My wife and I were discussing this. She asked whether other religions would be featured in a piece like this. And she mentioned she doesn't really hear adherents of other sects ripping on their religion.
I said that I have heard many Catholics make remarks about growing up Catholic in a negative light. Not everyone of course. But many.
However I wonder if this piece had been about growing up Jewish, would it have been published in this format?
Surely it is fine to shed the religion of your youth. And it doesn't need to be a secret. One has every right to talk about it however one likes. But it did come across as a little bit jarring in Bicycling Magazine, which is about as bland and boring a publication as there is, which is essentially just product placement disguised as journalism. Why grab the third rail? Religion. Or politics for that matter.
Wouldn't it be nice if people owned up to their own decisions? Instead of your religion forcing you to get married, maybe own up to your own decision to get married. Personal responsibility.
She's 34. She got married 15 years ago at the age of 19. I'm not aware of Mormons in 1999 being forced to marry as teens. In fact, I don't think any of my Mormon friends married as teens. It's hardly the usual thing, although I suppose it's a lot more common among Mormons than with non-Mormons in America.
Having said that, I wish nothing but the best for this lady. Mormonism. Religion. Not for everyone.
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