I remember TSCC members having to pay not only 10% tithing but also an additional 1% for the ward budget.
And, the Stake would assess you thousands and thousands of dollars to build a local building. The assessment would be based upon how much money you made.
I remember Paul Harvey coming to BYU and receiving a standing ovation. I remember Robert Kennedy coming to BYU and being heckled a couple of weeks before his assassination.
I remember famous Americans speaking at BYU commencement. I remember one of them mentioning the students being a wonderfully "homogeneous" group, and instructing them to go abroad in the world and work among other cultures. I remember that as of the following year, only General Authorities were allowed to speak at commencement.
I remember my daughter signing up for the BYU clothing design major. But then the BYU alumni magazine did an article featuring women who had graduated in design getting top-notch jobs in Milan, Paris, New York, and London. Following the article, BYU immediately did away with the design program. DD went on to major in theatre costuming.
Besides the 3 seperate Sunday meetings, I remember Mutual on Tuesday evenings, Primary on Wednesday afternoons, Relief Society on a weekday,too. And I can't overlook roadshows, Music Festivals, Dance Festivals,(it was fun having some good intra-stake competitions) and the Gold & Green Balls. Growing up as a teenager in the 50s and in the hinterlands of the church, life wasn't too bad.
My mom's stake had a dance festival last Fall with another stake. The stake my brother is in still does roadshows, and did Gold & Green balls clear through the 1990s (not sure if they still do them). My cousin's ward does a ward talent night a few times a year.
All of these activities go on if the local leaders approve them.
In part 1 of this topic, cludgie made a good point about how Mormons used to “own” their unusual beliefs. Back then, there was honesty, even a sense of pride, in being a “peculiar people.” Now, you just get a political spin-doctor treatment about any history or belief that makes them uncomfortable.
I remember when Mormon meeting houses had no religious pictures on the walls, nothing. All you saw was the occasional pics of the First Presidency in some bishop's offices.
I also remember when it was taught openly that God had sex with Mary in order to create Christ. My husband, a 70 then, came home from teaching an investigator and mentioned how the man's jaw dropped when the senior companion told him about. That was around 1975 or so.
The first week in a brand new home with mortgage payments we were stretched to make, along comes the Bishop. He assesses us $5000 to build the new church. What a welcome to the neighborhood.
I was long time inactive and my husband is a nevermo. (We do have a unique last name that makes people always assume we are Mormon). We made it clear we would not be paying. It was so upsetting. I was so worried about what the neighbors would think. I was too young and intimidated to respond the way I would now.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/22/2014 11:54AM by laurel.
I'm old enough to remember that there were actual looks of empathy, love and hope filled enthusiasm on the faces of my leaders and fellow Mormons when I attended. But that was a long time ago. A long time ago.
I remember my parents Mormon friends constantly trying to sell them something, I think that still may go on. Everyone told me church dances used to be fun, I never went to any. For years there was one black guy in the MoTab and the camera seemed to rest on him more than anyone else. There was no doubt that Mary and Heavenly father got busy, and only the obedient good boys and girls in the celestial kingdom were allowed to get busy after we die. I had no doubt Jesus held an American passport, and Joseph Smith was basically on the same footing as Jesus.
I remember when it was permitted to have Scouting campouts run over Sundays on a three day weekend so long as we didn't make or break camp or travel on the Sabbath.
I remember having the bishopric come out to our campsite and having SM and doing an impromptu testimony meeting out in the woods.
That was back when there was still some fun and spontaneity in TSCC.
When we introduced Rock and Roll to a staunchly Mormon neighborhood in the Recreation Hall of the church. We played so loud that the windows litterally rattled.
The bishopric was there and asked that we "...tone it down..."
We cooperated for a song or two and then the volume found itself back up, so someone pulled the plug on the band.
But we were popular, and since the adults were "...afraid of losing their youth..." we played at many many Recreation Halls after that, and just as loud.
I remember hauling bricks in a wheelbarrow when we built the new stake center.
I remember summer days spent working in the cannery.
I remember working at the church farm.
Babysitting for the RS for free.
Constantly spending weekends working for free.
I remember when:
there was no seminary graduation. It was just another church meeting I had to go to.
girls amp was at a fabulous place on the Ocean. We had a lodge, and a cafeteria. People cooked for us. We actually had fun! There were no penisholders milling about. Then they changed it. Now its emotional and physical abuse week. Their excuse was they wanted the girls to be prepared if we had to walk back to missouri.
everyone in my family had hiking boots in the back of their closet. They were to be worn when we walked to missouri. That was certainly taught, and talked about a lot. I remember thinking I probably wouldn't survive something like that.
they used to talk about Emma like she was very wicked. Then a prophet wrote a letter telling everyone how wonderful she was, and we should say nothing but good about her. She was an 'elect lady'.
David O. McKay talking in conference and thinking he was a boring old man.
yw lessons we were told it was better for us to die than survive a rape. In fact, our parents would prefer it. I wonder how my friends that were being raped by their fathers felt. We heard that crap often.
they looked down their noses at girls who went to college. If they brought back a husband it was ok though. If not, you were treated quite badly. My parents believed that it was a waste of money to educate their daughters.
they used to auction off the girls to the boys to do things like make their sack lunches, wash their cars, or iron their shirts. It was humiliating for the girls that never got 'bought'. The boys referred to those young girls as 'rhinos'.
every boy in our ward was gone on a mission to avoid going to Vietnam.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/22/2014 01:59PM by madalice.
I'm getting up there, but I don't remember naming folks who had been excomminucated. Wow, something like that makes you want to run right in and repent.
I was pretty clueless, but I volunteered to irrigate etc. at a stake farm in Utah valley in the late seventies. There were supposed to be other guys there too. But it was the dark hours when I got there, and I was the only guy that showed to water the corn. I guess that wasn't such a popular activity.
I am old enough to remember Spiro Agnew speaking at BYU (1969). It was an odd experience. He would say a sentence or two then everyone would stand up and applaud. Just unthinking, uncritical applause.
seeking peace Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Women's underwear with a totally open crotch
Wait...what? How did that work? Wouldn't that be super uncomfortable and just totally messed up? Everyone wore skirts then too right? That is just bizarre.
Back in the Victorian days, women's underwear was from the waist to the knee and open crotch. Their skirts were long and heavy though.
When I first started wearing garments, they were one piece, open crotch. I wore granny panties over the top of them and then over the top of all of that would go pantyhose. Can you feel my pain?
Shortly after that, two piece were released. Just like everything else in the church, it's at least 100 years behind the times.
I had a clothing and textiles teacher at the Y who cautioned us how to sit, especially if we were ever on the stand, as she had seen some unfortunate exposure over the years. Fortunately, I was "endowed" the same month as the new two piecers--thank goddess!! Can you only imagine what Late Night TV could do with a pair of those!