Oaks gets it right

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_Holy Ghost
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Oaks gets it right

Post by _Holy Ghost »

I understand that Oaks said this morning “As citizens and as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we must do better to help root out racism,” explaining that “there have been injustices. In public actions and in our personal attitudes we have had racism and related grievances.”

“This country should be better in eliminating racism, not only against Black Americans, who were most visible in the recent protests, but also against Latinos, Asians and other groups,” he said. “This nation’s history of racism is not a happy one and we must do better.”

He also called for unity and peaceful, not violent, protests to this end.

Bravo!

I am surrounded in my neck of Zion's woods with TBMs that are blatantly and openly racist. They think minorities should just shut up and take whatever. Oaks seems to understand the cause of the protests (and riots): racism. Stop racism, and then there won't be the protests and violence. He's right. I was surprised that he got it right.
"There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge." Isaac Asimov
_Gadianton
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Re: Oaks gets it right

Post by _Gadianton »

I do hope you're right about that. However, I have to point out one thing. For all their faults, and the list of faults is a lengthy one, the leaders of the Church have shown a talent for playing the long game of self-preservation and financial dominance. Unlike a certain president, who couldn't put a convenience store in the black if his life depended on it, the Church leaders know how to do business. Granted, they have a significantly unfair advantage in terms of taxes and gullible membership, but they've carefully exploited their advantages and they've carefully cultivated the climate of gullibility to get the most out of it.

A really sharp conservative leader bent on preserving the status quo, rather than inciting tensions and risking some kind of revolution would verbally give the people what they want to hear. He would diffuse the situation and commit to improving things, and come up with some token gestures of goodwill. And then, just kind of let things continue as they have been and not really do anything about it.
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_moksha
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Re: Oaks gets it right

Post by _moksha »

“We live in a time of anger and hatred in political relationships and policies. We felt it this summer where some went beyond peaceful protests and engaged in destructive behavior,” he said. “We feel it in some current campaigns for public offices. Some of this has even spilled over into political statements and unkind references in our church meetings.”
I think this was Oak's way of reminding members to quit being "Butt-Heads for Trump". Also, he wanted the members of the Sanpete and Wayne County Militias to stay out of the armory supplies in their compounds if Trump loses the election and not rampage through the streets of Provo.
Cry Heaven and let loose the Penguins of Peace
_Holy Ghost
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Re: Oaks gets it right

Post by _Holy Ghost »

Gadianton wrote:
Sat Oct 03, 2020 11:15 pm
I do hope you're right about that. However, I have to point out one thing. For all their faults, and the list of faults is a lengthy one, the leaders of the Church have shown a talent for playing the long game of self-preservation and financial dominance. Unlike a certain president, who couldn't put a convenience store in the black if his life depended on it, the Church leaders know how to do business. Granted, they have a significantly unfair advantage in terms of taxes and gullible membership, but they've carefully exploited their advantages and they've carefully cultivated the climate of gullibility to get the most out of it.

A really sharp conservative leader bent on preserving the status quo, rather than inciting tensions and risking some kind of revolution would verbally give the people what they want to hear. He would diffuse the situation and commit to improving things, and come up with some token gestures of goodwill. And then, just kind of let things continue as they have been and not really do anything about it.
True, but they could have been silent, they could have blamed "antifa" (can't believe anti-fascism, a pillar of America's 20th Century is now a hiss and a by-word), they could have ... . But here, for one brief, shining moment, they said the right thing. And if that singes the consciences of any racist TBMs that heard it, so much the better.
"There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge." Isaac Asimov
_Fence Sitter
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Re: Oaks gets it right

Post by _Fence Sitter »

Empty rhetoric from a leader of an organization that still will not acknowledge it's own checkered racist past and racist scriptures, not to mention their current misogynistic organization and bigoted GLBT stances.

This, as Gad points out, is only meant to assuage the frothing faithful.
"Any over-ritualized religion since the dawn of time can make its priests say yes, we know, it is rotten, and hard luck, but just do as we say, keep at the ritual, stick it out, give us your money and you'll end up with the angels in heaven for evermore."
_I have a question
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Re: Oaks gets it right

Post by _I have a question »

Nelson
“Today, I call upon our members everywhere to lead out in abandoning attitudes and actions of prejudice,” said the leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Sunday morning. “I plead with you to promote respect for all of God’s children.”
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-a ... ity-194725

I find this approach of demanding members to "abandon attitudes of prejudice" exceptionally hollow.
Nelson, Oaks etc should be setting the example through their actions, rather than asking members to do something they themselves have declined every opportunity to do. If they meant what they said there'd be multiple black apostles by now. And the following would have been removed from the canon and, along with the Priesthood Ban, have been unreservedly apologised for.
21 And he had caused the cursing to come upon them, yea, even a sore cursing, because of their iniquity. For behold, they had hardened their hearts against him, that they had become like unto a flint; wherefore, as they were white, and exceedingly fair and delightsome, that they might not be enticing unto my people the Lord God did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/stu ... 5?lang=eng

When you've taken those actions Mr Nelson, then...and only then...will you have legitimacy to ask members to abandon attitudes and actions of prejudice.
_fetchface
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Re: Oaks gets it right

Post by _fetchface »

I'm just really shocked that he was able to resist jumping back on his gay/transgender hobby horse again.
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_Holy Ghost
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Re: Oaks gets it right

Post by _Holy Ghost »

fetchface wrote:
Mon Oct 05, 2020 8:41 pm
I'm just really shocked that he was able to resist jumping back on his gay/transgender hobby horse again.
Seroquel must work wonders
"There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge." Isaac Asimov
_SteelHead
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Re: Oaks gets it right

Post by _SteelHead »

It is better to be a warrior in a garden, than a gardener at war.

Some of us, on the other hand, actually prefer a religion that includes some type of correlation with reality.
~Bill Hamblin
_SuperDell
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Re: Oaks gets it right

Post by _SuperDell »

When will they speak out against the Japanese, Chinese, Koreans, Africans and so many others who discriminate against White People in their own countries?

Maybe they can have revelation and condemn the French for their attitude against USA citizens, while they are at it?
“Those who never retract their opinions love themselves more than they love truth.”
― Joseph Joubert
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