Customer Reviews

Religion, Feminism, and Freedom of Conscience: A Mormon/Humanist Dialogue

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This book does not even begin to deliver what it promises. A genuine dialogue between humanists and believing Mormons could have been interesting. This "dialogue," essentially between humanists and unbelieving Mormons whom it is impossible to distinguish from humanists in any meaningful way, offers almost nothing of substance or real interest.

The Editor states in the Introduction to this 1994 book, "On September 24, 1993, a gathering of secular humanists and members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) met for three days in Salt Lake City, Utah, to discuss freedom of conscience as it applies to academic freedom and to expressions of feminism. For years both secular humanists and Mormons have endorsed freedom of conscience. What is open to debate is whether principles of what Mormons refer to as free agency apply to feminists and to teachers at Brigham Young University, which is owned by the Mormon church... The present conflict in the Mormon community regarding academic freedom and feminists is addressed in the essays contained in this volume."

(The 1993 conference was held right after the excommunication/disfellowshipping of the "September Six"---such as D. Michael Quinn---by the LDS Church is September 1993.)

Here are some quotations from the book:

"One would expect, with all of its assets, that BYU would be one of the leading institutions of higher education in the country, if not the world. But despite its many advantages, BYU is not renowned for academic excellence... And it is by no means an unrelated development that the campus is beset with serious difficulties connected to its restrictive policies and limitation of freedom." (Pg. 44)
"The godhead Mormons think of now is entirely different in character than the divinity worshipped by early Mormons. Moreover, Mormonism's unchangeable doctrines are changing as we speak. The infusion of ideas from protestant neo-orthodox theology is a recent example." (Pg. 53)
"Earlier Mormons were confident in both the strength of their beliefs and the process of open discussion which leads to their discovery and refinement. This confidence has been replaced by the total elimination of dialogue between high-ranking leaders and questioning members." (Pg. 54)
"In sum, perhaps we secular humanists avoid the problems of academic freedom faced by Mormon academics at BYU by not having our own institutions in the United States." (Pg. 71)

This book was spurred by the excommunication of several church members in the early 90's. The specific issues addressed now appear dated. I read the book several years ago when it first came out. Even then, the discussions just did not capture my interest and did not cover any new ground.

I found this (The Sisterhood: Inside the Lives of Mormon Women,Peculiar People: Mormons and Same-Sex Orientation,Same-Sex Dynamics among Nineteenth-Century Americans: A MORMON EXAMPLE,Early Mormonism and the Magic World View) book compelling and worthy of further readin/study (How does the previous reviewer define "Non-believing" Mormon?)elsewhere.DorotHy Allred Solomon's "God The Mother"'s also a fascinating (libErating..)read.Check out Margaret Toscano's story in The Mormons as well: A fascinating documentary rich in cultural variance,history and (Breath taking photographs of the momon churchs' headquarters n UtaH!..)interviews.

I (Demanufacture) think this is hot sh** baby.Puts the intelligence back in the secular debate.WOman be lEft out.Lets get em in. The Mormons..Yo the movie be bombin dA miNds (Margaret Toscano's one of our sisters in the faITH..FIGHT Y'All..) (Peculiar People: Mormons and Same-Sex OriEntatiOn) also.