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Relief Society prez Julie Beck the new "June Cleaver"?
Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 5:30 pm
by _Rollo Tomasi
Don't know how many of you saw Julie Beck's GC talk yesterday. Here's how it is described in today's
Trib:
Perhaps the most controversial speaker on Sunday, though, was Julie Beck, the new president of the church's all-women Relief Society, who talked about the powerful influence of motherhood.
Faithful Mormon women want children and do not delay child-bearing, Beck said, quoting the late LDS President Ezra Taft Benson as saying, "children - not possessions, not position, not prestige - are our greatest jewels."
Mormon mothers honor their sacred covenants by bringing daughters to church "in clean and ironed dresses with hair brushed to perfection; their sons wear white shirts and ties and have missionary haircuts," Beck said.
They establish a good climate where children can be nourished physically and spiritually. "Another word for nurturing is homemaking," Beck said. It ''includes cooking, washing clothes and dishes, and keeping an orderly house.''
In partnership with their husbands, mothers "plan for missions, temple marriages and education," she said. These women "are selective about their own activities and involvement to conserve their limited strength in order to maximize their influence where it matters most."
The speech triggered a firestorm of criticism on the Mormon blog timesandseasons.org from listeners who objected to Beck's stereotyping of women's roles or guilt-inducing comments about the necessity of being the best mothers in the world.
Sis. Beck is a real throwback to the 50's.
Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 5:39 pm
by _Zoidberg
I'm sure she also happens to be an eight-cow and otherwise fascinating woman. And the stereotype gets reinforced yet again...
When I stopped kidding myself and admitted that the church thrives off of stereotypes, that it wants and welcomes stereotypes, conformity and the imposition of "rules" on the whole society (only when convenient, of course; it's okay to have a "goal" to allow selling alcohol at the new mall), I was faced with the realization that I might never have been a Mormon. Identity crisis, anyone?
Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 6:52 pm
by _Gadianton
Wow.
You know, when they hardsell lifestyle and codes of conformity and obedience, especially when they try to coat the package to make it look like an opportunity, you know they've got no product.
One wonders what the brethren are thinking. Are they merely trying to get a hold on lifestyle because it correlates with tithes? Are they going to push large families again because the missionary effort is failing?
One thing is for sure, if the church was growing wildly or if it sold a product anyone wanted or needed, it wouldn't need to push cookie-cutter lifestyles.
Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 6:54 pm
by _Yoda
Gad wrote:One wonders what the brethren are thinking. Are they merely trying to get a hold on lifestyle because it correlates with tithes?
Actually, if you think about it, that really doesn't make much sense. Two income families (mom and dad both working) tend to make more money than one income families. Therefore, there is more money to tithe.
Maybe the brethren need to re-think that little strategy a bit.
LOL
Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 6:58 pm
by _Belial
liz3564 wrote:Gad wrote:One wonders what the brethren are thinking. Are they merely trying to get a hold on lifestyle because it correlates with tithes?
Actually, if you think about it, that really doesn't make much sense. Two income families (mom and dad both working) tend to make more money than one income families. Therefore, there is more money to tithe.
Maybe the brethren need to re-think that little strategy a bit.
LOL
Hell would expect them to reverse gender roles. If more women are getting degrees they should make more money. Make the husband stay at home barefoot and pregnant while the wife makes the tithable income.
Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 7:01 pm
by _Yoda
Belial wrote:liz3564 wrote:Gad wrote:One wonders what the brethren are thinking. Are they merely trying to get a hold on lifestyle because it correlates with tithes?
Actually, if you think about it, that really doesn't make much sense. Two income families (mom and dad both working) tend to make more money than one income families. Therefore, there is more money to tithe.
Maybe the brethren need to re-think that little strategy a bit.
LOL
Hell would expect them to reverse gender roles. If more women are getting degrees they should make more money. Make the husband stay at home barefoot and pregnant while the wife makes the tithable income.
Oh, I am just liking you more and more.
;)
Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 7:06 pm
by _Blixa
I heard about 7 minutes of this talk. Bleh. Double bleh. When she got to the part about making sure your brats came to church with "perfectly combed hair" (girls) and "missionary haircuts" (boys) I had to run to the vomitorium. When I got back, I heard about making the home some kind of MTC-pretraining center. Also apparently I am very bad because I don't desire children. Uh, hello, I am not a pedo.
This was not just laughable, but a truly shameful performance.
Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 7:10 pm
by _Yong Xi
Gadianton wrote:Wow.
You know, when they hardsell lifestyle and codes of conformity and obedience, especially when they try to coat the package to make it look like an opportunity, you know they've got no product.
One wonders what the brethren are thinking. Are they merely trying to get a hold on lifestyle because it correlates with tithes? Are they going to push large families again because the missionary effort is failing?
One thing is for sure, if the church was growing wildly or if it sold a product anyone wanted or needed, it wouldn't need to push cookie-cutter lifestyles.
I think the church may have a broken business model. The church has primarily relied on tithing revenues to fund its' growth. However, most of its' growth has come from converts living in third world countries. These converts tend to go inactive quickly and don't significantly contribute to tithing coffers. In other words, the church is spending alot to get and support a high number of non paying customers. This is a recipe for disaster.
It seems to me that the church is focusing on literally creating (via birth) it's next wave of potential tithe paying customers. Thus the emphasis on getting married, raising kids, etc. In the meantime expect to see a large emphasis on growing its' non religious business interests.
In addition, I don't think the church will be able to repackage or reposition its' product with much success. It would have to be successfully repositioned to those with money (the West, Japan). These people are more educated and won't be buying. Accordingly, the church will try to increase its' core base through higher birthrates.
Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 7:18 pm
by _Gadianton
It's a good thought. What we don't know is which of the two or three possibilities or mixture thereof are the right ones. All I'm saying is that has to be one of the possibilities even if it seems counterintuitive.
But don't count the single worker home out of the running. Consider the net present value of a two-income, net paying, two child home lacking parental guidence and constant indoctrination over 50 years. the one active kid will have his two kids and more or less stagnant growth.
Now consider the single worker home, paying on gross, with all 6 kids groomed for church servitude. between one and three maybe rebel, that leaves three active future tithe payers and 6 kid replicators.
Polygamy might be more humane in a heavy uteral society.
Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 7:18 pm
by _Yoda
Blixa wrote:I heard about 7 minutes of this talk. Bleh. Double bleh. When she got to the part about making sure your brats came to church with "perfectly combed hair" (girls) and "missionary haircuts" (boys) I had to run to the vomitorium. When I got back, I heard about making the home some kind of MTC-pretraining center. Also apparently I am very bad because I don't desire children. Uh, hello, I am not a pedo.
This was not just laughable, but a truly shameful performance.
LOL! The "vomitorium"......You're my new hero, Blixa! :)
I am so glad I missed conference this weekend!