Joseph Smith Rings

[myboynoah]

Originally Posted by Sleeping in EQ

People are saying I'm overreacting, but they haven't said how. Frankly, I haven't seen anyone actually summarize my objections accurately. I can tell you're trying here, and that you don't have a bone to pick, but this is different from a CTR ring. DB is selling it as the ring JS wore to his martyrdom, as a ring that was handed down among family, and at the same time, the Church discourages members from wearing crosses.

On the one hand someone could dismiss it as cheesy, but s/he would be ignoring the very real reasons for buying the thing in the first place. Will most people buy this to be cheesy? No. They'll buy it and wear it and be dead serious.

Just imagine, for a moment, someone noticing that ring and asking about it. The wearer explains that it's a replica of a ring that Joseph Smith wore. This will freak some people out, especially those who note that Mormons don't sport the usual Christian symbols. A reasonable person could think the whole thing bizarre without any malice or ill intent for Mormons.

This product has "bad idea" written all over it.

Until most Mormons start wearing these things, or they hand them out to every newly-ordained Elder, I feel safe. DB is trying to make money. If they could sell JS ruffle shirts they'd do it. How effective of a tool can this be for Antis if most Mormons, when confronted with it, go "huh?"

As for bizarre, given the inventory of "bizarre" we Mormons universally cherish and maintain, I doubt this would even make the top 50 most "bizarre."

[creekster]

Originally Posted by pelagius

I think for many christians it represents that Jesus conquered both death and suffering. No doubt this isn't true for every Christian, but I do think that the cross can represent the ressurrected Jesus since after all it is an empty cross.

Of course that symbolism seems rather empty as well given that the cross is going to be empty whether or not there is a ressurction.

[non sequitur]

I find the rings tacky. I find everything about Deseret Books tacky. Personally, it doesn't offend me, but if were a believer I would be troubled that the Church has any connection to Deseret Book. The whole idea of an institution whose sole objective is to profit from someone else's religious belief should be galling to anyone who truly believes. I had a professor who told me once, "You know, I can remember back when the Church was a church and not just a corporation." If I were a member, I'd be very concerned with the direction the Mormon Church is headed.

[MikeWaters]

Originally Posted by non sequitur

I find the rings tacky. I find everything about Deseret Books tacky. Personally, it doesn't offend me, but if were a believer I would be troubled that the Church has any connection to Deseret Book. The whole idea of an institution whose sole objective is to profit from someone else's religious belief should be galling to anyone who truly believes. I had a professor who told me once, "You know, I can remember back when the Church was a church and not just a corporation." If I were a member, I'd be very concerned with the direction the Mormon Church is headed.

Thanks for your concern. They will be filed in the same cavern that SU's are housed in. I hope you are not offended that we don't microfiche them. Limited resources. And frankly, limited demand.

[SeattleUte]

The Mormon horror at the cross is but one way in which Mormonism resembles its ancient distant cousin Islam. When Islam conquered the majority of the civilized world all the statues went down, Christian and pagan alike, in the lands it occupied. Islamic art even eschews human representations and is for the most part abstract. It is an outgrowth of hard core monotheism and a related aeseticism, including desire to prevent any drift toward adoration of any form of representation. Martin Luther held a similar outlook. As I've said it was the Renaissance that turned him against Catholicism. Indulgences were a fairly minor issue.

[BarbaraGordon]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Thanks for your concern. They will be filed in the same cavern that SU's are housed in. I hope you are not offended that we don't microfiche them.

Mike, let me know if you ever need someone to clean the ol' microfilm reader. I'm an expert.

[MikeWaters]

"Horror"? Please.

It's just not our worship tradition.

[non sequitur]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Thanks for your concern. They will be filed in the same cavern that SU's are housed in. I hope you are not offended that we don't microfiche them. Limited resources. And frankly, limited demand.

You shouldn't thank me. Like I said, I'm no longer concerned. I'm just surprised at the glaring things people are willing to overlook in the name of faith. But if it works for you, then I applaud you.

[Cali Coug]

Originally Posted by Sleeping in EQ

No evidence. No argument. Nothing but mockery.

Quite the departure from his usual posts. Or something.

[Cali Coug]

Originally Posted by non sequitur

I find the rings tacky. I find everything about Deseret Books tacky. Personally, it doesn't offend me, but if were a believer I would be troubled that the Church has any connection to Deseret Book. The whole idea of an institution whose sole objective is to profit from someone else's religious belief should be galling to anyone who truly believes. I had a professor who told me once, "You know, I can remember back when the Church was a church and not just a corporation." If I were a member, I'd be very concerned with the direction the Mormon Church is headed.

I agree to an extent. To me, the most dangerous thing about Deseret Book is that anything they sell is deemed de facto sponsored by the church (and that includes some really strange literature).