I wanted to draw your attention to the work of Brian Grimm who runs the Religious Freedom and Business Foundation. Next week his organization will be hosting a conference in Washington D.C. where prominent leaders from Fortune 500 companies will be speaking about the valuable role of religious pluralism in their workplaces. You can learn about one of the speakers here: Dr. Judith Richter from Religious Freedom & Business Fund on Vimeo.
A charming local news story out of Guam on Tuesday praised The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who donated 324 wheelchairs to local support agencies. Be sure to read it here. I was particularly pleased to read the paper report, “The wheelchairs have been well thought out as they come in multiple sizes and extra cushions for comfort and are also durable in Guam weather conditions.” These kinds of local donations from locals who understand local needs are often at the heart of the best Christian service. And while the recently released report demonstrates the breadth of the Church’s charitable efforts, it’s still these local reports that best demonstrate the heart and giving spirit of Latter-day Saints.
Much has been said about the Christian nationalism present in the hate crime mass shooting in Buffalo, including by us in the Public Square Bulletin. In fact a search for “Buffalo Shooting” and “Christianity” all center on the Christianity of the shooter, whether decrying the role religion played in leading to the shooting or taking efforts to separate religion from the actions of the shooter. But little has been said about the faith of the victims and community. This is a common thread in media reporting on tragedies, focusing on the way religion influenced perpetrators, but not how it helped heal victims. Religion News Services interviewed Rev. Denice Walden about the attack, and she was able to turn the focus to just those too-often underreported questions. Walden said, “We’ve also put out a call to clergy to just be a presence in this community. Just be a presence of peace, a presence of comfort, a presence of love in this community. Because at the end of the day, that’s what’s going to help us start to process. That’s what’s going to help us start to heal.” After the climax of a tragedy has passed, and the journalists move on, those remaining are often left with the long work of healing and community building, and it’s there where religion shines.
Our daily rundown of the articles from around the web that we feel our readers would enjoy and appreciate. We hope to highlight the best of what’s around. Public Square Bulletin recommends: How Politics Poisoned the Evangelical Church Tim Alberta—The Atlantic This insightful feature looks at Pastor Bill Bolin from Brighton, Michigan, following how politics have affected his church while placing it in a broader historical context. It’s Not Progressive Christianity, It’s Accommodationist Christianity, and It Has Nothing of Christ In It Tom Gilson—The Stream Tom Gilson seeks to reframe the debate as not between progressive and conservative Christianity, which can coexist peacefully together, but rather between what he sees as traditional Christianity and a Christianity that seeks to undermine Christ to appeal to the largest group possible. Why are Sexually Transmitted Infections Surging? Kim Tingley—New York Times Sad news out of the New York Times reinforces the importance of the Church’s counter-cultural stance on sexuality. This news sadly comes at the same time as news that marriage rates hit 50-year lows. Approaches to Ending Race-Based Violence Ayaan Hirsi Ali—UnHerd After Public Square’s staff editorial yesterday on approaches to end violence, I wanted to highlight this article by human rights activist Ayaan Hirsi Ali who adds additional approaches by looking at how violence victimizes the black community specifically. Meet the Democrat who may be America’s fiercest advocate for religious freedom Hanna Seariac—Deseret News Katrina Lantos Swett, a Jewish child of Holocaust survivors, human rights advocate, Democrat, and Latter-day Saint, invites everyone to make more seats at the table
Our approach to motherhood may be devouring our joy along with our children’s potential. The tragedy is that so many women don’t realize there is another way.
Dallin H. Oaks, the second senior-most leader of The Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-day Saints spoke Tuesday at Ensign College with Clark Gilbert, the Commissioner of the Church’s educational system. Oaks said: “In condemning and working against racism, we encourage our students, our teachers, and all our members to avoid extreme or polarizing positions and teachings that undermine the U.S. Constitution and other core institutions. … [The Constitution’s] inspired principles, including the freedoms of speech and religion and its authorized amendments, have allowed subsequent generations to continue to improve and strengthen the rights of all of its citizens. … A gospel-centered approach to combating racism empowers all parties to support, apply and teach the power and light of the gospel of Jesus Christ.” The remarks come just days after a race-based hate crime that killed ten people in New York, and during a time when the Church has been put under a prophetic injunction to “lead out in abandoning attitudes and actions of prejudice.” Oaks had previously said, “Of course, Black lives matter! That is an eternal truth.” The remarks centered around proclaiming truth with love, and seem to suggest that Latter-day Saints should not just end racism in their own lives, but work in trying to persuade those who disagree. The remarks also addressed LGBT+ issues. Oaks re-emphasized the fairness for all approach he’s spoken of on many occasions, while Gilbert added, “Individuals or groups who do not treat our LGBTQ members with empathy and charity are not aligned with the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ.” While the remarks themselves don’t offer anything new to a faith that has been emphasizing these very issues recently, they come at a remarkably poignant time, when we could each use encouragement to be trying to persuade others who do not share our commitment to end racism.
While violence, such as that this weekend, is certainly senseless, we must try our best to explain it so that we can take a holistic approach to reducing violence and build durable peace.
Summary — The episode begins with the detectives checking in on Bishop Low’s home, which they find ransacked and deserted. Pyre finds a letter written by Ron’s wife to the Prophet expressing concern about her husband’s refusal to pay taxes. The detective contacts the Church about the letter and is told the letter was handed down to one of the bishop’s counselors, LeConte Bascom, who works at the bank. Brother Bascom says he had to turn Ron down for a loan because his brother’s refusal to pay taxes made him a liability, though it’s heavily implied that the real reason is that his wife’s letter was seen as an embarrassment to the Church. In flashbacks, we see Dan marching in a Pioneer Day parade, shouting about the government’s illegal taxes, as well as smoking and kissing a woman who isn’t his wife. Dan’s father says he’s ashamed of his immoral behavior and anti-tax nonsense and advises him to study the scriptures to set himself back on the right path. This unfortunately drives Dan into researching more obscure history of the Church, including information on polygamy. He makes a business trip down to Colorado City to visit the breakaway polygamist sect there and manages to get the name of a pro-polygamy pamphlet called “The Peace Maker.” He reads this pamphlet and brings up the idea to his wife Matilda, telling her she’s limiting his spiritual power if she doesn’t let him marry a second wife. During this conversation, Dan is pulled over for speeding and refuses to cooperate with the officer, leading them on a police chase that ends with his arrest. At the jail, Dan’s brothers try to convince him to stop his resistance to the government. Ron feels it’s his responsibility to show Dan the error of his ways, but instead, Dan runs circles around him, leaving him speechless and admitting that he’s going to lose his business and home. Dan somehow turns this fact into evidence that his views are correct and ends up winning over Ron to his side. In the present, Detective Pyre is being leaned on by the Laffertys’ stake president to release them into his custody but refuses. The detectives have identified the car the killers were probably using and plan to hold a press conference to ask for tips when the police chief returns from vacation and demands that all mentions of fundamentalism Mormonism be scrubbed from the press briefing. (It’s implied he’s being leaned on by the Church.) Pyre tries to toe the line at the conference but eventually caves to a persistent reporter and admits that he thinks that the murders may have something to do with fundamentalist beliefs. The next day at church, the ward is shunning the Pyres, and a specific couple is assigned to keep an eye on their faith. Meanwhile, a police officer has located Bishop Low fly fishing in the mountains and safe. Church History — During Dan’s explanation of polygamy, we get flashbacks to the infamous scene where Emma finds out about the doctrine of polygamy for the first time and throws the revelation in the fire. Though church members will be familiar with this story, the tone is portrayed very differently than we are used to. Emma is shown as being absolutely skeptical of Joseph’s translation of the Book of Mormon and other prophetic acts, even though she firmly testified of the truth of these things even after her break with the Church after Joseph was murdered. Joseph is portrayed as proclaiming the doctrine of polygamy only for his own physical gratification, which is a common anti-Mormon trope with little evidence behind it. While it is true that one of Joseph’s wives was only 14, the facts behind the situation are more complex than portrayed in the show. The pamphlet “The Peace Maker” is portrayed by Dan Lafferty as an “essential LDS tract” written by Joseph Smith, and no one in the show ever corrects this perception. In fact, the tract was not written by Joseph Smith, and he repudiated it during his lifetime. This episode presents a slanted view of church history, giving only one side of the conversation and showing the modern church as trying to hush it up rather than having its own interpretation of events. Shibboleths — Pyre claims that writing a letter to the prophet is like writing to “Heavenly Father himself,” which is absolutely wrong. While members of the Church do revere the prophet and listen to his teachings, he is not God, and this equivalency is not one Saints would make (though outsiders think we do). The idea that doing business with fundamentalists is like “doing business with the mafia” is totally alien to me. They are regarded as somewhat of an oddity in Utah, but not dangerous like organized crime. One unusual phrase occurs when the stake president claims that the Laffertys need to be released into his custody for “healing prayer.” I honestly have no idea what this phrase refers to and have never heard it in an LDS context. And the formal type of shunning portrayed happening to the Pyres is not something we do. Though obviously, wards vary in their culture, there is no formal instruction not to talk to those who have questions. Rather, we are encouraged to keep being friends with those who are struggling with faith and support them however we can. Changing History — It is interesting to note that in the actual chain of events, it was Sister Low, not Bishop Low, who was on the Lafferty hit list. Sister Low was a Relief Society President who supported Dan’s wife as she sought a divorce. Why does the show change this? Perhaps the idea that the Church has female leaders doesn’t fit well with the show’s depiction of the oppression of women in the LDS church. Brenda Lafferty’s sister has also expressed her disappointment with the way the show is misconstruing her sister’s murder in pursuit of an…
Our daily rundown of the articles from around the web that we feel our readers would enjoy and appreciate. We hope to highlight the best of what’s around. Public Square Bulletin recommends: Will the ‘Disinformation Governance Board’ censor religious viewpoints? Jorge Gomez—Christian Post While the article does lean into something of the more hysterical concerns about the Department of Homeland Security’s new board for tracking disinformation campaigns, it does address one of the big questions that government leaders must reckon with as the board settles on its role: how will this intersect with religious freedom concerns? The Hard Left and Populist Right Agree on All the Wrong Things Stephan Jensen—Quillette The “culture wars” are often a topic for dread. But Stephan Jensen posits that we’ve become hoodwinked by extremes on both sides that have exaggerated concerns well beyond what is warranted to keep us in a constant state of unease. But he suggests that the sane center may be making a comeback as the war in Ukraine helps us focus on what’s truly important. Insta-Therapy: Helping Or Hurting? Seerut K. Chawla—Unorthodox Chawla suggests that the overly simplified versions of mental health that are bandied about on social media cause many more problems than they solve. She suggests that all too often that this culture problematizes normal life in order to create a problem that the influencer is uniquely suited to solve. Go Forth and Proselytise Peter Davidson—Literary Review This review of the book “Jesuits: A History” focuses on the Jesuits’ missionary efforts. Peter Davidson makes a clear argument that missionary work has historically provided great value. Davidson frames Markus Friedrich’s book in a way that is a direct challenge to those who seek to eliminate or devalue ongoing proselyting efforts. Jacob’s Dream Gospel for Kids The latest video from this official YouTube channel of the Church provides a fun activity for kids that helps frame the story of Jacob’s ladder about the covenant path.
Latter-day Saints enjoy high levels of social trust in their communities thanks to shared beliefs and values. This is a blessing, but it has made us vulnerable to bad actors who misrepresent their beliefs.
Our daily rundown of the articles from around the web that we feel our readers would enjoy and appreciate. We hope to highlight the best of what’s around. Public Square Bulletin recommends: President Nelson tells young adults to focus on three fundamental truths, including ‘who you are’ Tad Walch—Deseret News President Russell M. Nelson told a worldwide audience of young adults that they have three primary identities 1) Child of God 2) Child of the Covenant 3) Disciple of Christ. You can read more of our coverage. USCIRF Calls on Iran to Remove Restrictions on Golrokh Iraee Following Release from Prison United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Iran has released religious prisoner Golrokh Iraee from prison. She had advocated for the end of stoning. She continues to have travel and speech restrictions, and the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom has called for those restrictions to be removed. Being a Political Journalist Made Me a Better Christian Jon Ward—Christianity Today Yahoo’s Chief National Political Correspondent writes about how his career in journalism has helped him increase his faith. His journey is useful to all people of faith seeking to find a way to balance their interaction in the public square with their convictions and relationship with Christ. 5 Ways Pastors Can Care for Those Struggling with Sexual Identity Carl R. Trueman—Crossway Carl Trueman, author of the new book Strange New World, has written about ministering to those dealing with issues of sexual identity. His article is directed to pastors but is applicable to all folks looking for a way to navigate these issues in a caring and Christian context. Making Sense of the Racist Mass Shooting in Buffalo Isaac Chotiner—The New Yorker The New Yorker has a useful explainer of what influenced the senseless racist shooting in Buffalo. By Common Consent has a take on how Latter-day Saints might appropriately approach the kinds of media that influenced the shooting.
