It is, as AA said, a bitter irony.

Religion IS culture. Those who criticize predominant Mormon culture are at the door of apostasy. Religion absent culture is like war absent death.

Help me SU - pointing out the foibles of a small group of members = criticizing the culture? I would submit Mormonism has a very unique culture; however, it is not homogenous and certainly not immune from deviations from prescribed norms.

And certainly not where the culture incorrectly applies religious teachings. Am I at the doorstep of apostasy when I refuse to discriminate against those of other religions or races, even though my Mormon neighbors do?

I did add the adjective "predominant".

There is a predominant culture that applies to any individual. Waters, growing up smugly as a non-Utah Mormon, may have a different experience than some of us tormented by Utah Mormon culture. But religion, ultimately, is culture.

For ease of reference, the dictionary definition of "culture" that I am employing here is:

5 a : the integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations b : the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group; also : the characteristic features of everyday existence (as diversions or a way of life) shared by people in a place or time <popular culture> <southern culture> c : the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution or organization <a corporate culture focused on the bottom line> d : the set of values, conventions, or social practices associated with a particular field, activity, or societal characteristic <studying the effect of computers on print culture> <changing the culture of materialism will take time -- Peggy O'Mara>

You throw this phrase around quite a bit, but it's so hyperbolic, why do you use it?

You're a warrior in the courtroom, having served in Equador, yet some green jello tortures you?

I can see how it might be unappealing to your palate, but torture?

Culture "tortures"? Do you want to aid in your argument or completely divest your argument of any credibility?

I said tormented. I stand by that.

Gimme a break.

Torment, torture.

Being thrown into the depths of the sea only to be dragged out shortly before you die is torment. Being heckled every day of your grammar school years because you don't fit in, that's being tormented.

Being beaten, spit upon, knifed and going without food that's torment. Being denied sexual favors for tens of years, that's torment.

What is tormentable in a culture that doesn't kill you? Your sense of torment seems might puny in terms of real world life.

I only lived 4 years in Utah, but I found Utahns to be probably the least racist people of anywhere I've ever lived. Granted, I only lived in Provo but that was my experience. And in the interest of disclosure I've lived in Oregon, California and Mass. in my adult life.