Thursday, October 4, 2012

The United States of Mormonism

By Bill Maher 

Approximately 62% of Utah is Mormon, compared to less than 2% nationally. But it's one of only four religions in the US that are actually growing, and if you need to see what life will be like in the United States of Mormonism, Utah's a great place to start.

Utah is not a theocracy. It's just a place where the centralized Church has a huge amount of influence, laws are passed that reflect the Church's values, and no politician can ever do anything that would really anger the Church. But the government isn't literally run by the Church. It just trembles in its shadow.

This comes out in the liquor laws, which are about as repressive as you can get. The Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control has run the show since 1935, and the state has a monopoly on the sale of certain liquors. For instance, beer that has over 3.2% alcohol content (which includes many, many popular beers) can only be sold at State Liquor Stores. You want a Sierra Nevada? You can buy that from the government. That's right, socialism, right out in the open!

Pornography is restricted in Utah as well. According to the Attorney General's website, it is illegal to distribute, transport, transmit, produce, broadcast, or mail pornographic material. Also, all semen that results from use of pornography must be saved, tagged, registered, baptized, and then stored in a cold vault beneath the Salt Lake Temple.

Sodomy? Not in Utah, gay or otherwise, until 2003, when the federal government struck down all sodomy laws. Utah's law has it as a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail and a $1000 fine. And it's still on the books. You might say that it's an arcane regulation that hasn't been touched because it just doesn't matter anymore, but in point of fact a gay state senator named Scott McCoy tried to get it off the books in 2007 with his creatively titled "Sodomy Amendments." The bill failed without consideration.

Utah also gives married parents preference in matters of adoption. Which, because gays can't get married in Utah, nor can they get their marriages recognized, means "Sorry, homos, no baby for you!"

The bottom line is that no matter how much the LDS and Mitt Romney mouth the word "freedom," the United States of Mormonism would be a much less free place than the country we're living in now. But it would be so clean and nice that nobody would care.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Here is a text I received from my Mormon neighbors who must not know I support Obama...
"3 o`clock Hawaii time is the debate between Romney & Obama. We need to pray for Romney that he will do extremely well and that he may have the Spirit of the Lord with him so that the children of men r not led away by the evil one...a man of cunning device and a man of flattering words that he led away the hearts of many people to do wickedly...Amalickiah=Obama."
The next text after the debate: "Mission accomplished by Romney. Did you hear the words of Moroni...for the liberty and family. The power of prayer!"
All voters need to understand that Romney is part of this cult that worships fictional characters. Expose more about this fanatical and powerful institution! Explain to Republicans that Mormons are not Christians! Shouldn't that scare them?


Anonymous said...

Yup. I live here, too. It's a beautiful state and I was fortunate enough to grow up in a part of it that most "white folks" consider to be "not really a part of Utah"; that is: too many dark-skinned Italian, Greek, Mexican, Spanish, Slavic, Japanese immigrants (not to mention African Americans) working the jobs "real white folks" didn't want. In any case, yes...please expose (more) the cult of Mormonism. We who live here know it is the most oppressive, mind-body-spirit-controlling, money-sucking corporation on earth...

Anonymous said...

Romney wants to be the the commander-in-chief. He was for wars in vietnam,iraq,and afganistan.He wants the athority to send our sons into harms way, but by virtue of his status as a mormon never has to send his sons or any other mormons sons! By the way,mormons throwing money into a pot to aide members who fall on hard times sounds like scocialism to me..skip1320@aol.com

Anonymous said...

This is really scary. They have a prophecy linked to Romney. Read this salon article about The White Horse Prophecy. I don't believe in prophecies but I fear a group that sees themselves and their candidate this way.


http://www.salon.com/2012/01/29/mitt_and_the_white_horse_prophecy/

Anonymous said...

I read this salon article... This is very scary... We cannot have someone in the highest office that wants to put his and his religious beliefs on others. It's blatantly wrong. The premise of this religion is they are the one and only true church. Their baptizing of the dead proves this. The white horse prophesy proves this as well. Why isn't mainstream media picking up on this. Why isn't mainstream media reporting on the shunning put on exmormons because they left the church...

Anonymous said...

In regards to Romney and Mormonism is that if Elected along with Ryan comes more Religion control of government and less government regulation and adherence to the constitution. With Romney, the prominent Mormon, will legalize polygamy ... And that will be a good thing because during another round of conservative "no-trickle" policy it will take more than three, four or more HOUSEHOLD INCOMES to MAINTAIN MIDDLE CLASS Standards!!!

Anonymous said...

I guess if I had the choice between Mormon and Muslim... I'd choose Mormon.

I came into this race not really pulled in either direction, but, one thing I can say is that numbers don't lie.

So sue me for wanting someone to keep the country afloat, and actually protect it.

Romney needs to win.

bcraigdog said...

Whoops, one of the annonymous posters needs to do some more fact checking, hahaha as mormons dont practice poligamy anymore and havent done since the middle 1800's However, there are some people that disagreed and started their own churches that still practice multible wives. I dont know why as one is plenty for anyone! hahaha