Voltaire’s quote, “Anyone who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities,” can be applied to the history and doctrines of the Mormon Church by examining some of its teachings and the actions inspired by them.
Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities
Voltaire
Voltaire, born François-Marie Arouet, did not hold a formal noble title or aristocratic rank. Instead, he is known primarily as a writer, philosopher, and historian. His fame and influence stem from his works and ideas during the Enlightenment, rather than a title of nobility. He adopted the pen name Voltaire, likely as an anagram or derivative of a family nickname, to separate his literary identity from his given name. While he mingled with nobility and royalty throughout his life, particularly during his time at the court of Frederick the Great of Prussia, Voltaire remained a commoner by birth. He is one of history’s greatest Enlightenment thinkers, celebrated for his wit, advocacy of civil liberties, and critiques of religious dogma and authoritarianism.
Here’s a collection of absurdities in Mormon doctrine and some corresponding atrocities committed by the church or its members:
Curse of Cain Doctrine
- Absurdity: Black people were deemed descendants of Cain and marked with a “curse,” making them ineligible to hold the priesthood or participate in temple ordinances until 1978. This was taught as God’s will and justified by Mormon scripture.
- Atrocities:
- Institutionalized racism within the church led to systemic exclusion of Black members and communities.
- Church leaders publicly supported segregationist policies, opposing civil rights movements in the mid-20th century.
- Psychological and spiritual harm to Black members, who were taught they were inherently less worthy.
Polygamy as Necessary for Exaltation
- Absurdity: Early Mormon leaders, including Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, taught that plural marriage was a requirement for achieving godhood and eternal salvation. Joseph Smith claimed an angel with a drawn sword pressured him to marry over 30 women.
- Atrocities:
- Forced and coerced marriages, often involve young girls as brides, including some as young as 14. The church rationalizes this as a few months shy of her 15th birthday.
- Women were treated as property and subjected to control by their husbands in highly unequal marital relationships. Some leaders even compared them to livestock.
- Communities like the FLDS (Fundamentalist LDS) continue the practice, perpetuating abuse, isolation, and child exploitation.
Blood Atonement Doctrine
- Absurdity: Certain sins, like apostasy or adultery, were taught to require the sinner’s blood to be shed as part of repentance, as Christ’s atonement was deemed insufficient.
- Atrocities:
- Execution-style killings of dissenters and supposed sinners, often sanctioned by local church leaders.
- The culture of violence within early Utah settlements, justified under this doctrine, including incidents like the Mountain Meadows Massacre.
Mountain Meadows Massacre
- Absurdity: Church leaders instilled the belief that Mormons were God’s chosen people, surrounded by enemies seeking to destroy them. This created a siege mentality and paranoia of persecution.
- Atrocities:
- The Mountain Meadows Massacre (1857): Mormon militia and Paiute allies slaughtered over 120 unarmed emigrants traveling through Utah. The attack was justified as an act of divine retribution against perceived threats.
Book of Abraham as a Literal Translation
- Absurdity: Joseph Smith claimed to translate Egyptian papyri into the Book of Abraham, asserting it was a sacred text written by the biblical Abraham himself. Modern Egyptology has debunked this claim, showing the text is a common funerary scroll.
- Atrocities:
- The Book of Abraham introduced theological justifications for racial hierarchies, including the priesthood ban for Black members.
- Continued gaslighting of members by church leaders who refuse to acknowledge the evidence against the translation.
LGBTQ+ Exclusion
- Absurdity: The church teaches that heterosexual (though only sometimes monogamous) marriage is the only acceptable form of union and that LGBTQ+ relationships are sinful and incompatible with God’s plan.
- Atrocities:
- The exclusion of LGBTQ+ members has led to high rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide within this group.
- Families are often torn apart when LGBTQ+ individuals are disowned or ostracized due to church teachings.
- The November 2015 policy labeling same-sex couples as “apostates” and barring their children from baptism caused widespread trauma.
Obedience to Leadership Above All
- Absurdity: Church members are taught that following leaders, even when they make mistakes, is better than relying on personal judgment. Leaders are considered “infallible” in matters of doctrine.
- Atrocities:
- Members have been encouraged to shun family and friends who leave the church, leading to fractured relationships and social isolation.
- Financial exploitation through tithing, where members are required to pay 10% of their income to remain in good standing, regardless of personal financial hardship.
- Cover-ups of sexual abuse, as leaders prioritize protecting the church’s reputation over victims.
Eternal Gender Roles
- Absurdity: The church teaches that men and women have divinely mandated gender and roles, with men holding priesthood authority and women being primarily responsible for homemaking and childbearing.
- Atrocities:
- Perpetuation of gender inequality, limiting women’s roles and opportunities within the church and society.
- Victim-blaming in cases of abuse, as women are often taught to be submissive and forgiving.
- Emotional and mental harm to women unable to conform to these rigid roles or who feel undervalued.
Kolob and Literal Godhood
- Absurdity: God resides on a planet near a star called Kolob, and faithful Mormons can become gods, creating and ruling over their own worlds.
- Atrocities:
- This teaching fosters spiritual elitism, where members view themselves as inherently superior to others.
- It encourages blind loyalty and obedience to achieve eternal rewards, often at the expense of personal relationships and well-being in the present life.
Reflection on Voltaire’s Quote
Voltaire’s warning is evident in how absurd theological ideas have justified or facilitated real harm. When members are taught to prioritize faith and beliefs over evidence or morality, it creates a foundation for unquestioning loyalty. These absurd beliefs have been leveraged to justify atrocious acts of violence, racism, sexism, and other forms of oppression.
There is real danger in accepting doctrines without critical examination. In the Mormon Church, many teachings—while framed as divinely inspired—have been used to justify or perpetuate systemic harm. These examples show how belief in “absurdities” can lead to profound and far-reaching consequences.
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