Is it possible that assigning members to a tribe of Israel during a patriarchal blessing is another way of altering your identity?

Isn't this a cult behavior?

What else does the Mormon church do to redefine identity for its members?

Creepy...

How about the new names given in the temple?

Other examples?

I wonder if anyone has ever tried to assert their Right of Return [to the present nation of Israel] by citing their Jewish tribal affiliation, contained in a Mormon patriarchal blessing?

:D

Good one Tevai.

:o)

Let's see.....

Telling you what you can wear, eat, drink, read, think, believe, say

All of these, and more, define what kind of person it is "blessed" to be just as receiving a new name from the temple and what tribe of Israel you hail from.

The Mormoncult's aim is to strip member of individuality. Conformity is for sure the expectation and rule, even if by some chance it isn't written down some place.

The result is clay images of look-alikes, think alikes, believe alikes, etc. etc. etc.

And I so agree that it is tribal nonsense, and I will add, monotonous, ridiculous, heartless, and EVEN cruel.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 02/04/2019 01:37AM by presleynfactsrock.

I never thought about it quite like this but yes there are many ways in which the cult tries to alter our identities. We feel part of the tribe when we wear similar underwear, wear white shirts and suits, modest dresses, don't drink alcohol or do drugs or smoke. Even the way we speak and the choice of words we use....all so creepy....
I met a young mother at our local school and one of my friends was astounded that I could tell she was Mormon by the way she spoke.

Can you be assigned to a native American tribe and be able to share in the casino profits?

tumwater Wrote:
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> Can you be assigned to a native American tribe and
> be able to share in the casino profits?


I know this is meant in jest, but the problem is real: what about those who do truly have biological ancestry in the Native American tribes who now have casino earnings?

In California, sixty-two Native American tribes own casinos. (California has the second-largest Native American population in the US). [*] (See update below.)

As I understand the general situation, any individual who has or acquires tribal status (a matter which is up to each tribe to determine for themselves) becomes a recipient of their individual share of the profits earned by that tribe's casino(s).

One of the things I remember from taking real estate school classes in Palm Springs was the incredible, shining, good health of all of the Native Americans in our classes. Their skin looked wonderful in every way, their hair was thick and had very deep color and perfect texture, and their grooming (manicures, etc.) was like you usually see on magazine covers. Even when dressed in the usual Levis and flannel shirts, and boots, and long hair for both genders (this was Palm Springs, after all), they looked INCREDIBLE!! (No film company costumer or makeup artist could have done any better than what was their normal, daily, "look.")

I learned something important from those classes that had nothing to do with real estate: When you invest in your health, you're likely to look REALLY good!!

They were in the "right" place, they had ready access to the "right" professionals of all kinds (Palm Springs is a mecca of medical specialists, etc. who cater to affluent patients), and had more-than-sufficient financial resources to take full advantage of what their tribal affiliations provided.

In other areas of the state, this probably wouldn't be quite so obviously true, but in Palm Springs (and in real estate law and real estate practice classes in particular), it was really obvious--especially to those of us who did not have tribal affiliations.

[*] UPDATE: California USED TO BE the state with the second highest population of Native Americans, but is now first in the number of Native Americans....and Oklahoma is now second in the number of Native American residents.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/05/2019 03:25AM by Tevai.

I think the original purpose of the tribe thing (and the temple thing, and the priesthood thing) was to make a bunch of people from lower social strata feel extra special, make them feel superior to the people who looked down at them.

olderelder Wrote:
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> I think the original purpose of the tribe thing
> (and the temple thing, and the priesthood thing)
> was to make a bunch of people from lower social
> strata feel extra special, make them feel superior
> to the people who looked down at them.

I agree.

My view is a little different: not incompatible, but slightly different in emphasis.

The last chapter of Genesis has blessings given by Jacob, the patriarch, to each of the tribal leaders, blessings that were to follow blood lines. Given that JS and the others put heavy emphasis on the Mormons' and Lehites' tribal origins, replicating the patriarchal blessings not only people's revealed supposed origins but also put Mormonism square in the Hebrew tradition. Joseph Smith, Sr. was a patriarch just like Jacob had been.

The Hebrew parallelism conferred legitimacy on Mormonism. It did the things you describe, too, but my hunch is that JS saw it more as the restoration of the ancient order.

I agree with you, too, Lot's Wife.

Everything worked together to further the church's early goals.

I imagine there were several gullible Mormons who heard one of numerous talks by past Mormon "prophets" who encouraged them to take pride in their identity as Mormons...Mormon boys, Mormon girls. Being a "Mormon" was important. Making sure that you brought honor to the "Mormon" identification was of the greatest importance.

As Monson once proudly recited in one of his GC talks:

"A Mormon boy, a Mormon boy,

I am a Mormon boy.

I might be envied by a king,

For I am a Mormon boy."

Now, just a few years later, the new "prophet" has condemned any and all who would identify themselves as "Mormons". It's a nickname that should be avoided because to identify oneself as a Mormon is to show grave and fundamental disrespect to Jesus, even the very Christ!

The cog-dis in some of the Mormons must be like having a smoke alarm constantly beeping in the background, without rest or respite...and still they'll do their best to pretend not to notice that their most recent prophets have given them "counsel" and advice that are complete polar opposites.

What an amazing church!

Since before we were married, my wife would go on and on about how special Mormons were, including in the workforce. She would tell me how Mormon teens were sought out as employees because of the Mormon reputation for honesty, hard work, responsibility, compassion, etc.

In the six years we've been married, my wife has had number of jobs; some part-time, some temporary, and usually overseeing other employees. Most of the jobs had at least one Mormon as a co-worker. She is currently a manager with a half-dozen direct report, and half of them being Mormon.

The co-workers and employees she complains the most about are Mormons. Her most frequent frustrations are condescension, arrogance, judgmental attitudes, cutting corners, laziness, talking back to the boss, talking down to customers, pettiness, and those are just the immediate things I can remember her saying about her fellow Mormon tribe members.

I pointed out the disparity between the special Mormon reputation she brags about and the reality she complains about. She said that Mormons are just like everybody else.

"So, Mormons aren't so special after all," I observed, and braced myself for the fireworks I was sure would follow for I had spoken without considering the consequences. The fireworks never happened, and she actually just quietly nodded in agreement.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/05/2019 01:32PM by GregS.