That was my favorite part of the article. I really think Feldman came pretty close to hitting the nail on the head. Although I don't completely agree with his sentiments, the different types of bias that exist and the different responses to them seemed pretty accurate. However, the "Mormons don't know how to talk about their faith because they've gone into hide it mode" seemed a bit off. Nearly all of us served missions and many Mormons are very eager to talk about their faith, just in the right context. I suppose that many of us don't know how to talk about it when not in "looking for converts" mode. There is the feeling that many places and situations that is inappropriate and we don't really discus it there. (although the mainstreaming of the church Feldmen discusses seems to have happened even more than Feldman recognizes. Not in the changing of the doctrine, but in the perception and presentation.) I think that the brethren definitely recognize this inability to talk to people about the church outside of a missionary mode and Elder Balard's talk from conference seemed to address that directly.
As does his recent call to blog on the issues (for which, I admit, this is a rather lame foray). The article was an interesting read and I too found it mostly spot-on.
I'm not afraid to mention churchy stuff or talk religion, but I have to be especially careful at work. In the public schools, they say, one can get fired.
"What is more, what began as a strategy of secrecy to avoid persecution has become over the course of the 20th century a strategy of minimizing discussion of the content of theology in order to avoid being treated as religious pariahs."
This quote seemed more than a bit off to me. If anything, I'd say President Hinckley has tried to encourage openness ever since the Olympics were held in SLC. Sure, there are some things we're not super open about, but that's because to us they're sacred.
For the most part Feldman was spot-on, but I didn't much care for his distinction between sacred and secret. It was too blurred.
I think that might have been necessary--the distinction we make is a peculiarly Mormon one; no one else seems to understand it. Which is part of the problem.
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ReplyDeleteThat was my favorite part of the article. I really think Feldman came pretty close to hitting the nail on the head. Although I don't completely agree with his sentiments, the different types of bias that exist and the different responses to them seemed pretty accurate. However, the "Mormons don't know how to talk about their faith because they've gone into hide it mode" seemed a bit off. Nearly all of us served missions and many Mormons are very eager to talk about their faith, just in the right context. I suppose that many of us don't know how to talk about it when not in "looking for converts" mode. There is the feeling that many places and situations that is inappropriate and we don't really discus it there. (although the mainstreaming of the church Feldmen discusses seems to have happened even more than Feldman recognizes. Not in the changing of the doctrine, but in the perception and presentation.)
ReplyDeleteI think that the brethren definitely recognize this inability to talk to people about the church outside of a missionary mode and Elder Balard's talk from conference seemed to address that directly.
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ReplyDeleteAs does his recent call to blog on the issues (for which, I admit, this is a rather lame foray). The article was an interesting read and I too found it mostly spot-on.
I'm not afraid to mention churchy stuff or talk religion, but I have to be especially careful at work. In the public schools, they say, one can get fired.
"What is more, what began as a strategy of secrecy to avoid persecution has become over the course of the 20th century a strategy of minimizing discussion of the content of theology in order to avoid being treated as religious pariahs."
ReplyDeleteThis quote seemed more than a bit off to me. If anything, I'd say President Hinckley has tried to encourage openness ever since the Olympics were held in SLC. Sure, there are some things we're not super open about, but that's because to us they're sacred.
For the most part Feldman was spot-on, but I didn't much care for his distinction between sacred and secret. It was too blurred.
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ReplyDeleteI think that might have been necessary--the distinction we make is a peculiarly Mormon one; no one else seems to understand it. Which is part of the problem.
Interesting article. Thanks for the link.
ReplyDelete