The Mormon Culture of Salvation - Literature review Example

Anthropology In sociology, a subculture is defined as a culture within the broader mainstream culture with different values, beliefs, and practices. This concept explains the behaviours and beliefs of some social groups in the world. Subculture defines different elements such as where people live, ethnicity, religion, profession, or shared interests. Some subcultures are countercultures. The research on this subject has also focused on other deviances such as criminal subcultures. It is crucial to note that, the study of subcultures elaborates the study of symbolism attached to music, eating habits, clothing, and mannerism. In this essay, we will discuss the culture of Mormons, who share beliefs, values, and practices that are different from those of the United States. Most believers adopt particular political and cultural beliefs because of their religious doctrines. According to Givens (2007, p25), Mormonism is not only a culture but also a religion. Most people are serious with their religious beliefs and faith, which influence the way they live and relate with others. Most believers adopt political and cultural beliefs based on their religious views. For instance, an evangelic who believes that abortion is unethical based his/her beliefs on cultural and political views that flow in the religious convictions. Although not all evangelicals who oppose abortion, those who do base their arguments on religion point of view. As many analyze the culture and religion of Marmon, it is evident that there is war that exists in this cultural group and other groups in the United States. According to Davies (2000, p33), the biggest problem is the different interpretations of life that exists in this cultural group. Often, the culture have backed some local decisions and ignored some discussions discussed in the nation. For instance, while the majority support abortion in cases when the mother’s health is in danger, this culture believes that abortion is illegal at all given chances. The history and culture of the Mormon cannot be understood without an understanding of the Mormon religion. The great migration that occurred in 1846-1847 was one-step in the quest of the religious growth and freedom (Givens 2007, p66). The Mormon religion also known as the Church of Latter Day Saints; was established in 1830 by Joseph Smith. The founder had a strong vision in, which he claimed that he saw an angel who buried gold plates. From the vision, the founder believed that angels are spiritual beings who work hard to protect us from the harm in the society. In this case, the gold plate symbolized any material wealth that hinders and individual to live a fulfilling life. Mormon practices and beliefs such as polygamy contributed to an increasing intolerance for some Illinois citizens. The reason many criticize this subculture is that at some point, Joseph Smith announced that he received a revelation from God on allowing polygamy. It took great courage to expose this subject to the public bearing in mind most religions criticize this concept. Most believers were willing to enter into the agreement set by the founder and many did this after much praying and anguish. Unlike other subcultures in the United States, the outside world was hostile to the plural marriage. Regardless of the challenges faced, the church gave its way to preserve the existence of the faith. There have been contentious issues regarding this subject in the 20th century. According to Yorgason (2003, p22), there are over 30, 000 people practicing polygamy in Arizona, Montana, Idaho, and Uta who believe that they are preserving Mormon customs and beliefs. In essence, many have adopted that this is the best way of life based on the teachings of the church. For the past years, the Utah government has criticized polygamy and in turn, this has affected Mormon culture. The government believes that polygamy should not be allowed at any given cost as it promotes immorality and adultery. The American government has also taken strict measures to prohibit the nature of the Marmon marriage. Polygamy has gained attention in the U.S among different Christian groups. Most fundamental groups in Arizona, Utah, and other western states in the U.S still engage into this practice. There are a large number of the Christians and families who call themselves Christians polygamists. In this context, many advocate that people should respect the ideas, thoughts, and beliefs enacted by Marmon subculture. As previously mentioned, the culture base its argument on religion point of view and fail to recognize what is happening in the world. Unfortunately, the differences that emerge in discussions and most subjects create a strong criticism of the culture. Although this is a too obvious problem to mention, it can lead to problems to the country. A perfect example of this is how the media exposed the subject of Tea Party Movement. Although there were many factors that contribute to this movement, the religious rights that the movement possessed affected and increased conflicts (Bowman 2012, p33). Despite criticizing the movement because of its economical libertarians, most people had social conservative views about the subject. Nearly, 63% of the Tea parties believed that abortion is illegal in most cases and only 18% supported same sex marriages (Forsberg 2004, p22). At this point, most people failed to understand the beliefs of the movement and the media continually misreported and misunderstood what the movement entailed. To understand the political and cultural movement requires one to understand the religious views that support the subject. This is because it can be difficult to determine the motivating beliefs and explain their intentions. It is also easier to simply assume or else focus on the non-religious aspects. This explains why most religion stories become political stories, as there is always a story behind the position of the subject. The collation of the religious freedom has affected the American nation since there are questions on whether the subculture enhances the right ideals and norms in the society. With this in mind, there has been a need to understand the culture and further establish ways to improve the desired way of life of Americans. Thus, it is evident that Mormon culture is unique on its beliefs, practices, and doctrines in the United States. Bibliography Bowman, Matthew Burton. 2012. The Mormon people: the making of an American faith. New York: Random House. Davies, Douglas James. 2000. The Mormon culture of salvation: force, grace, and glory. Aldershot, Hants, England: Ashgate. Forsberg, Clyde R. 2004. Equal rites: the Book of Mormon, Masonry, gender, and American culture. New York: Columbia University Press. Givens, Terryl. 2007. People of paradox: a history of Mormon culture. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Yorgason, Ethan R. 2003. Transformation of the Mormon culture region. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. Read More