Harold Bloom on "Salt Lake City empire of corporate greed"

[_karl61]

You'd have to know Smoot to appreciate him. He wasn't active in the Church.

Reed Smoot the Mormon Apostle wasn't active in church? Okay.

[_Corpsegrinder]

You'd have to know Smoot to appreciate him. He wasn't active in the Church.

LDS Trial Lawyer Defends the Mountain Meadows Massacre

[_sock puppet]

You'd have to know Smoot to appreciate him. He wasn't active in the Church.

Reed Smoot the Mormon Apostle wasn't active in church? Okay.

I'd say he was an inactive apostle, not an inactive Mormon. He attended Mormon Sunday services regularly in Washington DC while serving in the Senate. But what other Mormon apostle has snubbed attending a GC for secular purposes? I only know of Smoot doing so. But aside from his level of activity in either capacity, I yet think he was lying to the Senate panel that questioned him about the oath of vengeance.

[_cafe crema]

Corporate greed is disturbing, yes, but Parental Greed is simply beyond the pale.

What are the odds that the older boy finds himself in Bloom's next edition of Genius?

;)

KA

It was so sweet when the older one told the younger "no it's four, but you were so close. :)

[_Rollo Tomasi]

I'd say he was an inactive apostle, not an inactive Mormon. He attended Mormon Sunday services regularly in Washington DC while serving in the Senate. But what other Mormon apostle has snubbed attending a GC for secular purposes? I only know of Smoot doing so.

I tend to agree. I've read that Smoot was very instrumental in getting the LDS Church organization established in the D.C. area during his time in the Senate (he had the local branch meet at his house for over 20 years -- I suspect that qualifies him as a very active member). by the way, after his first wife died, Smoot married a lady named Sheets, who was the widowed mother of Alice Sheets Marriott, the wife of J.W. Marriott (founder of Hot Shoppes in the D.C. area, which later became the Marriott hotel chain, etc.). I also got the impression that Smoot was not an 'enthusiastic' apostle (but he loved being a senator, which seemed to be his first priority), which may explain his failure to attend GC on occasion (I don't blame him -- all those sessions can become a bit boring).

But aside from his level of activity in either capacity, I yet think he was lying to the Senate panel that questioned him about the oath of vengeance.

I think he lied, too, because he was willing to do whatever it took in order to gain his Senate seat (even pushing for fellow apostles John W. Taylor and Mattias Cowley to be offered up as sacrificial lambs on the anti-polygamy altar). I read somewhere that he became very bitter toward his constituents in Utah when voted out of the Senate after 30 years or so (during the 1932 landslide led by FDR) -- perhaps he became inactive during the period thereafter (he lived for another 10 years or so and died in Florida), but I have no idea one way or the other.

[_Molok]

I'd say he was an inactive apostle, not an inactive Mormon. He attended Mormon Sunday services regularly in Washington DC while serving in the Senate. But what other Mormon apostle has snubbed attending a GC for secular purposes? I only know of Smoot doing so. But aside from his level of activity in either capacity, I yet think he was lying to the Senate panel that questioned him about the oath of vengeance.

I learn something new every day. Thanks for the lesson, Sockpuppet.

[_harmony]

Just wait until the press gets a hold of the fact that until about 1930, the temple ceremony made participants take a vow against the U.S. government.

I don't think the press is going to make a big deal about that, since it was 80 years ago. They'll find something more current... like the church meddling in politics in CA.

[_sock puppet]

Just wait until the press gets a hold of the fact that until about 1930, the temple ceremony made participants take a vow against the U.S. government.

I don't think the press is going to make a big deal about that, since it was 80 years ago. They'll find something more current... like the church meddling in politics in CA.

Good point. I know the donators' list for that effort by the Church the year after Prop 8 was voted on was online. I wonder if Romney or a close proxy was on that list.