Sunday in Outer Blogness: Vanilla ISIS edition!

We’re in the middle of awards season, so please take the time to vote for X-Mormon of the year, and to post your nominations for the Brodie Awards! Thanks in advance! 😀

(Also, I’d like to call your attention to the awards and best-of roundups of various other LDS-interest blogs.)

I have to issue a little correction to last week’s SiOB. After listening to this very informative podcast, I realize that the Yee-Haw’dis in Oregon are not technically terrorists because they are not terrorizing the civilian population with violence against civilians. Labeling them “terrorists” isn’t constructive. OTOH, it looks pretty clear that they are guilty of sedition. Also of being incompetent. Apparently their little attack on the US government wasn’t even as well-planned as a typical scout camp out. It’s starting to look like it was planned by the Three Stooges.

Their plea for snacks has provided the Internet with much merriment:

Mrs Koda: Did you make it in to work OK?

Me: Yes, I’m here occupying my desk. ‪#‎PleaseSendSnacks‬

There’s just so much to say about this bizarre situation:

The Bundys and their associates and partners in crime are still occupying the federal wildlife reserve in Oregon. Another group of militants showed up on the premises with the reported intent of “providing security” for both sides of the conflict. Wouldn’t you feel intensely secure in the prospect of having a large number of armed half-wits circulating around you? With security personnel such as those, who needs insecurity?

And:

In the three days following this criminal act, the Bundy boys and their bunch of bozos have managed to embarrass themselves, the Mormon Church and most importantly, their fellow filberts. Even troglodytes such as Teddy Cruzy (the Joe McCarthy reincarnation) and Randy Paul (the Libertarian plagiarist) have called for an end to this fiasco. This is a very inconvenient situation for the wing-nuts as it puts the focus back on right-wing domestic terrorism just when they want to blame Black and Islamic elements for these types of incidents.

At least President Newsroom condemned the actions of the militia (after the press got wind of the Mormon connection — see Runtu’s explanation for more details on the history). But considering that the CoJCoL-dS has been excommunicating people right and left over ideology, the statement looks pretty hollow and insincere if these criminals don’t face any church discipline.

Of course, even if the CoJCoL-dS doesn’t discipline them for sedition, this hilarious post explains the many ways their actions might indirectly lead to disciplinable actions:

The brother going by the name of “Captain Moroni” is, in all likelihood, VIOLATING A TRADEMARK held by the Church. While the Book of Mormon is no longer protected by copyright, its major figures constitute intellectual property that can be licensed to those who create educational materials such as this action figure. By violating this, the protestors are damaging the Church’s brand and lowering its market potential. And if that weren’t bad enough, it is a violation of the 2013 Stolen Valor Act to use a military rank which one has not earned. I seriously doubt that the gentleman involved is a captain of any kind. And this is where things get dicey. By choosing to commit treason and take up arms against their country in ways that violate both intellectual property and military integrity laws, the protestors risk violating the 12th Article of Faith.

Meanwhile, the social blog of the CoJCoL-dS is doing a really terrible job of sending the Oregon militia guys a clear message that it’s unacceptable for them to be committing sedition in the church’s name:

I love the Church, so I don’t take it lightly when people drag its name through the mud.

Now members of the Church are free, of course, to take actions I think are totally crazy. Take any of the large numbers of LDS politicians from both major parties as an example. Mormons shouldn’t all think the same way or have all the same beliefs. We are better when the thing that unites is only our love for the Restored Gospel and Jesus Christ.

So by all means, I’m glad Ammon Bundy and his newly proclaimed group “Citizens for Constitutional Freedom” protested what they believed was unjust imprisonment and overregulation of federal lands adjacent to ranchers. In fact, when it gets right down to it, I probably agree politically with a lot of what Ammon Bundy has to say.

OK, so the part of the situation that the author is angry about is all those horrible people who claim that Bundy’s actions reflect badly on the CoJCoL-dS. Ironically, the fact that the author is unable to see past his Mormon persecution complex also reflects badly on the CoJCoL-dS.

Now for some balance — check out this clever video made by some Mormons.

And, of course, the antics of y’all Queda are not the only Mormon news story this week! Ty Detmer — the football player who won the Heisman trophy while I was at BYU — has sadly given in to that most Mormon of failings. Missionaries are receiving more talks on obedience.

We have some great scripture study this week! That whole idea that God loves everyone is contradicted by the Book of Mormon. And Nearing Kolob discussed the different types of divine covenants in the Bible. Also, Godless Doctrine is back.

In life journeys, this article contains a really fascinating collection of life experiences of ex-Mormon lesbians, along with their reactions to the anti-kids-of-gay-couples policy change (commentary by Th). Steve Otteson explained why he resigned. Dad’s Primal Scream had to deal with a socially clueless sister. Exmormon Tales went back to Sacrament Meeting. Pixelfish watched God’s favorite musical. And Brett Cottrell recounted a tale of riding a $400,000 Bentley to the bus station.

In closing, I hope you have a lovely week, and don’t forget to send snacks! I mean nominate and vote. 😉