You don't see this every day (at least not publicized), but an active LDS rugby star in New Zealand has changed his mind and now decided NOT to serve an LDS mission. Instead, he'll continue his rising rugby career and, as he puts it, serve as a good example to other LDS kids. I bet this story will never make it to the Church News (which is never shy about publishing a story about a star athlete deciding to go on a mission instead of playing). See link below for article:
1. The kid's mother is quite candid in saying the boy didn't want to go on a mission (she attributes this to his not being spiritually ready); and
2. The boy and his family seem to aspire to the boy's becoming a bishop like his dad.
Last edited by Yahoo [Bot] on Fri Sep 14, 2007 4:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"Moving beyond apologist persuasion, LDS polemicists furiously (and often fraudulently) attack any non-traditional view of Mormonism. They don't mince words -- they mince the truth."
-- Mike Quinn, writing of the FARMSboys, in "Early Mormonism and the Magic World View," p. x (Rev. ed. 1998)
Rollo Tomasi wrote:You don't see this every day (at least not publicized), but an active LDS rugby star in New Zealand has changed his mind and now decided NOT to serve an LDS mission. Instead, he'll continue his rising rugby career and, as he puts it, serve as a good example to other LDS kids. I bet this story will never make it to the Church News (which is never shy about publishing a story about a star athlete deciding to go on a mission instead of playing). See link below for article:
My guess is that the Church will use him any way they can. If he becomes a big star and has influence, you'll see him in the Church News sometime in the future.
(Although Rugby is too sports what Mormonism to the Mainstream)
"Whatever appears to be against the Book of Mormon is going to be overturned at some time in the future. So we can be pretty open minded."-charity 3/7/07
Are you going to ride this Anonymity thing all the way to godhood?
Should I give you your congratulations now (anonymously of course)?
"Whatever appears to be against the Book of Mormon is going to be overturned at some time in the future. So we can be pretty open minded."-charity 3/7/07
"Moving beyond apologist persuasion, LDS polemicists furiously (and often fraudulently) attack any non-traditional view of Mormonism. They don't mince words -- they mince the truth."
-- Mike Quinn, writing of the FARMSboys, in "Early Mormonism and the Magic World View," p. x (Rev. ed. 1998)
I don't know. In the end, it's the kid's decision, not ours. My guess is that his parents are disappointed. My son will be 19 next month, and he has no plans to go on a mission. I told him I'd support him whatever he decided to do, but he has not been interested in the church since he was about 12. Of his 2 best friends, one is in the MTC and one got his mission call yesterday. I hope it's a good experience for them.
What's the big deal. If Steve Young can choose football over a mission, why can't this rugby player? Of course the argument can be made that Rugby isn't as important as football. Once we allow rugby players to skip missions, next it will be soccer players, then volleyball players, then Little League coaches, then ballerinas, and the next thing you know someone will say, "Sorry bishop, I can't go on a mission because my company's weekend kickball team really needs me." THe church needs to draw the line somewhere between a good excuse for skipping a mission and a bad excuse.
"We of this Church do not rely on any man-made statement concerning the nature of Deity. Our knowledge comes directly from the personal experience of Joseph Smith." - Gordon B. Hinckley
"It's wrong to criticize leaders of the Mormon Church even if the criticism is true." - Dallin H. Oaks
Or even worse, "sorry Bishop, but I'm not going on a mission because I'm entering into my second year of college and that's more important to me than acting as a door to door salesman for a false belief system."
Mormonism ceased being a compelling topic for me when I finally came to terms with its transformation from a personality cult into a combination of a real estate company, a SuperPac, and Westboro Baptist Church. - Kishkumen