Comments on: Handling Politics in Church Classes

By: Vader

Vader — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 18:56:40 +0000

Thanks, Ardis, for clarifying that. I was unaware of the earlier post.

I, too, have been remarkably knuckleheaded at times.

I love most of what I read here. I could have kissed you after reading the comments at your marijuana post and reading, “Our preferred terminology is “assholiness.”” I’m gonna steal that one for my strategic rhetorical arsenal.

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 17:57:55 +0000

Vader, be fair to me. That event was presented in this post as a bad example among five bad examples of the way politics intrudes badly in a lesson. I am not presenting it here as something I was proud of, but something I was ashamed of, so you aren't telling me anything I didn't already recognize. In fact, when I reported on that lesson (here) I called in "boneheaded," and apologized, and explained how and why it hadn't worked.

By: Vader

Vader — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 17:48:48 +0000

Oh, and:

Last year when I taught the lesson based on the Willie and Martin handcart experience, I asked class members to consider (not discuss, but just react privately) when I read several statements taken from today’s political debates against welfare and against immigration, and think how uncharitable and unholy they sounded when spoken against people we have come to think of as heroes and martyrs.

I would have been awfully uncomfortable with that if I had been in the class. Rather overtly political, however worded.

By: Vader

Vader — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 17:37:22 +0000

I can only recall walking out on a Sacrament meeting speaker because of what he was saying on one occasion. It was the 4th of July and his talk was a condemnation of Reagan and all his works.

I was kind of surprised I was the only one. But then perhaps I struggle with anger more than most people. The urge to choke the living scatological reference out of an idiot who badly needs it is sometimes difficult for me to suppress.

I would like to think that I would respond the same whether the speaker was broadsiding Reagan or Obama. Either walk out on both or bite my tongue and hear the speaker out on both. The real issue is the contamination of sacred space with politics, not whether I agree or disagree with the politics.

It would be best if speakers would refrain from putting me to the test. Just in case, I usually sit near the back, where I am less likely to be noticed if I am struggling not to roll my eyes. Useful even in non-election years.

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 12:29:27 +0000

Thanks, MIK, for a timely reminder and a concrete example. In addition to the points you make, I appreciate the illustration that as a teacher you know your class members well enough to anticipate this response. Well done.

By: MK. Pillow

MK. Pillow — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 08:13:23 +0000

I feel that a teacher has a stewardship to teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, not a personal or political agenda- either from class members or the teacher. It’s unfair to those who come wanting to discuss the lesson and savor the scriptures to allow contentious political comments to offend the Spirit. Such comments should be “nipped in the bud”, but fortunately, The Lord doesn’t expect a teacher to do it without His help.
Example: as I was pondering a particular scripture during the week, in preparation for a lesson on Sunday, I felt prompted that the mention of King Noah’s taxes would provoke an anti- tax rant from someone (and I knew who the guilty party would be), A footnote led to another scripture, which prepared me to lead back to a constructive discussion. Other times, I’ve been amazed that the right words to diffuse a contentious remark, just come to mind as needed, and I could say the right thing with light humor and real affection. Preparation and a real desire to keep our focus on the Savior opens a channel to divine help.

By: Todd G.

Todd G. — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 17:43:13 +0000

Our ward is pretty good about this, but whether teaching a class our participating in a class I have spoken up to say, “Of course, we have to be careful not to get too one-sided politically…” or “Of course, you might also believe…”.

I’m always good natured about it. Everyone knows I have no animosity towards anyone.

By: casey

casey — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 17:32:53 +0000

I would just start out a lesson reminding everyone that we should avoid political comments because it may take away from the spirit. That puts everyone on notice and gives you the right to remind anyone during class lest they forget.

By: Huston

Huston — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 23:54:31 +0000

Ardis, “Tax rates and the use of public tax monies (including health care, or not) are policy decisions, not eternal principles spelled out by the gospel. A nation’s immigration laws and methods of enforcement are policy decisions to be made in the political arena and are not spelled out in scripture…”

YES. Amen. This is one of the best things anybody’s ever said.

I also loved Clark’s comment at #23.

Regarding these tangent’s in class lessons, I can only agree that confrontation is probably not going to help most of the time, and to change the subject back to the scriptures as soon as possible. If it’s a teacher who’s pontificating inappropriately, a calm word with the relevant leader about teachers sticking to the manual–which Church trainings increasingly emphasize–might be productive.

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 22:49:12 +0000

Yeah. It’s an unfortunate and unnecessary — but very real — problem. It has to be dealt with here. I could tell you in some detail the political views of perhaps half the members of my ward, even when I don’t have any idea how many children they raised or what they do/did for a living or whether they attend the temple or if they know how to use email. And that’s true regardless of whether they’re left or right. As someone said about a month ago when she and her husband returned to the ward after snow-birding in a warmer climate, “We’ll be here five months; if the nation hasn’t collapsed by then, we’ll go visit hubby’s family in [Eastern locale].” You sometimes don’t have to know somebody more than three seconds to know a considerable amount about their politics.