Mormons in America
For the most part, they seem to be admired enough not to fall victim of the NIMBY phenomenon: "Not in my back yard," though they are often resented for aggressive efforts to proselytize: "Not at my front door." Minorities who live under strong Mormon cultural influences and in their spheres are often bitter, but their bitterness has not spread to a stage that Latter-day Saints get persecuted.
Today, with the growth of American pluralism, when everyone from New Agers to Hmong to Astrologers to Muslims to Pentecostals to Buddhists live "down the block," Mormons benefit from the protective coloration which such wild diversity promotes.
Those who most resist their status in the mainstream are conservative evangelicals, who admire much in their culture but fear that there will be confusion and destructive results because they are close enough to standard-brand Christianities to be acceptable and far enough from doctrinally more precise Christian traditions to keep them as objects of suspicion.
Comments
Just passing through via a post over on Leave the Light On. I'll bbookmark you and read from time to time. Thanks for sharing.
In His Grip
Lane
Dallas, Texas
I am a progressive Baptist who was fired from my position as a youth minister in a Southern Baptist church due to my sexual identity as a gay male. Upon his knowledge of my sexual identity, the pastor said these words: "I've seen your gifts for ministry. You've done wonderful things with our youth program. The people of this church love you. And you're telling me you're gay. I just don't know what to do with this."
Within two days, it was unanimous between the pastor and deacons that I not return to the church - period.
So, I could certainly relate to the lady and the gay man who were both excommunicated from the Mormon church.
A brilliantly done documentary.
Greg
blog.greggriffey.net
Greg, I too found that lady's story compelling. It is of course one that crosses many boundaries. There is the case of the woman who taught Hebrew at Southwestern Baptist Seminary. She was highly regarded as a teacher, but the President couldn't allow her to teach, because, well she wasn't a man and teachers of preachers who are male should be, of course, male.
Your experience confirms that same point. Ah, you're so gifted, we celebrate your gifts, but, well, you're gay, that can't be! So, off you go. Thanks again for sharing and please keep stopping by!