Early Mormonism and the Magic World View Rating :
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121 of 133 people found the following review helpful.
Tedious but Important
By Missing in Action
I am not a historian, nor an academic, so I did not read Quinn's book looking for impecable research, and I dared not get lost in the . And unlike many of his academic readers and critics, I will only read this book once. But that was enough. In fact, what Quinn takes the most heat for, his extensive, even obsessive research, was more of a burden for me than enlightening. I appreciate the fact that he has done a great deal of research, but I assume that any credible author has. What makes this book important is not the fact that fully 50% of the pages are dedicated to footnotes. It's important because it throws necessary light on the possibility that the traditional paradigm and interpretation of "authorized" (read: "doctored" or at least "censored") LDS Church history is not necessarily the way things came into being.
This book is threatening to traditionalist Mormons. It takes sacred mythology that surrounds the lives of the founding members of the LDS church and turns it on its ear, but not for the sake of "breaking it," merely for the sake of seeing it in a manner which may be more consistent with what it really was, rather than what we want it to be. Quinn reminds us that so much of history is lost, even when we have the records, because history is so very much more than facts...it is more about context, interpretation, meaning to the contemporaries, all of which pertains to the world view of the day...which world view necessarily is different than the world view a few generations later. Because our world view today is so far removed from the Magic World View of colonial America, it is nearly impossible for us to make sense of magic images and stories that come to us from history; so we ignore them. Quinn brings it all to life (although at times in a very tedious manner) and helps us put on the lenses that allow us to see what the world might look like when one lives in a culture that is friendly toward, if not steeped in, a magic world view.
As other reviewers have pointed out, there are times when Quinn is frustrating. I echo many of the remarks made below by other reviewers, and add one more. Among Quinns favorite subjects to beat to death is the issue of whether or not Joseph Smith had access to rare, out of print occult titles. He spends page after page proving that various books were on sale in Smith's neighborhood, or at a bookstore near by, or in a friend's possession, or advertised in a newspaper, etc. He beats this drum practically throughout the entire book, and still, in my opinion, misses the most important point. Whether or not Joseph Smith actually read all of these books, if they were important to the general understanding of his occult interests, they were influential to the entire cutlure of which he was a part, and contributed to the shared paradigm of all of those in his day with like interests and similar beliefs. He could be profoundly influenced by books that he never read, or was not even aware of, just as our culture is profoundly influenced by the Bible or Shakespeare, even though so many have never actually read them. Pieces, quotes, and ideas float throughout the culture, often without our ever even realizing their source. So it could easily have been with regard to Smith and his understanding and awareness of magic topics, images, relics, etc.
My only real criticism of the book is that it bogs down in tedious , when I believe that the paradigm, the big picture, is what matters most. Since this is the definitive work on the subject (to date...I expect others will follow), I would encourage anyone to read it, but you have to be patient. More importantly, you will only enjoy this book if you are seeking a broader understanding of the context of Mormonism and Mormon thought. If you are not one to question "authorized" Church history, if you are unwilling to wonder if there is more to Joseph Smith than what he has told us, then I have some helpful advice..."don't go there." Seekers of historical truth, those who recognize that history matters in context, will appreciate this book for the powerful piece that it is.
75 of 81 people found the following review helpful.
Perspective on the beginning of "The Church"
By Active Latter-Day Texan
In this book, Quinn captures the world view of Joseph Smith and many other early church leaders. Even if you don't believe every one of the vast number of coincidences, statements by those who knew Joseph, including former prophets and counselors, everyone must admit objectively that much of this is true. Joseph Smith believed in folk magic, which makes him like many people who lived during his time. He practiced it, and it played a part in the formation of the church. Even Bushman in his book "Rough Stone Rolling" admits this.
As Boyd K. Packer has said on the subject of church history, "not everything that is true is useful." This is certainly true for this book. Reading the book, and understanding early history, will put the church in a perspective that is not in accordance with the revised or edited history we are so often presented with, and want to believe in. Historical facts which are true, but left unsaid, are damaging because when discovered, they are testimony damaging.
So what objective truths show that Quinn is correct about early Mormonism and the magic world view?
1. Joseph used "seer stones" or "peep-stones" well before the urim and thumim came along, and he hunted for treasure. It was not a reluctant one time venture, it was a part of who he was, and involved most of his family. He a number of different stones, and used them while translating the Book of Mormon.
2. His treasure hunting included many rituals out of occult books, and this was common during his time. This is confirmed by many statements of early church leaders including Brigham Young, Porter Rockwall, Martin Harris, etc.
3. Oliver Cowdry used divining rods, and believed he could receive revelation through them, as did Joseph's father.
4. The Smiths had visions, and dreams, and believed in interpreting them. These pre-dated the formation of the church.
5. The early church was almost Pentecostal in a sense. People spoke in tongues, had visions, believed in regular interaction with spirits on the other-side, and had a world-view that was mystic. This continued until the first generation of mormons died in Utah. Many of the early saints had revival like meetings, including while crossing the plains.
These objective facts do not mean the Joseph was not a prophet, anymore than his many polygamous marriages, which is also not divulged by the church, mean he was not a prophet. Truth is truth, and hiding it is only more damaging to members who discover these things bare, never having heard of them before.
47 of 52 people found the following review helpful.Check Your Prejudices At The Door
By R. W. Rasband
In this revised 2nd edition, Quinn emphasizes several times that, in comparing Mormon theology with traditions of Christian mysticism, "parallels are not proof." This modest disclaimer seems to indicate that his book is a *theory*; one possible interpretive framework that is suggestive and necessarily incomplete. If read in this spirit, Quinn's book is edifying and even entertaining. In particular, chapters 5 and 6 are a tour-de-force literary analysis of the LDS canon that make the deconstructors, post-modernists, and new historicists of the academy look like little wimps. Quinn's boldness reminds one of Harold Bloom (whose great book "The American Religion" leaned heavily on the first edition of this book.) "There are more things in heaven and earth..." (When I was a student at Brigham Young University I took three classes from Dr. Quinn while he was a professor there. As a person I didn't care for him all that much; I found him coldly aloof and curtly dismissive of opinions that differed from his. But he was a teacher of great depth, subtlety, and insight; very charismatic in the classroom. I believe I learned the most from him out of all of my teachers at BYU.)
Product Description
This thoroughly researched examination into occult traditions surrounding Smith, his family, and other founding Mormons cannot be understated. Among the practices no longer a part of Mormonism are the use of divining rods for revelation, astrology to determine the best times to conceive children and plant crops, the study of skull contours to understand personality traits, magic formula utilized to discover lost property, and the wearing of protective talismans. Ninety-four photographs and illustrations accompany the text.
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #166350 in Books
- Published on: 1998-12-15
- Original language:English
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 8.82" h x6.02" w x1.65" l,2.42 pounds
- Binding: Paperback
- 730 pages
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