32 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JULY 11-17, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com FACE TO FACE Cheryl Bruno is not a typical Mormon, but she used to be. She found her way to Mormonism at 19, after being raised in a Protestant family; her father was a minister, her mother a choir director in the United Church of Christ. She was “a typical Mormon” at the time; she attended Brigham Young University in Utah, served on a mission trip, got married, had eight children and homeschooled them. Then her kids got older and she found herself at a crossroads. “I just got really bored,” she says. “Most of the ‘faithful’ women stayed at home. Midlife hit and it was like: Am I a real person? Am I going to do anything in my life besides clean the house a million times?” It was the beginning of the internet era, and Bruno discovered a community—she joined what is known as “the Blogger-nacle.” She started a blog called Hieing to Kolob, a reference to Mormon folklore; Kolob is the planet next to the planet that God dwells on. Bruno went on to become a scholar of Mormonism. Her first book, Method Infinite: Freemasonry and the Mormon Restoration, was published in 2022. She followed as editor of Secret Covenants: New Insights on Early Mormon Polygamy, a collection of essays resolving the question of whether founder Joseph Smith practiced polygamy, or if it was a later invention of Brigham Young’s. (In short, Smith started it.) Her newest book, Come Up Hither to Zion: William Marks and the Mormon Concept of Gathering, was just released. She relocated from Utah to Salinas when a son-in-law was stationed at the Defense Language Institute, and even after he and her daughter relocated, Bruno stayed. She also teaches Sunday school at the Marina ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints. Weekly: Tell me about your family— you grew up in a Christian home. Bruno: My dad was always very open to us exploring other religions. One brother joined with Hare Krishna for a short time; now he’s into Eastern religions and lives in Japan. My sister is not involved in any church right now. My other brother is a fundamentalist Christian, which is a shock to the rest of us—the rest of the family is very liberal. We are all accepting of each other, that’s the important thing. I don’t feel the need to defend Mormonism, or go out and convert people. I just think it’s fascinating, and that’s why I want to write about it all the time. You started out as a blogger. Did you think of it as a scholarly journey? I started exploring myself by blogging. I love to write and I love history. I got into theology for a while. But you start at a certain point and over the years your theology changes, and then your early writings are all out of date. One unique thing about Mormonism is the history is so recent. There’s a saying, “Hands that we have touched have touched the hands of martyrs of the Church.” Mormon history is also American history. You also created a tarot deck with artwork featuring Mormon symbols. I started collecting tarot cards for the art—there are so many styles. I am not into tarot cards as a fortune-telling thing, but for the art, and the symbols. They’re beautiful. But is it sacrilegious that you made these? Yes, it is. Most people wouldn’t be disturbed by it, but some people might accuse me of witchcraft. But [a reading is] about drawing out the subconscious, thinking about where someone wants to go. It’s intellectual for me. I take esoterica in an intellectual way. I am not a woo-woo person; I do not wave sage around or anything like that. I like to look at sociological effects of these kinds of things. It just fascinates me. You wrote an entire book about the presence of freemasonry in Joseph Smith’s life and Mormonism. Was that history obscured? Especially in the 20th century, Mormons were not connected with their past. They were trying to move into being a respected religion. You had to dig it out. It’s difficult now because church leaders don’t want to accept that we’re weird. But they have to, because everyone knows because of the internet; you can look it up. I don’t want Mormonism to become just another Christian religion—I want them to retain their uniqueness What do you like to read? I love to read historical documents. I like people’s journals, and I am really good at reading 19th-century handwriting by now. Occasionally I read fantasy; I love Lord of the Rings. Hidden Meaning First Cheryl Bruno became a Mormon, then a scholar who researches her own religion. By Sara Rubin In her scholarly work, Cheryl Bruno is pushing back against misinformation. “A historian will spend two years looking at documents, testing a theory, going through peer review and come out with an article. Meanwhile, 7,000 people listened to a podcast.” DANIEL DREIFUSS LEGENDARY Did you know that calico cats are considered good luck? Meet sweet, affectionate and spunky Mabel! This lovely 11-year-old diva wants to be your one and only in an adult household. She’s a cute little lap warmer who enjoys gentle petting, playing with toys, perching atop her cat tree, afternoon napping, and bringing you luck. BONUS: calicos are also known to be loyal! If you want to be lucky in love, (the furball kind) check out Mabel at www.gocatrescue.org and fill out an adoption application to give her a Second Chance at a New Beginning! If you would like to sponsor our next ad, please call us at 831-200-9700 or email goldenoldiescats@gmail.com. 831.200.9700 www.gocatrescue.org Missy Want to meet Missy? Please fill out our online adoption questionnaire. Things to love: approx. 4 years old 50 pounds - female - Cattle Dog Missy is ready to prance into her new home! This bouncy girl, packed with energy, is eager to be your new running partner. Need motivation for your exercise goals? Missy’s your girl! She enjoys cuddles, chew toys, and learning new tricks! If you’d like sponsor our next ad, please give us a call. 831-718-9122 | www.PeaceOfMindDogRescue.org P.O. Box 51554, Pacific Grove, CA 93950 Ad sponsored by M.B.W.W.C. www.GoWhales.com
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjAzNjQ1NQ==