My Dad LOVED to make a spectacle of me in a crowd until I cried. He thought it was cute and funny just like the people in that audience. He did this to me at parties like I was a party trick. I hate, hate, hated it! I still cannot stand being in front of a crowd.

My dad and Bednar both have about as much sensitivity as a rock. But one thing about my dad is he never pretended he was a special witness for God.

So sorry you had to endure that awful abuse from your Dad.

I did not have a Dad in my life, but I had a few relatives that would tease me and I despised the feeling of helplessness these situations put me in. I looked at other adults to help me, such as my Mom or an aunt, but they never came to my rescue and I could not understand why they failed to. I never asked for their help, rather I just thought "Why didn't they? They are adults."

With people who use kids as you so ably put it like a "party trick" and do not care how the kids are reacting and feeling, to me it says a lot about what is going on with them - and it ain't pretty. I hope Bednar receives some devastating fallout from what he put that young child through.

I don't know that Bednar was trying to make the kid cry when he brought him down...however, he should have put his demonstration on hold once he saw that the boy was crying/nervous/uncomfortable. I'm sure the TBM spin machine is going to try and market it as a young man being overcome by the spirit in the presence of a living apostle. The more likely explanation is that the young boy had, in fact, stopped reading his scriptures (and seriously, why the hell wouldn't he? He can't be any older than 12...Jesus Christ...) and started to feel like he was being scolded by someone he looks up to in front of a larger group. I personally think Bednar was trying to come across as caring and cool in this one, but he ultimately came across like he usually does: a massive plopper.

Bednar did notice right away that the kid was nervous and scared. So what does this inspired man of God do? He orders the child not to be nervous. Didn't work. I then thought he was going to put his arm around the kid and say that it was okay if he wanted to go back to his seat and then maybe make a simple suggestion like, "One way (especially for the age of the kid) to remember to read scriptures is to do it as a family. Why not ask your older brother or dad to read with you? And, hey, it's okay to forget sometimes. Just do your best." That would have been way more age appropriate of an answer. But the demonstration he went through was creepy even if the kid hadn't been crying and had been comprehending the whole charade. When the kid said, "No" when he was supposed to say "Yes" it was perfectly clear the demonstration had failed miserably. I kind of suspect this is the kind of Jack Shiz Bednar put his own sons through.

Bednar always likes to tell everyone how humble he is. Well, if that were true he would have admitted he was really bombing and ended it. That would have made him more human and it would have taken the focus off the poor scared kid. Give the kid some reassurance that he was loved by God, Jesus, or freaking anyone and make him feel good about himself. But this was all about Bednar looking smart and pretending to be an inspired teacher. He's about as inspired as my left foot. If he wants to keep doing these ridiculously lame teaching moments he should aim them at adults who can counter him. He uses kids and young adults because they don't have the confidence to call him out on his ignorant behavior.

But because Bednar had the whole charade worked out, I kind of wonder if the questions hadn't been passed around in advance. Bednar seemed to know the question was coming but the kid didn't have a clue what he was in for. Awfully one-sided pony show.

Just like the parable of the poor woman who got dumped for wearing too many earrings with no explanation, this demonstration proves, once again, Bednar doesn't believe in forgiveness and is devoid of compassion. Not the kind of man I'd want my kids to emulate.

It's one of the ways adults sometimes use to control children. No adults help because they are all gald it isnt them.

It's sick and it's horable but if your in a culture that seems to see that as acceptable it's going to happen and it's going to screw up kids lives so later they will be ether nasty and do it to other kids or just pleased it isnt them for once.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/16/2014 11:45PM by blindmag.