Saving the Samoans
Thirteen hundred and fifty feet up the side of Mount Vaea, a low jungle hill overlooking the blue translucence of the Samoan seas, stands one of Western literature's best-known but least-visited memorials. There, Robert Louis Stevenson is buried beneath flame trees and banyans.
Stevenson arrived in Samoa in 1889, young, thin, and sick. The Samoans quickly came to love him and his bohemian wife Fanny; when he died five years later, local chiefs worked through the night to cut a jungle path up Mount Vaea to his grave. The path is called Ala o le Alofa, the Road of Loving Hearts.
Nearly a century later, the Road of Loving Hearts has been taken over by a group of American businessmen from Arizona. A large billboard announces triumphally that a Restoration Project is underway, one that will ready Stevenson's tomb and nearby mansion for the centenary anniversary of his death next December.
Critics call the plans vulgar and exploitative. But what, softly spoken, underpins this criticism is quite simply that the men behind the scheme are all Mormons.
The Latter-Day Saints have been working this corner of the South Pacific since 1888. Doctrine handed down from the authorities in Salt Lake City held (and holds) that Samoans are one of the Lost Tribes of Israel, and that they, above most others on earth, should be targets for Mormon rescue and reinstruction. This theory is said to be confirmed by six brief passages in The Book of Mormon that refer to "Islands of the Sea," the "West Sea," and "Taking the Course Northwards." These references represent the sum of the Mormons' claim to the people of Samoa.
Sadly, science demonstrates that this is all so much bunk. The Mormon revelations, even when fleshed out by enthusiastic modern scholarship, do not stand up to any test except that of blind faith.
Nonetheless, missionaries have converted thirty thousand Western Samoans over the last twenty years. In a recent talk with then-Mission President Clifton Treglown, I suggested that on the face of it the Latter-Day Saints were doing rather well. "We must spend at least a hundred times more here than we earn from tithing," he told me. "But we think it is worth it. We want everyone on these islands to be a practicing Mormon before too much longer. We want all our chosen people back."
Before Westerners arrived, Samoa was a pleasantly irreligious place. But the London Missionary Society came in 1830, followed by the Methodists, the Catholics, and the Mormons. The results of their efforts, and those of their lesser brethren (there is even a Baha'i church in Samoa, one of only six on the planet) have been stupefying. God is everywhere in Samoa; all can lay claim to one church or another, to some promise of salvation and eternal life. It is a fair bet that no one in Samoa has the energy to be agnostic, let alone anything worse.
Speaking with the prime minister, a giant of a man named Tofilau Eti Alesana, I asked whether the delights of the island could remain unspoiled. He looked down at the floor and sighed, "You know--I sometimes think there is too much religion in our country."
Perhaps Robert Louis Stevenson would be less pessimistic. Western Samoa seems to enjoy an uncanny ability first to absorb, and then, in time, to discard those cultures and beliefs it cannot abide. As Stevenson saw it, "Foreigners in these islands know little of the course of native intrigue. Partly the Samoans cannot explain. Partly they will not tell."
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I am astounded with your parochialised temerity to consider what we, as Samoans, are so gullible in 'ABSORBing' your trip. It is only so that can attain your earthly materials rather than the bull---- of celestrial,terrestrial and what the ---- is the other bulldust, you space cadets believe in. No, we are not the lost tribe of some semite race, that is your invention. We are Austronesians and Polynesians we have evolved and migrated from South East Asia some 3-4 millenia ago. Evidences are found in ethno-linguistic and archeological and historical findings.
Not by some alchemist religion.
Self actualisation comes from seeing our cultural past well beyond some missionary from some peasantry agrarian plebian American hillbilly township in Utah trying to find their relevance in this ontological and metaphysical reality.
Grow UP CHILD!!!
Ia soifua tatou!!
Samoa Moni!
Tim Brian Tufuga
I want o save the Mormons from going to Hell. How can a loving God let the Mormons go to hell when they are so dedicated. Joseph Smith rocks, he is my hero because he had over 30 wives...I too want to be like him....Aleluia...
how many wife did joseh smith had
why are you mormans brain washing samoan peolpe with lies the temple in samoa is all demonic. joseph smith who is he i belive his his g a y sorri say mormen missionary peolpe from utah are all fakes they just want to marry samoan girls is joseph bigger then jesus come on get real
u guys think ur books is more superior than da bible u claim to be the real church but why does joseph smith have 30 wifes commin face da facts he is burning in hell now cause most missionaries talk about the good news and then later on introduces there louzy mormomen book after all which is bull [deleted]
why are you mormans so proud of your self loser
the mormens may be dedicated but lets face dda facts there a cult
If we base the validity of these comments on the commenters' ability to spell and use grammar, then I'd say these people have no idea what they're talking about. Go back and sit in front of your TVs and be good little passive observers. Come back and contribute when you've learned how to spell. Did anybody bother to ask the Samoans whether they want Mormons or businessmen from Arizona in their country before we decided we all knew what was best for them? Maybe they like Mormons. I know lots of Samoans who love Mormons. Just because you don't like Mormons doesn't mean Samoans don't like 'em.
WHY DONT YOU STOP PRACTICING POLYGRAMY OR YOUR WILL BE JAILED LIKE YOUR PROPHET AND GET GANG BANG YOU KNOW WHERE JUST REMEMBER DONT DROP THE SOAP LIKE THE ONE AND ONLY DRAG QUEEN SISTER JOSEPH SMITH
IF YOU GUYS GET YOUR FACTS RIGHT, THE MORMON CHURCH IS ACTUALLY CALLED THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATER-DAY SAINTS...WHY?..BECAUSE THERE IS ONLY ONE TRUE CHURCH UPON THE EARTH IS THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS(MORMON)...IF YOU STUDY THE CHURCH HISTORY THEN YOU CAN JUDGE FROM THERE, THE BOOK OF MORMON CONTAINS THE FULLNES OF THE GOSPEL OFFCOURSE YOU WOULDNT KNOW THAT BUT HEY LETS FACE IT ARE CATHOLICS PERFECT?...WHAT ABOUT THE METHODIST AND ALL THE OTHER CHURCHES IN SAMOA OR THE WORLD?....IF THE LORD HAD COMMANDED ADAM AND EVE TO MULTIPLY AND REPLENISH THE EARTH THEN WHY ARE THE CATHOLICS PRIEST NOT MARRIED?????....I GREW UP AS A CATHOLIC AND THE MOST OF THE GIRLS THAT I KNOW WERE RAPED OR MOLESTED BY THEIR OWN PRIEST!!....SO IF YOU THINK THE MORMONS ARE BRAIN WASHING OR BAD THEN WHAT ARE THE OTHER CHURCHES DOING???...THEY ARE NOT BRAIN WASHING THE PEOPLE IN SAMOA, WE ALL MAKE OUR OWN CHOICES WHERE AND WHAT WE WANT TO DO WITH OUR OWN LIFE, ALL WE AND THE MISSIONARIES DO IS TO TEACH THEM BUT IT IS UP TO THEM TO CHOOSE TO JOIN OR NOT.....VISIT WWW.LDS.ORD IF YOU DONT HAVE ANY IDEA ON HOW THE CHURCH WORK OTHER THAN THAT SPEAK FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR OWN RELIGION!!
all u momrmons are going to hell and use are gonna join joseph smith and briggum young tell me where in the bible does it say where you can have 30 wifes and if its the church of jesus christ where does jesus stand in the mormon book oh yeah and about that lousy gospel book of yours has no meaning at all and the issue here is whether catholics are perferct the issue here you guys practice polygramy and dont compare some queer to abraham about having 2 wives have a nice day lol lol lol lol
this is for you joseph...MORMONS DONT GO TO HELL BECAUSE THEY BELONG TO THE TRUE CHURCH!!
you still havent answer the question why polygramy is it right
im a mormon but theres one thing thats bothering me why is it that we mormons are not allow to drink caffine but allowed to drink coke why is that whats the diffrent
im sda whats up with you mormons thinking you are the true church on earth if i see allot of yous at the clubs the night before church drinking up yous are hypocrites
YEA JOSEPH Y IS UR MAMA SO FAT HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
this 4 mr tim toafa. The church is true. I believe the (mormons) u see drinking dont live up to the standards taught by the church. Every member has the agency to choose to live the standards or not. The members are not perfect. No one is and will be. But i promise you, you will never find the mormon church drinking up before church. Funny how people make mistakes and the church wears the blame. The church is true. Hope it helped
4 michal auvaa. Its polygamy not polygramy. You must be watching too much porn or just been released from prison to know the drop the soap technique. But thats not important. Focus on whats important in life like work, education or family, these things will bless your life. Hope it helped.
this 4 joseph. Polygamy in the mormon church is done with. They dont practise it. Your bagging the mormons about there past. Its like the americas. They practised slavery long ago, but no more. So why would you continue to bag them for their past? Silly. Now if hell is filled with mormons (like you say) then heaven must have you and your fun loving touchy touchy friends. You must love going to all boys choir lol lol lol. Hope it helped
polygamy
Polygamy, no matter what anyone tells you, is part of the LDS doctrine. Members may not be practicing it, but it is doctrine. Slavery is not an appropriate analogy in this case. Mormons value polygamy, not slavery; that is a fact. Beware the Mormon - there is no respect for the individual children of any Maker - respect is for numbers - be it people or money or lands or wives or their "church".
yeah dats fine with me but it doesnt changed the fact dat joseph smith last vision in prison was him geting it from the back from ur so called prophet briggum young its alright satan is probaly having fun with them with the rest of ur followers in hell lol...lol....lol...lol.lol..i hope this help u and plz dont tell me wat u watch in ur quiet times remember ur hands dnt count so can u dig dat
Hello... I don't hate any religion different to the one I follow and I totally respect Mormon missionaries who've visited me. Unfortunately I never got to ask them why were there three kingdoms (heavens). One for those who follow God.. another for those who don't choose God but are still good.. and the last for the bad people. Anyway from what I see.. whether or not you're good or bad.. within the Mormon (Church of LDS of JC) belief.. I'm already going to heaven. Like it may not be the highest kingdom.. but honestly any "kingdom" or "heaven" is fine with me. But yeah.. someone please explain that bit.
Those pleasant irreligious samoans of the past were very cannibalistic.
I was a missionary there once. I know who the samoans are. I lived in their huts and ate their food cooked over a camp fire. I would never condem someone to hell. I know all aboput my church. These Samoans are good. Please be nice dudes! Being LDS is a good thing. Ia manuia!... from a white anglo saxon guy.
Simon,
You are a terrible journalist. There is way too much editoralizing in this article. Your lead starts out talking about Stevenson and then somehow you drag the Mormons into it. Is the connection from one to the other relative?
"Perhaps RL Stevenson would be less pesimistic" - I realize this is a feature story but is your focus on Stevenson or the Mormons. How are they related again?
It looks like a lazy attempt to criticize the LDS people. Your poor attempt to tie-in th Mormons only proves your deception. You are a wolf in sheep's clothing aren't you!
Retard!
