The Mormon Lion and the Latter-day Porcupine
Or Too Many Questions and Only One Over-Arching Idea
What kind of Mormon are you? Or should I say, what kind of member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are you? Are you someone who, no matter what, is totally obedient to the one big overarching idea of the church and its prophet, Russell M. Nelson? Or are you someone who also is a dedicated follower but has a penchant for asking too many questions? Not to be an ass, or do you want to learn and feel better about your church membership daily. Of course, this question is much too simplistic, and most people probably find themselves somewhere in a large jungle area.
Almost 70 years ago, Isaiah Berlin published a well-known essay entitled, The Hedgehog and the Fox, and was part of my graduate studies at BYU in the late 90s. Professor Thorp set an interesting assignment whereby the graduate students had to use Berlins’ concept to identify the various philosophies of history and historians. I continue to return to Berlin’s idea whenever necessary to identify the potential conflicts between two strong points of view. Who would win a battle between a large adult lion and a fully grown porcupine? Would there be a winner, or would both be hurt? Would there be an eventual winner over a longer period of time and multiple conflicts? Would the lion learn to attack in a myriad of ways? Could the porcupine continuously defend itself, or would having only one form of defense be a problem over a long time and many battles? Who would you choose to win this battle? The Mormon Lion or the Latter-day Porcupine?
Berlin would suggest that the Mormon Lion knows many things, so he has the ability to ask many questions. The lion could attack multiple fronts. The lion is strong, fast, and has a core belief in invincibility. However, at the same time, the lion is intelligent. He will certainly take advantage of his position but not to the detriment of his life or idea. There’s always another day and another question. The lion for sure knows many things and will continue to probe until an opening arises where he could make a killer blow. There is an insurmountable amount of questions for the lion to ask of the porcupine. The porcupine only knows one thing and will continue to answer the only way he knows.
Berlin would also suggest that the Latter-day Porcupine has one overarching idea and would testify of that one idea to protect itself forever and a day. The whole of the porcupine's philosophy is rooted in ideas that are extremely difficult to attack because they are based on things not seen but felt—one enormous over-arching (keystone) idea based upon the inability of others (attackers or lions) to ask questions. It would seem the porcupine has the perfect defense and could live forever. Yet we all know that it could be fatal when the porcupine makes a mistake. Indeed, the porcupine can severely harm the lion; however, the lion undoubtedly will survive to continue its probing attacking behavior.
And here we find a porcupine who will not answer the questioning lion and defends itself by encircling its whole self so that no one can enter, or maybe no one can leave. At the same time, the lion knows it is useless to attack the porcupine from the rear. The porcupine is too well protected at the rear. The lion has learned that the only form of attack is from the front, straight on, to the only potential kill zone--the face. The head area is where the eyes and ears are found, where the brain functions. The porcupine does not have the ability or a desire to attack the lion because the lion knows too much and is fast. The porcupine is only interested in standing on what it sees as solid rock ground and never moving from its original position. At the same time, the lion will continue to probe and seek answers at every chance. If the porcupine makes a mistake, you can guarantee the lion will strike, questions and all.
Personally, I found I was by nature a Mormon Lion but by conviction a Latter-day Porcupine. This heart-breaking division within myself caused me great pain as I headed toward the later years of my life. I finally decided that my conviction could be wrong and that my nature is really my true self. The Mormon Lion eventually morphed into a Christian Lion and then into a Lion. The Mormon and Christian lions were not really lions, but lions who had been symbols. This lion was born in July, a Leo. This lion now belongs to no one. This lion is now free.
© Stephen G. Arrowsmith 2021
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