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I've made comments before about the rise of the cult-of-personality in the Church, expressed in the adoration Church members gush on the Prophet. Being the cynical and now somewhat jaded fellow I tend to be, I try to temper my opinions with the self-awareness that I might be making too big a deal out of things. Certainly when it comes to Church-related matters, my wife is the voice of reason, and helps me to keep things in perspective.

But even too much is too much, and I sat in shock as the closing hymn in the Sunday Morning session of conference ("We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet") was supplemented with nothing short of a video montage of President Monson. Finally, my wife turned and expressed her discomfort with the presentation, which really means something is out of whack for her to mention it! It was like something you would see at a funeral, or a montage out of a Rocky movie. This was the kind of thing that made me cringe as a missionary when I would bring investigators to Church. "No, really, we don't worship our prophet! The whole hymn with slow-motion video of Thomas Monson is just a way to show how much we worship Christ."

To see what I mean, you can review the session at BYU TV (it starts at 1:55:03). Someone in the A/V department should get a stern talking-to.

It's quite clear to me too, but they'll never see it that way. As a member I often asked if it was the Church and its leaders being worshipped, or God. They will fervently deny it, but the cult of personality is particularly strong as far as the GAs are concerned.

Here is the latest form of that hero worship.

It must go to the GAs heads in a big way, in spite of all the talk of "being humbled".

We, East-Europeans, know what the cult of personality means. Forty years was enough to learn it.

Stalin

Ceausescu

Fidel Castro (with Khrushchev)

Collection: the Seven Apostles
Warsaw Pact leaders, 1987 (from left): Husák of Czechoslovakia, Zhivkov of Bulgaria, Honecker of East Germany, Gorbachev of the USSR, Ceauşescu of Rumania, Jaruzelski of Poland, and Kádár of Hungary

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Interestingly, it doesn't depend of socialism only.


The headquarters of the National Fascist Party with the face of Benito Mussolini overlooking the street, surrounded by the word "si" (Italian for "yes") symbolizing Fascist totalitarianism.


Adolf Hitler, behind Hermann Göring, at a Nazi rally in Nuremberg in 1928. IMHO, it may be a Photoshop...

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Did You get the pattern? (A model or original used as an archetype)

Great pictures Ludwig.

Great post Ludwig.

Maybe we could add Obama, too.

The Monsoon video has ring of similarity to Jim Jones, David Koresh, L. Ron Hubbard, etc. to it with maybe a little bit of Madonna thrown in.

I am leery of all cult hero worship, whether it be sports, Hollywood, political or religious figures.

cinepro wrote:I've made comments before about the rise of the cult-of-personality in the Church, expressed in the adoration Church members gush on the Prophet. Being the cynical and now somewhat jaded fellow I tend to be, I try to temper my opinions with the self-awareness that I might be making too big a deal out of things. Certainly when it comes to Church-related matters, my wife is the voice of reason, and helps me to keep things in perspective.

But even too much is too much, and I sat in shock as the closing hymn in the Sunday Morning session of conference ("We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet") was supplemented with nothing short of a video montage of President Monson. Finally, my wife turned and expressed her discomfort with the presentation, which really means something is out of whack for her to mention it! It was like something you would see at a funeral, or a montage out of a Rocky movie. This was the kind of thing that made me cringe as a missionary when I would bring investigators to Church. "No, really, we don't worship our prophet! The whole hymn with slow-motion video of Thomas Monson is just a way to show how much we worship Christ."

To see what I mean, you can review the session at BYU TV (it starts at 1:55:03). Someone in the A/V department should get a stern talking-to.

I am not sure who in the A/V department one would talk to now. When this montage was produced, Neil Anderson was in charge. Apparently, he has been promoted. Timely.

I would suggest Kim Clark of BYU-Idaho and Cecil Samuelson of BYU announce new buildings to be named after Thomas Monson. Perhaps, their stock would go up as well.

Of course, I jest. I am not really a conspiracy proponent, but it is fun to connect dots that probably don't exist. My Mormon upbringing has educated me to perfect this technique.

I always take the closing song to be my key to freedom... and change the channel.. so I missed this. And I'll continue to miss it.

Anyway... On and on... Funny how history repeats itself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxdt_f0hwUg

It's more complex than that antishock.

I remember a year or so ago in our ward sac Marjorie Taylor-Greene they were announcing the upcoming stake conference and were pushing everyone to attend because Bro Eyring (sp?) was going to preside. The bishop goes on about listening to the council of a GA and how we should all "take advantage of this opportunity to sit at his feet".

WTF?

I thought that was language that was used when speaking of the savior or some other diety, NOT a common man.

To continue my rant, I get sick and tired of every testimony in T.M. where they go off on how "wonderful" the bishop is and how great he is. I know the guy. He puts his pants on one leg at a time just like me.