struggles with her husband’s and the missionary’s expectations for conversion in the face of sure ostracization from her family. These are weighty matters, and they are handled with care and grace by LeSueur, who never loses his command of his characters or reduces them to stereotypes. One of the biggest questions the book deals with is the place of homosexual members in the mission field and in the church generally. This conundrum underpins some of the most human and heartbreaking aspects of the book. I won’t give too much away, but suffice it to say that it is the church’s response to one of the protagonist’s homosexuality that frames, complicates, and shapes his faith journey. We root for him, we weep with him, we despair with him, and we rejoice with him. As I said above, LeSueur never loses command of his novel. There is a point towards the end where it seems as if it might tip over into a boilerplate “come to Jesus” story moment framed against the backdrop of a family history discovery, but it never quite gets there. The ending, poignantly incorporating imagery and events from earlier in the book, now rich with meaning, leaves us with more questions but filled with a new hope and possibility, symbolized by a simple pair of polished shoes. Every Man a Prophet tackles heavy themes with grace and nuance. It is beautifully written, richly sketched, and compellingly told. It is an unflinching examination of the intersection between life and spirituality and how religious tradition navigates the intersection and vagaries between spiritual and prophetic impression and normal decision-making. I can’t think of anything I’ve read that is quite like it, and I will be thinking about it for a long time to come. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Mar 23, 2025
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Mar 23, 2025
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Mar 23, 2025
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Paperback
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9798991157919
| B0D2P4DWBY
| unknown
| 4.50
| 10
| unknown
| Sep 15, 2024
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did not like it
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Review for the Association of Mormon Letters https://www.associationmormonletters.... Full review too long to be included here. Review for the Association of Mormon Letters https://www.associationmormonletters.... Full review too long to be included here. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Nov 26, 2024
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Nov 27, 2024
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Nov 26, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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1250347467
| 9781250347466
| 1250347467
| 4.28
| 1,142
| Apr 29, 2025
| Apr 29, 2025
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it was amazing
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Reviewed for the Association of Mormon Letters https://www.associationmormonletters.... Anyone who’s been online on social media in the past few years h Reviewed for the Association of Mormon Letters https://www.associationmormonletters.... Anyone who’s been online on social media in the past few years has likely stumbled across Dan McClellan’s content. His videos usually start with some content creator asserting something about the Bible, followed by a shot of a sometimes bearded and (surprisingly) sometimes not McClellan clad in some sort of comic book t-shirt (he explains “the fit” at the end of each video) saying “Alright, let’s see it.” The content creator then continues to make some (usually outlandish) claim about something that proves some biblical prophecy or something that the Bible says that supports some kind of political or moral position (often tied to something racist, sexist, or bigoted). Dan then comes back and carefully, calmly, and thoroughly demolishes such claims, often (to the delight of his fans) employing catchphrases such as “laughably ignorant” and “pure and utter nonsense.” He is also, however, a good citizen of the internet who admits and apologizes when he gets something wrong. McClellan is not just some random content creator who’s studied the Bible a lot. He really knows his stuff, having received advanced university degrees in biblical languages, theology, and the cognitive science of religion. His stated goal is to try to make the academic study of the Bible more accessible to the general public. He also explicitly works to debunk false claims about biblical history and interpretation, a job that keeps him very busy. His motto “Data Over Dogma” (also the name of his podcast) stresses his privileging of the scholarly data-based consensus on all biblical issues over any type of religious custom or orthodox belief about what some passage of the Bible may mean. He is articulate, compelling, accessible, and very entertaining. Judging by the popularity of his content and the number of followers across platforms (9.3k on Facebook, 84k on YouTube, 212k on Instagram, and 866k on TikTok) McClellan has found a ready audience for his brand of no-nonsense biblical fact-checking. He works full-time making his content, trying to keep up with all of the videos he’s tagged in, creating weekly livestreams and episodes of his Data Over Dogma podcast and making appearances on a growing number of other podcasts. He’s probably well on his way (if not there already) to being one of the foremost biblical content creators online. In comparison to other biblical scholars, he has attained a minor celebrity status, as attested by photos of him being recognized in public or at conferences (always in his comic tees). He’s even been retweeted by Congresswoman AOC. McClellan is also an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Although this fact might seem to complicate things on his channel, he seems to have decided early on to make it as much of a non-issue as possible. His channel is generally strictly about biblical content, and he does not normally address his Mormon beliefs unless required to, usually by some content creator who blames his “heretical” beliefs about the Bible on his LDS membership. His approach to biblical scholarship and interpretation places him squarely outside of the orthodox LDS position, which favors biblical literalism and fundamentalist interpretation over academic study and scholarly consensus. This, combined with his explicit privileging of marginalized groups when a scholarly consensus is unclear, makes him unpopular both with conservative Christians and Mormon apologists. For more progressive members of the church and anyone who is tired of the influence of conservative Christian opinion on law and politics, however, McClellan is a breath of fresh air. Moreover, for members of the LDS church, his status as an active member confers on him a position of respect and reliability as an authoritative source of information. In fact, his no-nonsense approach and strict adherence to the scholarly consensus has made him fans out of both active members and ex-Mormons. It was no surprise, given his popularity, that McClellan was tapped to write a general-audience book based on his online content. His book The Bible Says So is just what his fans will be expecting. More importantly, it will provide a new way into McClellan’s work for people who are not on social media. After a brief Introduction in which McClellan situates himself in terms of his background, training, and intentions and an opening chapter that summarizes the history of the biblical record, the book is broken into 18 chapters on various topics. The names of the chapters all follow the same pattern, beginning with “The Bible Says…” and then addressing a greatest hits of McClellan’s online content (biblical inspiration, slavery, abortion, homosexuality, God’s wife, women’s modesty, Jesus’s divine sonship, the virgin birth, and more). Most chapters are around 10 pages (the longest is around 20 and the shortest is 4) making the book an accessible and fast read. Each chapter has a helpful conclusion at the end that summarizes the chapter’s content and reinforces remembering the main points. The book is written in a conversational style, frequently breaking out of scholarly discussion into colloquialisms or humorous asides (fans will smile each time they encounter one of his catchphrases in text). Most chapters incorporate examples and stories from McClellan’s online content and personal experience, further increasing accessibility and relatability. Each chapter also contains a number of notes and references to further articles and sources, but not too many that the presentation feels dense or inaccessible. One recurring feature that is sure to amuse is the use of movie and sitcom catchphrases, song titles, and lyrics as section headers, using everyone from Bob Dylan to Pearl Jam to Salt-N-Pepa to Metallica to AC/DC to Britney Spears to Blink 182 (with a tongue-in-cheek apology for each use). All of this serves to make the book very accessible to a general audience while still providing substantive and rigorous scholarly arguments and discussions. The chapters are brief but feel thorough and comprehensive. One never gets the feeling that McClellan is pushing any kind of agenda, only summarizing the scholarly consensus. Indeed, the book could be used as a template by other scholars to increase their accessibility to a wider public audience. Given the overlap in the book’s content and McClellan’s online material, I wondered if the book would feel redundant or repetitive. Though people familiar with his content will recognize much of what is presented here, the book format allows for more in-depth discussion of these issues and more citation of sources for skeptical or more interested readers. This results in the book being a useful addition to his online content, rather than simply a rehash. I can see this book being a go-to reference for people who want to know the scholarly consensus on various biblical issues. Furthermore, given that only a subset of the topics McClellan covers on his social media channels were able to be covered in this book and given the appetite and need for this content, I can see the possibility of future editions of this series. Overall, The Bible Says So is a necessary and useful addition to McClellan’s online content and will likely bring many more people in contact with his unique and topical brand of biblical scholarship. I can see this book serving as the catalyst for discussions, being given as a gift to friends or parents who have expressed interest in these ideas, and as stated, serving as a reference for those already familiar with biblical scholarship. The many additional references and sources will help interested readers delve further into the world of biblical scholarship, a task that can seem daunting to even the most intrepid of readers. This book should go a long way to making this scholarship accessible to a wide audience. For a specifically Latter-day Saint audience, the book is a needed corrective to fundamentalist and literalist interpretations of the Bible. These interpretations aren’t backed by data, are used to support politics and ideologies that are harmful to marginalized communities and reinforce an adherence to dogma and orthodoxy that stamps out inquiry and expansive interpretations of LDS doctrine and theology. McClellan’s work, coming from someone on the inside of the faith, is indispensable for helping to move the tradition forward in this regard. In addition, those who are deconstructing their Mormon faith in one way or another will find his work incredibly helpful, compelling, relieving, and ultimately freeing. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Nov 18, 2024
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Dec 11, 2024
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Nov 18, 2024
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Hardcover
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0765305607
| 9780765305602
| 0765305607
| 3.40
| 6,061
| Jul 1987
| Apr 05, 2003
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liked it
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None
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Notes are private!
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1
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not set
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not set
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Nov 02, 2024
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Paperback
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0170127427
| 9780170127424
| 0170127427
| 3.83
| 6
| Jan 2005
| Jan 01, 2005
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really liked it
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A dense, thorough, and critical survey. Essential reading for anyone interested in New Zealand politics and social issues.
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Notes are private!
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1
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Oct 31, 2024
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Dec 04, 2024
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Oct 31, 2024
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Paperback
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0745310354
| 9780745310350
| 0745310354
| 4.26
| 9,549
| Apr 1917
| Aug 20, 1996
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it was amazing
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Lenin figured it out over 100 years ago. Capitalism inevitably leads to imperialism which is defined by international monopolies by finance capital. S
Lenin figured it out over 100 years ago. Capitalism inevitably leads to imperialism which is defined by international monopolies by finance capital. Still super relevant to understanding the modern capitalist era.
...more
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Notes are private!
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1
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Oct 25, 2024
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Apr 25, 2025
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Oct 21, 2024
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Paperback
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0873483030
| 9780873483032
| 0873483030
| 4.21
| 4,649
| 1900
| Jan 01, 1973
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it was amazing
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My first exposure to Luxemburg. She argues forcefully and convincingly that democratic or legislative reforms will never overthrow capitalism because
My first exposure to Luxemburg. She argues forcefully and convincingly that democratic or legislative reforms will never overthrow capitalism because they misunderstand the fundamental nature of the class struggle and capitalism itself. Her arguments are refreshing and a welcome relief from the toothless progressive agenda of today’s politics. Full of stunning insights, cogent arguments and proofs, and fiery revolutionary zeal.
...more
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Notes are private!
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1
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Oct 19, 2024
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Oct 22, 2024
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Oct 19, 2024
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Paperback
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0593735153
| 9780593735152
| 0593735153
| 4.41
| 2,295
| 2024
| Jun 04, 2024
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it was amazing
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A brief but brilliant summary of neoliberalism’s meteoric rise and global takeover and the terrifying possibilities for the next phase of capitalism.
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Notes are private!
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1
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Oct 09, 2024
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Oct 11, 2024
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Oct 09, 2024
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Paperback
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1469682699
| 9781469682693
| 1469682699
| 4.75
| 20
| unknown
| Oct 01, 2024
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really liked it
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Review for the Association of Mormon Letters: https://www.associationmormonletters.... As the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints approaches its Review for the Association of Mormon Letters: https://www.associationmormonletters.... As the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints approaches its third century, it finds itself with a number of challenges. Some of these are shared by any number of conservative religious organizations which find themselves increasingly at odds with the secular turn of society. Others are unique to the LDS church or, at least if not wholly unique, present their own unique practical challenges and difficulties. Two of the most visible issues are the way the church limits the participation of women and the way that it treats LGBTQ individuals. There is no shortage of argument and spirited debate about these issues, both within and outside of the church. Depending on who you ask, you might hear that the church is the most progressive of religious institutions for women or that it is one of the most oppressive and domineering. With regard to LGBTQ issues, the church has clearly staked out its position, including historically funding anti-LGBTQ initiatives and doubling down on some of the most harmful rhetoric and ideas (at least by implication) in its recent policy update on transgender individuals. There are many, both inside and outside of the church, who are affected by these issues and seek some kind of policy change or genuine discussion and engagement with these topics. While there has been historical movement on these issues, and we can expect more in the future, issues related to gender and sexuality have the church in a particularly awkward position due to the issuance of the Family Proclamation by the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1995. This document, though not officially canonized, has served as the blueprint for discussions and policy around these issues. While some had hoped that perhaps the church would soften its stance on some of the most divisive (or lack of evidence-based) pronouncements and assertions within the proclamation, recent talks have reinforced and doubled down on this document as doctrine. Taylor Petrey’s new book, Queering Kinship in the Mormon Cosmos, enters the fray at a particularly volatile socio-political moment. But, despite the provocative title, which will surely trigger some people, and contrary to the way Petrey is portrayed by some orthodox members and apologists (his book Tabernacles of Clay provoked a book-length response and attempted debunking), this is not a polemic against the church’s position on LGBTQ issues or an ideological screed. Instead, Petrey has written a patient and generous dissection and exercise in what is referred to in the scholarly tradition he dialogues with as “queering” (disrupting, destabilizing, or critically examining) Mormon theology regarding gender and sexuality. In doing so, he has presented a rigorous and thoughtful framing with which to think on these topics. Those so inclined, like Petrey, to allow these ideas a foothold will find themselves on much firmer and more hopeful theological ground than they likely thought possible. Petrey’s stated goal for the book is to explore “an interrelated set of questions about the interpretation of gender, sexuality, and kinship in the historical teachings and scriptural texts of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” (p. 2). The framework he employs to this end is queer theory. As Petrey explains, this is a diverse discipline that is not necessarily about looking for queer-compatible threads in whatever area one is investigating but more an alternative method of analyzing existing power structures from a non-normative perspective, looking “to what is repressed or ignored for clues about to where to begin any analysis” (pp. 5). In other words, queer theory has transcended its original topic material and become a hermeneutic with which to analyze any set of value systems or power structures. So, Petrey clarifies his project as follows: This isn’t a matter of making queer theory compatible or reconciled with Latter-day Saint thought. Rather, it is a method or approach that may be taken to any system, including Latter-day Saint thought. Such an analysis follows a certain set of rules (or rather breaks them) to discover weak spots within a system so as to analyze heteropatriarchal power and offer alternatives. This book hopes to do so through investigating kinship. (p. 5) Using the hermeneutic of queer theory and the specific lens of kinship allows Petrey to then explore what he calls the “Mormon cosmos” in order to tease out and disrupt the heteronormative assumptions and historical teachings and interpretations of foundational canonical material to, in fact, show that these sources, while traditionally interpreted in a patriarchal heteronormative fashion, are in fact rich with alternative interpretive possibilities. Specifically, a focus on kinship allows Petrey to move past the explicit focus on sex and heteronormative patriarchy that is so thoroughly ingrained within Mormonism to explore alternative configurations of kinship that are still possible within the LDS tradition. Each chapter takes a fundamental aspect of LDS theology and explores it for possible non-patriarchal, non-heteronormative interpretations. Petrey explores the nature of the Godhead (Chapter 2), doctrines and teachings related to Heavenly Mother (Chapter 3), supposed gender specificity in the accounts of the creation (both biblical and unique to the LDS canon; Chapter 4), gender essentialism as it relates to material embodiment (Chapter 5), and the patriarchal heteronormative values implied (but not necessarily explicit) in the many permutations of the doctrine of polygamy (Chapter 6). While relatively brief, the book requires and rewards careful reading and rereading. The analysis is at times dense and may be a challenge to those not used to reading scholarly work, but the ideas here are well worth spending the time and effort to understand. They are carefully and convincingly presented and the book is beautifully written and has hundreds of notes and sources for interested readers to chase up. Each chapter has its gems. Those familiar with Petrey’s work will recognize some familiar themes in the first half of the book, but there is enough new material to dig into and cast his previous work in a new light. I found the analysis and exegesis in Chapter 4 (Gender Fluidity and Kinship in Creation) to be particularly impressive. At times frankly stunning and revelatory, this chapter explores the creation stories in the Bible and Pearl of Great Price and demonstrates convincingly that the heteronormative and gender-essentialist assumptions that underpin much of the church’s doctrines regarding the roles of men and women and the broadsides against gender fluidity and homosexuality formalized in The Family Proclamation are based on a superficial and in some cases frankly incorrect reading and understanding of the scriptural accounts. This chapter, the centerpiece of the study, shows the fundamentally transformative potential of Petrey’s project, and the results and implications for understanding the Eve and Adam story are profound. I won’t say any more because half the fun here is how Petrey so patiently and thoroughly dismantles the patriarchal gender-essentialist interpretations of these texts that are focused on the sex act as a reproductive commandment. His analysis had me awestruck and grinning. Another major contribution of this book is found in chapter 6, where Petrey excavates historical and doctrinal polygamy in order to extract the threads of a broader kinship. He admits that this exercise is fraught with difficulty given the way polygamy played out within LDS history and its clear patriarchal heteronormative foundation. But even here, Petrey finds fertile ground to expand our understanding of this seemingly cut-and-dried case. He is careful not to gloss over the historical and ongoing trauma that polygamy has created but also cautions us against accepting monolithic interpretations of the practical and doctrinal reasons behind the practice. In this regard, his analysis of adoption practices and theology is most instructive and shows that polygamy was just one of many types of sealing practices in the early church that had at their base a desire to solidify kinship bonds beyond death. He does not shy away from the difficulties. Still, he forces us to really stare at them and consider other possibilities here, which open up a theological path towards greater inclusiveness of LGBTQ realities. Overall, Queering Kinship in the Mormon Cosmos is a thought-provoking and deeply considered treatment of these topics. The very mention of these ideas will rub some members the wrong way, and Petrey will likely be pilloried in the apologist press for a while (something he is quite accustomed to). But for those who are willing to go there with him, Petrey remains an essential voice on these issues within the church. His rigorous and innovative work here continues to chart a possible path toward greater inclusion. Crucially, this path is found not in a wholesale rewriting of standards or doctrine to conform to modern mores and ideas but in a careful and curious reading of foundational LDS theology and doctrine. One of Petrey’s greatest accomplishments here is writing a book that is so confronting without being confrontational. He admits that the prospects of the church changing its position on these issues remain unlikely. But should the increasing toll these doctrines and policies continue to take on the lives of LGBTQ individuals prick the hearts of leadership enough to consider a different path seriously, Petrey’s work provides a way forward that embraces, rather than discards, the unique, peculiar, beautiful, even queer aspects of LDS theology. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Sep 15, 2024
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Sep 20, 2024
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Sep 09, 2024
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Hardcover
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1324091584
| 9781324091585
| 1324091584
| 3.91
| 268
| unknown
| Aug 20, 2024
|
really liked it
|
A compelling argument that most of the serious issues with American democracy come from the Constitution itself and that the best, and possibly only r
A compelling argument that most of the serious issues with American democracy come from the Constitution itself and that the best, and possibly only realistic way forward is to abandon it for a new one. If not, the US may not survive, but may also not deserve to. Sobering but necessary.
...more
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Notes are private!
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1
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Sep 06, 2024
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Oct 15, 2024
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Sep 06, 2024
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Hardcover
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1101967323
| 9781101967324
| 1101967323
| 3.34
| 8,126
| Jan 05, 2016
| Jan 12, 2016
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really liked it
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None
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Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 12, 2024
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Aug 13, 2024
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Aug 12, 2024
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Hardcover
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163149614X
| 9781631496141
| 163149614X
| 4.25
| 880
| Apr 07, 2020
| Apr 07, 2020
|
did not like it
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This is my first exposure to Afropessimism. I can’t say strongly enough how unimpressed I am. Apparently this theory is the darling of black academic
This is my first exposure to Afropessimism. I can’t say strongly enough how unimpressed I am. Apparently this theory is the darling of black academic studies at the moment and Wilderson is the poster boy. That is an utter shame. The book, while extremely well-written, is nothing more than a navel-gazing, abstracted exercise in race-reductionism. The theory, or “meta theory” as Wilderson calls it, is absurd from the outset and just keeps getting worse and more far-fetched. The basic premise is that Blacks cannot be separated from Slaves. Furthermore, being a Slave is antithetical to being Human, and so Blacks are not Human. What’s more, violence against Blacks (which is often cast in bizarrely sexual terms; white women rape black men in any interaction merely by virtue of the power relations between them), is the generative essence of humanity and civilization. Or anti-Black hatred is the only thing that allows Humans to be human. Or Blacks are the foil of Humans, and without the polar opposite, humanity would cease to exist (metaphysically, psychologically, materially?). If that sounds confusing, buckle up because Wilderson is not interested in a coherent theory. He states that his theory is not a theory as such, more of a lens through which to view the world. And he is not interested in whether his lens bears any resemblance to historical reality. Blackness has always been blackness and Blacks have always been non-Human. Thus, Blackness is a transhistorical characteristic that has always existed and always frames the relationship between Blacks and everyone else as that of Master and Slave. This is not something that can ever be changed because it is just the way things are. Moreover, Human existence and civilization itself depend on and are sustained by generative hatred of, and violence towards Blacks. If this were merely an empty philosophical thought experiment or rhetorical workout (it was developed within literary critical theory) it might be okay. What moves this theory from something to be scoffed at and forgotten to the realm of pernicious and dangerous ideology is Wilderson’s framing of intersectionality. Because only Black people are not Human, everyone else’s oppression and suffering are not comparable to theirs. In fact, by no fault of their own, other oppressed groups (other minorities, women, LGBTQ, working class etc…) are “junior partners” with Whites in the program of anti-Black hatred and violence. No liberation is possible because every liberation movement is geared towards humans, and because Blacks aren’t Human, none of these movements apply to them. Moreover, a true liberation of Black people would be catastrophic because, recall, it is only anti-Black violence that sustains humanity. So the question or goal of solidarity is out of the question for Afropessimism. In fact, no meaningful change can ever occur according to the theory. We are stuck always and forever in this limbo. So what are we to do? If no social or political action can effect any change then what is left? Wilderson very clearly states that this is an articulation of a problem without a solution. The only solution is “the end of the world”. This is race-reductionism as nihilism. Victimhood as sainthood. A giant “fuck you” to anyone who wishes to work together to make the world a better place. As Wilderson bluntly says to an Asian colleague who is trying to find common ground against exploitation under neoliberalism “I don’t give a shit about solidarity”. Wilderson’s theory is one of a piece with the Black Power politics of the late 60s that Wilderson participated in. Except that liberation of all Blacks by, for example, establishing themselves a Black state as was advocated in the 60s, won’t work either. Towards the end of the book, Wilderson lets the other shoe drop: anti-Blackness is so ingrained in the unconscious that even Black people would cease to exist if they were truly liberated. That’s right, even Black people need the generative anti-Black hatred and violence to survive. It’s unconscious, see. In this way, Afropessimism is framed in terms of psychoanalysis but is then given a metaphysical totality. Blackness and Slaveness transcend both time and space but are also ingrained in the psyche. So which is it? Are these universal characteristics or are they the result of historical social and economic relations and traumas? At every turn, Wilderson tries to have it both ways. His frequent references to Frantz Fanone highlight the dehumanization Fanone captured so eloquently, but fail to mention that Fanone’s own analysis claimed that the initial trauma was caused by the economic system of the settler-colonial state. Thus, the trauma that generates what for Wilderson is a timeless totalizing equivalence between Blacks and Slaves was, according to Fanone, the product of historical conditions. Wilderson is too busy making baseless, sweeping generalizations to be bothered with any of the actual intellectual work of making his theory historically, or even logically, coherent. Afropessimism is more concerned with the rhetorical force and flourish of its assertions than whether they correspond in any way with actual lived reality. The feeling that the whole thing is abstracted from only a narrow view of real lived experience is clear from the framing of the book, which takes the form of narrative, gorgeously-rendered memoir-like episodes from Wilderson’s (admittedly fascinating and wild) life interspersed with his assertions of what these interactions and vignettes mean. Or rather, how everything he experienced and understood before he was an Afropessimist didn’t quite make sense but was all driving towards his moment of realization (which occurs during, or precipitates a mental breakdown). In these narratives, he extrapolates and generalizes based on a number of run-ins with racism during his life. But can a coherent theory of reality be based on such generalizations? His lack of concern with any substantive historical analysis is evident in the fact that he references and dissects the film 12 Years a Slave throughout as an accurate and generalizable portrayal of Black life from which universally-applicable lessons can be drawn. Actual history, however, would only get in the way of his goal of presenting race as an ever present and timeless reality, so he avoids it. Nevermind that the historical record shows that race itself was constructed to justify exploitative economic and political systems. And while the masters in 12 Years a Slave are sadistic and inflict gratuitous violence on their slaves, this master/slave dynamic was far from the norm and cannot be extrapolated to all relations between Blacks and Whites or other "Humans". At the end of the day, Afropessimism, the book, and the theory, comes across as reminiscent of what Adolph Reed calls the “professional-managerial” moves by black intellectuals after the Emancipation (which Wilderson and other theorists claim as a “non-event”). In response to black people working to better their own situations and forging solidarities and political allegiances with other working class groups, the black intellectuals, whose political and social authority depended on being voice to a racially and politically-homogenous black constituency, found ways to drive wedges between the solidarity needed to coalesce around a transformative working-class movement. Wilderson, in his ivory tower of academia, has found the ultimate wedge: claiming that Blacks are not Human, and that everyone else in the world is against them. But working towards any liberation is hopeless as well because Humanity feeds (Wilderson actually says is a parasite) on anti-Black hatred. Rather than fight against the dehumanization, Wilderson embraces it and turns it into an essential and superior, transcendent, almost divinizing characteristic. In the end, Afropessimism offers nothing of practical use to anyone, Blacks included. As Wilderson makes clear to a black student of his who comes to his office weeping over her new view of the world, the only solution is the end of the world. Barring this: acceptance. Some sort of race-essentialist nirvana. In this way, Wilderson’s theory is navel-gazing in the finest tradition. His privilege growing up in rich white neighbourhoods, going to university at Dartmouth, Columbia and now as a tenured professor at UC Irvine, allows him the time and mental space to follow his thought experiments to their logical conclusion. This is not a luxury shared by poor or working-class Blacks, who he’s trying to convince of the equivalence of his privileged existence and their life of exploitation. It’s you and me against the world, don’t even try to change anything. The condescension and superiority drip from every page. After all, the luxury of not “giving a shit about solidarity” itself reeks of privilege. Any successful leftist politics, and any fundamentally hopeful worldview, must reject this nihilistic garbage and strive for solidarity along class lines. ...more |
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Jul 26, 2024
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Jul 27, 2024
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Jul 26, 2024
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Hardcover
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1589588029
| 9781589588028
| 1589588029
| 4.29
| 7
| unknown
| Jun 11, 2024
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really liked it
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My review for the Association for Mormon Letters: https://www.associationmormonletters.... The early years of the Mormon movement have been the subject My review for the Association for Mormon Letters: https://www.associationmormonletters.... The early years of the Mormon movement have been the subject of intense scrutiny. The period between the founding of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the death of its founding prophet Joseph Smith and the assumption of the prophetic mantle by Brigham Young has been portrayed by various groups in ways that privilege specific aspects of the narrative and minimize others. As a result, the volatility of this period often doesn’t come through. Anyone who tries to follow the trajectory of the many men who entered, participated in, and were kicked out of the leadership hierarchy during this period, however, is likely to experience whiplash, as men are elevated to positions of leadership and influence to be just as quickly cut off from the church, sometimes reinstated. In official histories of the LDS church, many of these men are painted with a broad brush that glosses over the specifics of their experiences, struggles and lives in the service of a faith-promoting narrative. Specifically, anyone excommunicated from the church or who left during any of the crises during its formative years, such as the banking failures in Kirtland or the massive rift torn in the church as a result of the practice of polygamy in Kirtland and later Nauvoo, are labeled apostate, while anyone who stood publicly by Joseph, defended him, or supported Brigham Young’s move to secure leadership of the church following Joseph’s death and followed him to Utah, are labeled faithful. William Marks, the subject of this superbly written and illuminating biography by Cheryl Bruno and John Dinger, is one such man who has been swept under the rug of history, smeared as an apostate by the LDS church, praised as a faithful friend and companion of the prophet Joseph by the Reorganized church, and used by other Mormon sects for his influence and proximity to Smith to bolster their own restoration claims. What is clear from reading this biography is that Marks was someone who was strongly converted to the gospel and stayed true to what he believed throughout his life. Amidst the turmoil and schisms of the early Mormon movements, he wanted nothing more than to live amongst the saints in fellowship and community. His principled stand against polygamy, something he abhorred, led to his being forced out of the LDS church following the moves by Brigham Young and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles to consolidate power and authority after Joseph Smith’s martyrdom. He joined and left the restoration movements of James Strang and Charles Thompson before settling on the Reorganized church under Joseph Smith III where he spent his remaining years. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the book, despite it being impeccably written and rigorously researched and documented (with over 800 footnotes and two appendices of Marks’ writings), is how it brings the heretofore relatively unknown Marks to life on the page. Someone who has been mostly relegated to brief mentions or footnotes in previous treatments of these years is revealed to have played a crucial, if unsung role in the early church. After joining the church at age 43, Marks ascended to the upper echelons of church and civil leadership. He was the Nauvoo stake president and the president of the high council, as well as a member of the Nauvoo city council. He served on the municipal court and was directly involved in many of the extradition cases against the prophet brought by Missouri. As a member of Joseph Smith’s inner circle, he was a member of the Masonic Lodge, the Quorum of the Anointed, the Council of Fifty, and the Nauvoo Legion. Thus, as noted by Bruno and Dinger “a study of Marks in Nauvoo gives a glimpse into almost every major ecclesiastical and civil organization.” Despite being an unwavering supporter and ally of Joseph Smith, Marks’ position as the president of the high council put him in a precarious position following the sudden death of the prophet. The crisis was inflamed due to the fact that a number of people and leadership bodies appeared to have a legitimate succession claim. Ironically, the body that likely had one of the weakest claims to leadership, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, eventually ascended to power, consolidating its control and eliminating rivals, either by reorganizing the leadership hierarchy or drumming people out of the church. In the case of Marks, who as stake president and president of the high council had arguably the strongest claim to succeed Joseph as the leader of the church (Emma Smith supported his claim), Brigham Young and the other apostles subjected him to a litany of humiliations and loyalty tests, eventually leading to his voluntary separation from the saints (although Young claimed to have been willing to “whittle” him out of town, a reference to threatening violence upon those the hierarchy deemed insufficiently loyal until they fled). For Marks, whose tenure in church leadership had been characterized by humble and dedicated service, this questioning of loyalty to Smith and the church was devastating. Aside from his potential competing claim to succeed Smith as the leader of the church, the other thing that drew the ire of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and made him an unworthy successor in their eyes was Marks’ unyielding condemnation of polygamy. He had never accepted the doctrine when Smith was practicing, and he viewed its adoption and continuation under Young and the Twelve’s leadership as a sign the church had gone far astray. In fact, he hated polygamy so much that when other sects of Mormonism he joined in later years adopted the practice, he immediately abandoned them. Perhaps seeing firsthand the wreckage of polygamy, including its direct role in the death of the prophet, had led him to view it as non-negotiable even though he had grudgingly put up with it in Nauvoo. After all of the years Marks spends wandering in search of a community of saints, there is a palpable relief when he at last finds a home in the Reorganized church under Joseph Smith III. At this point, he has served in and left at least three Mormon movements. In the Reorganized church, he played a role in helping Joseph Smith III assume leadership of the church, served as his counselor in the First Presidency, and was put in charge of obtaining Joseph Smith’s manuscripts from Emma and publishing his translation of the Bible. He also provided critical information to the councils of the Reorganized church regarding Nauvoo polygamy, and the RLDS church was vehemently opposed to the doctrine and practice from its founding, going so far as to repudiate the “doctrine of sealing, as relating to marriage for eternity, [as] a heresy” due to its ties to polygamy. Following his death in 1872 at age 79, Marks was slandered in statements and publications by leaders of the LDS church, including George Albert Smith and B.H. Roberts, as an apostate and enemy of Joseph Smith. Some even went so far as to accuse him of plotting with the mobs to murder Joseph and Hyrum. In response, Joseph Smith III and other members of the RLDS church publicly praised him as a stalwart and staunch ally of Joseph Smith, who never wavered in his support even when he disagreed with some of the doctrines taught by the prophet. As a result, Marks is known to most members of the LDS church as an apostate who left the church after the martyrdom, often mentioned alongside William Law as a bitter and vengeful enemy of the saints. Some have claimed that he was excommunicated. Despite his crucial role in much of early Mormon history, until now no one has given his life the careful consideration and due diligence it deserves. But as shown convincingly by Bruno and Dinger, Marks was an earnest seeker who found truth in the gospel as preached by Joseph Smith. He resonated strongly with the idea of Zion and a gathering of faithful saints to live together in community. He searched for and worked toward the realization of this goal for the last half of his life, eventually finding acceptance and fellowship in the Reorganized church. Overall, Come Up Hither to Zion is a wonderful and necessary addition to Mormon studies. Bruno and Dinger are to be commended for shining thrilling, revelatory light on this previously unlit corner of early Mormon history. Their carefully crafted book puts flesh and blood on the skeleton of the previously vague contours of what can only be described as an unremarkably remarkable life, giving a powerful and emotionally resonant snapshot into the beliefs, hopes, service, and struggles of those who sought for gathering and fellowship among early Mormon restoration movements. ...more |
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Jul 2024
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Jul 01, 2024
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019769571X
| 9780197695715
| 019769571X
| 4.78
| 301
| 2024
| Jul 01, 2024
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it was amazing
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My review for the Association of Mormon Letters: https://www.associationmormonletters.... Let’s cut to the chase. Second-Class Saints by Matthew Harris My review for the Association of Mormon Letters: https://www.associationmormonletters.... Let’s cut to the chase. Second-Class Saints by Matthew Harris should, if grappled with appropriately, force a reckoning. The implications of the book reverberate far beyond it merely being a more detailed retelling of events surrounding this pivotal event in Mormon history. It will be impossible for anyone who reads it to be unaffected by what it clearly and irrefutably shows about the history of the priesthood and temple ban and the “revelation” that overturned it. I have put revelation in quotation marks in the foregoing because this highlights the other massive and potentially game-changing contribution of this book. It pulls the curtain back on a process that since the founding of the LDS church has been shrouded in mystery: the process of revelation; the actual logistics of how prophets and apostles produce revelation for the entire church, and what it takes to overturn, change, or disavow longheld doctrine. Harris’s frankly at times astounding book demystifies this process as it was involved in one of the two most consequential revelations in the history of the church (the abandonment of polygamy being the other) and, by so doing, opens up the door to new ways of framing some of the big doctrinal and policy issues that impact the church today. Despite the thorough and rigorous historical account presented here (and make no mistake, the book is meticulously documented and researched), it is this second contribution that I think will (or at least should) lead to the publication of this book serving as a watershed, an inflection point. Mormon history, and especially the privileges, roles, functions, and methods of Latter-day Saint prophets, seers, and revelators, will be understood and viewed in terms of pre- and post-Second-Class Saints. Harris indicates that this book has been underway for nearly fifteen years. To aid him in telling a new, more complete history of these events, he was given unprecedented access to all new material, both from the church archives as well as private correspondence and journals, some of them quite sensitive, from the personal collections of members of prominent church families, including the family of President Spencer W. Kimball. This new information fills in the massive gaps that have heretofore existed in accounts of this revelation. These gaps have occurred because, as Harris says, “the church hasn’t made available the appropriate records to tell it. Nor has the church itself told the story reliably, for official documents are shrouded in faith-promoting narratives” (p. x). Harris’s goal with the book is to show how “the inclusion of Black people in the church was as much the product of human agency as it was divine revelation” (p. xi). He overwhelmingly succeeds. Harris states in the preface that his book aims to place discussions, doctrines, and the revelation on the priesthood and temple ban within its proper historical, social, and political context, with a particular focus on the fifty years leading up to the overturning of the ban. He stresses that his book is not meant to be a comprehensive analysis of the motivations for the ban or racism in the church. What his book does is go behind the scenes in the meetings, letters, discussions, arguments, and jockeying for position and influence that took place in these crucial decades. Past historians have had to be content with having a limited view of the internal proceedings and being forced to correlate political and societal pressures with the moves taken by church leadership, who have always insisted that their decisions reflect God’s will, not a capitulation to “the world.” What Harris’s unprecedented access shows us is that these social and political factors (predominantly the Civil Rights Movement and athletic protests and government pressures on BYU to actively recruit Black students or be stripped of its federal funding) were being discussed often in meetings and were constantly on the mind of church leadership. These pressures, combined with the need to take the gospel to all the world by internationalizing the church into countries with a sizeable Black population (made particularly stark in Brazil, where a temple had recently been announced), was what led to the ban being overturned. Harris describes his account as “unvarnished”. The book will be a welcome relief to those who are tired of apologetic treatments of the ban. There is not a hint of apologetics in the book. As noted by Harris, some may fault him for this. But for me, and I think for many other readers, this will come as a welcome relief. The apologetics have so taken over this discussion that hearing the actual facts comes across as almost anti-Mormon to many. Borderline heretical. The fact that this book forces a reckoning with prophets, seers, and revelators as actual humans with biases, weaknesses, stubbornness, and tempers is a huge contribution in and of itself. Harris shows how the overturning of the ban was a contest of wills between the church liberals, like Hugh B. Brown and Adam S. Bennion, who felt deeply morally opposed to the ban and pressed for it to be overturned for decades, hard-liners, like Joseph Fielding Smith, Mark E. Peterson, and Bruce R. McConkie, whose racist doctrinal interpretations (quoted selectively, but disturbingly enough to make the point) cemented the theological justification in place (not to mention the wild conspiracy theorism of Ezra Taft Benson), and moderates, people like David O. McKay and Spencer W. Kimball, who harbored racist sympathies but had their hearts touched by the lived experience of Black members and also realized the practical necessity of overturning the ban. This contest of wills played out over decades, and it was only Kimball’s deft maneuvering that brought the hard-liners to their side and led to the ban being overturned. This history will be a surprise to those church members who view the priesthood “revelation” in the simplified light that it is portrayed, both in the Official Declaration 2 that has been canonized and in official church accounts such as the essay on “Race and the Priesthood” on the church website. Some newer accounts, such as the Deseret Book published Let’s Talk About Race and Priesthood, indicate that there was a lack of consensus among the hard-liners and the liberals on the doctrinal justifications for the ban, but what Harris reveals by pulling back the curtain on the inner details of the proceedings, is that the lack of consensus was the reason why the ban was not overturned full stop. Readers may be surprised to hear that President Kimball had decided to overturn the ban years before the revelation was received. Others had been working for decades longer, sometimes overtly, sometimes covertly, even surreptitiously. The account of Hugh B. Brown’s decades-long campaign to remove the ban and last-ditch attempt to get McKay to overturn it before he died, only to be blocked by a late-breaking move by the hard-liners, is fascinating, frustrating, and reads with the intensity and cloak-and-dagger intrigue of a police novel. Just as shocking is the account of how several of the hard-liners, chiefly Bruce R McConkie, fabricated faith-promoting narratives surrounding the overturning of the ban, such as that the event resembled the Day of Pentecost at the Kirtland Temple, not just in spirit but in detail. This led to the claim that all of the former church presidents had appeared to the Brethren in the temple or that Jesus Christ himself had appeared. Though the details of the original accounts are unclear, unsurprisingly, these stories were further embellished by lay leaders and members and spread like wildfire. Kimball was furious when these narratives came to his attention and demanded they be corrected. He rebuked McConkie, who then promptly threw his sister May Pope, who had recorded his provocative, tantalizing, and purposely vague accounts in her diary, under the bus, claiming that she had spread misinformation (disturbingly, his son, who had been spreading rumors as well, was more than happy to smear and disparage her). As a detailed history of the inner goings-on of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles during these crucial decades, the book is a resounding success. But Harris states that his goal is also to put the stories of those Latter-day Saints who were affected by the ban front and center, which he also does superbly. In fact, it is these stories that underline and reinforce the real human cost of the ban and produce the book’s most moving moments, such as the account of Kimball’s visit to South America in the 1960s where he encountered a mixed-race boy “named Rodriquez, [who] also pleaded with Kimball to serve a church mission, and, when he learned that he couldn’t, said, “I accept the Church and I am willing to wait for the millennium wherein there will be a change of my body and when I can trade this life for another. Please remember me in your prayers” (p. 200). Also moving are the many accounts of members who had their lives upended and their priesthood and temple blessings stripped following the institution of the fraught “one-drop” rule, which required any member who was found to have any Black African ancestry to disclose this to their leaders. The sadness, bewilderment, and hardship in these stories is, at times, heartbreaking and infuriating. Harris also details how lobbying by Black members over decades, as well as scholarly work and agitation and advocacy by Mormon intellectuals, contributed to the necessary attitudinal changes that led to the ban being overturned. Readers may be surprised at how progressive scholars, professors, and activists were targeted explicitly by church leadership for their views and for publishing historical truths that conflicted with the official narrative. Some lost their jobs or were pushed out of the church as a result of their advocacy. Others chose not to align themselves with a church that they felt was clearly racist. The joy expressed by many Latter-day Saints when the long-awaited revelation is announced is palpable, and it is clear that many embraced this change with open arms. Harris’s treatment of the decades following the ban, however, will put a pause to any celebration. He details how many justifications for the ban remained official doctrine long after it was overturned, most visibly McConkie’s racist scriptural interpretations in Mormon Doctrine, which remained in print for decades afterward and was only pulled after extensive lobbying despite still being a best-seller. Racism in the church is still pervasive, leading to talks and statements being made in more recent years explicitly condemning racial prejudice. The church took a step towards repudiating former doctrinal teachings by publishing its “Race and the Priesthood” essay in 2013, but it has been reticent to offer any explicit admission of the racist origins of the ban, much less an apology. Dallin H. Oaks famously said that the church doesn’t “ask for apologies, nor do we give them.” As an isolated historical incident, this refusal to apologize seems curious, even trivial. After all, can’t the church just look forward and not backward? But I think Harris’s book reveals the real stakes in doing so for church leadership. The book makes it clear that the decisions to institute the ban, solidify justifications as doctrine, begin to question the doctrine, change positions, and eventually overturn the ban and the doctrine were made by men. Whatever role God plays in the governance of the church and the revelations that pertain to it, most of the historical data seem to be accounted for by the agency of men. If church leaders issued a formal apology, indicating that the ban was never inspired, was racist from the beginning, and that former church leaders simply got it wrong on the doctrine and the policy, it would potentially undermine the basis for their authority as prophets, seers, and revelators. This, in turn, would open the door to real questions and debate regarding the morality of denying women the priesthood (questions that couldn’t be silenced by a round of excommunications) and the efficacy of the church’s position on LGBTQ issues and other doctrinal issues. Are these man-made policies? Are the “doctrines” that justify them really eternal and unchanging, as leaders continually teach and have particularly doubled down on in recent years? Or is there room for the faithful to suggest that even these things might change in the future? Is it true, as the popular adage says, that “a doctrine is only a policy that hasn’t been changed.” More importantly, can the history of the priesthood and temple ban provide clues as to how this change might happen? These are discussions that need to seriously happen in the church. These are difficult topics that deserve more thought and less dismissal, with a perfunctory wave towards the infallibility of the leaders of the church or apologetic recontextualizations of absolutist doctrinal statements from former church leaders. For as Harris shows with force and clarity, the doctrines and policies of the church are crafted, elaborated, changed, and overturned by a counsel of men who are very aware of and influenced by the prevailing social and political ideologies and struggles of their day. The status quo can only hold insofar as the internal and external pressures permit. There will always be a breaking point. Whether that constitutes the revealed will of God or an apostolic consensus on a practical necessity may be indiscernible in the outcome, but it means everything in terms of the theological details and how members understand and engage with the church. That is what is at stake in reckoning with Harris’s Second-Class Saints. I hope that it gets the hearing it deserves and that members grapple seriously with its important yet difficult implications. To paraphrase Harris’s statement about the centrality of the Brazil temple for the extension of priesthood to Black Mormons, “the road to understanding doctrine, revelation, and policy goes through the history of the priesthood and temple ban.” I hope his marvelous book helps us begin to more fully understand. ...more |
Notes are private!
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Jun 19, 2024
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Jun 30, 2024
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Jun 01, 2024
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Hardcover
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0385174942
| 9780385174947
| 0385174942
| 3.93
| 179
| Jan 01, 1981
| Jan 01, 1983
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it was amazing
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A scathing indictment of patriarchy and a moving call for equality. Written in 1981, this book is still unfortunately very relevant in both its critiq
A scathing indictment of patriarchy and a moving call for equality. Written in 1981, this book is still unfortunately very relevant in both its critique of patriarchy and of the LDS church's ongoing devaluation of and lack of support of equality of women. Should be read by anyone interested in feminism and anti-ERA Mormon covert political action during the push for the ERA in the late 70s. I found this book via intra-library loan as it is out of print. It must have been donated by someone who had it initially signed by the author. Inside the front cover, the inscription reads "To Tim, Trusting you to be one of the rare men who actually care about women. Your sister, Sonia Johnson." ...more |
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May 03, 2024
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May 09, 2024
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Apr 27, 2024
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Paperback
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067429033X
| 9780674290334
| 067429033X
| 4.50
| 48
| unknown
| Nov 21, 2023
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it was amazing
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This book was so impressively argued and quite literally astounding at points in the way it explains the difference between factual belief and religio
This book was so impressively argued and quite literally astounding at points in the way it explains the difference between factual belief and religious belief. Dense but deserves to be carefully read and contemplated. Quite a powerful theoretical exploration with hugely explanatory potential.
...more
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Mar 31, 2024
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Apr 07, 2024
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Mar 25, 2024
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Hardcover
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196147106X
| 9781961471061
| 196147106X
| 4.43
| 7
| unknown
| Mar 03, 2024
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really liked it
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This review was written for the Association for Mormon Letters. https://tinyurl.com/Packreview Aotearoa New Zealand, where I live, recently had an elect This review was written for the Association for Mormon Letters. https://tinyurl.com/Packreview Aotearoa New Zealand, where I live, recently had an election. The Prime Minister, a former Air New Zealand CEO, has recently come under fire for claiming a $52,000 annual payment (on top of his $471,000 salary) to cover the costs of staying in Wellington, the country’s capital city. The payment was instituted as a way of defraying the cost for politicians who do not normally reside in Wellington, but have to be there frequently on official government business. The Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon, however, already owns his apartment in Wellington mortgage free (one of seven properties), and many people indicated their disapproval that he would claim this benefit when his government is slashing public funding, including welfare services, and seriously considering eliminating a free school lunch program nationwide. Luxon’s initial response to the outcry over him accepting the payment (he was the first Prime Minister in over 30 years to do so but eventually relented) was, “I’m entitled to it”. The flipside of this question, then, is, whether those who are about to lose their school lunches (many of whom are food insecure) are any less “entitled” to them. In Meritocracy Mingled with Scripture, author Justin Pack attempts to answer this question and others like it. For Pack, the question is not whether those who have wealth are entitled to it, or whether those who are poor deserve their lot in life, but whether it makes sense to even frame the question in this way. In true philosopher fashion, Pack attempts to redefine the terms of the debate. His writing is so accessible and his tone so conversational that it may be lost on some readers just how radical of a project Pack attempts here. This is a wonderfully subversive book that questions the very foundations of Western society as we know and accept it, including our understanding and interpretation of the Bible and other scripture. It argues convincingly that Western Christianity, including the LDS tradition, has fundamentally misunderstood the gospel of Jesus Christ. The catastrophic consequences of this misunderstanding are evident in the dire circumstances of the poor and exploited throughout the world. Not that Pack minces words. His preface states that the book is “for all those that are concerned about the immoral results of neoliberal political policy around the world” “We are in the midst of an environmental crisis that threatens not only humans, but our planet and all the other non-human peoples we share it with. Modern consumer capitalism is deeply inhumane, and the cities and communities we have constructed are moral failures based on massive exploitation and alienation. And yet, many think this is the peak of human progress” (vii). The book begins with this broadside against modern political and economic systems. One might expect Pack to then go on to enumerate the litany of ways that neoliberal (he thankfully uses the term repeatedly throughout the book) policy has ruined society and our world, but he has a more transgressive agenda than merely engaging in a polemic against capitalism. His Introduction begins with a discussion of the current polarized political environment in the US, how many members of the LDS church wish that “things weren’t so political” (1), because politics is keeping people from living the simple gospel. The problem seems to be that nowadays, Republicans and Democrats are always at one another’s throats. For many members, the issue is lack of tolerance of different opinions, not the content or harmful consequences of different political positions or ideologies. For Pack, on the other hand, not only is the goal of getting politics out of religion not desirable, it is simply not possible. He notes that “everything is political” (1) and here is the crux of his argument. It is simply not possible for us, as humans with varied social, political, and economic backgrounds, to not bring something of the political to bear on our understandings of the world, including importantly, our understanding of our own religious tradition. Thus, trying to extricate the “pure” gospel from the political is not possible, and Pack’s goal is to demonstrate how one particular political ideology has colored the entire Western worldview in a way that not only obscures, but is antithetical to the message of the gospel. The underlying political ideology responsible for this distortion is meritocracy. Pack defines this as “a unifying vision of how the world ought to be and, for many, how it is. It is the idea that hard work should (and does) lead to success. It is the idea that a society should be shaped by merit (who performs best) and not by birthright or cronyism. It is the claim that there are always opportunities for those who are willing to grab them and work for them”. (6) For many of us, this view of society seems obvious. It is, in many ways, the water we swim in in this world and helps us to make some sense of the good and bad we see all around us. Returning to the opening example, surely ascending to the upper ranks of corporate and government power is proof of individual merit. Likewise, being reliant on government handouts is evidence that you’re just not working hard enough. Indeed, some are arguing for the justice of cutting school lunch because it provides the (obviously lazy) parents of school children incentive to work harder. Yet Pack shows, in dialogue with scripture, philosophers, theologians, anthropologists, and sociologists, that meritocracy is not reality, that there is no way to guarantee equitable outcomes based on merit, that merit and the worship of work itself is a flawed concept, that the enshrinement of individualism during the Enlightenment over against Christian morality directly led to meritocratic thinking, and that meritocracy fundamentally corrupts relationships and undermines the notion of grace. All of this, he claims, makes meritocracy fundamentally incompatible with Christianity, and in particular that “meritocracy and the gospel cannot coexist. Their fundamental differences mean that not only can we not hold both in our hearts, but also that meritocracy will inevitably crowd out and warp the gospel into something unrecognizable. As such, meritocracy must be rejected, and we must recover the ideals of grace and care” (8). Remarkably, he does all of this in a complete and accessible manner in a brief four chapters and 118 pages. It must be emphasized again just how significant Pack’s arguments are here. There have been many in the past who have argued for the injustice of capitalist political and economic systems that depend on exploitation of the poor and marginalized. There have been many who have noted the explicit focus of the prophets in the Hebrew Scriptures on justice and equity. There have been many arguments against consumerism, most notably in an LDS context from Hugh Nibley. There has been plenty of discussion of the Law of Consecration and the economic communism (Pack calls it Christian communism) practiced by the Nephites in the Book of Mormon and the early Christians in the book of Acts. He touches on all of these issues. But Pack is going one step further here. He is not arguing, as many so-called liberals do nowadays, for a leveling of the playing field, an equitable distribution of opportunity to demonstrate and be rewarded for our individual merit. He’s throwing out the playing field altogether. His argument is not that the rich haven’t earned their wealth, it is that the wealth of the rich depends on the exploitation of the poor and that “Evil exists because of inequality” (36). For those who are well-versed in some of these areas, the discussions of sociological, anthropological, theological, and philosophical arguments for and against meritocracy will be familiar. For those who aren’t, these chapters provide a cohesive whirlwind tour of these ideas. The footnotes and references will give those interested more than enough sources to go to in order to learn and explore more. For an LDS audience, Pack’s unique contributions to scriptural and doctrinal interpretation will be most impactful. Particularly insightful in this regard is his discussion of Korihor the anti-Christ. Pack’s reading is that Korihor’s primary concern “is that the Christian demands to care for each other function in opposition to what he takes to be a fundamental truth: “every man fare[s] in this life according to the management of the creature; therefore every man prosper[s] according to his genius, and that every man conquer[s] according to his strength” (Alma 30:17)” (59-60). Thus, Korihor’s main gripe with Christ is that He and God are wielded as a threat by the religious authorities to compel the people to live in Christian communism in fear of judgment in the next life as opposed to being able to enjoy their possessions and property by themselves. Pack quite accurately notes that all discussions of Korihor in the Church typically place his sin in denying Christ, while they fail to realize that his main concern is his “libertarian claims” (60). In other words, Christ is just an obstacle to property and individual freedom, not Korihor’s focus. Another of Pack’s insights is his critique of what he calls “the moral ideal of self-reliance” (84). He notes that despite being entrenched in LDS gospel culture, the concept is not mentioned in the Bible or Book of Mormon and is fundamentally tied to modern meritocratic ideals. In the ancient world, independence was a liability and being reliant on others served as protection and security. The usage of the term self-reliance in General Conference peaks in the 1980s, the decade in which neoliberal social and economic movements became entrenched in the Western world. This section is the closest Pack comes to an explicit critique of the Church’s position and teaching, quoting the Gospel Principles manual’s assertion that “work is an eternal principle” and Marion G. Romney’s statement, quoted later by Thomas S. Monson: “Let us be self-reliant and independent. Salvation can be obtained on no other principle” (88). Pack’s criticism is tempered, however, by a genuine confusion as to how this statement and position even makes sense in light of his previous discussion. It is a credit to his deft approach and careful handling of his material that the reader can’t help but share in his confusion. Overall, Meritocracy Mingled with Scripture provides a sorely-needed and incredibly thoughtful and insightful treatment of a topic that cuts to the heart of contemporary Christian discipleship, in broader Christian communities and with particular relevance to the LDS community, who have a uniquely strong attachment to a meritocratic worldview. The book is full of insight and rewards careful and repeat reading. I hope it finds a wide audience and that we can begin to grapple with the insidious effects of this harmful and pervasive ideology on our own faith tradition. Pack’s careful and persuasively argued treatment provides an excellent starting point. ...more |
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0199859574
| 9780199859573
| 0199859574
| 3.47
| 112
| Dec 08, 2011
| Feb 20, 2012
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did not like it
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This book is absurd. It could be satire it’s so blatant in its propaganda. It unironically quotes Thatcher and lavishes praise on Reagan. It claims wi
This book is absurd. It could be satire it’s so blatant in its propaganda. It unironically quotes Thatcher and lavishes praise on Reagan. It claims with a straight face that the time of the “Pax Americana” (seriously, that’s what he calls it) since WWII was a time of global prosperity when the US benevolently watched over the world at great cost to itself and that the reason why people are now disallusioned with American imperialism is because living standards were raised so much people have time to complain. Ungrateful countries! He repeats ad nauseum Kant’s rule, which is that some people are good and some bad so the problem is never systemic and anyway capitalism is the only system that guarantees freedom because John Locke and Friederich Hayek said so. He holds up Pinochet’s brutal free market reforms, which he admits were implemented in a problematic way during a “painful transition” as a success story. No matter that they drove 50% of Chile into poverty and killed tens of thousands of people. Throughout he provides examples of successful economic growth which care nothing for the lives of real people, at one point stating sincerely that when NAFTA was signed, “The United States benefited from lower prices on consumer goods, but those who lost jobs for whatever reason” blamed the trade arrangements and “those who are injured do not choose to sacrifice for the common good”. It goes on and on. The financial crisis was caused by “mistakes” made by bankers and government regulators. The US gives less foreign aid than other countries but it’s okay because they’re all corrupt anyway, nevermind that many have had their governments overthrown by the US and the corrupt dictators handpicked and installed according to US corporate interests. The callous disregard for real people and not economic abstractions drips from every page. His main conclusion seems to be that corruption happens anyway so why not just go with a system that guarantees growth and freedom? Because, after all, “Capitalism disburses power and limits corruption.” Seriously, that’s the last line of the book. It’s actually amazing that this book was published by Oxford, it’s nothing more than free-market propaganda that comes from right-wing think tanks. Maybe he had a book deal because of his position as a presidential economic advisor… to Reagan. ...more |
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1631494864
| 9781631494864
| 1631494864
| 4.18
| 1,020
| Feb 25, 2020
| Feb 25, 2020
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it was amazing
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Park uses extensive primary sources (letters, journal entries, minutes of meetings) to reconstruct the Nauvoo period in Mormon history. This book make
Park uses extensive primary sources (letters, journal entries, minutes of meetings) to reconstruct the Nauvoo period in Mormon history. This book makes use of material that was made available to scholars by the church within the last couple decades. The picture that emerges is one of a struggle between Smith's belief that Mormonism was God's kingdom restored to earth, and the practicalities of implementing such a kingdom within Jacksonian America. Mormons used their political power to achieve their methods, and when it didn't work, they disavowed the American democratic experiment as a failed and demonic enterprise. Their attitudes were deeply forged by their experience in Missouri and the expulsion. After this, they were ever wary of trusting any political alliances or relying on government help, even though they pursued both relentlessly. Another thing that the book brings in sharp relief is the centrality of Joseph Smith's polygamy to the entire religious enterprise. Smith began to engage in covert polygamy early, and continued to do so throughout the Nauvoo period, always trying to cover his tracks and stop knowledge of his practice getting out. He formulated and engineered ordinances around polygamy as a guarantee of salvation and endurance of marital bonds in the afterlife. His first mention of the sealing of living to dead spouses came as a way to pressure others to participate in polygamy and he used the promise of salvation (or damnation) as leverage in convincing others to adopt the practice. This, for Joseph, was a way of implementing a patriarchal order which hearkened back to the Old Testament patriarchs. For Smith, this patriarchal order was the only way to maintain order and ensure morality in the world, and he was obsessed with priesthood authority and hierarchy. In the end, polygamy proved his downfall, as the people that soured on his prophetic calling did so almost uniformly as a result of his clandestine participation in polygamy. This eventually led to his murder at Carthage and the expulsion of the Mormons from Illinois. Polygamy, as well as the suspect use of the Nauvoo legal system and singular political power Smith wielded over his followers, eventually proved too much for their gentile neighbors to stomach. The book is a crucial dissection of the intersection between faith, politics, and society, a case study in early American religion, and a cautionary tale about the consequences of unchecked power and religious zeal. ...more |
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it was amazing
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it was amazing
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really liked it
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3.47
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4.18
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it was amazing
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