An Insubstantial Blog

This blog would not be complete if I didn't share my reading as it's the other thing I spend way too much time doing. Hell, look at all the books all over this webpage! Unfortunately, I've been trying to finish this monster of a book called London: A Biography. So, with 100 pages left to go in that, I said screw it and finished another book for the time being.

Jon Krakauer is perhaps best known for the book, Into the Wild, which I was unwillingly forced to read my junior year of high school. When I picked up the Banner of Heaven, I somehow didn't notice the "author of" on the cover. Which is good, as I wouldn't have picked it up.

Into the Wild was one big ego trip for Krakauer. He just couldn't stick to the damn subject. He kept getting all mushy and metaphorical and deep and autobiographical. Worst of all, he used really long words that were both unnecessary and made him look like a huge jackass. And honestly, I just didn't care about the story. Some guy was stupid, wandered into Alaska, and holy shit! He froze to death! Or something... I didn't think the guy's story was deep. I don't think his living in the wilderness alone taught me any life lessons except that you shouldn't go live in the wilderness or you'll be eaten by a bear.

BUT, I digress. Speaking of digressing, digression saved Under the Banner of Heaven. Faced with another relatively dull thesis, Krakauer refusal to actually spend time proving the thesis made it a fascinating read! He wanted to investigate the murder of Brenda and Erica Lafferty. They were killed by the Lafferty brothers. Let's sum them up. Mormon Fundamentalists, talked to God a little too much, God said I love violent killing in my name, so they did it. It's not interesting. Fundamentalist psychos thinking they are THE ONE who go off the deep end and kill some people. It's in every religion.

However, along the way, you also get a short yet fairly comprehensive understanding of the basis of Mormon religion, major historical events about the rise of it, Joseph Smith's psycho tendencies, and even the modern state of the Mormon and Fundamentalist Mormon churches. Before this, my knowledge of Mormons was consigned to the fact that they all lived in Utah and generally did not participate in any activities that I would consider amusing i.e. sex, drugs, rock n' roll, heathenism etc. In fact, despite the rampant Republicanism, they were fine upstanding individuals.

Obviously, they are still fine upstanding individuals. But I'm just going to be perfectly honest here. The basis of this religion is entirely ridiculous. As pointed out, it's easier to say that when it only happened 150 years ago because you are like, damn, that's totally not plausible. I'm sure people 50 years after Jesus' death were like...wait, you think that weird preacher dude just came back from the dead? Hilarious! Regardless, Joseph Smith...odd man.

What really surprised me, which omg TIES INTO THE THESIS that was entirely forgotten about on page 2, was that, despite their do good image today, their ancestors were some nasty people. It's quite amazing that the religion has turn out to be less like the Lafferty brother story that it centers upon. Cause Joseph Smith and his followers just loved fucking people over! Killing Americans, blaming it on the Indians, then Americans kill the Indians (cause we,um, never did that before), then the Mormons almost incite Civil War. And all this shit without the aid of drugs and alcohol! Incredible!

Anyways, enlightening book for those who think Mormons are just some weird sect of Christians that ended up in Utah, because you actually learn how and why they are there and what they actually believe in. And sure, I think it's some crazy shit to believe in but then again, I don't think Jesus was the son of God, so maybe I'm the crazy one. Although, I must say tsk tsk on the racial, homosexuality stuff. Seriously, you can't just knock the gay or the black outta people. But that's another story...