One of the players at a BYU vs. Duke University volleyball game on August 26, 2022, claims that she was the target of racist verbal harassment by someone in the BYU student section during the game. This claim has ignited a firestorm against BYU, including from many members themselves. But what is the evidence that the accused events happened? This article looks at the details, uses the evidence to draw the strongest, fact-based conclusion about what happened. This article also explores what this whole fiasco has to say about the condition of the modern American media, the acceptability of anti-Mormonism, and the problems with present day “Mormon” culture. None of it is pretty, but it is important.
Tag: racism
The Science and Ethics of Abortion
Abortion is one of those “hot topics” that really shouldn’t be that “hot.” None of the ethical, scientific, or moral questions people raise about abortion are really relevant – they’ve all been answered multiple times. Yet, many of the same people who will lecture you about how you should “trust the science” and “believe the experts” actually do those things regarding abortion. When abortion comes up it is all unscientific, nonsensical, unethical, and insane nonsense.
But what do “experts” – actual biologists – say about when human life begins? In this article I establish what the actual scientific consensus is on this subject. Then, informed by the real science, I use that knowledge to evaluate the ethical arguments surrounding abortion – such as the issue of bodily autonomy, the concept of “personhood,” the argument concerning dangerous illegal abortions, cases of rape and incest, and medical necessity.
Is The Book of Mormon Racist?
The claim that the Book of Mormon is racist is a common refrain among our critics, some of their most potent ammunition to destroy the interest of investigators and sow doubts in the faithful. But they’re wrong.
The Book of Mormon isn’t racist. And in this article I prove it by taking a detailed look at the symbolic and literal interpretations of the Lamanite curse and “skin of blackness” to demonstrate that it not only isn’t racist, it has nothing to do with race at all. The Book of Mormon, when understood in its proper context as an ancient document reflecting the language and ideas of people whose culture and understanding of the world was fundamentally different than ours, is very clearly not racist. When someone sees it as racist they are only demonstrating their ignorance of the document itself and projecting our own modern problems onto it.
LDS Reviews: The Falcon and The Winter Soldier
Here I review “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier,” Disney’s newest MCU show, not only for entertainment value but for the messages and ideals it promotes as a piece of mass media. It doesn’t shy away from issues of military violence, state propaganda aimed at civilians, poverty, political oppression, blowback, racism, hope, and friendship. After giving a basic synopsis of the show I then address each of these themes and how they are explored within the context of the show, comparing them to the ideals and ethics of Christianity and human liberty.
The Truth About Mormon Culture And Why It Is Amazing
There is no end to the handwringing that and internet article posts made by members and non-members of the Church of Jesus Christ that claim to accurately diagnose problems in “Mormon culture” and then offer solutions. Claims of homophobia, sexism, racism, nativism, transphobia, hatred, cliquishness, and more are all laid at the feet of the Latter-day Saints, told their culture is to blame, and demand (or “suggestions”) are made that will supposedly banish these ills from Latter-day Saints society. But is this true? It is certainly true that Latter-day Saints do some of these things, but is the reason they do it because of the influence of uniquely LDS theology and cultural beliefs?
In a word? No. These problems exist among Latter-day Saints, but these problems are not caused by Latter-day Saint or Mormon culture. Rather, Latter-day Saints are made scapegoats for problems which exist universally in the worldly societies in which Latter-day Saints participate and the values of which they have absorbed. When a Latter-day Saint is sexist, racist, nativist, etc., he or she is acting out the prejudices and biases of his or her own national culture and not so-called Mormon culture. In this article I explain how Latter-day Saints are indoctrinated into the virtues and vices of their national cultures and end up repeating those errors which are then incorrectly blames on Mormonism’s influence. I also talk about how you can get down to what is an actual, true Latter-day Saint culture, providing some examples to support my arguments about what it is and what it looks like. Finally, I conclude by looking at how real Latter-day Saint culture is a manifestation of the culture of Christ, which we should embrace wholeheartedly while abandoning all the Babylonian cultures of the world.
Abortion: Science, Ethics, and Religion
The arguments that go to defending this wicked practice of abortion can be largely classified into three categories – arguments based on science, arguments based on ethics, and arguments based in religion. I address all three of these categories and demonstrate how the science, ethics, and religion all demolish pro-abortionist arguments and support those who want to preserve the human rights of children in the womb to their right to Life. In the section on science I draw upon a milestone study carried out by Dr. Steven Jacobs where he spoke to around 5,500 biologists from every religious and political perspective, those who call themselves pro-choice as well as pro-life, and asked them about what the scientific evidence says about when human life begins. The results of his study will shock some of you, especially those who have long been fed the lie that this is a question that scientific study is somehow incapable of solving. In the ethics section, I address a multitude of ethical and ideological argument used to justify abortion, including concepts of bodily autonomy, feminism, personhood, rape, incest, and medical necessity. In the religion section I draw upon the teachings of the modern Prophets and Apostles about what they have to say about the topic of abortion and the Church’s stance on not only those who get abortions, but even those who simply aid or encourage people to get abortions. Finally, I address the inherently racist and eugenic nature of abortion and political consideration about how to foster a Culture of Life.
How We Win: The Complete Series on How Nonviolence Can Help Change Society
What follows below was originally released as three separate parts, but, intended from the start to be read as one whole article, but ended up being too long. Each article works singularly, but the full force of the argument is somewhat disjointed by the need to break it up for easier consumption. Here the original article is restored for those who wish to take it in as one complete work. It explores how nonviolent action would not only help the protestors in the street win allies, change hearts, and alter laws, but how nonviolence makes possible the transformation of our society from what it is into one with greater liberty, equality, and prosperity for all.
The Best Version of the “Battle Hymn of The Republic”
In many churches in America, you’ll find the “Battle Hymn of the Republic” -a song that glorifies war and nationalism- sung as part of worshipping the Prince of Peace. It is incongruous with the purpose of Christian worship at best and blasphemous at worst. Yet many love it because it is such a stirring and triumphant sounding song. Luckily, there is a better option which both maintains the tune and brings the song’s message more in line with Gospel truths.
The Dismal Fourth of July
This Saturday is the Fourth of July, American Independence Day. It is the first in the life of the Latter-day Liberator and it dawns dismally. Instead of a celebration of revolution and liberty, we find the creeping Fascism of the past few decades has suddenly become a raging torrent as the officers of the State have begun to openly wage war directly upon American citizens and the actions of those in power threaten hundreds of millions of people with absolute poverty, starvation, devastation, and death. But there is hope. By recovering the ideas and truths of the past that gave birth to the original Independence Day we can renew and reestablish our rights as never before for this Independence Day and every one after it.
Brigham Young, Racism, and Slavery
The racial beliefs of Brigham Young have been coming up lately as part of the Latter-day Saints discourse in light of the larger American debate over racism and police brutality. The problem is that most people, even the Saints themselves, are either completely misinformed or are entirely ignorant of who Brigham Young was, his impact on the American West, and his beliefs regarding race and slavery. This article is aimed at correcting these errors, exploring Brigham Young’s ideas on these issues, good and bad, and explaining why the Saints should take great joy in Brother Brigham’s legacy today despite his erroneous beliefs about race.