Mormons Rock!

[Moliere]

A pretty well written piece in Newsweek is coming out about Mormons. It doesn't give much new information but it does seem quite a bit apologetic. Pretty much a "yeah, they believe some crazy stuff but they are awesome people" type article.

http://www.newsweek.com/2011/06/05/mormons-rock.html

This was my favorite quote:

The sect’s unusual beliefs, like the wives of its leaders, multiplied rapidly, provoking opposition everywhere the Mormons turned.

[RobinFinderson]

A pretty well written piece in Newsweek is coming out about Mormons. It doesn't give much new information but it does seem quite a bit apologetic. Pretty much a "yeah, they believe some crazy stuff but they are awesome people[*]" type article.

http://www.newsweek.com/2011/06/05/mormons-rock.html

This was my favorite quote:

[*] Awesome, of course, unless you are gay, or have gay family and friends.

[smokymountainrain]

[*] Awesome, of course, unless you are gay, or have gay family and friends.

You'd have to ask him of course, but hopfrog, for one, might beg to differ.

[Goatnapper'96]

[*] Awesome, of course, unless you are gay, or have gay family and friends.

Stringpullers Unite in your solemn opposition! You will penetrate every clime until the world knows that the Great Robin has proclaimed the Mormon Church hates gays!

[Joe Public]

I enjoyed the read. Thanks for the link.

[RobinFinderson]

You'd have to ask him of course, but hopfrog, for one, might beg to differ.

Does hopfrog support the church's opposition to gay rights?

Stringpullers Unite in your solemn opposition! You will penetrate every clime until the world knows that the Great Robin has proclaimed the Mormon Church hates gays!

The world doesn't care about what I think, and they already know that the Mormon church hates gays. The whole issue has become a convert filter that screens out 99% of otherwise eligible LDS candidates who happen to support gay rights. The Mormon church fights for the equivalent of Jim Crow laws in the most prominent civil rights movement of our day, and decent people see that. That filter leaves a potential convert pool of the bigoted, the apathetic, and the ignorant. On that rock will you build the church in the 21st century. Good luck with that.

[Goatnapper'96]

that[/I] rock will you build the church in the 21st century. Good luck with that.

Yet it just continues to roll like a stone cut without hands, trully its success against such daunting odds builds my testimony!

[Sullyute]

The world doesn't care about what I think, and they already know that the Mormon church hates gays. The whole issue has become a convert filter that screens out 99% of otherwise eligible LDS candidates who happen to support gay rights. The Mormon church fights for the equivalent of Jim Crow laws in the most prominent civil rights movement of our day, and decent people see that. That filter leaves a potential convert pool of the bigoted, the apathetic, and the ignorant. On that rock will you build the church in the 21st century. Good luck with that.

Those are strong words. I truly hope that this prediction, like Robin's patriarchal blessing about the second coming, does not turn out to be true. However, our current trajectory doesn't look promising.

[Eddie]

Does hopfrog support the church's opposition to gay rights?



The world doesn't care about what I think, and they already know that the Mormon church hates gays. The whole issue has become a convert filter that screens out 99% of otherwise eligible LDS candidates who happen to support gay rights. The Mormon church fights for the equivalent of Jim Crow laws in the most prominent civil rights movement of our day, and decent people see that. That filter leaves a potential convert pool of the bigoted, the apathetic, and the ignorant. On that rock will you build the church in the 21st century. Good luck with that.

I know a guy who proclaims himself to be one of the few active LDS gay men. I've had a number of conversations with him about his feelings on the matter - and he is very similar to a lot of people here.

Meaning - he generally likes the church and the people there, though he disagrees with some of the teachings or how they are presented and some of the people.



As I re-read the original quote - it made me kind of wonder about separating out the church from the people. I wonder how accepting the people of the church are of certain things (like gays) and how that compares to how accepting the church is of those same things.

I think that would make for some fascinating study.

[Non Sequitur]

[*] Awesome, of course, unless you are gay, or have gay family and friends.

That's more than a bit unfair. I have lots of family who supported Prop 8 and none them hate gays. And yes, they are still awesome.

[RobinFinderson]

That's more than a bit unfair. I have lots of family who supported Prop 8 and none them hate gays. And yes, they are still awesome.

I would argue that it is the harmed party that gets primary consideration when it comes to defining hateful actions. Your Mormon family that supported Prop 8 most certainly don't feel hateful, but their actions are interpreted as hateful by people who were harmed by the result of their choices.

I don't expect to convince many people here about this, but I think that I am accurately describing the vast majority of gay people's feelings about the choice to campaign and vote for Prop 8.

[Non Sequitur]

I would argue that it is the harmed party that gets primary consideration when it comes to defining hateful actions. Your Mormon family that supported Prop 8 most certainly don't feel hateful, but their actions are interpreted as hateful by people who were harmed by the result of their choices.

I don't expect to convince many people here about this, but I think that I am accurately describing the vast majority of gay people's feelings about the choice to campaign and vote for Prop 8.

A couple of years ago I wrecked a Thanksgiving dinner with my family by getting into a heated argument with my sister about her campaigning for Prop 8. I was frustrated, because I couldn't understand how she didn't realize just how offensive her actions were. I told her that her actions were hateful and that she should have been ashamed of herself. I've always regretted that, because she is not hateful. In fact she is one of the kindest people I have ever known, who sincerely thought she was on God's errand. I'm always careful, now, to think more carefully before I accuse someone of being hateful.

[smokymountainrain]

Does hopfrog support the church's opposition to gay rights?

That wasn't the issue that was brought up.

[Bjorn Turoque]

That filter leaves a potential convert pool of the bigoted, the apathetic, and the ignorant. On that rock will you build the church in the 21st century. Good luck with that.

I try my best to stay out of the Prop 8 blather ... mostly because I think it's stupid on both sides.

But that said ... I think the Church did okay for itself in the years between (roughly) 1960 and 1978, and has done alright for itself since then. Despite all those bigots and ignoramuses that joined the ranks during that time.

[Maximus]

Does hopfrog support the church's opposition to gay rights?



The world doesn't care about what I think, and they already know that the Mormon church hates gays. The whole issue has become a convert filter that screens out 99% of otherwise eligible LDS candidates who happen to support gay rights. The Mormon church fights for the equivalent of Jim Crow laws in the most prominent civil rights movement of our day, and decent people see that. That filter leaves a potential convert pool of the bigoted, the apathetic, and the ignorant. On that rock will you build the church in the 21st century. Good luck with that.

really? comparing jim crow with prop 8?