Losing Your Mind

This happens frequently - but usually in a way that no one notices - or even in a way that people approve of.

I am listening to: World War I: The Great War - when much of the world lost its collective mind, and couldn't stop slaughtering each other. They were all convinced, they were doing the right thing - even as a whole generation was lost forever.

"Yes," People will say, "But that was a long time ago, and we know better now!"

In fact, we don't know better - we haven't changed that much. We can easily forget things that happened - and remember things that did not happen! Our minds do what they are supposed to do - please others. And if that means dying for the good of the country - to die gladly!

There were others, of course, who saw things differently - and departed for places where this craziness had not penetrated.

I now speak of situations not so extreme - but more common - where people are only slightly crazy, not completely crazy.

I will speak of my family's religion - Mormonism - that should named after the man who started it - Joseph Smith. This guy was a compulsive liar. He wrote a book, The Book Mormon, that was a complete fabrication - but when it was shown to people in Industrial England - they concluded it was a work of God, the writer was a prophet of God, and crossed the ocean, to be his followers.

This was a new idea to Joseph, but he quickly became used to it - and agreed with them, completely. And formed a church where they were all Latter-Day Saints! A church that still exists - even after Joseph was killed by an outraged mob, in 1844.