The Angel and Sorcerer: The Remarkable Story of the Occult Origins of Mormonism and the Rise of Mormons in American Politics Rating :
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42 of 48 people found the following review helpful.
Piety's Rainbow
By The Dilettante
Peter Levenda's favorite trick is to take some familiar page from American history and show us that we've failed to understand it. The author notes that, for most people, for most of history, magic was an unquestioned aspect of daily existence. He argues that in order to conjure the full richness of the past to visible appearance, we must take magic seriously as a motivating force and an explanatory principle - of human action if nothing else.
When Levenda calls Joseph Smith a "sorcerer", it isn't meant as a pejorative label. Rather, he's offering Smith some overdue professional recognition. Joseph Smith was as powerful, and as successful, a ritual magician as the United States has ever produced. Levenda shows how the young man's exceptional prowess took him from poverty to the head of a major religious movement with political power and the largest paramilitary force in the US.
Levenda situates Smith quite comfortably within the Western esoteric tradition, and demonstrates that he was, at every phase of his life, a practicing magician. This turns out to explain a great deal about Mormonism, including: its connection with Freemasonry, "sealed" marriages, the Solomonic symbolism of the golden tablets, and prophecy. And when it comes to the Mormon faith, the author has no particular axe to grind. Although he's a liberal from New York City, and probably not a Romney voter, but he places Mormonism on a equal footing with mainstream Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The revelation of Joseph Smith's magical practice may upset some readers, but it seems if anything to have endeared him to Peter Levenda. As history, the Book of Mormon comes up awkwardly short, especially in the face of recent DNA science. But when considered as the fruit of a magical working it undeniably a magnum opus. Still, this story is ultimately a tragedy in the Faustian mold, as Levenda argues that it was Smith's negligence in a magical operation that proved his undoing. Such is the trajectory of "Piety's rainbow."
I couldn't put it down. But, as with all of this author's work, it's not for everybody. I've been recommending Peter Levenda's books to people for years now, and I always get one of two reactions. Either the reader loves them, or he stops returning my calls.
Good riddance.
11 of 13 people found the following review helpful.Excellent book!
By H.P. Albarelli Jr.
Like many folks in the U.S., I became quite interested in reading more about Mormonism after Mitt Romney's ill-fated race for high office. I had grown up in Vermont and was familiar with all the stories about Joseph Smith and his alleged discovery of gold tablets, and how Smith was soon chased out of New York... Peter Levenda's book presents the real and fascinating account of Smith's trials and tribulations, and how his Church of the Later Day Saints became entrenched in American soil. Leveda's book is an utterly fascinating and intriguing read.I highly recommend it.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful.
New Information
By mary ann gillispie
I have studied Mormonism for years and found new information from old records in this volume, that was not in previous books. I appreciate the amount of research involved in compiling this book...well written.
Product Description
Based on Levenda's research into Mormonism, Freemasonry, and esoteric societies over the past thirty years, this book is intended for an audience that is curious about Mormonism in light of the fact that at the beginning of 2012 there were two Mormons running for the GOP presidential nomination against two Roman Catholics.
There has been much confusion in the media over various Mormon phenomena, such as the "magic underwear," polygamy "Big Love" style, and much else. This book examines the beliefs and reveals the facts of Mormon ideas and practice, starting with its founder Joseph Smith Jr. who began his religious career with rituals of ceremonial magic and divination, and ended it with Freemasonry, the largest militia in the state of Illinois, a candidacy for US president, and assassination. Levenda also discussed the Mormons connection to Howard Hughes, Richard Nixon and Watergate as well as the role of Mormons in contemporary Presidential elections.
This is the fascinating story of a purely American religion, its occult origins, and the rise of Mormons in American politics.
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #129373 in Books
- Published on: 2012-09-01
- Original language:English
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 8.90" h x6.10" w x.51" l,.66 pounds
- Binding: Paperback
- 144 pages
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