And to all a good night…

By Bruce Cameron

Ever had one of those nights when you just can’t sleep, your mind agitated about something? As an x-Mormon, I was very willing to believe the rumor that they were a major contributor to the “Yes” vote on Proposition 102 so I thought I would check it out.

The Observer provided the links to the Secretary of State’s web site and I soon found myself reading a list of “Who’s who” of Mormon culture. A former bishop who now lives in California, $10,000, people who were once friends a $1000 here, $500 there, but wait! A $5000 donation caught my attention. Isn’t this the wife of my dentist! My Mormon dentist was one of the few things I did not jettison when I left the church, we were able to keep things on a professional level these last 10 years.

Maybe it was somebody else. An address was listed, so I looked up my dentist in the Dex white pages. While his office was listed, nothing for a residence, but wait, his son, with whom he practices, is listed and lives just a house or two away in this semi-exclusive neighborhood. The plot thickens, off to county property records I go, and BINGO, my dentist and his wife own the property.

Now, what to do? At the end of a sleepless night, I was at peace. The next morning I fired my dentist of the last 30 years. Poor receptionist, she was new, “Tell him I cannot patronize someone who has declared war on my civil rights.” That felt good.

You would think Mormons would know better, after all they gave us polygamy, which they have never renounced as the will of God, but agreed to “suspend” its practice for the living. They still do it for the dead. “The dead” you say. This is what Mormon temples are all about. They believe God only recognizes marriages performed in their temples by their priesthood. That’s right, these slick “Yes on 102” ads didn’t mention that God does not recognize 99.99999 % of marriages performed on his planet anyway. When you are dead, they are going to fix that for you and baptize and marry you in the Mormon temple. This is why they are the biggest genealogy operation around. This is their prime directive.

In the temple, Mormons also covenant with their church to give everything they possess, “…to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints for the building up of the kingdom of God on the earth.” In the 1800’s members actually deeded everything they owned to the church. They don’t do that now, but they still make the covenant, and when leaders get up in Priesthood meeting (men), Relief Society (women) and Sacrament meeting (general membership) and say “Give….” the money flows. So this donation list is no surprise.

Me against the Mormon church, David vs Goliath. Nevertheless a practical application of a principle I taught for so many years in Seminary (youth) and Gospel Doctrine class (adults): “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Well, they have done unto me, now it is my turn.

And to all a good night.

(Bruce Cameron is an eLearning Curriculum developer from Tucson, Arizona)