Ever since I started the Historical Mormon Smackdown thing last year, I have had a dream. I have entitled it: March Mormon Doctrine Madness.
We have painstakingly come up with 64 influential forces in current Mormonism, have divided them into 4 categories, and have ranked them from one to sixteen. We now present them to the bloggernacle world to vote upon. The criterion: Which is the more influential force in Mormonism today?
Having said that, I think it will be a vote for #2. I am going to explicitly take Jesus Christ and the Atonement out of the voting because I think that they would win hands-down. I am leaving Joseph Smith because every bracket needs its Duke or UConn.
There is the possibility that some will be offended by this and see it as trivializing the gospel. While there is some truth to that, I also think being forced to make hard but nonsensical choices is a good way to get at what we (individually) really believe and why.
So, starting forming pools and start making predictions. For that matter, start talking about the obvious biases of the selection committee. We may even offer a prize to the most accurate amongst ye.
I see a couple of #1 seeds destined to go down early.
The Welfare Program? There’s no way it makes it past the second round.
“As Man is, God once was; as God is, God may become.” I don’t know that we teach that.
What about the play-in game? How about Truman Madsen vs. Lowell Bennion for the 16 seed?
So, how do you want us to vote?
Eric,
I’ll start putting polls up in March.
Anon,
I’ll have to put that idea to the selection committee. It is probably worth entertaining.
My upset picks: watch for James Talmage. Hugh Nibley could conceivably see the Elite Eight. I could also see restoration of priesthood authority in the final four.
You mean now is our chance to vote out Home Teaching and Church Movies?
Hey, I think MaNahvu is onto something. David J could send a bookmark to Elder Packer… 😉
Count on it! I don’t think he’ll respond, though… he never responds to my rants. 😉
Great idea. Half of good Mormon humor seems to be knowing when it is ok to poke fun at the important stuff.
John, you messed up the couplet again.
It’s supposed to be:
“As man is, God once was.
As God is, man may become.”
And, yeah, there was supposedly a Larry King interview in which it was “don’t know that we teach that” denounced.
You have to admit though, it’s fairly pervasive in Mormon teachings.