The following was originally posted as a response to newcomer:

http://exmormon.org/phorum/read.php?2,393051




Mormons are not the only ones who'll vote along tribal lines. Democrats and Republicans, progressives liberals independents conservatives and libertarians, will do the same on election day. (I doubt that Independents are as independent as they are made out to be.)

You wrote:

"My mormon coworker (gay, closeted, married, etc.) is finally admitting that he likes Romney only because he's mormon."

And elsewhere this is true, too:

"My democratic coworker (anti-war, anti-1%, pro-civil liberties, etc.) is finally admitting he likes Obama only because he's a Democrat [and not a Republican]."



As ex-mormons we see the limitations and abuses of the tribalism of which we once belonged. As ex-mormons the next step is to see how tribalism on a larger scale, in politics say, is even more limiting and abusive. As ex-mormons we have an advantage over many of our fellow citizens precisely because we once belonged to a tribe and then left the tribe. We can see tribalism for what it is.

One of the most dangerous tribes in America is the MSM, not the least of which because of the bifurcated political narrative they subject Americans to. Bob Somerby at The Daily Howler has selflessly documented their tribal antics, at the peril of 'truth justice and the american way', since 1998:

http://dailyhowler.blogspot.com/

The incomparable archives:

http://www.dailyhowler.com/

Bob Somerby has done for the critique of the Mainstream Media (MSM) what Richard Packham has done for the critique of Mormonism.



A recent example of media tribalism came at the expense of Glenn Greenwald (nothing new) and this entry at Salon.com:

http://www.salon.com/2011/12/31/progressives_and_the_ron_paul_fallacies/singleton/

Greenwald discusses the tribal imperative that came after him here:

http://www.salon.com/2012/01/05/democratic_party_priorities/singleton/

and here:

http://www.salon.com/2012/01/08/the_evils_of_indefinite_detention_and_those_wanting_to_de_prioritze_them/singleton/

Bob Somerby draws attention to the MSM tribal attacks on Greenwald and says this:

"…we strongly recommend Greenwald’s recent struggles concerning this topic. The call of the tribe is very strong. Indeed, it’s one of the strongest of all pre-human imperatives."

http://dailyhowler.blogspot.com/2012/01/glenn-greenwald-call-of-tribe.html



There's an important 'recovery from mormonism' aspect to all of this. Since it is overwhelmingly human to want to belong somewhere, the temptation to jump from the tribe of mormonism to yet another tribe is at the very least clear and present. But we don't have to. We can use the same skills that got us out of the mormon tribe to spot and assess the various other tribes that are out there and the apologists who advocate for them. I'm not saying that since we left the mormon tribe we must therefore go through the rest of our life tribe-less. No. But we can and should be weary of the various tribes that want our attention etc., and we can and should be more aware of the shortcomings etc. of the tribes in which we do belong.

Human

Mormons use the tribal thing Directly as applied "You are adopted into the tribe of (X) when you're baptized into ChurchCo"

(official sources?)

@Guynoir, most of my Jewish friends get a big kick out of that. A few just get pissed off.

It seems to me that "tribalism" requires two things: (1) a group (i.e. tribe) that identifies itself with a clearly defined ideology; and (2) individuals who identify themselves with an clearly identified "tribal" group.

You cannot create your own "tribes" by abstraction; i.e. by defining an ideology in the abstract, and then pigeon-holing people within that ideology to lay a context for criticism.

Mormonism is clearly a tribe, because it has a well-defined ideology and involves individuals you subscribe to that ideology. On the other hand, there is no "Mainstream Media" tribe, since it is an abstraction with no self-defined ideology, and there are no persons who subscribe to an ideology associated with this designation.

Thus, even though we should be wary of real tribes attempting to recruit us to their ideology, we cannot and should not, of course, refrain from taking reasoned positions just because someone might attempt to pigeon-hole us into some rhetorically defined and motivated "tribal" designation, or just because a large (or small) group of people share our views.

Triangulation

Henry, I agree with you. (I was being a little sly.) Yes, the MSM is not a tribe per se. But in order to avoid blatantly breaking board rules, I had to avoid directly referencing the two tribes of which the MSM (as a collection of individuals) largely serves. It is foolish (which is my point) to believe the MSM serves *us*.

What I appreciate most about Bob Somerby is that he clearly belongs to one tribe and yet consistently critiques his own with valid and acute criticism. This is unlike many at MSNBC or FOX, say. What I appreciate about Glenn Greenwald is that he is tribe-less.

(In truth, I wish very much that the MSM were a tribe unto themselves, something along the lines of a Burkean Fifth Estate. Alas.)

Human

(And it should be noted that Somerby's continuous use of the word "tribe" is more colloquial than it is strictly sociological.)

HB: ya, I agree with what you're saying.

Don't (most, all) tribes have rituals that members use as identification/reinforcement? ChurchCo certainly does!

This is my definition of why I use the: Tribe for Mormonism and why it is hard to leave it on many levels.

Mormonism, in my long experience and observation is more accurately described as a two century, predominately American, patriarchal-line of authority, generational, cultural, societal religious tribe with it's own sacred clothing, music, and language, architecture. The word: tribe is used in their lexicon. (As an adult convert, I was considered an adopted member of the tribe. )

Considering how tribes universally manifest, it is, in my view, the best way to understand how Mormonism creates a whole paradigm for the individual in a typically generational, patriarchal, familial, societal, religious context aka tribe complete with it's own unique rituals/ordinances, music, and language including special garments (underwear) to be worn day and night. It's their heritage. It's core is the Eternal Family. Disruption of that core provides the opportunity for mild to extreme measures for those that leave and no longer fit in the Eternal Family as they define it.
The various religions of the world have, throughout history, defined the specific rituals of each religious heritage-tribe. It's common for each one to place great importance on those rituals as the only correct way to perform the traditions and please their Gods: deities/savior, etc. Throughout the history of humanity, human beings have very often been instilled with the necessity of pleasing God and the horrific error and consequence of displeasing God.

If the traditions/beliefs, etc. don't appeal to a member of the group/tribe, for any number of reasons, and leaving becomes necessary, it is often met with hostility as the customs/rituals of the religious tribe have been rejected which is seen as a betrayal, and the prior member could be seen as an enemy as we see in religious wars. Not all religions take such a strong stand as many LDS believers do, but to some degree, those that leave their heritage/religious tribe will be often have a lot of difficulty retaining any kind of cohesive relationship with the believers.


More on why the term: Tribe as part of the lexicon and doctrine of the LDS Church,why it is hard to leave it.


When leaving the LDS Church, we are, in deed, leaving our tribe. As believers, the member was told, through their Patriarchal Blessings that (for the most part) the member "is of the house of Israel—a descendant of Abraham, belonging to a specific tribe of Jacob. Many Latter-day Saints are of the tribe of Ephraim, the tribe given the primary responsibility to lead the latter-day work of the Lord."

This is an integral core doctrine as part of their claim that they are a Restoration Church with the keys to act in the name of Jesus Christ.

REFERNCE:
Patriarchal blessings are given to worthy members of the Church by ordained patriarchs. Patriarchal blessings include a declaration of a person's lineage in the house of Israel and contain personal counsel from the Lord. As a person studies his or her patriarchal blessing and follows the counsel it contains, it will provide guidance, comfort, and protection

Declaration of Lineage

A patriarchal blessing includes a declaration of lineage, stating that the person is of the house of Israel—a descendant of Abraham, belonging to a specific tribe of Jacob. Many Latter-day Saints are of the tribe of Ephraim, the tribe given the primary responsibility to lead the latter-day work of the Lord.

Because each of us has many bloodlines running in us, two members of the same family may be declared as being of different tribes in Israel.

It does not matter if a person's lineage in the house of Israel is through bloodlines or by adoption. Church members are counted as a descendant of Abraham and an heir to all the promises and blessings contained in the Abrahamic covenant."


Reference on lds. org