this post was submitted on 29 Oct 2024
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Bizarre and unique, the Abrahamics' specific (yet general enough) characteristics. And evergreen! See only the Mormon church, a recent cult, for example - unbelievably successful. Invented out of whole cloth within the last 200 years. Tax exempt and owns ~4% of the land in the US today, to say nothing of their business interests (cuz it's even harder to know).
They venerate Jesus.
They don't? They're all about Joseph Smith. Jesus is kinda there win the background.
Atheist here, but grew up mormon: Jesus is definitely the main character. I'm hazy on the details but it's even mormon canon that a lot of events in the old testament involved Jesus in pre-birth spirit form (or something idk), or were at least analogous to his life. Joseph Smith and Brigham Young are to Mormons as any notable dead pope is to Catholics - revered, spiritual authorities, allegedly could talk to god, but they're not worshiped and they didn't come up every Sunday, they were kind of in the background
They revere Joseph Smith for sure (and some other made up folks like Moroni or whatever) but I think it's incorrect to say Jesus has taken a back seat in their faith. I just toured one of their temples (which they allow only briefly before they consecrate it), JC was everywhere. Not sure I saw any imagery of Joseph Smith, but it was a lot to take in and I may have missed it.
And if Jesus were alive he would be aghast.