- Kent Larsen on Accepting Others Expression: How Did You Participate in Church (Or What Did Church Lead You to Think About) Yesterday, 6/7?: “Here’s a few of my thoughts in reaction to what happened recently in Church: Occasionally I’ve been in another ward when someone is sustained in a calling. It’s especially awkward in a small branch — you stick out when you don’t sustain everyone. Of course, this focuses on the social elements of sustaining, and the feelings about the individuals involved. I don’t think we make a big deal about when someone who isn’t part of the ward sustains a ward calling — technically they aren’t part of the group, so what does it mean when they sustain someone? If they are a one-time visitor and don’t know anyone, should they? But the pressure to sustain is real, and I often see visitors sustaining people. OTOH, I don’t think it is harmful in any way… I’ve also occasionally heard leaders say something like “that was a great prayer” after a prayer. What does that even mean? Are there criteria somewhere for what makes a great prayer that I’ve never heard? Is prayer about our egos, so we need encouragement or evaluation? OTOH, I’d hate for a new member to assume that they were doing it wrong or that members don’t like them because they didn’t get any positive reactions. So I don’t know what is the right thing to do or say. On an amusing note, in the middle of a comment in a lesson, the speaker used the phrase “Heavenly Father wants you to …” And for some reason my mind went to Uncle Sam recruiting posters. I could see it clearly, a missionary recruiting poster with a representation of God, and the line “Heavenly Father Wants You!” [GRIN] ” Jun 7, 21:45
- on Unsettling Settler Mormon Lifeways: A Review of Elise Boxer’s Mormon Settler Colonialism by Jason Palmer: “This isn’t satire. It’s very true to form for Jason, based on his Peruvian Mormons book. To Jason: you dismiss worrying any the logistics of decolonization as hand-wringing, but I think that’s the big sticking point. Are we talking about the hundreds of millions of Americans (across North and South America) without Native American ancestry getting deported as refugees and conpletely overwhelming all infrastructure in Europe, etc.? Or are you thinking it should be genocide? I don’t see a lot of other options if you are clearing the land for those whose ancestors lived in the Americas for time immemorial. And I don’t think those options will work- not enough people will voluntarily accept decolonization, and the few who are all in on it do not have the capability to force it to happen. So, what is the grand plan you have for the path forward? Or is this all just fun and games to you as an intellectual idea to be passionate about as long as it doesn’t have to correspond to reality in any way?” Jun 7, 20:32
- on Unsettling Settler Mormon Lifeways: A Review of Elise Boxer’s Mormon Settler Colonialism by Jason Palmer: “This might be the the best rage-bait I’ve ever read. Well done Jason!” Jun 7, 16:25
- on Unsettling Settler Mormon Lifeways: A Review of Elise Boxer’s Mormon Settler Colonialism by Jason Palmer: “What an absurd and frankly egotistical book (and review, if it isn’t satire. If this is truly a representation of modern decolonization literature, the field has changed for the worse within my lifetime.” Jun 7, 13:42
- on Unsettling Settler Mormon Lifeways: A Review of Elise Boxer’s Mormon Settler Colonialism by Jason Palmer: “Thus the fifth wave of victimization is upon us. There is a reason the native tribes did not advance in civilization. They were consistently at total warfare with each other. This does not say there are no exceptions, but they were so minor in scope and duration that enough technological and social progress was not about to be made. I’m not going to say the author has no point, but that it’s easy to twist language and has become its own game almost to turn everything upside down through the eyes of oppressor/oppressed, insider/outsider, etc. I am quite certain, that the author can not hold a candle of goodness and virtue next to the paragons of kindness and empathy that are used as examples here.” Jun 7, 11:33
- on Unsettling Settler Mormon Lifeways: A Review of Elise Boxer’s Mormon Settler Colonialism by Jason Palmer: “Is this a satire?” Jun 6, 20:42
- on Unsettling Settler Mormon Lifeways: A Review of Elise Boxer’s Mormon Settler Colonialism by Jason Palmer: “Polemic rhetorical style is a little much, I just read a few random paragraphs though and resisting urge to pile on in response but question the post maybe because I’m white but mostly because it is not successful in the way the first review of this book was on here. The analysis of the BOM, its reason, and message in this take: “Rather, Joseph Smith created The Book of Mormon for the sole purpose of justifying US manifest destiny and making settlers like himself feel good about Indigenous enclosure.” lost me and I’m just here to say that exploring the complexity of the BOM instead of batting it away in an inaccurate statement is worth the time for an audience that may check this site and runs contrary to some interesting thoughts by academics in American Apocrypha, Dine doo Gaamalii, and the Oxford BOM on this subject.” Jun 6, 16:56
- on Unsettling Settler Mormon Lifeways: A Review of Elise Boxer’s Mormon Settler Colonialism by Jason Palmer: “Persuading people to change their mind is becoming a lost art, as it becomes more and more rare for people to have substantive conversations with people who disagree with them (debates where the stated goal is to humiliate your opponent don’t count) and our politicians move from trying to win over swing voters to “motivating the base” (the Book of Mormon term would be “stirring up the people to anger”). This is very much a bipartisan problem. If the goal of this post is to persuade the typical T&S reader, here are some tips from an excellent persuasive writing class I took many years ago as an undergrad: 1) Do your best to avoid making your audience feel angry or defensive. Angry and defensive people rarely change their minds. 2) Use evidence that your audience will find credible, not evidence you find credible. 3) Don’t jump straight to claims your audience will find completely implausible. “Native Americans deserve extra support because the way their ancestors were treated was unjust and continues to affect them today” is a claim you have a fighting chance at persuading people of. “The Church and the United States should be abolished because of the way they treated and continue to treat Native Americans” is not. If those seem unreasonable, perhaps it’s because the goal here is not to persuade.” Jun 6, 16:28
- on Unsettling Settler Mormon Lifeways: A Review of Elise Boxer’s Mormon Settler Colonialism by Jason Palmer: “At first I thought this was a joke and laughed at the pretentious language and vacuous prose. Then I realized there are “scholars” actually wasting their time with this, and it made me sad. Because this level of sanctimonious garbage and self-hate inevitably invites an opposing reaction. The point is not to actually advocate for subjugated people. Rather, the point is to introduce as much antagonism and dislike as possible into the public discourse. Well, I will fight back against that reaction and wish everyone a beautiful day. But let us remember to focus on the weightier matters: love justice, do mercy, and walk humbly.” Jun 6, 10:56
