Senator Mike Lee Compares Donald Trump to Captain Moroni

[Gadianton]

This was an astounding revelation, Everybody Wang Chung. I almost wish I didn't have to know about it. But since we're here, I read a little more.

Ben park says:

I didn’t think I’d have to say this, and I don’t feel like writing a whole op-Ed about it, but let me be clear: Donald Trump is not a Captain Moroni.

Unfortunately, Ben, that's not so clear. According to fellow MI scholar Grant Hardy:

Sometimes, Hardy posits that what an author-cum-editor says in the Book of Mormon and what he does can be quite different. For example, what Mormon says about the controversial character of Captain Moroni is that he was a man of “perfect understanding” who sets an example for us all to emulate (Alma 48). He is described in Mormon’s words as “firm in the faith of Christ,” a person of deep religious conviction. Yet as Hardy points out, the primary sources Mormon chooses to include show Captain Moroni to be quick to anger and slow to pray—he is never portrayed praying or appealing to God. Moreover, this man that Mormon tells us “did not delight in bloodshed” may have been more brutal than necessary in warfare. By including these sources, it’s possible that Mormon is offering subtle criticism of Captain Moroni, a reproach that a lesser interpreter than Hardy would almost certainly pass over

Hardy offers a "gritty" version of the Book of Mormon that makes it more appealing as a story. It becomes like "The Wire" rather than "CHiPs", where moral gray is accepted in exchange for depth and credibility. Hardy's version is a Book of Mormon for mature readers.

The problem with this, is that it opens up acceptance of negative heroes as instruments of God's hand. It could be argued that Trump is akin to the "conflicted" Moroni of Hardy, who wasn't perfect but served the Lord's purpose. That's version 2 of the religious Right's portrayal of Trump. On Wednesdays, Trump is the knight in shining armor. On Fridays, he's "the plumber" who is rough around the edges and crude, but the guy you need to get the job done. And so the new MI must be careful, as the postmodern version of Mormon heroes could very well end up being figures like Trump.

[Dr. Sunstoned]

I think Lee has confused Captain Moroni with King Noah.

[Dr. Sunstoned]

Over a MDD the tread discussing this topic ballooned to 7 pages inside of a day before it was shut down. I was troubling to read some of the attempts to defend Trump. Here is an example:

Of all the scandalous personal behavior people incessantly accuse him of, I’ve noticed that none of it post-dates the election of 2016. With all the vehement hatred against him, I should think somebody would have unearthed something by now that occurred since then (and no, I don’t accept the partisan impeachment scam).


One wonders if there is an individual statute of limitations on a person’s judgmentalism.

Apparently to some, bad behavior has a shelf life.

[Moksha]

The next step for Senator Lee is to suggest that the likeness of Trump be placed alongside the Christus statue in the Visitor's Center.

[Moksha]

Kevin Christiansen from MD&D put it well:

Having read the Book of Mormon, and Nibley's essay on Freeman and Kingman in the Book of Mormon, I missed the parts of the story where Captain Moroni paid off mistresses, separated children from refugee parents as deterrent, hired corrupt and ignorant people to undermine the government, flattered and schmoozed tyrants, stacked the courts, deregulated environmental and financial protections, sought to gut healthcare, refused to personally go down to battle himself (bone spur deferments), denigrated science, undermined relationships with close allies, cut both taxes and accountability for the rich, demonized immigrants and refugees, pressured Ukraine to provide smears of his legitimate political opponents, had his science office declare victory over a pandemic at the same time that infections set new record highs and leading all nations in deaths by a shocking margin, demonstrating in every divisive superspreader rally that he cares nothing for the blood of his people, and lied constantly and shamelessly.

[Kishkumen]

Kevin Christiansen from MD&D put it well:

Having read the Book of Mormon, and Nibley's essay on Freeman and Kingman in the Book of Mormon, I missed the parts of the story where Captain Moroni paid off mistresses, separated children from refugee parents as deterrent, hired corrupt and ignorant people to undermine the government, flattered and schmoozed tyrants, stacked the courts, deregulated environmental and financial protections, sought to gut healthcare, refused to personally go down to battle himself (bone spur deferments), denigrated science, undermined relationships with close allies, cut both taxes and accountability for the rich, demonized immigrants and refugees, pressured Ukraine to provide smears of his legitimate political opponents, had his science office declare victory over a pandemic at the same time that infections set new record highs and leading all nations in deaths by a shocking margin, demonstrating in every divisive superspreader rally that he cares nothing for the blood of his people, and lied constantly and shamelessly.

Now we know why the sealed portion is sealed!

YOU CAN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH!

[DrW]

Senator Mike Lee's laughable attempt to exploit Mormon affinity marketing culture to help a failed president in a badly losing campaign is just pathetic. Hard to decide whether this reflects worse on Trumpublicans or on Mormon culture.

[Kishkumen]

Senator Mike Lee's laughable attempt to exploit Mormon affinity marketing culture to help a failed president in a badly losing campaign is just pathetic. Hard to decide whether this reflects worse on Trumpublicans or on Mormon culture.

I would say that the worst of Mormon culture is pretty indistinguishable from Trumpublicanism.

[huckelberry]

Senator Mike Lee's laughable attempt to exploit Mormon affinity marketing culture to help a failed president in a badly losing campaign is just pathetic. Hard to decide whether this reflects worse on Trumpublicans or on Mormon culture.

Dr with,
I truly hope that you are correct here, especially with the badly losing campaign part.

I will override a superstition against voicing fears. I am thinking of two here.

First the past five years has forced to my attention a suspicion, or perhaps wondering, whether what many people call a religious experience is the sense of intoxication people may feel when they allow themselves to believe a lie. I wonder if scientific observation could track this possibility.

Perhaps part of the thrill is overriding the suspicion that the lie is a lie. Because Trumpism is a cult of lie believing it is possible some people are embarrassed by their participation, obviously far from all true believers, but
some. I could be possible some of those embarrassed do not admit to pollsters their falsity. Instead they go to the ballot box and sin.

I am pretty sure some people fit my fear but hopefully few enough that your estimation of the course of the campaign is correct.

[Dr Exiled]

In my opinion, elections are when religious thinking and politics meet. So many non-issues and bell whistles are pushed, designed to strike an emotional chord and gather the faithful to make a religious decision at the polls. It happens on both sides. I usually just turn it off.

Obviously our bragging clown in chief isn't anything close to a religious figure and would sell us down the river in a heartbeat if given the chance, and probably has and just hasn't been caught like Biden seems to have been.