Has anyone else noticed the Crying Man Fad in the Church?

Once in while a pioneering idea comes along that needs time to incubate before it can really take off. Usually it needs to be further developed and perfected by a master before it can go viral.

Take “The Running Man,” for example. Although first performed back in 1978 by Fela Kuti's back-up dancer (and ex-wife) in Berlin (see time stamp 9:25-9:45 of http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMGWx6DjMkU), it would be left to MC Hammer to polish it and really make it required study for all would-be street dancers (see 1:02-1:06 and 2:05-2:09 of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otCpCn0l4Wo).

“The Crying Man” fad in the LDS church was first performed by Bruce R. McConkie in 1985 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn7boTBtn3w), but it was Henry B. Eyring who mastered it and has made it a required part of the repertoire of all powerful and upwardly mobile priesthood leaders (the other part of the repertoire being wealth, of course; after all, “What greater witness can you have” of a man's piety “than from the market?”)

Howard W. Hunter said, “I get concerned when it appears that strong emotion or free-flowing tears are equated with the presence of the Spirit.” (Preach My Gospel) Ever since Bruce R. McConkie's last testimony with Crying Man at the end, too many of you apostles seem to think that sobbing and choking is the mark of piety. Some of you (first prize goes to Henry B. Eyring) are worse than the most gaudy televangelists -- “of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men" to be righteous. “They have their reward.” You're setting an example for brothers in the Church to copy; this sobbing is really taking over in my ward. Some of the brothers with inferior acting skill are downright embarrassing. I've seen this theatrical tactic worn out so much on Sundays that I can't even enjoy a good Hollywood drama anymore without cringing. [I'd rather see the Running Man attempted by some white-bread klutz.] The only motivation I can see for it is that they're itching to get noticed and move up in the church. I know about being moved to tears, but the sentences they're crying over ARE NOT MOVING; they are the most trite, mundane, canned, and worn clichés we've ever yawned at. They make a mockery of sacred things and insult the congregations' intelligence (some of them).

Apostles, instead of pandering to passion like consumer advertising does to get rash impulse buying, why not take a chance and let people just listen to your words, and rely on the Holy Spirit to testify of truth, if there be any. Do you have to wait for God to come down and tell you to stop crying, and then you'll stop? If you're touched so easily, do you cry and choke up in your weekly apostles' meetings? If not, how do you face the other apostles, knowing that they know you only want to act it out in front of a large crowd like at General Conference? You're devaluing other legitimately moving speeches whose content, rather than gimmickry, move people to tears. The definition of Priestcraft is when people preach and set themselves up as a “light to the world that they may get gain and praise of the world; they do not seek the welfare of Zion” (see also “Televangelist”). GA's, apostles, and all of the above: Please do us all a favor and cool it with the priestcraft.

I'd like to see a collage of all of the choking and sniveling by the worst offenders. When done, please post the link to your work in the comment section below. Thank you.

Hey..."Crying Man" would be a great nickname for GC. Like "Burning Man" for Mormons.

Ha ha, the Burning Man connection was the first thing I thought of when I read the OP.

Is it possible that Hunter's position got him assassinated?

I feel impressed to say that this woman needs to speak in general conference:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTTwcCVajAc

It's a very powerful message.

I've known women who were like this every single F&T meeting. Once there were investigators in stitches, they had to go outside, laughing so hard at all the overemotional testimonkies.
If you've never seen it, and you see five in a row, all following the same script-like pattern, it probably is hilarious indeed.

I think this version is better.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sP4NMoJcFd4

Yes. Thank you! I see the same thing in my ward!

Yeah, I prefer Burning Man--cool artistic constructions and...boobs!

There's a lot of it in my ward, too--sometimes during the testimonies but more often during the longer assigned sermons. I keep a little notebook with me where I write down errands, shopping lists etc. while they're puddling up. Gives me something to do.

Mayhaps if we live long enough."we too may feel the weight of the great mantle and intellect fall upon us with its solemn lead weight...its ball and chain security...or could it be the greatest sorrow is felt by those trapped in a cult from which there is no escape that isnt ruinous...heart breaking for sure...the rest of the bawlers are just polishing tirds to be like jeebus so when the big rasband call comes...we'll thankfully wet our pants in a dark suit and feel so blessed for our obedience...then they trot out the ol NDA...after that its just another aw shit ive been had moment...whats not to feel a little weepy about...oh yeah..im just shittin ya about the mantle thing...my boats already got a millstone

Conference is just around the corner. Let's see what Eyring is going to cry about, and who can surpass him.

being a bit 'overly emotional' and/or 'quick to tears' are both (generally) signs of clinical depression or amphetamine (or other stimulant) abuse. I wonder what sort of meds these top guys are pumped full of?

Maybe before each performance Elder Eyring thinks about cats.

He should be called Elder Eye Ring.

When I was a kid forced to attend the godless drudge that is Fast & Testimony, I thought of it as the great blubbering.

That's a whale of a tale Don! :)

It is simply the next step in the feminization and wimpification of the American male.

Guys need to grow,so,e some balls and act like men.

+++10000000000000

Well here's a quickie pro trick to turn on the waterworks on demand that I heard from a former assistant to the late great televangelist Jan Crouch.

Whenever Jan needed real tears to appeal to her gullible flock she would turn away from the camera and yank out a nose hair which would inevitably produce a flood of genuine tears.

True story.

That's a shame to hear. If she were a loving person, all she needed to do was think about her pets that had died.

The Crying Game. Or is that something else?

However, my former nanny annonnn says that the infamous KotexHead used to refer to himself as the high council member with his tear duct connected to his bladder. This would have been in the late 70's.

We might want this man to speak in GC.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iE1ZGZG_J5g

I feel that he really has a powerful message, even though I don't understand the words.

Eyring needs to really step it up like this man... to take his message worldwide.

My only exposure to the Crying Man Fad was at my one and only attendance at a F&T with my then GF in 1968.

When GF and I discussed the meeting afterward, more than one of us was embarrassed.

I'd like to move up in the Church, and I'm thinking about trying to incorporate more crying into my talks. Does anyone have any good pointers? Cats don't really work it for me (sorry, Allen-the_squirrel).

Watch this training video:
Learn to fake cry
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jaGANOngAc

Try the scene in True Grit where the horse has to run til he dies.

Interesting topic and citations (namely Fela Kuti).

Certain things (sights, feelings, movements, experiences...) bring me to tears - or take me away - and I and I am not Mormon. In fact, I've cried just about everywhere but a "MC", ironically, one of the saddest, most disorganized, useless places on Earth.