Posted by:
anagrammy
(
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Date: December 04, 2014 11:37AM
Thought you guys would enjoy reading my explanation of Mormon singles culture to the Websleuths crowd following the trial of convicted murderess Jodi Arias--her victim was Travis Alexander, a motivational speaker for Prepaid Legal who clawed his way to the top tier from a childhood of unimaginable deprivation--until his Mormon grandparents took him and his five (?) siblings under their care. The victim was a real prince, always trying to help people but had a problem with sexual temptation.
Arias threatened to ruin Travis' reputation even after death by threatening his surviving siblings that she would tell the court he had a child porn problem-unless they agreed to take the death penalty off the table. This is what is being tried right now in Arizona - Life in Prison or Death for a despicable human being with scarcely a redeeming quality who murdered a man admired by everyone, the pillar of his family. Rest in peace, Travis Alexander.
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Hi all, I'd like to throw in some commentary regarding Mormon singles culture which might illuminate Jodi's strategy.
I am a former Mormon and believe it helps to understand that Mormonism is a recognized subculture with its own rules and tabus, which differ from regular America. For example, masturbation is a big deal and boys and girls are interviewed about this by their bishop from the age of 12 on (sometimes they skip the girls but never the boys). Every young woman is taught from childhood that marriage in the temple is her goal because only there can she go to the highest realm of heaven, the Celestial Kingdom and remain with her family (Mormons call that being "sealed" to their children and spouse). A man can be sealed to more than one woman, for example, his divorced wife and his present wife, but a woman can only be sealed to a worthy male Mormon once and cannot be released from that to remarry (after divorce) if she has a worthy male lined up to take his place, and if first husband gives his permission and states that there is no moral iniquity in her preventing her from remarrying.
This difference in power means the women do the picking because they have much to lose if they pick a non-worthy male. Every faithful Mormon single woman wants a "worthy" male that can take her to the temple for marriage. She is also looking for a returned missionary because that is the test of fire for the faith. A man who has been excommunicated would have little to offer the top-tier virgin Mormon woman--and by the age of 25, she's been waiting a long time. Mormons do not follow the modern trend to wait until later for marriage and children. When I was 28, I was considered over the hill and was sent to the family ward.
Being "sent to the family ward" means a person is no longer allowed to attend a singles ward, where the eligible people are all mate-shopping. When a single is sent back to the family ward, i.e., the parish nearest their home where all the families are attending, it means the church does not feel that person is a good candidate for marriage to other LDS people. They need to repent, or the church doesn't want them infecting the other singles with their problem (sex, coffee, drugs,alcohol, porn, etc).
We know CMJA was desperate and playing her last blackmail card. I submit to you that singles who are excommunicated may lose status and be working on repentence, but they are not shunned or treated badly. They may only be disfellowshipped (allowed to go to meetings but not the temple, cannot take the sacrament). If they are in a stage of repentence, they are usually supported in that. If they re-offend, however, that's another story. Then a "Court of Love" is convened with church officials to review evidence against them, such as the testimony of the other party. Then they are excommunicated as a habitual offender and the road back is longer.
No top tier Mormon woman would date an excommunicated man in the casual, collegial, fun environment of the singles wards. But there are plenty of jack mormon single women (believe but don't follow minor rules like the dietary ones). And they might not mind a bit.
Knowing the complete details of the sexual histories of both parties, it it less likely that TA would have initiated any kind of sex with Jodi on or around her baptism. He would have had to qualify to perform the baptism in the first place by having an interview. Since lying Arias said the oral sex in the car after the baptism was their first encounter, he must have passed the interview and therefore the who-corrupted-who torch passes to Arias. Is it more or less likely that a man on probation, so to speak, who has worked his way up to qualifying to baptize some would immediately risk it all to have himself serviced by a woman to whom he has been preaching the gospel? A woman he thinks whose life he is changing?
Skipping to the endgame here, the question was raised that people are wondering what Jodi was threatening Travis with. Had he embezzled, had he done this or that, let me tell you right now that ALL the regular frauds are understood with Mormons in that they are forgiveable. In Mormon culture, porn has a much higher place in the hierarchy of sins than it does with the general public. For most of us, porn on a man's computer is hohum unless there are excessive or weird practices, violence, etc. Men like to look at naked women ho hum.
In Mormonism, porn addiction is a serious problem. Utah has the highest consumption of porn per capita than any state in the union. It also has the highest suicide rate for young men ages 16 - 24 and these tend to be disaffected Mormons who feel worthless and have stopped going to church due to masturbation or porn problems. No Mormon boy can pass the sacrament as a 12 year old deacon if he admits to masturbating. So the kids suffer terrible public humiliation as the rest of his quorum goes to pass it and he is seen just sitting there, face burning, with everyone knowing what he probably did to get his privilege revoked.
I think it helps to understand this culture when talking about child porn. It is considered the worst thing you can do short of raping a child yourself. If you confess to this, your life in Mormonism is over. You would never be considered for leadership (as a male) and you would never be able to have a calling where you worked with children. That would leave you jobs in the church where you worked alone, like cleaning the toilets on a Saturday when the kids are gone. You would be a pariah and would not be welcome in either the family or the singles wards. Most likely you would never work in the "morridor" (Mormon corridor) of Idaho-Utah-Arizona because such excommunications are announced in priesthood meetings. There is no question that his employment as a role model/public motivational speaker would be over.
I have no proof of this, but my gut tells me that Jodi Arias planted child porn on Travis' computer. Records show she accessed the computer during the visit. He didn't know she did it until she told him as part of her final blackmail attempt. She wanted to capture the look on his face when she told him--that's what the closeup camera shoot was about. You can see the strange look on his face where he seems to be realizing something. He's realizing she's a monster bent on destroying him. He knew what this would mean--even if he deleted it, it still would be "there". Sharing some speculation here and welcoming comments pro/con.
Hope you find this background helpful.
Anagrammy
"We see things not as they are but as we are" ~ Anais Nin