the NPR piece with Darron Smith - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

MikeWaters · 04-01-2006, 08:22 PM

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionande.../feature.html#

Click on right hand side "watch this report."

Best part about it is the choir in the Harlem ward. Dang, wish we did that in my ward. They actually look like they are having fun.

More importantly, though, is the idea that the church leadership is silent about the ongoing slander by some Mormons of Black members (i.e. reasons for the priesthood ban).

But overall the piece is about how the church is growing a little bit among Blacks.

UtahDan · 04-01-2006, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week931/feature.html#

Click on right hand side "watch this report."

Best part about it is the choir in the Harlem ward. Dang, wish we did that in my ward. They actually look like they are having fun.

More importantly, though, is the idea that the church leadership is silent about the ongoing slander by some Mormons of Black members (i.e. reasons for the priesthood ban).

But overall the piece is about how the church is growing a little bit among Blacks.

I'm glad there are people like this to push the church and the membership to think a little harder about these things. I agree with comments elsewhere that it is somehow "un-LDS" to say anything that makes anyone uncomfortable, and yet, this is exactly how the "ban" got lifted in the first place. The civil rights movement, which members of the church came increasingly to agree with and align themsleves intellectually with, introduced powerful ideas which ultimately reached ears at the highest levels and prompted them to inquire of the Lord on these matters. Trust me that this sort of change was not ever going to spring from the intermountain western culture on its own.

I remember the first time I heard anyone say the word "nigger." It was my LDS grandfather who passed several years ago. He was a good man, about the age of much our current leadership, but was a product of his times. I believe the day will come, well down the road, when ideas like the ones (though not exactly of course) Darren Smith is putting forward will have so permeated the "moral compass" of the memebership and the leadership that we will decide to vaccum under that particular rug, rather than continue to sweep the tough questions there where they can be easily ignored.

MikeWaters · 04-01-2006, 08:48 PM

I hope Darron isn't getting heat from his Bishop, SP, etc.

That would be disappointing.

Maybe we could get Darron to join the site and we could start a new section entirely dedicated to the intersection of blacks and Mormonism (religion, sports, etc.). (I know Darron)

Jeff Lebowski · 04-01-2006, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

I hope Darron isn't getting heat from his Bishop, SP, etc.

That would be disappointing.

Maybe we could get Darron to join the site and we could start a new section entirely dedicated to the intersection of blacks and Mormonism (religion, sports, etc.). (I know Darron)

Sounds like an excellent idea.

UtahDan · 04-01-2006, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

I hope Darron isn't getting heat from his Bishop, SP, etc.

That would be disappointing.

Maybe we could get Darron to join the site and we could start a new section entirely dedicated to the intersection of blacks and Mormonism (religion, sports, etc.). (I know Darron)

That would be FANTASTIC.

myboynoah · 04-02-2006, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

I hope Darron isn't getting heat from his Bishop, SP, etc.

That would be disappointing.

Maybe we could get Darron to join the site and we could start a new section entirely dedicated to the intersection of blacks and Mormonism (religion, sports, etc.). (I know Darron)

Yes, EXCELLENT and FANTASTIC!

Sleeping in EQ · 04-02-2006, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week931/feature.html#

Click on right hand side "watch this report."

Best part about it is the choir in the Harlem ward. Dang, wish we did that in my ward. They actually look like they are having fun.

More importantly, though, is the idea that the church leadership is silent about the ongoing slander by some Mormons of Black members (i.e. reasons for the priesthood ban).

But overall the piece is about how the church is growing a little bit among Blacks.

Amen. I was quite pleased to hear President Hinckley take on racism during the Priesthood session last night. I would have preferred a direct critique on the so called "reasons" for the priesthood ban, but I'm still glad to hear him tell members of the church to stop being racist. My experience is that much racism in the church is tacit and from people who don't think they're being racist, which of course doesn't change the fact that they are.

I've read some of Darron Smith's articles and love the book he put together with Bringhurst. It's well-read and sitting on my shelf right now.

OhioBlue · 04-03-2006, 02:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

I hope Darron isn't getting heat from his Bishop, SP, etc.

That would be disappointing.

Maybe we could get Darron to join the site and we could start a new section entirely dedicated to the intersection of blacks and Mormonism (religion, sports, etc.). (I know Darron)

I'm also very much in favor of this idea.

OhioBlue · 04-03-2006, 02:16 AM

And while I'm thinking about it, I had the thought that Pres. Hinckley's remarks about racism were very important not just for those offenders among our membership. I thought his words were very significant for those LDS members who have quietly (or vocally, even) been the victims of such attitudes. Or who have always felt implicitly unaccepted or looked down upon.

In other words, I heard in his words a message that validates the experiences of some, as much as it condemned the actions of others.

04-01-2006, 08:22 PM	#1
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	the NPR piece with Darron Smith http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionande.../feature.html# Click on right hand side "watch this report." Best part about it is the choir in the Harlem ward. Dang, wish we did that in my ward. They actually look like they are having fun. More importantly, though, is the idea that the church leadership is silent about the ongoing slander by some Mormons of Black members (i.e. reasons for the priesthood ban). But overall the piece is about how the church is growing a little bit among Blacks.

04-01-2006, 08:48 PM	#3
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	I hope Darron isn't getting heat from his Bishop, SP, etc. That would be disappointing. Maybe we could get Darron to join the site and we could start a new section entirely dedicated to the intersection of blacks and Mormonism (religion, sports, etc.). (I know Darron)

04-03-2006, 02:16 AM	#9
OhioBlue Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Ames, IA Posts: 469	And while I'm thinking about it, I had the thought that Pres. Hinckley's remarks about racism were very important not just for those offenders among our membership. I thought his words were very significant for those LDS members who have quietly (or vocally, even) been the victims of such attitudes. Or who have always felt implicitly unaccepted or looked down upon. In other words, I heard in his words a message that validates the experiences of some, as much as it condemned the actions of others.