So every once in awhile, I am flipping through the channels and inevitably end up at BYUTV. One of the staples of this channel is to show reruns of BYU devotionals and, without fail, as I am watching, the camera will occasionally pan over the whole audience and show large sections and rows of empty chairs in the Marriott Center with smatterings of students seated here and there. And mind you, these are devotionals from the normal Fall and Winter semesters. The point being that the Marriott Center for these BYU devotionals is far from capacity, not even close to it. Are students watching from other devices? Perhaps. Or are BYU students, the cream of the young adult LDS crop, more largely apathetic than we realize?

When my husband attended BYU, (back in the 60's), as a new convert, I often listened to the devotionals on the radio.
There was a time when all the teachers were required to attend.
Big bru ha ha over that one!
My guess, is that the devotionals are broadcast and can be watched on TV or listened to. Nobody is taking role so a lot of people skip them. I can understand why. It's the same old stuff repeated ad nauseam.

.....MORmONISM is BORING .....

When I was a BYU student I attended the first devotional of my freshman year and that was the last time. I used devotional time to cram for exams or do homework. It was a bit difficult because they closed the library during devotional time. But in my later years when I was employed by BYU I often attended devotionals to escape the dysfunctional office environment and plan my career options. It was a very peaceful way to spend an hour because I could zone out rather easily from the drivel they were spouting and go into my own head for some productive "think" time. I did the same thing with temple attendance. I sort of used those opportunities to meditate rather than self-indoctrinate.

I'm glad you brought this up sharapta, no one realizes it, or pays attention, but BYU drastically changed when Hinkley died. Up until that time it was standard for GA's to actually drive down to Provo from Salt Lake and give their assigned talk to a crowded stadium of 30,000. But with the new administration after Hinkley all of the sudden they started introducing just teachers and faculty to do the job.

The Bretheren are too busy now I guess? and no one would notice?
Have you noticed that the Bretheren are out and about a lot less than in the past, they aren't in the news anymore, they aren't traveling around as much?

When I was at BYU (summer 2015) and BYU-I (fall 2015) I never went to any devotionals. At BYU-I (and maybe BYU?) they actually locked other buildings on campus when devotionals were held (not sure if it was to try and force everyone to go or if it was because there wouldn't be any faculty to keep an eye on things), but usually I managed to find a back entrance so I could go in and do homework.

Isn't locking the doors a fire hazard!???

The doors only locked from the outside, so in terms of evacuation it was fine. Not being able to get into the buildings to address safety hazards could be an issue though, I suppose.

They are too old to travel much anymore

Back in the 80's, devotionals weren't well attended either.

I was at BYU in 196-68, and then a very brief period after my mission in 1971. As far as I remember, Devotionals were mandatory and I went to most of them, if I couldn't figure a way out, and this was when I was still TBM.

I liked the other program, and can't think of the name of it now, but it was on Thursday and there were writers and public figures.

That's where I saw Robert F. Kennedy about 60 days before he was assassinated and I also remember Vincent Price being there, talking about his new cook books and art collection, not about his movies. Those were interesting.

I have one of Vincent Price's cook books. It seems like every fourth recipe requires alcohol and fire.

I have fun showing his portrayal of Joseph Smith to my TBM friends.

Forum....it was called Forum and Devotional and you got 1 credit hour if you signed the paper at end of semester that you went to them. You are right, Forum was more civic minded and pretty interesting.It was an easy credit hour, no study, no tests. I was there 67-70.

I also saw Robert Kennedy there. And the very first person I heard was Pearl S. Buck, famous for writing "The Good Earth." They used to have a whole range of well-known authors, even some actors. So sad what it's come to today. No more well-known commencement speakers, either. Since Tom Lantos in 2000, it has been only GA's. Lantos angered leadership by calling the graduates "a wonderfully homogeneous" group, then challenging them to go abroad in the land and in the world, live outside Utah, and see how the other side lives. BYU never even posted the speech online, making Lantos kind of a non-person.

This all part of the tightening the circle of wagons to protect minds from outside forces.

I didn't go to BYU so I thought attendance at devotionals was required, that they somehow knew if you didn't show up. Oh well.

In the 70's Devotionals were on Tuesdays and Forums were on Thursdays. In 1971 at a Forum in the old Smith Fieldhouse, I went up and shook John Glenn's hand. Can't remember what he talked about but it was fun to say hello and thank him.

I think that I saw and heard Nelson Rockefeller that year also?

Wow, I loved John Glenn; I wish that I could of met him, a very nice, decent, humble human being.
I was just watching " The right stuff", last week. It's one of our favourite movies,

Yes, he was one of the good ones.

Love this!

I'm so glad I decided to cut class that fine spring day to watch Robert Kennedy rock the Smith Fieldhouse.

When I was at BYU, I was as brainwashed as TBMs come.

But I usually didn't attend devotionals. I had schoolwork to do, and I enjoyed it when lots of people left for the devotional and I had the space to myself.

Frankly, I also hated walking all the way over to the Marriott Center, usually in the cold, to go down the steep stairs, and sit in the uncomfortable seats. Maybe I didn't admit it, but at some level, maybe I knew it just wasn't worth the effort.