Comments on: Questions from the Grass Roots, 1948 (4) http://www.keepapitchinin.org/2010/09/06/questions-from-the-grass-roots-1948-4/ Where our past is never very long ago Mon, 20 May 2013 20:48:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: queuno http://www.keepapitchinin.org/2010/09/06/questions-from-the-grass-roots-1948-4/comment-page-1/#comment-26426 queuno Sun, 12 Sep 2010 03:14:05 +0000 http://www.keepapitchinin.org/?p=7682#comment-26426 I suspect the change on accepting government welfare is a function of tax rates. But I know that as recently as the Teton flood (1976) Church authorities were still discouraging members from accepting gov’t assistance.

As far back as 2000, using government assistance and resources was a core part of the Church’s welfare and employment plan…

]]> By: Clark http://www.keepapitchinin.org/2010/09/06/questions-from-the-grass-roots-1948-4/comment-page-1/#comment-26199 Clark Wed, 08 Sep 2010 17:09:20 +0000 http://www.keepapitchinin.org/?p=7682#comment-26199 I’m late to the party, but these are some very interesting answers. I also noted the simplistic and condescending tone of the replies. The most grating, to me, is how timeless scripture is used to support temporary policy.

Speaking of which, does anyone know what current church policy is regarding non-Melchizedek priesthood holding fathers and baby blessings?

I suspect the change on accepting government welfare is a function of tax rates. But I know that as recently as the Teton flood (1976) Church authorities were still discouraging members from accepting gov’t assistance.

]]> By: Mark B. http://www.keepapitchinin.org/2010/09/06/questions-from-the-grass-roots-1948-4/comment-page-1/#comment-26060 Mark B. Mon, 06 Sep 2010 22:09:24 +0000 http://www.keepapitchinin.org/?p=7682#comment-26060

Can you imagine a sectarian church singing “We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet”?

No, but then I have a hard time imagining anyone singing it. Have you looked closely at the words lately? : )

]]> By: Bruce Crow http://www.keepapitchinin.org/2010/09/06/questions-from-the-grass-roots-1948-4/comment-page-1/#comment-26048 Bruce Crow Mon, 06 Sep 2010 17:50:28 +0000 http://www.keepapitchinin.org/?p=7682#comment-26048 I found this set of answers a little less friendly than others in previous sets. For example:

Other things could be said on this point, but the scriptures should suffice.
Or
This subject is discussed at length in various books already published by the Church. we recommend that you look this subject up in some of these books.
I thought the questions were straight forward, but the answers less than useful.

]]> By: Ardis E. Parshall http://www.keepapitchinin.org/2010/09/06/questions-from-the-grass-roots-1948-4/comment-page-1/#comment-26046 Ardis E. Parshall Mon, 06 Sep 2010 17:31:42 +0000 http://www.keepapitchinin.org/?p=7682#comment-26046 Paul, as I was typing these (the whole series, not just this entry), I was struck again and again by the “flattening” of complex historical and doctrinal matters. If it’s possible to pin down the generation of the phenomenon that we have all complained about as sanitizing or whitewashing or watering down, I think we have a good candidate in the late 1940s. In the early 20th century we have people who make mistakes in narrating history because they are a generation removed from what they’re writing about, but it still feels to me like they’re trying to get it right. In the late ’30s and during the war, church writers are still willing to tackle difficult social issues (like welfare, unchastity, and the sources of government power) in a straightforward, candid way. But beginning about now (1948), it feels like church writers begin to treat members as children, giving simplistic answers that are misleading in their incompleteness or in their failure to acknowledge differing opinions and practices from only a few years before. I think you’re pointing to a couple of examples of that flattening, gloss-over-the-variants attitude that is taking over in the writing of manuals and and magazines at that time.

]]> By: Paul Reeve http://www.keepapitchinin.org/2010/09/06/questions-from-the-grass-roots-1948-4/comment-page-1/#comment-26045 Paul Reeve Mon, 06 Sep 2010 17:13:09 +0000 http://www.keepapitchinin.org/?p=7682#comment-26045

It is one of the Articles of Faith of our Church to uphold the laws of the land.

There were still polygamists living in 1948, were there not, who knew of a much more complicated relationship with the 12 A of F than the answer indicates?

]]> By: Paul Reeve http://www.keepapitchinin.org/2010/09/06/questions-from-the-grass-roots-1948-4/comment-page-1/#comment-26043 Paul Reeve Mon, 06 Sep 2010 17:00:31 +0000 http://www.keepapitchinin.org/?p=7682#comment-26043

We believe members of the church should take The Deseret News in their homes every day.

Ah, yes, the missing 14th A of F. It might do the DN good to republish this little arm twisting guilt trip mantra under its masthead in an effort to save itself from, well, itself.

]]> By: J. Stapley http://www.keepapitchinin.org/2010/09/06/questions-from-the-grass-roots-1948-4/comment-page-1/#comment-26034 J. Stapley Mon, 06 Sep 2010 15:31:35 +0000 http://www.keepapitchinin.org/?p=7682#comment-26034 Yep, the church now encourages people to take advantage of all government assistance, when in need.

I happened to be looking recently and the bit about fathers holding the baby is pretty close to what was written in the general Handbook at this time. It would be interestng to compare some of the other answers to that source.

]]> By: kew http://www.keepapitchinin.org/2010/09/06/questions-from-the-grass-roots-1948-4/comment-page-1/#comment-26022 kew Mon, 06 Sep 2010 13:28:40 +0000 http://www.keepapitchinin.org/?p=7682#comment-26022 Interesting comment on welfare. I could not image the church today telling members not to take Social Security, not to pay tithing if they did take Social Security, and instead rely upon church welfare.

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