exmo.com comes to WashPo

[RC Vikings]

I just had a conversation with a co-worker (non-member) last week about funerals. She said that she loves mormon funeral potatoes and had to look up the recipe online after attening a mormon funeral.

Funeral potatoes should be a no-brainer but I'm here to tell it's not. We have a ton of transplanted Utahans in our ward and their funeral potatoes are terrible. I just get angry at ward parties when they ruin beautiful Idaho potatoes with a piss poor recipe in the middle of potato country.

[RobinFinderson]

I can just imagine the encounter between Ms. Carrie Sheffield and President Monson, Tom:

Carrie Sheffield notices Prez-Mo-T picking up a couple of lollypops in a small convenience store. She charges up to him and begins to passionately present her ideas for improving the church. As she presents her view, Prez-Mo-T unwraps a lollypop, drops the wrapper on the floor, and steps up to Ms. Sheffield just as she finishes saying, "And that is how I think the church could become a much friendlier place to women, gay people, and the many people who want to partake of our communal spirit, even if they can't bring themselves to believe everything the church claims as doctrine."

Prez-Mo-T: You want it to be one way.
Ms. Sheffield: What?
Prez-Mo-T: You want it to be one way.
Ms. Shefield: I don't follow what you are saying.
Prez-Mo-T: You want it to be one way.
(Ms. Shefield now looking very nervous)
Ms. Shefield: Why do you keep saying that?
Prez-Mo-T: But it's the other way.
(Prez-Mo-T looks to the cashier, holds up the two lollipops and says, "Take it out of your tithing." He pops the unwrapped lollipop into his mouth and walks out the door.)

I invent a great street name for President Monson AND I make a quality The Wire reference, and I only get ONE tip-o'-the-hat? You people suck.

[Jeff Lebowski]

I invent a great street name for President Monson AND I make a quality The Wire reference, and I only get ONE tip-o'-the-hat? You people suck.

Sorry, RF. I got a chuckle out of the Marlo reference. Consider my hat tipped.

[TripletDaddy]

I invent a great street name for President Monson AND I make a quality The Wire reference, and I only get ONE tip-o'-the-hat? You people suck.

Too derivative, anyway. I've been calling him T-Mo for a long while now.

[UtahDan]

Reading her bio only makes her article that much more unfortunate IMO.

Yes, I'd expect much better considering her background.

The question of how a person who is obviously so intelligent, accomplished and who does complex political analysis for a living came to a view that seems so misaligned with reality to you is one worth pondering.

[Indy Coug]

The question of how a person who is obviously so intelligent, accomplished and who does complex political analysis for a living came to a view that seems so misaligned with reality to you is one worth pondering.

Not really. The expectation would be a level of discourse from her that would be more indicative of her educational and professional pedigree, rather than something that looks closer to a Cougarboard troll job.

[Tone Loc]

The question of how a person who is obviously so intelligent, accomplished and who does complex political analysis for a living came to a view that seems so misaligned with reality to you is one worth pondering.

Oh, the old only dumb people believe argument. Not bad, but I am really curious as to which commandment she couldn't keep.

[RC Vikings]

I think she is very pretty. I wonder why she didn't get married?

Oh, the old only dumb people believe argument. Not bad, but I am really curious as to which commandment she couldn't keep.

I think it's fairly obvious she's a fornicator.

[Moliere]

The question of how a person who is obviously so intelligent, accomplished and who does complex political analysis for a living came to a view that seems so misaligned with reality to you is one worth pondering.

While you have a point (and this wasn't directed at me), my own personal experience tells me that the author is flat out wrong. Consider this sentence:

Yes, Mormons love families. But the family-values facade applies only if you stay in the fold. Former Mormons know the family estrangement and bigotry that often come with questioning or leaving the church.

I've had family members (sibling and cousins) that have left the church. Some drink, some got tattoos, some did other things that are horrendous in the eyes of faithful Mormons, yet these people are loved and treated as equals. They are invited to the same parties and are not judged but are included.

When my brother went totally inactive for a number of years, he was still welcomed in the home of my parents as an equal. He was given the same financial support for college, access to the cars, invitations to the same family vacations, and was overall loved just as much as the rest of the family.

I have other examples, but suffice it to say that I have never, in all my experience, seen a family cutoff or ostracize someone from their family because of the things that this person is writing about. Of course, in all my experiences I've also never seen the person that left make a huge push to get everyone else to see "their side of the story" because doing so is incredibly condescending and offensive.

In my experience the author is flat out wrong. I know my experience isn't what everyone experiences, but I place much greater weight on what I've personally experienced than what I read or hear through the public airways.

[Commando]

If Christ really loved everyone the same then he'd save everyone, regardless of their inclination to follow him.

Everyone is saved


Thankfully, people are usually saved in conformity with their own definition of the word, so it all works out.

[Jeff Lebowski]

The question of how a person who is obviously so intelligent, accomplished and who does complex political analysis for a living came to a view that seems so misaligned with reality to you is one worth pondering.

Good call, UD. We all know that educated, successful people are always objective.

Speaking of political analysis, you should check out Ann Coulter's academic background. Very impressive. BA at Cornell, JD at Michigan.

[Commando]

I think it's fairly obvious she's a fornicator.

Maybe I could infiltrate her lair and bring her back to the fold?

[creekster]

Everyone is saved

But we're not all saved the same.

[Flystripper]

But we're not all saved the same.

saved from what?

[LiveCoug]

Is it doctrine of the church to ostracize those of our family who have left the fold? If a member of a family leaves the church, do Bishops tell the remaining faithful family members to hate the one that has left?

I have never been taught that. It is sad when it happens.