Lafferty Interview from the Year 2000

[drumdude]

https://radiofreemormon.org/2022/05/rad ... interview/


Thank you RFM for making this available again! It really goes to show that religious morality doesn't solve the question of what is moral at all.

DCP likes to complain that without God, anything is permissible. Lafferty goes to show that with God, all manner of evil is not only permissible, but compulsory. Lafferty says God told him to kill that baby, God told Nephi to kill Laban, and who are we to question God?

[Philo Sofee]

https://radiofreemormon.org/2022/05/rad ... interview/


Thank you RFM for making this available again! It really goes to show that religious morality doesn't solve the question of what is moral at all.

DCP likes to complain that without God, anything is permissible. Lafferty goes to show that with God, all manner of evil is not only permissible, but compulsory. Lafferty says God told him to kill that baby, God told Nephi to kill Laban, and who are we to question God?

A lesson that ***seriously*** needs to be analyzed by the mopologists and church leaders. But we won't see this. Their shallowness betrays them.

[consiglieri]

https://radiofreemormon.org/2022/05/rad ... interview/


Thank you RFM for making this available again! It really goes to show that religious morality doesn't solve the question of what is moral at all.

DCP likes to complain that without God, anything is permissible. Lafferty goes to show that with God, all manner of evil is not only permissible, but compulsory. Lafferty says God told him to kill that baby, God told Nephi to kill Laban, and who are we to question God?

What a seriously important point you make!

[Abaddon]

What a disturbing interview. He goes into detail of the murder of a woman and child like he was sustaining a new Primary Teacher in Sacrament meeting: just business.

Not a bit of remorse. This guy expects to stand on the right hand of God when he dies.

Ahh the fruits of Mormonism: follow the Spirit.

[Res Ipsa]

I also listened to it. It was completely unreal to hear him discuss the murders as if he were just describing the events of an ordinary day.

[Dr Exiled]

It's definitely a cautionary tale. Religious extremists need a check or Lafferty or Koresh or Jeffs like figures will do a lot of damage. Thank whatever may exist out there that society at large eventually came to Utah and the surrounding "zion" areas. We didn't do well as an isolated people and the mountain meadows massacre is proof positive of that.

[Kukulkan]

The Mormon crowd laughed when Krakauer's Under the Banner of Heaven placed the orthodox Mormon experience side by side with other religious extremist beliefs. When I initially read the book I found myself agreeing that placing "Popcorn Popping on the Apricot Tree" singing Mormons as religious extremists was silly.

I remember talking to my coworker and shooting the sh*t one day at work, asking him if the prophet commanded him to kill his wife and kid, that he would. He clarified that he thought that something like that would never happen, but if he was commanded, he would. He was a total normal Mormon too. Wasn't even considered super 'orthodox' by Mormon standards. Drank caffeine, occasionally swore, and would see him or his wife shopping sometimes on Sunday. I remember going home that day finally understanding the thesis of Under the Banner of Heaven.

[drumdude]

I’ve heard the term divine command theory posted in many threads about morality here. Does Mormon morality hinge on DCT alone, or is there more to it? It seems that there are subtle caveats to it within Mormonism, such as God himself being subject to a higher moral law that is intrinsic to the Universe.