Folks--I posted this a ways back and then a few minutes later, Darrel was arrested. I think this is interesting info which should be considered. I'm moving my post here and will delete it from post #597. (Ooops, didn't realize that I can't delete from a closed thread)
I've been wracking my brain for days about the jars. I just knew that I'd heard this somewhere before. I thought that I'd read a children's book with this theme but couldn't find a thing. It finally hit me. Several years ago, I read an article in a crafts magazine about "journal jars". You take a jar, like a peanut butter jar, and fold up wishes, dreams, and inspirational quotes to hide inside it. I did some research and came up with this on a Mormon site:
http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/ywc/journaljars.htm
I have no idea how long Mormon girls have been doing this but I also came across some possible historical basis for this within the Mormon belief:
http://mi.byu.edu/publications/books...id=9&chapid=75
Could this be what the alleged victims were instructed to do with their painful memories? From the first site:
"Preserve your memories - seal them up well.
What you forget, you can never retell.
But a journal that's kept fresh on the shelf
Will help someone through rough times --
Maybe even yourself!"
This sounds like an early form of geocaching. This is description of early Mormon treasure-seeking/hunting rituals:
http://earlymormon.com/TopicalGuide.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_plates
I wonder if any modern day Mormons still practice this? I wonder if they could be consulted to help find the jars? That would be a noble pursuit.
This case is causing me to want to research more about Mormon history. The rituals, the early involvement with the occult....very intriguing.
Okay, so the Mormon church and it's various offshoots can get confusing, etc. Using awesome forum manners, I'm gonna quote myself from the previous, now closed, thread:
DISCLAIMER: I am not an expert, nor a representative of any church or organization. I am not implying this, nor any church is right, wrong, or involved in any case in any way. I am simply providing basic information which was requested. (Sorry for the verbosity, but last time I answered a similar question, some troll went off about how my family lived in the ghetto or something)
Short story on this church: when Joseph Smith Sr. died, some people wanted the church leadership to go in a patriarchal manner, with Joseph Smith Jr. being the new leader. Others thought it should go to Joseph Smith Sr.'s second-in-command, Brigham Young. The former stayed in Independence, Missouri, became the RLDS, and eventually developed into the Community of Christ. The latter (heh) moved to Utah and continued to be known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a.k.a. "The Mormons." The FLDS, or Fundamentalist LDS folks (I don't remember their entire name, it's late) branched off in Utah after the whole polygamy vs. United States thing. The only one of those three churches which currently practices polygamy is the FLDS.
It's my understanding some of the folks in this case are RLDS, who are now known as the Community of Christ, and, as far I know, have never been known as "Mormons" since their inception as an LDS offshoot. So, while they have a lot of history in common with the better-known Mormon (LDS) church, this group didn't make the trek from Missouri to Utah with the Mormon pioneers. I grew up in a big, devout Mormon (LDS) home, and while my name hasn't been officially removed from their records, I have not practiced since my parents stopped forcibly making me. Anyway, here's my point: I don't remember anything regarding burying jars. However, there were a lot of "object lessons" and symbolism involved in the LDS services and classes which I attended as a child and teenager. This jar burying thing, while I don't know anything about it specifically, isn't an idea which strikes me as incongruous with other church-related activities. Why did I mention Mormon pioneers earlier? I could totally see this as something the Mormon pioneer women and children would do as a remembrance or ritual during their difficult journey. Except, they wouldn't be likely to sacrifice a good jar for that kind of frivolous purpose, I reckon.
The LDS church has a strong focus on genealogy. This includes encouragement to keep a journal to benefit future generations. My parents bought us all journals and scrapbooks, which were called "books of remembrance." I remember dictating to my parents or siblings so they could write my thoughts in my journal before I knew how to write. I don't know if the RLDS or other offshoots are the same way.
I've heard of, and practiced, various variations of the jar-burying thing, with other religious and secular groups. I think of it in the same vein as balloon-launching...just a symbolic act of moving thoughts forward or away or whatever. While the jars could provide some physical evidence to back up the allegations, the act of burying the jars, and the inspiration for the burying, doesn't seem all that unique to me (obviously the particular thoughts going into the jars were unique and profound, but not the act itself). I hope this makes sense, and I'm sorry this is such a long post.
(One more thing, though, since I mentioned balloon-launching. I know launching balloons feels helpful to those letting the balloons go into the atmosphere. However, those balloons don't literally disappear into the cosmos. They float back down eventually, and, as they are usually made of rubbery stuff, and stringy plastic ribbon, they don't disintegrate, and end up negatively affecting wildlife who can get tangled up in it and/or eat it and choke. So, if you're tempted to let that balloon float away, please consider a more environmentally-friendly alternative.)
