GIS and the Geography of Religion: Kingdom of Deseret
The use of GIS in understanding religious practice and its dynamic changing social construct is evident in research and tools that have been created. Informatics tools, including incorporated spatial analysis and ways to search for information on demographic and social data on different religious adherents has been one area of focus.
Source: GIS Lounge 10 March 2017
Taking that locally since we live here in Mesa, a stop-on-the-way to the mission of Mormons to colonize Mexico in the years before the 1850's, it may be both interesting and informative to use the tools provided for some kind of context to explain how one religious practice both in private and public life created the social construct we live in, both in the East Valley and State of Arizona.
The image shown to the right is an map of the continental United States used as the interactive tool cited in the source report.
Religion is used as the focus for every state. Readers can easily see that one state stands out from all the rest: the State of Utah.
It was carved-out of The State of Deseret, a provisional state of the United States, proposed in 1849 by settlers from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - kind of a Theo-democracy-of-sorts where one religion ruled and all the people adhered to that one religion obeying 'The Elders', a council of 12 in the Church of The Latter Day Saints of Jesus Christ still in existence to this day maintaining control over the faithful adherents of that religion who once formed a majority of the population now reduced by 20-21st Century changing demographics [access and use the source].
As another added resource to this post here's a map from 1990 that shows the Mormon percent of the population for every state, that has only increased since then by high-birth rates in the LDS population and active recruitment of new members by the Church.
You can easily see that whereas Mormons did not succeed in establishing The Kingdom of Deseret and the proposed State of Utah got carved-up, the religion has established a foot-hold and brain-hold on the populations of all the adjoining states if you overlay this map on the map for 'the kingdom' where God and religion ruled the lands.
Other historical analysis of map data has indicated that the distribution of religious buildings such as LDS temples has a close relationship to evolving urban patterns. Indeed the first LDS Temple to be built out of Salt Lake City, Utah was opened here in Mesa in 1927. [image to the left]
It stands right across from Pioneer Park where four Mormon 'founders' who formed the city of Mesa in1878 are commemorated in monumental bronze statues.
What seems to be overlooked is the long-established and inconvenient historical fact that for thousands of years before 'the pioneers' arrived this earlier homeland of indigenous native peoples was claimed and sold by Mexico to the U.S. opening new claims on their territory.
Families and descendants of all these cultures and peoples survive, some thriving more than others in changing demographics from an influx of new arrivals after 1950.
In Arizona - and quite recently - more LDS temples, LDS Wards and LDS Stakes are increasing all the time.
For a map of all these go here >>Official LDS Stats: Temples, Wards, Stakes & Congregations
The Mesa Arizona Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, opened in October 1927, was the first temple in Arizona.
The Gilbert Arizona Temple opened in January 2014
The Phoenix Arizona Temple followed shortly thereafter in October 2014.
There are a total of five LDS Temples in Arizona (2016).
A sixth Temple in Tucson is scheduled to open in late 2017.
The other two Temples are located
in Snowflake, Arizona, northeast of Phoenix near Show Low and
in Gila Valley, Arizona, southeast of Phoenix near Safford.
Responding to what they say is a higher calling, Mormons get into politics and have exercised their control over the East Valley and State of Arizona for generations, many former and/or present 'bishops' and 'presidents' in LDS Stakes - an interesting mix of words for religion and politics for sure! - have gained seats in government in local city and higher state and national offices by voting as an electoral bloc, by either anointing their hand-selected same faith-based candidates to succeed them, or resigning from elective office just months ahead of the end of their term to pass on the office to like-minded members of the church.
Recent cases for example: Matt Salmon and Andy Biggs in Congress, Senator Jeff Flake, control of the Arizona State House, and here in Mesa, Mayor Scott Smith to John Giles, who ran unopposed and won in 2016 to continue the long line of Mormon mayors in Mesa's 138-year old history.
In these times and more recent days, the Mesa City Council had a similar history up until last year when two candidates in District 2 and District 3 challenged the entrenched generations-old political machine and got elected. One candidate in District 1, who claimed one of the Founders of Mesa as an ancestor, got elected there in West Mesa where old loyalties still run strong.
As you, dear readers, can see: Communities created by settlers, for instance, influenced economic and social identity as new communities were introduced, shaping fundamentally how economic and social structure are evident today
Source: GIS Lounge 10 March 2017
The image shown to the right is an map of the continental United States used as the interactive tool cited in the source report.
Religion is used as the focus for every state. Readers can easily see that one state stands out from all the rest: the State of Utah.
You can easily see that whereas Mormons did not succeed in establishing The Kingdom of Deseret and the proposed State of Utah got carved-up, the religion has established a foot-hold and brain-hold on the populations of all the adjoining states if you overlay this map on the map for 'the kingdom' where God and religion ruled the lands.
It stands right across from Pioneer Park where four Mormon 'founders' who formed the city of Mesa in1878 are commemorated in monumental bronze statues.
What seems to be overlooked is the long-established and inconvenient historical fact that for thousands of years before 'the pioneers' arrived this earlier homeland of indigenous native peoples was claimed and sold by Mexico to the U.S. opening new claims on their territory.
Families and descendants of all these cultures and peoples survive, some thriving more than others in changing demographics from an influx of new arrivals after 1950.
In Arizona - and quite recently - more LDS temples, LDS Wards and LDS Stakes are increasing all the time.
For a map of all these go here >>Official LDS Stats: Temples, Wards, Stakes & Congregations
The Mesa Arizona Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, opened in October 1927, was the first temple in Arizona.
The Gilbert Arizona Temple opened in January 2014
The Phoenix Arizona Temple followed shortly thereafter in October 2014.
There are a total of five LDS Temples in Arizona (2016).
A sixth Temple in Tucson is scheduled to open in late 2017.
The other two Temples are located
in Snowflake, Arizona, northeast of Phoenix near Show Low and
in Gila Valley, Arizona, southeast of Phoenix near Safford.
Recent cases for example: Matt Salmon and Andy Biggs in Congress, Senator Jeff Flake, control of the Arizona State House, and here in Mesa, Mayor Scott Smith to John Giles, who ran unopposed and won in 2016 to continue the long line of Mormon mayors in Mesa's 138-year old history.
In these times and more recent days, the Mesa City Council had a similar history up until last year when two candidates in District 2 and District 3 challenged the entrenched generations-old political machine and got elected. One candidate in District 1, who claimed one of the Founders of Mesa as an ancestor, got elected there in West Mesa where old loyalties still run strong.
As you, dear readers, can see: Communities created by settlers, for instance, influenced economic and social identity as new communities were introduced, shaping fundamentally how economic and social structure are evident today
GIS has become an important historical and contemporary analytical tool used to explain past and current social trends shaping and being shaped by religions.
Source: GIS Lounge 10 March 2017
The Church publishes this
Source: GIS Lounge 10 March 2017
