...I've had numerous situations where people have told me they've checked out the religion because they knew who I was and they heard about my religion," he says.

Fredette says he chose BYU because he saw the opportunity for immediate playing time and the school is affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormon Church, to which the family belongs.

The school encourages but does not require students to complete two-year missions. (USA Today; Sports; Wednesday, January 26, 2011)

Ok i get it...it's just us poor un-talented schlubs that had to pay the price of a 2-year mission sentence.

Pray-tell...can anybody tell me just when did the Holy Ghostess start softening her stance on the "every member a missionary" diatribe???

Just think of all the "basketball baptisms" and gold-fillings teeth tithe payers that Jimmer could enlist for LDS Inc in some third-world impoverished South American village.

Every girl in this guy's life should tell him that they they will only marry a worthy RM...that'll make him go for sure!

Or so it seems to me...

And disn't the Osmonds (esp. Donny) decline missions, too? I was told that it was because they were too popular, and people would join because of their celebrity instead of having studied and found it to be true...

...that their *music* was their mission. So it is appropriate to be aware of this.

And look how much positive publicity for Mormonism the Osmonds created over the years. (Regardless of how exmos feel about them, most nevermos are/were positively impressed by the Osmonds.) The Church "invested" in the Osmonds' ability to interest people in the church, and it worked.

As to whether it is fair that certain famous/talented people get a "free pass" while the average Mo youth does not, probably not.

Ironically, NONE of the three in the current First Presidency served a mission as a youth--and yet there they are in the top 3 spots! And they blithely pressure every Mormon YM to serve, when they did not!

WiserWomanNow, Um, I don't know if you noticed, but Thomas S. Monson was in the Navy for world war II, when missionaries were restricted, Dieter F. Uchtdorf was in Germany during the war and had to live as a refugee afterward, and Henry B. Eyring wasn't allowed because the Korean Conflict had just ended, and the mission home was closed for quite a while. Maybe you should find out why they didn't serve before you judge them on inviting others to serve a mission. Just saying.

I call bullshit on this one. Monson joined the Navy in 1945 at age 17. The war was all but over and his short tour of duty was completed 6 months after the war ended. He went right back to Utah and enrolled at U of U. Could've, should've served a mission. Maybe YOU should get your facts straight.

Dunno about the others.

Ron

I admit it has always bothered me how the church looks the other way when it comes to talent. But inn my experience, Jimmer has never come across as self-righteous or snobby like certain players who launch into hateful diatribes against Utah or ascribe their success to magic happening when you live right.

This is the first time I've hear him publicly address the mission issue. The press, not Jimmer likely brought it up. I think he handled it very well. What do you expect a guy to say shen he was clearly never interested in a mission but he's been brought up in an environment that preaches all young men must serve missions and non-RMs are non-marriage material?

Now if BYU and the church have a double standard for uber-talented athletes or (i.e. Steve Young, Danny Ainge, Donny Osmond, Vernon Law, etc.), and it very could have one, blame the church and its pr conscious bent, not Jimmer.

It is possible Jimmer's statement could help young people realize they should be in control of their destiny, not the church. Someone actually praying or otherwise determining on their own that a mission is not for them? Fantastic! Sure beats the lock step mentality followed by so many, including promising athletes. "Guess what? I got a revelation that was superior to the of the prophet and his January Ensign message that the Lord needs missionaries. I have a greater mission in life." Can't blame an individual brought up in that culture for spinning their decision the way Jimmer would. What is sad is that many members and church leaders are so shallow and quick to judge the life choices of others.

What probaly bothers you is that Jimmer can get away with it and everyone adores him and he goes on to the nba and breaks the sabbath regularly while being featured in Mormon Times as a great missionary for the church. Bugs me a bit, too.

I actually laud Jimmer highly for going public with that statement.

It might allow others who are talented in areas OTHER than sports or other high-profile types like actors, musicians et al to make a similar decision and not waste 2-years and lose their momentum in their field of study or expertise etc.

For example i have an extremely gifted and talented teen nephew who is a computer whiz that just might come up with something to revolutionize the industry. Why can't he NOT go on a mission just because he's not in the public eye like Jimmer???

I'm constantly amused and bemused at how easily Mormons are "star-struck" by anyone that excels beyond the mundaneness of the Morg world that places them in the public eye forum thus allowing them to be OK with and condone "special talented people" with rights and privileges (a la NOT having to serve a 2-year sentence) that the regular Mormon bourgeoisie are not allowed.

More power to you Jimmer for not letting the gang of lying-geriatric-loser-charlatan-SOB's dictate to you how you're gonna live your life.

Wish i'd have had that same chutzpah back when i was 19 years old some 30 years ago. If you didn't serve a mission back then you were immediately deemed "unworthy".

Or so it seems to me...

Make no mistake about it...the church has a complete double standard when it comes to athlete-celebrities. When I was at BYU, Paul Dunn (who else?) hosted a nauseating lovefest for Dale Murphy in the form of a Tuesday Devotional or something like that. The entire Marriott Center was packed. You'd have thought it was the Second Coming, the way they fawned over Murphy. Now, I think Dale Murphy is a pretty decent guy, and was an amazing athlete, but the way they fawned over him was really weird. I've got a pretty long list of experiences that created cog dis for me as a TBM, but that was a true WTF experience.

Found this article from SI back in the day on Murphy. This is great on so many levels:

"In 1976, though, Murphy was being touted as the next Johnny Bench. He had the prerequisites: a live bat and a rifle arm. He also had a new religion, and he wanted to serve a two-year mission, as young members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints frequently do. Ted Turner, owner of the Braves, got wind of this and asked Murphy's parents if he could talk to Dale. They said yes, but be careful, Dale's very serious about this. So Turner reached Murphy in Portland and the first thing he said was, "What's all this Mormon stuff? If you need to make converts, I'll let you work on me and my five kids."

Turner didn't talk Murphy out of his mission, but some officials of the church, including a former minor league pitcher named Paul Dunn, convinced him that he could serve while playing. But then something happened. Murphy began to develop a mental block about throwing to second base. He would either hit the pitcher, even if he were crouching on the mound, or he would throw the ball into the outfield. As his father told him, "One thing's for sure, Dale. Nobody will be stealing centerfield on you."

http://www.foreverabrave.com/article6.htm

Steve Young did the same thing and I don't blame him for taking the money and running with it.

He also did not marry until his 30s and if anyone thinks he did not have sex until then there is a bridge I'd like to sell them.

Most Mormon families are stupid in obeying the morg, pushing their kids on missions when they should be in college.
But they only have themselves to blame for buying into the lies.

I like Fredette. I have been a BYU basketball fan for many years and I have followed Jimmer closely for the last 3. From what I can tell, he is an exceptional person on and off the court. It does not bother me one bit that he gave the standard superstar answer to the "why didn't you serve a mission" question. How else would you expect a mormon athlete at BYU to answer that question? It may sound silly, but you have to remember that he is still just a kid and I personally said things that were a lot sillier as a TBM when I was his age. Hell, I walked the streets of Provo from the age of 19-21 telling people that I knew the LDS church was the "one true church." Now that was silly.

Keep up the good work Jimmer. Thank you for not going on a mission. It's been great watching you play for the last few years.

Now if only my younger brother was that good at basketball....then I wouldn't have to try and talk him out of going on a mission.

Is says heaps about TSCC. He may have never wanted to go on a mission, or really thought that "representing the church" through basket ball had anything to do with his decision. He could never say that though. He is a cult conditioned kid just like any other kid his age.

He is an excellent BB player. I think it is sad that such a talented young person has to justify his talent by saying "its what the lord wants. He can do whatever he wants and does not need to justify it to anyone.

but to allow himself to get an answer that was right for him.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/30/2011 06:28PM by matt.

Riley Nelson posted a message on facebook from Monson's talk about needing more missionaries in the field.

Sounds like someone is a little angry.

Honestly, I have to give him credit. In my opinion, any excuse will do to get out of the whole mission thing. I would like to see more young kids make excuses and not go, even if it is hypocritical. They are just nieve young kids and it is a 2 yr waste of time.

My best friend, Colonel Moroni, way back when, about 1965, pitched baseball all through college and opted out of the mission, even though he and all his family were TBM. I just think he was a little smarter than the average Joe, well I know he is, he went on to get a masters and a doctorate, and saved 2 years in the process.

Steve was at BYU when I was there. I always did find it odd that he didn't have to serve, when the rest of us did. And he was tapped to speak to youth all over the nation for firesides plus I think he even spoke in GC.

I have nothing against Steve Young, its just odd that the GAs loved him even though he didn't go on the required mission....and didn't go just to play football.

My talent was being beautiful. People stopped me and asked me what my religion was all the time. Yup, my beautiful face did a lot of good for the church. They're lucky I stayed home.

How many people think JIMMER FREDETTE looks like a half (or third) aged JOHN GOODMAN. you know Roseanne Barr's husband. LOOK at the GOOGLE pictures of both of them ..

Scary possibilities ..

JB

I will address a few of the comments:

1. In the LDS Church, a mission is a personal decision not a requirement. Personally, I think that every young man should serve a mission even if they are passing up two years of development time and even if they give up a multi million dollar athletic or entertainment career. We are supposed to "lay up treasures in heaven".

2. Now if you do not go --What a great Church that will give every individual the opportunity to progress. So what that Steve Young did not serve a mission. Isn't it great that he can have a positive influence at firesides? One of our Bishop Ric Councelors did not serve a mission due to an "unexpected family issue" Isn't it great that he has not been held back?

3. The mission is not a waste of time. Most RM's will tell you so. Personally I credit my mission for my present lucrative carreer --but that is not why I went.

There is not a double standard. Every young man should go. Even the top athletes from BYU. However, if they do not go or if any young man does not go, they are afforded every opportunity that any worthy man gets in the Church.

And there is a HUGE but. The culture in TSCC is such that a 19 yr old that is not serving will be thought about in a suspicious manner. "why isn't so and so going on his mission?" This CULTure drives young men out of TSCC. I know personally of 2 people who stopped going to church because of the pressure to serve a mission. I know the very few active single mormon Marines I knew in the fleet were pressured to prepare to serve a mission after they got out of the service(and stopped going because of this pressure)

Also I think most RFMers DO regret the mission. I admit readily that I learned valuable lessons on the mission I went on to the Philippines. I look back fondly on SOME of my memories. BUT, I regret very much going. Most of the regret is because I went because how strongly I was urged to go, even though I was a convert of only 9 months when the pressure started. I look back at journal entries and see how I was cowed and even manipulated into going. I regret and am even ashamed that I allowed that manipulation to postpone my military service. The Marines would have been a totally different experience had I not been an RM and I also regret that.

The mission I served (it is NOT NOT NOT, my mission. Its their mission) was a huge waste of my time.

someone in the know got to him first and said "no, it was NOT the best two years of my life" (and we all know THAT'S the truth) and the kid said screw that and got a revelation.

Good for him for wising up BEFOREHAND. He'd be out of shape and two years behind if he did go, and how would that affect his career?

How long have you been Mormon? This is the first time that you've noticed there are two different sets of rules:

drones and celebs

Where did Steve Young serve his mission? At the 1983 Holiday Bowl? What about Danny Ainge?

Did you notice that Mitt Romney and his boys all served missions in France? No way you send a Romney boy to Haiti, Peru or Idaho!

The right last name will get you the plum mission, the best chance to become AP, the best chance to get into BYU, the best callings in the ward, etc.

At least Jimmer is earning his status based on his own talent, and not because of a father, uncle or grandpa making his last name famous.

I have some great friends that did not or could not serve missions. Jimmer's decision whether or not to go is entirely up to him. It may have been the better decision for him. We will never know. By pursuing his basketball career, he will have opportunities to be a missionary for the church in ways most of us never could. Might he be better off serving a 'normal' mission? That isn't my call.

He must have had sex with a horse.

always blaming the victim.

The horse had sex with HIM!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/17/2011 02:23PM by Freevolved.

We're all screwed!!!

but then...

well...

(shudders)

it was awful.

Of course he's better off staying home. He's not staying home to be a missionary for "the church," he's staying home because there is no "THE church."



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/17/2011 02:21PM by Freevolved.

Tommy Monson didn't serve a mission either and don't give me that crap about him having been in the Navy during WW2. He was in and out in less than a year and was 18 when he mustered out and back to UofU.

Just sayin'...

ron

The church put a video on their website last week about another player that is sacrificing so that he can go on a mission. The church is probably a little disheartened that Jimmer got an answer that gos against the grain. My respect for Jimmer has increased b/c of his honesty.

he feel compelled to make a statement regarding his reasons for not serving one? Everyone's always quick to mention the high-profile athletes who didn't serve, but no one ever mentions talented ones who did (Kirk Chambers, John Tait, Brady Poppinga, Ed Eyestone, Josh Rohatinsky).