Annoying LDS Attitude

[CardiacCoug]

My wife has a monthly book club with some other female members of the ward and a few non-LDS friends. They met recently to discuss Kate Braestrup's book Here if You Need Me, which is a pretty awesome account of her personal story as a Unitarian Universalist minister whose husband died, leaving her with four young children.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58shzAUwGq4

Anyway, this book club has some very intelligent, well-educated women in it (all college grads, a few with Ivy League graduate degrees, etc) and my wife says that most of the LDS women at the book club dismissed a lot of Braestrup's advice and insights with comments like, "Isn't it amazing how she doesn't even understand the basics of the Plan of Salvation?" and "Unitarian Universalists hate Mormons."

Rather than being open to learning something from the book, their attitude was basically one of condescension and pity because this author has not been blessed to be a member of the "only true Church."

Anyway, it just reminded me of how many educated LDS people are strangely arrogant about their "knowledge" of God and of His ways. I think too many of us (myself included) are too quick to dismiss insights from non-LDS sources. Maybe we're especially quick to dismiss non-LDS sources that deal with issues of religion and death, as Braestrup's book does.

[Solon]

Anyway, it just reminded me of how many educated LDS people are strangely arrogant about their "knowledge" of God and of His ways. I think too many of us (myself included) are too quick to dismiss insights from non-LDS sources. Maybe we're especially quick to dismiss non-LDS sources that deal with issues of religion and death, as Braestrup's book does.

That's funny you should post this because I had a similar experience yesterday in church. During Open Mic' meeting, a woman got up and told how her sister had left the church. She went on to tell us that people who don't believe in the church or even God (like her sister) don't have to worry about right and wrong, and are only concerned about themselves. That may be true of this sister, but c'mon . . . . it came across as very snobbish.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

During Open Mic' meeting,

That is very funny, and I will probably steal it.

[Solon]

That is very funny, and I will probably steal it.

I stole it from Mormon Red Death. So, help yourself.

[Non Sequitur]

That's funny you should post this because I had a similar experience yesterday in church. During Open Mic' meeting, a woman got up and told how her sister had left the church. She went on to tell us that people who don't believe in the church or even God (like her sister) don't have to worry about right and wrong, and are only concerned about themselves. That may be true of this sister, but c'mon . . . . it came across as very snobbish.

I've had people say to me, "If someone doesn't believe in God, what's to prevent them from going out committing rape and murder?"

Since my belief has waned, I have yet to commit a single murder. Perhaps I'm just lazy.

[myboynoah]

I've had people say to me, "If someone doesn't believe in God, what's to prevent them from going out committing rape and murder?"

Since my belief has waned, I have yet to commit a single murder. Perhaps I'm just lazy.

I notice you left out rape.

[Surfah]

I notice you left out rape.

LOL.

[myboynoah]

My wife has a monthly book club with some other female members of the ward and a few non-LDS friends. They met recently to discuss Kate Braestrup's book Here if You Need Me, which is a pretty awesome account of her personal story as a Unitarian Universalist minister whose husband died, leaving her with four young children.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58shzAUwGq4

Anyway, this book club has some very intelligent, well-educated women in it (all college grads, a few with Ivy League graduate degrees, etc) and my wife says that most of the LDS women at the book club dismissed a lot of Braestrup's advice and insights with comments like, "Isn't it amazing how she doesn't even understand the basics of the Plan of Salvation?" and "Unitarian Universalists hate Mormons."

Rather than being open to learning something from the book, their attitude was basically one of condescension and pity because this author has not been blessed to be a member of the "only true Church."

Anyway, it just reminded me of how many educated LDS people are strangely arrogant about their "knowledge" of God and of His ways. I think too many of us (myself included) are too quick to dismiss insights from non-LDS sources. Maybe we're especially quick to dismiss non-LDS sources that deal with issues of religion and death, as Braestrup's book does.

Definitely frustrating and embarrassing. How did your wife react? Did she try to step in and save the day with an alternative "LDS" view?

Also, why would they say UUs hate Mormons? (In this case UUs mean Unitarian Universalists, not Utah Utes. I want to avoid the obvious confusion.) Was this book club a spinoff from the local RS? I'm curious as to why these women would feel comfortable to speak as they did.

[pelagius]

Definitely frustrating and embarrassing. How did your wife react? Did she try to step in and save the day with an alternative "LDS" view?

Also, why would they say UUs hate Mormons? (In this case UUs mean Unitarian Universalists, not Utah Utes.

That's easy to explain ... In those stories where the charismatic gospel doctrine teacher gets half his/her Sunday school class to leave the church ... the astray sheep always end up at joining the UUs. Some of our great cautionary tales involve the UUs (don't tell me you haven't heard any of these?)

[myboynoah]

That's easy to explain ... In those stories where the charismatic gospel doctrine teacher gets half his/her Sunday school class to leave the church ... the astray sheep always end up at joining the UUs. Some of our great cautionary tales involve the UUs (don't tell me you haven't heard any of these?)

If you're talking Unitarian Universalists, I haven't heard of these tales of woe. They must present a fairly compelling case.

[pelagius]

If you're talking Unitarian Universalists, I haven't heard of these tales of woe. They must present a fairly compelling case.

I have a friend (actually a very reliable character) who said this happened while he was in graduate school. A mutual acquaintance (who was teaching the "special" Sunday school class somewhat common in "Academic" wards) led a "mass" exodus to Unitarian Universalists. Of course its getting to you third hand, but I trust I have established my point that the UUs are dangerous.