‘Latter-day Saints’ need not be figurative…
Talking to an acquaintance of mine who works for a certain multinational software corporation, he happened to mention that the Church of Latter Day Saints, better known as the Mormons, have a sizeable (think millions) contract with his company to provide database management services. Their geneological information forms one of the largest bodies of raw information in the world. As he put it, “The Mormons are trying to rewrite history.”
Got me to thinking: with 11.5 million devoted members, there’s got to be a lot of potential for charge-gathering. Who’s to say that the Mormons can’t rewrite history? What’s more, who’s to say they haven’t?
Reality is a popularity contest; more people who believe something to be real, the more real it gets.
Two hundred years ago, weaponized microbiology would have made for a lousy story; today it’s network news.
One hundred and fifty years ago, the automobile would have made for a delightful tale around the fire; today, it is in your driveway.
One hundred years ago, satellites would have been strictly fictional, and badly concieved at best. Now, it’s par for the course for communication.
Fifty years ago, a lasting peace with Russia would have gotten you arrested for merely mentioning it; we will soon have a generation born in a world where the Cold War is long since dead and buried.
Imagine what we’ll have forgotten tomorrow.
“History is written by winners, baby; let’s make a little of our own tonight.” — Sex on Wheelz; My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult