Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the News

[MartyFunkhouser]

...............

[SeattleUte]

Is this news because he's Elizabeth Smart's father?

[creekster]

Is this news because he's Elizabeth Smart's father?

Surely you can put this together on your own?

[Pelado]

Am I the only one of this board that didn't think Ed Smart was gay?

Probably.

I know some members that have taken big issue with gay men leaving their wives. I can understand some of the anger, but these men entered into a marriage sometimes at the urging of church leaders, and if not at the urging of church leaders, surely from undue pressure, either explicitly or implicitly, to be in a heterosexual marriage. Some have been happy and stayed throughout the marriage. Others have been unhappy and with public acceptance of homosexuality they now find it tenable to leave the marriage. I can only imagine this wasn't easy for anyone in the Smart home, but I bet both Ed and Lois will recover and be happier. I find it great that he stayed until his kids were grown and it seems they can all handle this. I mean, if they can handle what Elizabeth went through, they can handle anything.

Surprised you're not saving that content for the podcast.

he's Elizabeth Smart's father?

Yes.

Is this news

No.

[Eddie]

Am I the only one of this board that didn't think Ed Smart was gay?

I really didn't think about it one way or the other. So it surprised me to see the news - but looking back and remembering him in the news, it isn't shocking.

Some of the comments on the desnews article are really sad.

The DesNews also outed him without his permission. I really have a problem with outing someone without their permission.

https://fox13now.com/2019/08/15/ed-smart-father-of-elizabeth-smart-comes-out-as-gay/

The SLTrib also posted the now deleted Facebook post. I also think this was a poor choice as well.

The comments are bad. Some are really bad and really lack any kind of empathy or insight whatsoever.

I have a problem outing someone without their permission - but the reality is that if he put it on his facebook page in a public space, then he kind of outed himself, didn't he? I suspect he didn't think it would be news for KSL, FOX, etc. to jump on - so I get that. But it isn't like this was told to someone in private and they violated some sort of confidence. Unfortunate for something like this to get the amount of attention it did in this day and age - but I don't think you can say someone else outed him. He did that to himself.

I know some members that have taken big issue with gay men leaving their wives. I can understand some of the anger, but these men entered into a marriage sometimes at the urging of church leaders, and if not at the urging of church leaders, surely from undue pressure, either explicitly or implicitly, to be in a heterosexual marriage. Some have been happy and stayed throughout the marriage. Others have been unhappy and with public acceptance of homosexuality they now find it tenable to leave the marriage. I can only imagine this wasn't easy for anyone in the Smart home, but I bet both Ed and Lois will recover and be happier. I find it great that he stayed until his kids were grown and it seems they can all handle this. I mean, if they can handle what Elizabeth went through, they can handle anything.

The couple I mentioned earlier - the ex-wife was pretty angry when it happened.

I kind of skipped this part of the story - but apparently before they ever married they had a conversation in which he described himself as somewhat bisexual. He indicated to her that he was also attracted to men, but wanted that he had "dealt with this issues" and wanted to be in a heterosexual relationship. So she was pretty bitter that he went into it knowing what choice he was making and in her mind had committed to that relationship - only to decide it wasn't working for him.

I get it. I get why he decided to leave. But I also don't blame her for being frustrated and angry when he did.

Honestly - I'm not sure how I would react if it were me and my wife told me that she loved me, but really was into chicks when it comes to sex and has decided to get a divorce to pursue sexual relationships she would find more fulfilling. I love her dearly, but I don't think I would take it all that well. (I think I could be "adult" and cordial on the outside. But I think there are elements of the situation that would be emotionally devastating. I also recognize that there would be elements of that decision and situation that would be devastating to her as well.)

[SeattleUte]

Surely you can put this together on your own?

Doesn’t seem like enough reason.

[Topper]

Doesn’t seem like enough reason.

Only news in Utah. It took a minute before I figured out who he was and why should I care. Mind you, I don't care, but wondered why it became news.

[creekster]

Doesn’t seem like enough reason.

You're asking if it should be news. I don't think so. But it is news because his daughter was abducted and everything they do is now of public interest, apparently.

[Clark Addison]

It's on the front page of cnn.com, fwiw.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/16/us/ed-smart-gay-trnd/index.html

[SeattleUte]

It's on the front page of cnn.com, fwiw.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/16/us/ed...rnd/index.html

Ha. CNN is such a joke. Fox News of the left.

[happyone]

Ha. CNN is such a joke. Fox News of the left.

and here I thought that MSNBC

[Jeff Lebowski]

Ha. I am loving the right wing version of SU.

[frank ryan]

Ha. I am loving the right wing version of SU.

oh my, don't encourage his Cleon Skousenization.

I hold out hope the old SU will reappear.

[SeattleUte]

and here I thought that MSNBC

That too. There are more left-biased media. CNN, CNBC, Fox all 100% garbage.

[beefytee]

That too. There are more left-biased media. CNN, CNBC, Fox all 100% garbage.

Yep. I haven't watched any of the news channels outside of election night is over a decade. Fox News ruined them all.

I miss the CNN of the eighties and early nineties.