bluebell Posted December 4, 2013 Posted December 4, 2013 So, it is your opinion that these women who clearly are not active in the church self identify as Mormon? That if someone asked them on the street if they were Mormon, they would say yes?
NEDRA Posted December 4, 2013 Posted December 4, 2013 Yes. They would, or they would say: "Culturally, I'm Mormon", or "I was born/raised Mormon." For purposes of this project, they are identifying as Mormon in some way that is meaningful to them. I think their stories (which are a major part of this project--it's not just about the pictures!)--articulate this very well. The stories are even more powerful and thought-provoking than the photographs.
NEDRA Posted December 4, 2013 Posted December 4, 2013 Honestly, I think many Mormons are becoming like many of our Catholic or Jewish friends who were born and reared in their faith tradition, don't adhere/believe, and yet still consider themselves truly Mormon/Catholic/Jewish.
Mystery Meat Posted December 4, 2013 Posted December 4, 2013 This is going to sound broad and maybe a little harsh, but after reading some of the commentaries, it sounds like a handful of these women had chastity issues and wanted to justify themselves by saying there was nothing wrong with what they did. I get that line of thinking. Frankly if I am being honest, I have been there before. However, the law of chastity how been around as long as there have been prophets. Replacing the guilt with anger and indignation towards God's laws is counterproductive.
Buzzard Posted December 4, 2013 Posted December 4, 2013 (edited) OK, i'll fess up. Checked out the site on my phone. Did not read all the commentaries, but ever single one that I read, the woman came across as someone no longer active in the church, or having left it. (Like the one talking about how liberating it was to remove her garments and put on "normal" undies).I'd be amazed if any-even one-of those women hold a calling and/or a current TR. I'd be surprised if any of them have been to a Sacrament meeting in the last few months. So a more appropriate title might be "Bitter exmormon women bare" Edited December 4, 2013 by Buzzard
EllenMaksoud Posted December 4, 2013 Posted December 4, 2013 (edited) Hello,I've come across a photography project called 'Mormon Women Bare'. It is to be presented at Sunstone this year, and involves women who identify as Latter-day Saints posing sans clothing, in a challenge to LDS modesty norms.I won't post the link here, as it is against board rules and is NSFW and NSF minors. What I'm hoping for is a discussion regarding how appropriate this type of activism is and if it has gone too far.Thanks,GrimaceI do not see this as activism at all. It is sin full stop. I have also come to the conclusion that Sunstone Magazine is NOT Mormon, not anything about it. In my short experience with them, I think they do a lot to lead believers astray. We are not amused. Edited December 4, 2013 by EllenMaksoud 1
Buzzard Posted December 4, 2013 Posted December 4, 2013 I do not see this as activism at all. It is sin full stop. I have also come to the conclusion that Sunstone Magazine is NOT Mormon, not anything about it. In my short experience with them, I think they do a lot to lead believers astray. We are not amused.Ah, Ellen, would that a lot more members had your attitude, though this forum might be a little less interesting. You are to be commended for your integrity.
EllenMaksoud Posted December 4, 2013 Posted December 4, 2013 Ah, Ellen, would that a lot more members had your attitude, though this forum might be a little less interesting. You are to be commended for your integrity. Thank you. However, I do not come by my hard limits on morality by casual means, having experienced the very painful effects of sin in my own life. The Mormon sisters kidnapped me by surprise, and for that gratefulness infuses my being.
NEDRA Posted December 4, 2013 Posted December 4, 2013 I really love what the photographer herself has to say: "When I set out to do this project, I knew I was asking a lot of the women who would be a part of it. It is incredibly brave to be so vulnerable in front of another person, especially when that person holds a camera that will share the image of your body with the world. I have been humbled and awed by the women in this series. They are remarkable in countless ways. I felt as a Mormon woman myself, I needed to show them that I have that same courage, so I turned the camera around.Thanks mostly to excellent parenting, I grew up with a fairly healthy body image and sense of self. But as an adult woman, I have struggled with feeling like my body was not entirely my own– it belonged to my husband, to my children, and ultimately, to my God more than it did to me. It has taken a drastic change in perspective for me to reclaim my own body for myself. It is not perfect by the standards of beauty magazines and runways. Like many of us, I should move more often and eat less sugar. But it is strong. It has birthed two babies without drugs. It experiences pleasure and pain. It is soft and firm. It has scars and stretch marks. And it is beautiful. And it is mine. -Katrina- Katrina Barker Anderson is a photographer, mother, and unabashed feminist. She is passionate about women’s issues, especially pertaining to birth and breastfeeding. Katrina has a BA in Communications from Brigham Young University and lives in Salt Lake City with her husband Jared and their children. "
bluebell Posted December 4, 2013 Posted December 4, 2013 If someone sincerely self identifies as Mormon, then I don't have an issue with them using the label.If these women only self identify as Mormon for this project though, that that's a red flag to me because it seems to suggest that they are only using it to serve an agenda. Obviously, there is no way to judge any of these women on why they are using the label Mormon, we don't 'have enough info. And it's not an important enough subject to really worry about it. As I said before, I just think it's odd.
bluebell Posted December 4, 2013 Posted December 4, 2013 NEDRA-Being Jewish is as much about race as religion, so it makes sense that people who don't necessarily practice Judaism still consider themselves to be Jewish. Sorry-my quote functions aren't working for some reason.....
EllenMaksoud Posted December 4, 2013 Posted December 4, 2013 http://www.salon.com/2013/07/02/my_year_of_modesty/ Here is a great article, vying for the same thing, just with a lot more clothing on. In fact, Ellen will appreciate this! A year of Modesty? Hah ! Try 7 years. I have come to the conclusion that marketing folk will do anything to sell more product, no matter what.
EllenMaksoud Posted December 5, 2013 Posted December 5, 2013 Yeah an inconvenient truth. I suppose there is also something to be said in support of the concept that Americans are the biggest prudes in the industrialised Western world, which is why our porn industry flourishes and perhaps why Utah supposedly has the highest porn subscription rate in America. I have also noticed that Indiana with its tough pornography laws is rife with gentlemens clubs and adult bookstores, and Vermont which has no general pornography statutes has virtually none.Yes, the mores they are in trouble. A long time ago, I owned a bikini. What was I thinking !!! But less than that? Yikes !!!
EllenMaksoud Posted December 5, 2013 Posted December 5, 2013 It appears as if some of my posts from the Sunstone thread got mixed with the Mormon Modesty thread. ??????????
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