Utah Gov. Spencer Cox rightly rebuked the offensive “F--k the Mormons!” chant shouted by some University of Oregon fans during Oregon’s recent football game against Brigham Young University.
“Religious bigotry alive and celebrated in Oregon,” Cox tweeted.
The chant was indeed regrettable and was widely rejected. But here’s the thing:
Even deeper bigotry is alive and celebrated in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And in the governor’s own office and household. Routinely, it’s financially supported and sustained by millions of practicing Mormons and members of the other Abrahamic sects.
While, too often, non-believers are told to accept and even respect such bigotry — simply because it’s religious.
“Duck that.”
Not so, you say? ‘Tis.
Consider:
For starters, the Mormon church famously denied blacks the priesthood and temple entry.
That’s not just irrelevant, ancient history.
The church has never disavowed its racist ban. Even decades after its discontinuation, then-prophet Gordon Hinckley was still preaching its righteousness. The Book of Mormon still proclaims that black skin is a curse from Jesus to mark a loathsome people.
Put plainly, the present Mormon prophet Russell Nelson was practicing racial segregation. As was every Mormon prophet back to Brigham Young. As were millions of church members still living today.
Banning Blacks from the temple is racist, just like banning them from a school, lunch counter or water fountain.
Under almost any other guise but religion, being a non-apologetic racial segregationist — past or present — would be nearly disqualifying for many prominent public positions. But it’s standard, acceptable personal history for many Utah politicians, business leaders and leaders of Utah’s public and private educational institutions. Because: Religion.
Similarly, the Mormon church vigorously fought — sometimes illegally — against same-sex civil marriage.
The church’s official, public justifications? That Jesus himself commanded that gay lovers be killed, plus scriptural preachings that gays and lesbians are “worthy of death.” Yes, really.
After the Supreme Court ruling confirming same-sex marriage rights, the new official Mormon policy decreed that people in same-sex marriages were apostates and excluded their children from full participation in Mormon rites. Verily, this mean-spirited bigotry was the revealed mind and will of the Lord. Thus, sayeth the prophet.
Yet most Mormons still stayed. And paid.
Plus, of course, there’s Mormon patriarchal sexism. Such sexism is often illegal in the public domain. Rightly so. But every tithe-paying Mormon supports it financially when it comes to their religion. Because: Priorities.
If y’all are genuinely worried about bigoted hate speech, check out the Bible, including the words of the Lord. It’s not just the Book of Mormon that’s a holy hate manual. The Bible is, too.
Yet the Bible is prominently and widely featured in houses of worship, progressive as well as fundamentalist. It’s used to swear in court witnesses and government officials, including presidents of the United States. And, of course, it’s a popular prop, as then-President Donald Trump showed.
Imagine a president publicly posing with “Mein Kampf.” Most people would be rightly repulsed. But when it’s the Bible, it’s to be admired. Or apologists preach that the Good Book is misrepresented. It’s not.
So, look at the bright side. At least the Oregon students weren’t chanting, “Thou shalt not suffer a Mormon to live,” or that it’s better they be drowned with a millstone round their neck. Or threatening, “I will rub your face in dung, even the dung of your solemn feasts.” Or shouting that Mormons in mixed-sex relationships are “filled with … wickedness” and “worthy of death.”
The anti-Mormon chant by a few Oregon students was inappropriate. But at least it wasn’t the publicly revered official writings or practice of a multi-billion-dollar corporation and millions of members.
Mormons’ continued participation and tithing support say far more than does their empty polite-speak. Or their newspaper columns.
The key issue isn’t whether bigotry is expressed with profanity or instead with superficial politeness. Dung covered with sprinkles is still dung underneath. And religious bigotry covered with polite-speak is still bigotry.
So, Guv and friends. Y’all are genuinely against religious bigotry?
Then cast out the beam from thine own eye. And do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
| Courtesy Photo Gregory Clark
Gregory A. Clark lives and teaches in Salt Lake City. As a divinely labelled “fool, “dog,” and unholy “swine,” he flushes comprehensively after his solemn feasts and keeps a cautious lookout for villagers hauling millstones.