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I'm no Mormon, but I'm fairly sure the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints discourages its adherents from founding their own religions. . . .
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How about a monastic order? Do mormons have those? Or if not, how about a "school" of thought?
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Our schools of thought have more to do with whether Steve Young should have gone on a mission and not played NFL on Sundays. The line that divides these two schools could eventually divide the church . . .
Posts: 231 | Registered: Apr 2005
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One of my friends wanted to set up a monastery and a convent next to each other. The members wouldn't take permanent vows, and when they felt they were ready to be married a marriage would be arranged for them with one of the members of the other order.
She was a little radical.
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quote: How about a monastic order? Do mormons have those? Or if not, how about a "school" of thought?
I wonder what a Mormon Monastery would look like if such a thing were to exist? The picture in my mind would be a facility like Tolkien's Isengard (a pristine version, before Sauruman made it bad... lots of well tended gardens). The tower, if there would be one, would be white, and without the horns <grin>. The land would be used to help in the church's welfare system. I think there would be elements of Plato's Academy there as well. A place of serenity and learning.
I would go there. There are times I wish I could do what Novenia did in Xenocide.
I had concerns about how my last post sounded... so I deleted it.
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I have speculated on what form Mormon monasticism might take; I even started a sort of story-as-essay about it about a dozen years ago. I wrote out of my own frustration as an introvert in a profoundly extraverted religion <grin>. But I realized that even I had no desire for a PERMANENT monastery, and certainly not one that encouraged vows of silence. (I saw what that did to John Michael Talbot and shuddered.) No, what I needed was a monastery I could retreat to for a week at a time ...
They call those "resort hotels," I think. Or maybe "cruise ships," only you don't ever leave your room ...
Posts: 2005 | Registered: Jul 1999
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"There are times I wish I could do what Novenia did in Xenocide."
As I understand it, what Novinha did in Xenocide is actually pretty close to anathema for Mormons. Secluding yourself from the world and abstaining from all sexual contact, thus depriving your husband of biological children, would probably not be considered a virtuous choice in most cases.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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My image of a Mormon Monastery wouldn't necessarily be permanent... more like a retreat for recovery from the damage one has done to one's self (a year or two would do <grin>). A place where one could work to earn his keep. (Things like resort hotels and cruise ships being a little out of my reach.) Think of it as a place to do righteous labor to get back on the 'path'. And no vows of silence for me please (though I would probably be told to shut up with some frequency <grin>)... just a wholesome environment.
You are correct Tom... it is anathema (for members in good standing). But what I meant by what Novenia did... was to go to a monastery to get a grip, not for her reasons or circumstance.
In other forums, my nic is mobile_monk. (ether_ore is similar in concept to philotes or aiuas.) I'm a truck driver and my truck is my only home. Though I have a laptop with occasional wifi connection and a cell phone, there's a little too much solitude here.
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I kind of thought a Mormon monastery would be a lot like the Children of the Mind, without the abstinence. And with Mormon doctrine rather than Catholic. But the same style of culture.
Posts: 170 | Registered: Mar 2001
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I got interested in this thread because I started to write a story with a monastic concept as part of it. I wrote 13000 words(about 4 or 5 chapters worth)and then stopped. I decided I'm no writer.
But anyway, the story was about an individual consigned to a telestial world after judgement day. Men and women in this catagory were not on the same planets. (If one abused the powers of procreation in mortality, they disqualified themselves from having that power in the next life... in my story anyway... and there was no need to place the sexes together. Desire would have been removed as well.)
Monastic life doesn't fit with the goals of LDS members, but for those who have fallen from the path... in my thought anyway... it might be a place where one could regain proper perspective (voluntarily), and depending on why the individual is there, abstinace might not be an inappropriate penance.
But, anyway... all this is just fun. A little speculation on what a Mormon Monastic Order might look like.
Posts: 29 | Registered: Apr 2005
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quote:My image of a Mormon Monastery wouldn't necessarily be permanent... more like a retreat for recovery from the damage one has done to one's self (a year or two would do <grin>). A place where one could work to earn his keep. (Things like resort hotels and cruise ships being a little out of my reach.) Think of it as a place to do righteous labor to get back on the 'path'.
That sounds more than slightly like a Mormon mission. Posts: 751 | Registered: Apr 2005
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It is impossible to use "anyway" too often.
I was facetious about cruise ships. But yes, a hardworking place where you could get away from everybody for a while ...
Oh, but admit it, fellow Mormons who read this thread: what we REALLY want is just a few weeks off from our callings. Not going "inactive" or committing any sins at all, just a break from having to "be" whatever calling we have at Church, without anyone holding it against us.
Of course, once when I left town to go to a Mormon booksellers convention in Utah, I came back to find I had been released from being first counselor in a bishopric ... I guess that's LIKE the "monastery" effect ...
Posts: 2005 | Registered: Jul 1999
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