I like her portraits, and I can see them being very popular with young women. I wish I thought some of those young women would be prompted to think. I fear they will just see this as a sign the church is expanding its respect for women.
What bothered me was reading about how surprised this woman artist was that the history had been less than honest and how it bothered her when the essay came out.
Then, her justification and rationalization apparently kicked in and ~presto~ it was just fine that JS was screwing all those women.
They must have been nice women! I'll paint their pictures!
For the life of me, I don't understand how that does not raise a red flag for her. The ability to excuse anything to justify beliefs is just astounding.
I had the opportunity to (over) hear this artist discuss her work with many people at Sunstone. My impression was that the work was intended to bring these ignored and denied women out of the dark and replace them back into Mormon history, to reclaim them. She did not seem at all brain dead, and I don't recall her ever defending JS. I'm fairly certain that she recognized the red flags. She seemed really down to earth, and my guess is that if you contact her, she would be happy to discuss the work with you.
Reclaiming the female conquests of JS is fine and good, but unfortunately I suspect the church will "claim" them in the context of being faithful women instead of brainwashed manipulated women. This is how they portray BY's wives when they have the spine to discuss them.
The problem is that this issue SHOULD send loud alarms about how JS worked people and used "God" to do anything he wanted.
I have no doubt that instead of bringing his credibility to light, they will focus on just how blessed these women were to hook up with the creep.
> "These women are what's good and right about > Mormonism."
All righty then, in the past young MORmONS were encouraged to memorize the articles of faith and /or the names of the past prophets of the church and /or the names of the 12 MORmON apostles/ ASSpostHOLES, since these "women are what's good and right about MORmONISM ", then will young MORmONS be encouraged to memorize their names .......... for some reason I am !!!!
I think that people should write to the LD$ Inc first presidency suggesting an official MORmON Church program encouraging Young MORmON members to memorize the names of these women!
I wouldn't be surprised if someone makes a d@mn wall calendar using these drawings and Mormons will buy them like hotcakes. Imagine the LDS wives of JS kitsch they will invent. JS wife charm bracelets. JS wife cookie cutters. You know how they are!
I can see the RS meetings now.... "Today we are going to talk about wife #15 and all the trials she had. She had such a strong testimony! JS loved his family sooo much. He helped and loved these women, blah blah."
The brain dead sheepy women who attend will go along with it, just like this artist. Go figure!
Awesome. These woman along with other polygamist wives, made bigger sacrifices to the Mormon church than any one else. And what thanks do they get? The Mormon church tries to deny they ever existed or now that they finally acknowledge them, they are downplayed. I'm glad to see this. These women need to be front and center of any history of the church.
Joseph Smith was a fascinating character. I continue to study everything I can get about him. The more I examine his character, the more he resembles the classic cult leader! Sex, power and money. The guy was a classic. It's a certain personality who achieves success at his designs. And they always go over the top, and end up killed or imprisoned.
The woman who paints these is no longer a TBM, and certainly isn't creating faith promoting art. She's been featured at Sunstone and mormon feminist meetings.
Sunstone and Mormon feminist meetings? Wow, what a rebel.
Sunstone was where I went to get spin and apologetics as a Mormon. I thought I was such a badass!
The original article says finding out didn't shake her faith. So, sounds like she is maybe slow on the uptake too? Good for her though.
That said, no matter what she intends, the true believers will find a way to justify it. Heck, they can make a Mormon inspirational story out of any picture.
She is a subversive … introducing a very unpalatable lesson in sugar coating. Lots of TBM women and girls have viewed these and thought "Oh sh_t?" Just because someone does not act like you don't assume they are worthy of ridicule.