Saw this and had to unleash another rant. I apologize in advance. This video is very, very good. Probably one of the most even-handed treatments of the issue that Ive seen so far. Much of the media have been excessively sensationalistic about it. This is a good one though. Maybe Im biased cuz its my guy, Richard Bushman, bringing the hard, uncomfortable facts to the table, but Lawrence ODonnell and Laurie Goodstein also do well at keeping things in perspective and not jumping to rash, uninformed conclusions. Polygamy is a messy, messy issue. No one really enjoys talking about it. It tested to an unbelievable degree the men and women who practiced it -- especially the women. Part of me understands why we as a Church have skirted around it for so long. A few thoughts/reactions to what Ive seen being said about this issue: Ive seen many of my fellow Mormons saying things like, Oh come on, this stuff has been known by the historians for a long time. Dont anybody get their underwear in a knot. Although its true that the facts of Joseph Smiths polygamy have been known in academic settings for quite a while, its also true that many members and leaders of the Church have warned against looking into the historical record at all. Theyve feared that allowing members to do so will bring challenge to testimony and belief. Years ago, as I began my own personal study of Mormon History, I was warned MANY times of the supposed danger. Anything not officially published by the Church was looked upon as at least suspect and many people assumed the most responsible history (by Bushman, Arrington, and others) to even be anti-Mormon. We as members were PURPOSEFULLY TOLD TO AVOID IT. That was wrong. The Church made a mistake and now were correcting it. Its wrong for Mormons to react in a blasé, offhanded way about this stuff and Ive seen too much of it for my liking. This stuff can challenge and has challenged even the strongest of testimonies. What we need to do is continue to honestly wrestle with the challenges. Even if some of us dont see things like polygamy or womens issues as challenges, we still need to acknowledge how tough it is for others and try to bear one anothers burdens that they may be light. Listening, understanding, and empathizing -- all the most Christian of virtues -- is what we need to do. I think Bushman lays things out real well in the video: I think [learning uncomfortable facts about Joseph Smith] is a positive experience in that Mormons have to ask themselves, what do I really believe? Thats the question that EVERY PERSON who values their own intellectual and spiritual honesty has to answer. The Church is doing the right thing by being open and transparent about our history. Weve kicked stuff like this under the rug long enough. As Ive mentioned before, Ive waited a long time for things like this to happen. Ive learned to reconcile and deal with the challenges to my own personal belief in Jesus Christ and in Joseph Smith as a Prophet. I say that while also recognizing that others -- friends of mine -- have not come out on the other side of things with their faith intact. Thats okay and I honor them nonetheless. I continue to deal with challenges to my belief. In fact, its a daily wrestle for me to exercise faith. Yet its still my very strong conviction that there is room enough in the messy historical record -- and room enough within the expansive, inspiring belief system of Mormonism itself -- for the sincere seeker and questioner to find the faith they so desperately want. I have at least. And Im happy to be a sincere, struggling, believing Mormon.
Posted on: Fri, 14 Nov 2014 05:44:57 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015