The Mormons now have my undivided attention.

[yardwork]

I plan to make learning all about the Mormons my next major hobby. I will also be learning even more about Christian fundamentalists, the Catholic Church, and Orthodox Jews. Once I acquire this knowledge, I'll be putting it to work.

For starters, I'm focused on the question of tax exemption for institutions that invest heavily in partisan politics. My donations to DU and Barack Obama's campaign were not tax deductible. I don't think that donations to the Mormon Church and their partisan brethren should be tax deductible either.

The Mormons and their fundamentalist brethren have seen fit to take away my human rights. I'll be taking a good close look at their legal rights now too.

2004 was a life-changing election for me. So is the 2008 election. :)

[QueenOfCalifornia]

1. Good on you

They have billions of dollars and still tax exempt - they certainly preach their hate.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

2. I say we blame the Joos.

This all started with the Old Testament.

[cliffordu]

3. What did Chew-Bacca do to you, really.

I like the big guy.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

4. Oh, don't get me started on the Wookies.

God damn racist filth. They should be purged from the planet Kashyyyk.

[cliffordu]

9. Give me a well oiled 'Droid any day of the week.

Hubba Hubba....

[Fire Walk With Me]

14. No no, you're thinking of the Ewoks, which is sort of a Wookie anagram.

They're the ones who should be blamed and eradicated. Else who's going to pull the arms off of droids?

[The Night Owl]

5. A good place to start your research at...

http://www.talk2action.org/

[yardwork]

6. Thank you!

[CPschem]

7. Read Jon Krakauer's excellent book

"Under the Banner of Heaven"

[yardwork]

8. I did read that. Very eye opening.

[Johonny]

12. great (scary) book

[Kitsune]

26. Required reading. Also Carolyn Jessop's "Escape" *nt*

[juno jones]

10. As far as non-mormon fundies go

Here's a starter concerning the moosekiller's ties to a dangerous cult:

"Seven Mountains" and the "Joel's Army" plan for takeover -on Daily Kos:

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/10/7/165650/170

Happy Hunting! And please post any good dirt you find on LDS!

PS It was posted above, but here's another rec for 'Under the Banner of Heaven'

[Neurotica]

11. Don't forget publiceye.org for good info on the religious right & dominionism

The most important thing to know about these movements is that the people behind them are well-connected and wealthy. They have funded numerous groups that portray themselves as "grassroots." In reality, most are just part of the same pyramid.

Also, they recognized several decades ago that the key was to create a pipeline to funnel people from local government positions to state and national levels. They have been very successful in doing so. In fact, Michael Farris founded Patrick Henry College in Purcellville, VA to help get students (largely homeschooled) with biblical worldviews into government. Current and former Patrick Henry students serve as aides and assistants to local officials nearby -- their first steps in this progression.

[yardwork]

22. I know that Dominionists owned the touch screen voting machines.

[juno jones]

28. Thank you!

I have not been there before, I will check it out.

[BrotherBuzz]

13. Here's a challenge to go with your study:

I dare you to find a black man over fifty years of age who was a member of a Boy Scout troop housed in a Mormon church. Or even better yet, try and find any man over fifty who was a Boy Scout in a troop hosted by a Mormon church and knew a African American member of his troop.

[lilsourgoose]

15. Utah Lighthouse MInistry

These guys are the #1 anti-Mormon resource out there. They are Christians (I'm not), and ex-Mormons themselves, but they offer dozens of extremely well-researched, scholarly but extremely readable books detailing corruption throughout Mormon history, from the beginning to the present.

http://www.utlm.org/navonlinebooks.htm

[FreeState]

17. I dont recommend them - they are extremely "out there"

I was raised in the LDS church and I no longer consider my self a member. Utah Lighthouse MInistry has a history of not only stretching the truth but not correcting errors when they make them. In the long run they tend to help the church more than hurt it because of there sloppy research and tactics.

If your looking for good solid information I suggest: http://www.exmormon.org/ it has a large group of contributors and a diverse group of opinion from all sides.

[Kitty Herder]

25. I second that.

On both counts, avoiding Lighthouse and recommending exmormon.org.

[Lumpsum]

16. Don't worry.

The California courts will overturn Prop 8 and the Mormons would have spent all that money for nothing.

[Dem_4_Life]

18. Some good books to read to start your research:

1. The Mormon Murders: a true story of greed, forgery, deceit, and death / by Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith. (True crime) it is very telling about the people who run the church and it also talks about Sen Orrin Hatch and his involvement with the way they run a mafia like organization.

2. Secret ceremonies : a Mormon woman's intimate diary of marriage and beyond / Deborah Laake. This book is not the best writing in the world but it is very creepy and telling of their beliefs and ceremonies.

[yardwork]

19. Thank you!

[matcom]

20. I Lived in Utah for 4 years

oh the stories I have

[yardwork]

21. Dish!

[yardwork]

23. kick for any links or info anyone wants to provide

[Critters2]

24. Prop 8 is not considered a partisan issue. The courts have ruled consistently

that churches and other 501(c)3s can lobby on social issues and referenda. What they can't do is endorse specific parties or candidates. The Mormon Church employs attorneys to help them keep from crossing the line.

[kiva]

27. John Krakauer's book

Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith is a good choice. He does a bit with the early history, but focuses much of the work on the various polygamous offshoots of the LDS. I recommend it, too, for its readability--it honestly is difficult to put down, a rarity in the non-fiction world (at least for me). :hi: