A Cantankerous Myth

May 31, 2010

Coming from an upbringing that insists constantly to be the custodian of truth, I find it interesting that some in my religious heritage do not even seem to begin understanding the erroneous nature of some of their most basic beliefs.

While my church purports to be politically neutral, it is often difficult to disconnect religion from politics completely. Sometimes the two are one and the same. In this context, one of the ideas that has affected me most negatively is simply this: you can't be Mormon and a democrat.

Just for the record, I am not a part of any political party. But while some might point out the simply benign nature of the above statement, it is obvious that among many of your average mainstream LDS people, this is basically a play off of a statement made by one of Mormon conservatives most beloved disciple, Ezra Taft Benson: "No true Latter-day Saint and no true American can be a socialist or a communist or support programs leading in that direction." Today we could just insert the word "democrat" for "socialist."

Many conservatives want to use words like those of Benson to contend that being a so-called liberal means you are not worthy, not faithful, not patriotic. It seems that such individuals are unaware of the history of the church, yet they sometimes take this idea to such an extreme that they cannot tolerate anyone who has a distinct point of view. Progressives/liberals are enemies to the causes of God and country. They are a cancer that undermines the foundation of our constitutional government. I have personally experienced this lack of understanding and tolerance from people, some of them very close to me.

While I am despised by some for just acknowledging that it is okay for people to have different points of view, whatever the religious background, the viewpoint that a Mormon has to be connected with republicanism/conservatism is simply false.

Take this opinion from Hugh B. Brown, at the time a member of the church's First Presidency:

"Every person is entitled to his or her opinion, which will be respected as long as he or she respects the opinions of others. Individual General Authorities have the right and privilege to express their own opinions, which, when expressed, represent their opinions only. There may be different opinions among the General Authorities, but we are united on the basic principles of the gospel. When it comes to expressing an opinion on some other organization or some political or quasi-political question, one hopes that the authorities of the church will have the good grace not to be extreme, to keep near the center of the road. All my life I have advocated that people in and out of the church should think through every proposition presented to them. Positions may be modified as time passes by discussing them with others, but there should be no question that both liberals and conservatives in the church are free to express their opinions."
** from "An Abundant Life: The Memoirs of Hugh B. Brown," p. 131.**

More recently it is well known that the late James E. Faust, also an Apostle and member of the First Presidency, was a Utah democrat.

I was especially miffed to just recently find an article from 1998 of an interview with Marlin K. Jensen, another democrat, and current church historian:

"There is sort of a division along Mormon/non-Mormon, Republican/Democratic lines," says Elder Marlin Jensen, a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy. "We regret that more than anything -- that there would become a church party and a non-church party. That would be the last thing that we would want to have happen."

How is it that I could be taught for years that being a democrat was akin to being an apostate when this is simply not true? Did most of the individuals from whom I heard this idea even know any democrats personally? Even if they feel strongly about their conservative views, are they justified in ostracizing and rejecting those of different opinions? Is their behavior in any way Christlike? Coming from a tradition of being cruelly persecuted as Mormons, it is jaw-dropping to see Mormons do an about-face and persecute others just because they have differing political views.

Jesus taught us to love our enemies and do good to those who hate us. I do not really think that differing opinions are really justification for classifying people as enemies. We should be able to appreciate and respect one another. We should be glad that not everyone has the same point of view. We should expect that even with the most righteous of motivations, different people will see the world in opposing ways. As President Brown said, as long as we are respectful, we deserve others' respect.

I am convinced that the conservatives I know have good intentions. Their reasoning is generally sound for believing the things they do. But there is no justification for judgments of large segments of society because of their politics. Defending the indefensible in this way makes their position appear tenuous and weak, for they refuse to even engage in discussion of anything but that which merely goes along with what they already believe. Such an attitude has the potential to be just as damaging to the country as any supposed progressive cancer.

On a day when we honor those who have sacrificed their lives and families for our freedoms, it would be good to remember that those heroes died in defense of the rights we all enjoy to think and believe as we choose, black and white, liberal and conservative, democrat and republican, christian and atheist.

A Long Journey - Moving Forward

April 10, 2010

It has been sometime since I have given a strong opinion on this issue or that. I often have a hard time capturing an accurate description of my philosophies because they seem to always be evolving as I gain newer information. I try to avoid labels because they don't help; they only bring on overgeneralized stereotypes and judgmental reactions.

Over the last several years I have been on a long journey. I remember several years ago thinking how I wanted to be able to understand opposing points of view without becoming furious all the time, which at the time was how I always seemed to react. Back then I was a bloody red conservative. I could have never imagined that actually making the decision to look at differing views as objectively as possible would change my entire world view so drastically.

I now can accept others' viewpoints as just as valid as mine, in the context of their experiences and worldview. This does not undermine the fact that my perspective is just as valid - for me. In my view, this is much more realistic in relation to how the world really turns today. Diversity is the rule, and I have come to embrace that fact, with the idea in mind that we still have more in common than we have differences.

I do not regret questioning the long-held beliefs of my youth, even though it has caused some friction now and again with some of my closest associations. While I feel I have walked this path despite the uncertainty of where it would lead, I can see why some might believe I am just another example of why people generally are afraid to take those first tenuous steps. It is scary and uncomfortable changing viewpoints and being humble enough to admit you may have been wrong, or that you might even be wrong now. A lot of times along the way I have felt like I was losing my faith because so many things I thought were rock solid beliefs started to crumble before my eyes. But I continue to hang on to things I have always valued greatly, and the other things I let go of.

It has taken me awhile, but I am getting comfortable having views that contradict some of the things I was taught growing up, at church, at school, at home. I feel I am nearing the point where I can talk about those 'aberrant' beliefs openly, regardless of the consequences. I hope to do so in a respectful way. And I hope to bring a perspective that can verify that my perspective and views are not crazy, or unfounded. I hope that someday I can be a comfort to others who feel they have 'unorthodox' political, religious, or social views, to help them feel they are not alone - as I have often felt at times during my journey - and that having differing views does not make them wrong.

The Evil of Sesame Street

November 12, 2009

Apparently it is the 40th anniversary of the first Sesame Street. I loved the show as a kid, and am sometimes disappointed to see my children more interested in lesser kid-friendly entertainment like Thomas the Tank Engine and Dora the Explorer. I did not realize how awful the Sesame Street actually was until Colbert made it known on his show yesterday. What were my parents thinking letting me get indoctrinated by the Public Broadcasting Service when I was so young and innocent? No doubt, if it weren't for Sesame Street, I probably wouldn't be so screwed up today!

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A Clarification

March 14, 2009

One of the biggest disadvantages of the Internet is that while it gives the illusion of making communication amongst users all the more possible, what it often really does is inhibit quality interactions. Words on a screen can convey a thousand different thoughts and feelings, but there is no human sitting there to explain if there are misunderstandings.

I want to make it clear that many of the things I argue on this site, are more for the sake of argument, and giving a contrary point-of-view, rather than this just being a place for me to establish, unequivocally, exactly what I believe for any out there interested.

There is probably more equivocalness than not in what I'm saying. Therefore when I argue, for instance, that I think this or that about President Bush, or some other defenseless conservative bystander, I am not saying I don't think there are positive things about that person, or that it is impossible for someone to support George W. Bush, or vote for a conservative/republican.

On the other hand, I do make a lot of my observations with the idea (at least in my mind) that there are many conservatives out there today who question my intelligence completely just because I would even consider, for even a second, a liberal perspective, let alone endorse one. Thus, one of the main reasons I exist is to point out the inconsistency that for the last two presidential terms, many of my associates have pointed out how awful it was that liberals hated Bush for no apparent reason, other than to hate (and they - conservatives - are probably right); yet now that the president is a democrat, these same people have turned around and are doing exactly the same thing, justifying it all the way.

I know they probably don't see it that way. But when you've made up your mind, evidence to the contrary be damned, that's what it looks like. When you've established in your mind that the president is a liar, then it is easy to say he is a socialist, even if he says he is not, or that he wants socialized medicine, when he doesn't. Or, the converse: it is easy to believe that a president is a war criminal, even though he says he had America's best interests at heart, because he lied about going to war in the first place.

My purpose is at least a tiny (probably insignificant) attempt at avoiding such extreme positions. Because arguing that someone is less intelligent than me just because they disagree, or because there is no possible rational explanation for liberal (or conservative, for that matter) ideas, is really just evidence of the absence of a good argument.

P.S. I've gotten a couple comments that people are unsure what I believe exactly, and I take it as a compliment. It means I have not been ferociously defending and fighting for one particular viewpoint. I am perfectly comfortable with people wondering whether I'm really a liberal, or a conservative, or some weirdo in between.

The NEW Age of [Gossip] Forwarded Emails

I am going to commit to sending this post to each person that sends me a forwarded email attacking Muslims, Barack Hussein Obama, John Sidney McCain III, (Incidentally, isn't Sydney a girl's name? I can't vote for a candidate with a GIRL'S name!) the Golden Compass or pretty much what or whomever.

Maybe the most aggravating thing about these emails is that people send them and then think they are not responsible for the information contained therein because someone else authored it, and the sender is just relaying the message. I disagree with this assumption wholeheartedly. If you forward it, you should be responsible for the information.

If you disagree, please explain to me how sending an electronic lie is any different than spreading gossip about someone in your church, or about your neighbor? The shame of it all is, now we can gossip to dozens (yea, literally hundreds) of people all at once. Yet when the information proves false, no one is there to admit they were wrong. No one is there to apologize for the backbiting.

There have been times when reading forwarded emails from God knows whom caused my head to tremble. However, it is now a fact of life, and I must keep my sanity. So I take deep breaths and remind myself people are still free to be ignorant in this country if they so choose.

Currently the majority of said messages seem to be bashing liberals or Obama, but that is not even the (or even a) reason I oppose sending the messages to everyone in your address book.

I started opposing them after I actually determined to double-check the accuracy of the statements often made in the mass-mailings. Exhibit A: The owner of the Portland Trailblazers supposedly wrote a letter to a local newspaper defending the Latter-Day Saint faith. A quick check finds that it was a person with the same name, but in fact NOT the NBA ball club's owner.

Exhibit B: Jay Leno allegedly wrote a long email talking about how good we really have it in the United States, and that we should quit whining so much. Double-checking reveals that Leno never penned any of the words in the email.

In fact, you can find how the myth actually got started, and even though many of them are several years old, trust me, you will probably receive this one again. After all, only one grandfather, one auntie, one cousin, or sibling has forwarded them along. You have many more relatives who will still think it's the first time you've seen the message.

The accumulated effect on this individual is that every time I get a forwarded email, I tend to roll my eyes, gag with gastrointestinal contractions threatening dry-heaves, and clench my fists in a Kimbo Slice fit of rage.

Okay, maybe I exaggerate a little. However, as I have read email after email, especially those that besmirch the character of Barack Obama, Muslims, the Koran, or "liberals," I immediately want to respond, "why do you wish to endorse and perpetuate lies, hatred, stereotypes, and bigotry en masse?"

Now, I realize they do not mean it in that way. They just see it more as: Barack Obama scares me, so whatever information saying anything negative about him should be forwarded so I can scare others into not voting for him as well.

However the ultimate result is I, who originally would not even think of voting for Obama, am tempted more and more to do just that: support him. If you want to debate policy, and specific important issues, that is fine. If you think sending various unsubstantiated emails are grounds for being scared of a presidential candidate, or a religious group, then you need to rethink your mentality.

I recommend two excellent discourses on the matter: "Your Name Is Safe in Our Home" by Elder Cree-L Kofford, and also "Instruments of the Lord's Peace" by Elder Robert S. Wood.

I do not count myself perfect in this matter. I am sometimes guilty of bitter stereotyping and judmental thinking as well. However, these talks help me remember that passing on fear-inducing, sometimes hateful material about anyone, is not the way of raising the level of public discourse in an election year. No, the MSM do not help at all, but let's be adults - men and women - about the matter, and admit most of us are just better than that.

The next time you think about hitting the forward button, think about this: how many forwarded emails have been sent with lies about something you believed in strongly? How many lies about the LDS faith have been perpetuated to incite fear in those otherwise curious about the church? I hope we are not guilty of indirectly encouraging and fostering ill-will and suspicion toward non-offending parties because we failed to review the material and confirm its accuracy.

So please, if you're going to send out the emails, double-check your facts. Or you can expect to get a link to my website. Or at least be willing to call it what it really is: hurtful, despicable, gossip.