Responding to Persecution

[beelzebabette]

Wow, LA Ute, good thoughts. I'm being serious when I say that tempts me to attend RS in hopes I could get a lesson like that.

[LA Ute]

This isn't persecution, just legal discrimination.

I'm a white, Southern, male, American citizen. If this is the worst discrimination I ever get, I'll count myself lucky.

I have to say, their candor is refreshing.

[scottie]

I just noticed that our priesthood lesson scheduled for next week is Joseph Smith Manual Lesson #32 - Responding to Persecution.

http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=da135f74db46c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=5858b00367c45110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&hideNav=1&contentLocale=0

I am not looking forward to this. I grimace every time the topic of persecution comes up. I have never liked the persecution mentality in our culture and I think we tend to greatly exaggerate modern persecution. This is especially true regarding the gay marriage debate.

Anyone have any insights or thoughts on the topic?

I think this is an example of the persecution mentality you're talking about:

http://www.lastacceptableprejudice.blogspot.com/

Just as Harvard University has stirred away from its religious roots, I have witnessed a mass emigration toward the dark ages of religious intolerance in America only as it pertains to my faith. This small-mindedness aimed at Mormons is not seen among ecclesiastical entities as a whole, but has focused its aim toward one particular congregation known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This, I contend, is one of society’s last acceptable prejudices.

[LA Ute]

I think this is an example of the persecution mentality you're talking about:

http://www.lastacceptableprejudice.blogspot.com/

Yeah, the responses to the Romney campaign and the Prop 8 backlash surprised a lot of Mormons and produced stuff like that blog post. Some of the calls I heard to talk radio hosts were a little whiny. Probably the only thing that will get some people to stop will be a general conference talk by Pres. Monson telling them to cowboy up and move on.

[UtahDan]

Hogwash.

There is such a thing as righteous broadcast journalism. Ever hear of Bonneville Communications? KBYU? BYUTV? I thought so. QED.

Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made.

[LA Ute]

One more idea: In "Rough Stone Rollling" Bushman tells of a couple of occasions when men came to Nauvoo to execute arrest warrants on Joseph Smith. IIRC, After Joseph went to court and got the warrants discharged, he took the men home and and had dinner with them before they left. I loved that, and we need more of it today.

[ERCougar]

One more idea: In "Rough Stone Rollling" Bushman tells of a couple of occasions when men came to Nauvoo to execute arrest warrants on Joseph Smith. IIRC, After Joseph went to court and got the warrants discharged, he took the men home and and had dinner with them before they left. I loved that, and we need more of it today.

You can't take gay men out to dinner--they might try something.

[UtahDan]

One more idea: In "Rough Stone Rollling" Bushman tells of a couple of occasions when men came to Nauvoo to execute arrest warrants on Joseph Smith. IIRC, After Joseph went to court and got the warrants discharged, he took the men home and and had dinner with them before they left. I loved that, and we need more of it today.

This is one thing I love about Joseph that you hear over and over. When he gets challenged, when he gets accused it is pretty rare for him to rise to some powerful rebuke.

When accusers came, he often sat down and listened to them. The accusers frequently came away saying "this is not the guy I heard about." There are other examples of when he was challenged from within relative to his authority by Oliver and others. He would frequently say "let us inquire of the Lord about it."

When people say they can't believe him he says, I know, I wouldn't have believed it myself if it hadn't happened to me.

I know this was not always the case, but I think there is a humility inherent in letting a soft word turn away wrath that is worth emulating. In always acknowledging the other and hearing them out whenever possible. It is a great way for us all to resolve conflicts in out lives.

[CardiacCoug]

I know this was not always the case, but I think there is a humility inherent in letting a soft word turn away wrath that is worth emulating. In always acknowledging the other and hearing them out whenever possible. It is a great way for us all to resolve conflicts in out lives.

I agree with this.

I've seen and been a part of a lot of interactions with angry patients and families over the years, usually about having to wait because of an emergency or because a clinic was running way behind. Less often it's because a family is feeling neglected when they have a very sick family member.

The only good way to handle these situations is to apologize profusely and explain things in a calm, humble way. Going on the attack in these situations is a very bad idea.

[UtahDan]

I agree with this.

I've seen and been a part of a lot of interactions with angry patients and families over the years, usually about having to wait because of an emergency or because a clinic was running way behind. Less often it's because a family is feeling neglected when they have a very sick family member.

The only good way to handle these situations is to apologize profusely and explain things in a calm, humble way. Going on the attack in these situations is a very bad idea.

If I believe what Gladwell says in Blink, which MD's get sued has far more to do with their bedside manner than it does how often they make mistakes. People just don't go after people they like.

[Fiyero]

One more idea: In "Rough Stone Rollling" Bushman tells of a couple of occasions when men came to Nauvoo to execute arrest warrants on Joseph Smith. IIRC, After Joseph went to court and got the warrants discharged, he took the men home and and had dinner with them before they left. I loved that, and we need more of it today.

That's why I invited John Haddow to lunch the last time I was in DC. I had tired of his many remarks and thought perhaps he'd appreciate the gesture.

I love how, in light of Utahns starting a rumor that 200,000 gays were coming to persecute them during General Conference weekend, the leader of the local GLA publicly stated that the rumor was false and they were actually planning on doing community service that weekend. It was the perfect opportunity to call the rumormongerers a bunch of rotten, lying mouths that speak guile, but instead she calmly laid out the facts.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Here's my perspective:

...

Anyway, if I were teaching the lesson those are the tacks I would take.

Very nice response, LA. I appreciate it.

I am not teaching, BTW. I just like to study the lesson beforehand.

[LA Ute]

You can't take gay men out to dinner--they might try something.

I'm not sure Lebowski is going to be able to use that concept in his lesson.(Better said, to contribute to it. Might sound a little funny coming from the back row.)

[JohnnyLingo]

There are other examples of when he was challenged from within relative to his authority by Oliver and others. He would frequently say "let us inquire of the Lord about it."

What an applicable response. When posters here challenge the authority of the prophets re: subjects such as Prop 8 or blacks and the priesthood, can the answer be "let us inquire of the Lord about it"?

[UtahDan]

What an applicable response. When posters here challenge the authority of the prophets re: subjects such as Prop 8 or blacks and the priesthood, can the answer be "let us inquire of the Lord about it"?

Sure. Back when we were debating Prop 8 on a daily basis I advocated over and over the need for us as a people to diligently inquire of the Lord as to how we could better extend the hand of fellowship to those with SSA. I don't think modern prophets have the time to answer critics individually in this way, I wasn't suggesting that. I just think it shows great humility.