Dear FAIR Mormon
Dear FAIR Mormon,
Until yesterday, I thought your mission was to defend the faith.
Yesterday, I saw the fresh new face of Mormon apologetics. “Joseph Smith saw God… Deal with it”. https://youtu.be/fLer7fwmwI0
No, I’m not another angry anti-Mormon. I actually got re-baptized 20 months ago and had my blessings restored 5 months ago.
Some days I’m a very frustrated Latter-day Saint.
Apparently, discussions about chiasmus, tapirs, Book of Mormon geography in Indiana, and creative meanings for the word “translate” just aren’t reaching the rising generation. If pseudo-academics doesn’t do the trick, maybe funny YouTube videos will.
The joke’s on you FAIR Mormon.
In five to ten years, half of the overly-confident stars of your YouTube satires will no longer be active in our church.
In five to ten years, half of those valiant students you’re trying to appeal to at BYU and UVU and the U of U and USU will be inactive. Despite having served missions. Despite temple marriages.
Your big index of articles with answers for everything won’t stop it. Your clever YouTube videos won’t stop it.
FAIR Mormon, can I tell you a little bit about my friend John Dehlin? Yeah, the guy who you literally demonized in your video yesterday. You thought it was funny to call him Satan as you flashed this image.
Yes, he was excommunicated for apostasy. Yes, he has been a vocal critic of our church through his podcast, Mormon Stories. And yes, I love and appreciate him.
Here is a real picture of him.
John is one of the best ministers I know. When he encountered difficult questions about our church, he left a lucrative career to get a PhD in psychology — so he could be more qualified to help people dealing with a faith crisis.
He has spent countless hours, not just podcasting, but on the phone and in person with people. Mourning with those who mourn. Comforting those who need comfort. Scaling this support far beyond his own capacity, across the globe.
A resource our church still fails to provide. Why? Because we’re too afraid to look ourselves in the mirror. We’re not ready to stop pretending that we’re nearly perfect.
If FAIR Mormon is supposed to be that resource, heaven help us!
After I left the church, a good friend gave me this poem.
Abou Ben Adhem
BY LEIGH HUNTAbou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase!)
Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,
And saw, within the moonlight in his room,
Making it rich, and like a lily in bloom,
An angel writing in a book of gold: —
Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold,
And to the presence in the room he said,
“What writest thou?” — The vision raised its head,
And with a look made of all sweet accord,
Answered, “The names of those who love the Lord.”
“And is mine one?” said Abou. “Nay, not so,”
Replied the angel. Abou spoke more low,
But cheerly still; and said, “I pray thee, then,
Write me as one that loves his fellow men.”The angel wrote, and vanished. The next night
It came again with a great wakening light,
And showed the names whom love of God had blest,
And lo! Ben Adhem’s name led all the rest.
The good friend also happened to be the bishop to whom I gave my resignation letter. It meant the world to me.
Today, I give this poem to John Dehlin. One who loves his fellow men. #LightTheWorld
FAIR Mormon, if you really want to defend our faith, stop being arrogant know-it-alls. Stop pretending there is a good answer for every hard question. Stop making ridiculous videos.
If you’re anything like God’s authorized priesthood holders in my ward, the majority of you defenders of the faith don’t do your ministering. You’ll be surprised how many doubts and questions can be resolved, not by having a canned answer or a funny video, but with a humble listening ear.
Maybe you could start there. Like my friend John Dehlin.
If you have a board of directors that cares about your reputation and the effect you have on our church’s reputation, I hope you’ll change course. I hope you’ll remove your insulting videos.
In my opinion, you’re damaging our religion.
Regards,
Joe Tippetts
Sandy, UT
ADDENDUM: December 5, 2020
Yesterday, I wrote the words above.
Today, some of their people tweeted this video depicting John Dehlin getting his head smashed with a baseball bat at the order of FAIR Mormon. And they depicted another ex-Mormon, Jeremy Runnells, fearing that it may happen to him too. The baseball bat is labeled TITS, which is the acronym for “This is the Show”, FAIR Mormon’s video series attempting to humorously debunk anti-Mormon arguments.
https://youtu.be/oolF0q_O7sk (WARNING: VERY VIOLENT)
I’ve attached a few screenshots (below) of the video to show what’s happening without having to see it in motion.
In addition, look at the image of John Dehlin as Satan (from yesterday’s video). Then look at the WWII propaganda poster depicting a “Japanese” mouse being killed in a trap.
This is how propaganda works. Once you dehumanize people, it’s OK to hate them and hurt them and kill them.
My thoughts and prayers are with John Dehlin, Jeremy Runnells, and their families tonight.
Fellow Latter-day Saints, I know this just looks like the extreme actions of a few stupid college kids. But people who leave our church deal with this kind of thing all the time.
Maybe not in such extreme ways. Or maybe in more extreme ways. We demonize those who leave our church.
We shun them. We ignore them. We don’t want to listen to what they have to say because we’re afraid that some of it might be true.
This makes me really sad. These are good people. Some of the best I’ve ever met. Far more committed to loving and truth-seeking and serving others than many within our midst at church.
You can think of them as apostates or angry anti-Mormons if you want. I prefer to call them my friends.
