"Mothers Who Know": the Modern Offense Translation

[Tex]

In the spirit of reaching out to my offended brethren and sistren, here's the Modern Offense Translation (MOT) of the Julie Beck talk.

In the Book of Mormon we read about 2,000 exemplary young men who were exceedingly valiant, courageous, and strong. "Yea, they were men of truth and soberness, for they had been taught to keep the commandments of God and to walk uprightly before him" (Alma 53:21). These faithful young men paid tribute to their mothers. They said, "Our mothers knew it" (Alma 56:48). I would suspect that the mothers of Captain Moroni, Mosiah, Mormon, and other great leaders also knew.

The responsibility mothers have today has never required more vigilance. More than at any time in the history of the world, we need mothers who know. Children are being born into a world where they "wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Ephesians 6:12).1 However, mothers need not fear. When mothers know who they are and who God is and have made covenants with Him, they will have great power and influence for good on their children.

Modern Offense Translation: The mothers of the 2,000 stripling warriors were better than you. They produced valiant, faithful young men. Your children are not such young men.

Mothers who know desire to bear children. Whereas in many cultures in the world children are "becoming less valued,"2 in the culture of the gospel we still believe in having children. Prophets, seers, and revelators who were sustained at this conference have declared that "God's commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force."3 President Ezra Taft Benson taught that young couples should not postpone having children and that "in the eternal perspective, children—not possessions, not position, not prestige—are our greatest jewels."4

Faithful daughters of God desire children. In the scriptures we read of Eve (see Moses 4:26), Sarah (see Genesis 17:16), Rebekah (see Genesis 24:60), and Mary (see 1 Nephi 11:13–20), who were foreordained to be mothers before children were born to them. Some women are not given the responsibility of bearing children in mortality, but just as Hannah of the Old Testament prayed fervently for her child (see 1 Samuel 1:11), the value women place on motherhood in this life and the attributes of motherhood they attain here will rise with them in the Resurrection (see D&C 130:18). Women who desire and work toward that blessing in this life are promised they will receive it for all eternity, and eternity is much, much longer than mortality. There is eternal influence and power in motherhood.

MOT: If you can't have children, you cannot be a "Mother Who Knows" because you're NOT A MOTHER! *Evil laugh here* Pay no attention to the example of Hannah. Even if you do get pregnant, your child will not be a prophet. This is because you are not righteous enough. If you were, God would give you children.

Mothers who know honor sacred ordinances and covenants. I have visited sacrament meetings in some of the poorest places on the earth where mothers have dressed with great care in their Sunday best despite walking for miles on dusty streets and using worn-out public transportation. They bring daughters in clean and ironed dresses with hair brushed to perfection; their sons wear white shirts and ties and have missionary haircuts. These mothers know they are going to sacrament meeting, where covenants are renewed. These mothers have made and honor temple covenants. They know that if they are not pointing their children to the temple, they are not pointing them toward desired eternal goals. These mothers have influence and power.

MOT: If your daughter doesn't have an ironed dress for church, your family is not welcome. If your son doesn't wear a white shirt and have a missionary haircut, he will be lit on fire and returned to you. Do not come back until you are rich.

Mothers who know are nurturers. This is their special assignment and role under the plan of happiness.5 To nurture means to cultivate, care for, and make grow. Therefore, mothers who know create a climate for spiritual and temporal growth in their homes. Another word for nurturing is homemaking. Homemaking includes cooking, washing clothes and dishes, and keeping an orderly home. Home is where women have the most power and influence; therefore, Latter-day Saint women should be the best homemakers in the world. Working beside children in homemaking tasks creates opportunities to teach and model qualities children should emulate. Nurturing mothers are knowledgeable, but all the education women attain will avail them nothing if they do not have the skill to make a home that creates a climate for spiritual growth. Growth happens best in a "house of order," and women should pattern their homes after the Lord's house (see D&C 109). Nurturing requires organization, patience, love, and work. Helping growth occur through nurturing is truly a powerful and influential role bestowed on women.

MOT: Education is not for you. The workplace is not for you. This is because you are not smart or righteous enough. Wash the dishes, do the laundry, and submit to your husband's every wish. This is all you are good for. If you forget this, your bishop will beat you.

Mothers who know are leaders. In equal partnership with their husbands, they lead a great and eternal organization. These mothers plan for the future of their organization. They plan for missions, temple marriages, and education. They plan for prayer, scripture study, and family home evening. Mothers who know build children into future leaders and are the primary examples of what leaders look like. They do not abandon their plan by succumbing to social pressure and worldly models of parenting. These wise mothers who know are selective about their own activities and involvement to conserve their limited strength in order to maximize their influence where it matters most.

MOT: If you are not nor have ever been a Relief Society President, do not despair. Just remember, you are not righteous enough. Only people who plan for prayer, scripture study, and FHE are called to be Relief Society President. You can't even get white shirts for your boys. Now stop whining, and get to those dishes!

Mothers who know are always teachers. Since they are not babysitters, they are never off duty. A well-taught friend told me that he did not learn anything at church that he had not already learned at home. His parents used family scripture study, prayer, family home evening, mealtimes, and other gatherings to teach. Think of the power of our future missionary force if mothers considered their homes as a pre–missionary training center. Then the doctrines of the gospel taught in the MTC would be a review and not a revelation. That is influence; that is power.

MOT: Since you probably didn't serve a mission, you don't have any idea what the MTC is like. So, your home can't be a pre-MTC. Thus, you are inadequate and really not welcome in this church. Did I mention that the dishes are dirty?

Mothers who know do less. They permit less of what will not bear good fruit eternally. They allow less media in their homes, less distraction, less activity that draws their children away from their home. Mothers who know are willing to live on less and consume less of the world's goods in order to spend more time with their children—more time eating together, more time working together, more time reading together, more time talking, laughing, singing, and exemplifying. These mothers choose carefully and do not try to choose it all. Their goal is to prepare a rising generation of children who will take the gospel of Jesus Christ into the entire world. Their goal is to prepare future fathers and mothers who will be builders of the Lord's kingdom for the next 50 years. That is influence; that is power.

MOT: Here's where you can really excel. Since you are inherently lazy: do less. Except the dishes. Do those. If you have a job, you are violating the commandment of God, and your bishop will beat you.

Who will prepare this righteous generation of sons and daughters? Latter-day Saint women will do this—women who know and love the Lord and bear testimony of Him, women who are strong and immovable and who do not give up during difficult and discouraging times. We are led by an inspired prophet of God who has called upon the women of the Church to "stand strong and immovable for that which is correct and proper under the plan of the Lord."6 He has asked us to "begin in [our] own homes"7 to teach children the ways of truth.

Latter-day Saint women should be the very best in the world at upholding, nurturing, and protecting families. I have every confidence that our women will do this and will come to be known as mothers who "knew" (Alma 56:48). In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

MOT: Mormons rule at doing families! All other religions suck at it. If you're not a Mormon, you might as well not bother having a family, because you will most certainly fail. If you are a Mormon and have failed, then it is just further evidence at how unrighteous you are. Leave the church before you besmirch our reputation.

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Now I see what you guys are talking about. Beck was truly offensive. My apologies to all those I called insecure.

http://lds.org/conference/talk/displ...775-27,00.html

[MikeWaters]

I like it how they are much more direct with the men.

You are scum-sucking porn-watching temple-not-attending hometeaching-not-doing scriptures-not-reading prayers-not-saying home-evening-not-happening geneaology-not-doing missionary-work-not-occurring wives-not-loving children-not-raising-right dog-kicking callings-unmagnified pigs.

It's tough to slough off all that guilt, but I manage to do it.

[Flystripper]

Tex Tex Tex

It is not as long and complicated as your post. The irratation with Sis Beck's talk is simple. Her rhetoric was unfortunate. By saying "mothers that know" do such and such, she is implicitly saying that if you don't do such and such you must not "know". Few of us believe that the implication was intended, but the implication was there none the less.

[Tex]

Originally Posted by Flystripper

Tex Tex Tex

It is not as long and complicated as your post. The irratation with Sis Beck's talk is simple. Her rhetoric was unfortunate. By saying "mothers that know" do such and such, she is implicitly saying that if you don't do such and such you must not "know". Few of us believe that the implication was intended, but the implication was there none the less.

Nonsense. Do you even know where the term "Mothers Who Know" comes from?

[Flystripper]

Originally Posted by Tex

Nonsense. Do you even know where the term "Mothers Who Know" comes from?

1. Not nonsense

2. ummm maybe from story of the stripling warriors?

[Tex]

Another, from the archives of the Modern Offense Translation, Howard Hunter, October 1994:

"Being a Righteous Father and Husband"

With a knowledge of the plan of salvation as a foundation, a man who holds the priesthood looks upon marriage as a sacred privilege and obligation.

A man who holds the priesthood shows perfect moral fidelity to his wife and gives her no reason to doubt his faithfulness.

A man who holds the priesthood has reverence for motherhood.

A man who holds the priesthood regards the family as ordained of God.

A man who holds the priesthood accepts his wife as a partner in the leadership of the home and family with full knowledge of and full participation in all decisions relating thereto.

You who hold the priesthood must not be abusive in your relationship with children.

You who hold the priesthood have the responsibility, unless disabled, to provide temporal support for your wife and children.

We urge you to do all in your power to allow your wife to remain in the home, caring for the children while you provide for the family the best you can.

A man who holds the priesthood leads his family in Church participation so they will know the gospel and be under the protection of the covenants and ordinances.

Take seriously your responsibility to teach the gospel to your family through regular family home evening, family prayer, devotional and scripture-reading time, and other teaching moments.

Applying Cougarguards' Julie Beck Doctrine, if you fall short in any degree in any of these areas, you are NOT a righteous father and husband.

Time to be offended again. Some of you are professionals at it.

http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vg...____&hideNav=1

[Tex]

Originally Posted by Flystripper

1. Not nonsense

2. ummm maybe from story of the stripling warriors?

Exactly (as she says at the beginning). "Mothers Who Know" is just another way of saying "mothers who have testimonies" or "mothers who raise their children in righteousness" or any other euphemism for "here is the standard to strive for."

It should no more be taken as a "here's why you aren't good enough" talk than the Howard Hunter talk I just posted.

This is what a leader does. Sets a standard. Outlines what it means in real terms. Encourages striving toward that standard. Comforts those who fall short. Chides those who are making no effort or deliberately flaunting it.

This constant whining about Beck's talk is truly immature.

[SteelBlue]

Originally Posted by Tex

Nonsense. Do you even know where the term "Mothers Who Know" comes from?

Tex, as far as the Beck talk I come down on your side of things as far as what I believe Sr. Beck intended to convey. But as I listened to her talk I immediately knew that it was going to be a very controversial one and I'll bet you did as well. I think Flystripper is absolutely correct when he lists the Mother's who know rhetoric as the reason some people took offense.

[Indy Coug]

Originally Posted by SteelBlue

Tex, as far as the Beck talk I come down on your side of things as far as what I believe Sr. Beck intended to convey. But as I listened to her talk I immediately knew that it was going to be a very controversial one and I'll bet you did as well. I think Flystripper is absolutely correct when he lists the Mother's who know rhetoric as the reason some people took offense.

So what does it say about the women in our church that can get so bent out of shape when the Pres. Hunter counterpart talk to the men caused nary a ripple?

[creekster]

Let's take sister BEck at her word that this was inspired by God. Do you think this is an example of aninstacne where God inspired a pure and true idea which was executed less perfectly or less effectiverly than it could have been? I think this might happen more often than we realize.