I had no idea that the Smoot hearings lasted 4 years. 4 YEARS!

Interesting about David O. McKay and the beards. I miss the beards. My wife does not.

Another “version” of the Book of Mormon? How about a new edition?

Billy Johnson’s story about starting the church in Africa is inspiring. I have tears in my eyes. I’m a baby.

I’d like more details.

This Toscano lady is off her rocker LOL, J/playing. It is interesting to see the viewpoints of people who are members (converts and lifers), who were members, and who were never members and try to see their viewpoint and where they are coming from.

The relief efforts around hurricane Katrina got a lot of time, all of it very positive.

A missionary with sunglasses? He’d better have a medical reason for that.

We had an Elder that was albino in my mission. He got to wear sunglasses.

Nate Oman’s father-in-law is getting a lot of screen time. Maybe he is the Ken Verdoia of this episode.

Eerie oboe music when showing a temple baptismal font…heh.

Am I commenting too much?

BenJ,

The only one commenting too much here.

Retention issues are coming up. This is an interesting topic. The demanding nature of the Church has its benefits but makes the transition to full activity difficult after baptism.

Marlin Jensen is coming across as very approachable and normal. An interesing look at how testifying can lead to a testimony.

I think that Elder Oaks’ statement that “any leader” will find intellectualism to be a problem is very black and white.

Well, Grant Palmer leaves no question as to what he thinks.

Let’s use this program as a pulpit from which we can air our family grievances! I’m mad at my brother in law! Really mad!

Ken Verdoia shows up suddenly to drop the pill use factoid!

Yeah, thanks Ken for the antidepressent link. Talk about breaking stereotypes.

I think mainstream social spheres think of homeschooling as a weird form of education. You know the person, I know I do…you know, the person in the neighborhood who had no social skills, never left home and got into an ivy league? lol.

They might have to defend their homeschooling position more than once and do so by saying their kids got into ivy league universitys to give them credibility. i hope I make enough someday to get my kids in private schools where they are not taught tales like ‘The King and the King’. Another can of worms…

/off topic

“Embracing the odd ducks.” That is a compelling idea and I don’t know how to reconcile it.

Oh boy, revealing the temple penalties outside of any context. That isn’t cool. This is another area where nobody is going to give a counterpoint. Not very fair.

Why didn’t we hear a word from Jan Shipps?

Tom,

I have no doubt that they are wonderful, intelligent people. I was very impressed with the segment on them. I just think it is funny that some find elite private and public universities to be acceptable but not so for say, high school. Why not home school for college?

Mostly I’m just being silly.

WillF,

It would be interesting to know the reasons behind the complete absence of Jan Shipps. She is the default outside expert that these types of programs often use. The fact that she isn’t a talking head is notable.

What does Harold Bloom mean by “the original Mormonism of the prophet Joseph Smith.”?

john — in #48 I think that your question gets at a big weakness of this show’s “trying to explain ‘The Mormons’ in 4 hours” format. There are a constant stream of short quotes from people that raise questions, but then you are shuffled on to the next exhibit before you can get any answers. Maybe it will at least problem people to find out more I guess.

Loved Betty Stevenson. And all I could think was “hey, how come we don’t get to clap and sing some gospel in my ward??” Betty ought to come over and teach us how to get a little funk going on Sunday.

I didn’t appreciate Whitney using so many marginalized, disaffected, excommunited, antagonistic, or otherwise unassociated people to define who we are.

Yes, it is true that LDS do take more SSRI antidepressants than others. But we do not have more depression than others. Depression rates are the same or less within the church as without. And it is much more mild. Mromons just take SSRI’s like Prozac instead of taking addicting Xanax, Valium, Percocet or self medicate with alcohol and cigarettes.

“Margaret Toscano’s account of her church court is troubling but also unfair. The stake president is never going to respond.”

The bishop in Sonia Johnson’s case released a public statement about her excommunication in 1979.

There is a way for both sides to be told about Margaret’s council–the Church, with Margaret’s permission, could release the records of the council. My understanding, however, is that those records are not even available for the disciplined member to see.

My sense, though, is that Margaret told the truth as best she can recall it about what happened at the council. I suspect the story would still be troubling if the records ever were released or the stake president, with Margaret’s permission, were permitted to speak about it from his perspective.

I forgot drugged-up.

ddb9,

The contention that Mormons take more SSRIs than others has been around for a while. I’m curious as to where this idea originated/was studied/was refuted/corroborated/etc. Where should I start on this topic? (I apologize if this has been addressed already).

Jan – the Taylor speech Gray quoted is in the Journal of Discourses, volume 22, page 297. Unfortunately, this is only one example of this sort of rhetoric; there’s quite a bit more if you look for it.