A couple of days ago, Senator Harry Reid (D - Nevada) spoke at Brigham Young University (BYU) about the importance of public service. Since then, he's been the subject of scorn and ridicule on a few local and national talk shows. Not always by the talk show hosts, to be sure, but certainly by many of those who called in.
Some of them are screaming about how he's deserted his faith. Some even want his temple recommend revoked (as if they were his Bishop, for heaven's sake).
I don't get it.
I'm LDS (Mormon). I've read the transcript. He sounds like a Mormon, and a Democrat, talking to a group of students at a university owned and operated by the LDS Church, and mostly attended by Mormons.
What's the problem here? He hasn't disparaged any of the leaders of the Church, at least not beyond simple disagreement on political, not religious, issues. He even cited the exemplary public service records of many of the current Church leaders.
Now, don't get me wrong. I don't agree with Senator Reid on many political issues. So what? That doesn't make a bit of difference to my understanding of his position within the Church. And let's face it. I'm not in a position to even determine what his church standing is or should be. I'm just a fellow member. I'm happy to refer to him as "Brother Reid" as much as call him Senator.
Are we really so embroiled in the whole "left wind vs. right wing" thing that we can't see beyond that? Are we really so entrenched in partisan politics that we can't see our common ground?
Are we really so worried about politics that we can't separate them from religion?
Come on, Utah. Aren't we better than that?
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Why are Utah Mormon's So Angry at Harry Reid?
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2 comments:
It's about the things he supposedly said in a press conference AFTER the speech. During the speech he was very courteous. I agree with you in that I don't like some of his views, but I think he's a good man and very sincere in what he believes.
After further review, I don't even think he was rude in his statements (as quoted by the media) in the press conference after the speech.
It was very interesting to learn about his non-religious household and his family's reverence for FDR, so now I understand where he's coming from.
I thought he gave an impressive talk but he undid most of it in his subsequent comments at the press conference.
Forgive the self-serving link but I detail it here at my blog
Harry Reid Blew It
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