Atheists sue

[BarbaraGordon]

over discrimination and separation of church and state.

They claim the daughter was kicked off of the basketball team because she refused to participate in pre-game prayer. The school claims the daughter was always treated fairly and that the father physically assaulted the school principal (he was found not guilty of assault).

The 20/20 video is hard to watch because you can see how deeply she was hurt by the Christian kids and their ostracism of her.

http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=3164811

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H48tFhpwD74

[Requiem]

Originally Posted by BarbaraGordon

The 20/20 video is hard to watch because you can see how deeply she was hurt by the Christian kids and their ostracism of her.

I work with a woman of the Jewish faith (Deborah) who experienced the ugliness of ostracism firsthand while living in Bountiful, UT. At the time her family moved to Bountiful, she was the mother of two beautiful girls aged 16 and 13. They transferred from LA to Bountiful in 2003 and eagerly looked forward to the excitement of moving into a lovely new home.

As the moving van started to unload, Deborah was approached by several new neighbors and the first question they asked was "are you members"? Unknown to Deborah, this was the beginning of a two year nightmare of exclusion and intolerance at the hands of her supposedly Christlike LDS neighbors. Her children were excluded from social activities, camps, neighborhood gatherings and treated with disdain at school. Her oldest daughter never dated because the boys were told they could not date "non-members". Deborah and her family made every effort to be social and outgoing to the point of inviting their neighbors to dinners, parties, etc. The typical response was a polite "no thanks".

After two years, Deborah and her family left Bountiful and moved to the east coast. She is now a wonderful friend. Many times we have discussed the contradiction between LDS doctrines and behavior. She is not bitter, just disappointed by how her children were isolated and ostracized. I have told her over and over that her Bountiful neighbors are not a fair representation of the Church. Unfortunately her only experience was negative. Intolerance has a home in Bountiful.

[YOhio]

Originally Posted by Requiem

I work with a woman of the Jewish faith (Deborah) who experienced the ugliness of ostracism firsthand while living in Bountiful, UT.

I'm sure this type of ostracism occurs, but I'm doubtful that it is as offensive as the stories make it appear.

[Tex]

Originally Posted by Requiem

I work with a woman of the Jewish faith (Deborah) who experienced the ugliness of ostracism firsthand while living in Bountiful, UT. At the time her family moved to Bountiful, she was the mother of two beautiful girls aged 16 and 13. They transferred from LA to Bountiful in 2003 and eagerly looked forward to the excitement of moving into a lovely new home.

As the moving van started to unload, Deborah was approached by several new neighbors and the first question they asked was "are you members"? Unknown to Deborah, this was the beginning of a two year nightmare of exclusion and intolerance at the hands of her supposedly Christlike LDS neighbors. Her children were excluded from social activities, camps, neighborhood gatherings and treated with disdain at school. Her oldest daughter never dated because the boys were told they could not date "non-members". Deborah and her family made every effort to be social and outgoing to the point of inviting their neighbors to dinners, parties, etc. The typical response was a polite "no thanks".

After two years, Deborah and her family left Bountiful and moved to the east coast. She is now a wonderful friend. Many times we have discussed the contradiction between LDS doctrines and behavior. She is not bitter, just disappointed by how her children were isolated and ostracized. I have told her over and over that her Bountiful neighbors are not a fair representation of the Church. Unfortunately her only experience was negative. Intolerance has a home in Bountiful.

If I had been told I could not socialize with non-members, I almost never would've socialized at all.

I believe President Hinckley came out sharply against this type of behavior a decade or more ago.

[MikeWaters]

Originally Posted by Requiem

I work with a woman of the Jewish faith (Deborah) who experienced the ugliness of ostracism firsthand while living in Bountiful, UT. At the time her family moved to Bountiful, she was the mother of two beautiful girls aged 16 and 13. They transferred from LA to Bountiful in 2003 and eagerly looked forward to the excitement of moving into a lovely new home.

As the moving van started to unload, Deborah was approached by several new neighbors and the first question they asked was "are you members"? Unknown to Deborah, this was the beginning of a two year nightmare of exclusion and intolerance at the hands of her supposedly Christlike LDS neighbors. Her children were excluded from social activities, camps, neighborhood gatherings and treated with disdain at school. Her oldest daughter never dated because the boys were told they could not date "non-members". Deborah and her family made every effort to be social and outgoing to the point of inviting their neighbors to dinners, parties, etc. The typical response was a polite "no thanks".

After two years, Deborah and her family left Bountiful and moved to the east coast. She is now a wonderful friend. Many times we have discussed the contradiction between LDS doctrines and behavior. She is not bitter, just disappointed by how her children were isolated and ostracized. I have told her over and over that her Bountiful neighbors are not a fair representation of the Church. Unfortunately her only experience was negative. Intolerance has a home in Bountiful.

Tell her that Utah Mormons are not representative of true Mormonism.

It's an unfortunately truth. In Utah, they unrighteously mix culture and religion.

[MikeWaters]

Along the same lines, when I worked at a fast food rest. in high school, I had a coworker whose family moved to Sandy, Utah. He told me that his sister (all nonmembers) had told him that there was one black guy in the entire high school, and that members of the high school had made a pact to drive him out before graduation.

I have no idea if this is true or not. But it wasn't impressing my coworker.

[All-American]

"By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples."

Is there a more bitter irony in the world than this? What are Christians in general, and Mormons in particular, truly known for? What characteristics define us and set us apart more than any other?

By and large, not the one that ought to.

[Requiem]

Originally Posted by Tex

I believe President Hinckley came out sharply against this type of behavior a decade or more ago.

You are correct - President Hinckley has thankfully been very outspoken and direct on this topic. Unfortunately in predominantly LDS neighborhoods like Bountiful, this doctrine is not uniformly practiced. Interesting how being in the majority fosters an attitude of superiority and, dare I say, "unrighteous dominion"?

[BarbaraGordon]

Regarding the story, I wonder if the believers realize they have furthered the family's conviction that religion is the root of all evil.

[JohnnyLingo]

I don't know if my hometown is messed up or what, but I grew up in Utah and never saw anything like this. My high school had I think 4 black kids, and they were awesome. Had tons of friends, were involved in choir and sports and other clubs. I'm not even sure if three of them were members (because frankly it didn't matter), but one I played a lot of ball a lot was for sure not LDS. He was always significantly better than I was on the court, and was gracious about it. I never invited him to parties or anything, but that was because he was about 3 social stratas above where I was.

Just thought I'd share an anecdote to show that the entire state of Utah does not consist of racist, bigoted individuals.

Maybe 99% is, but my little corner is not.