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Show JL4 mions -.r^*i^'A^^''*^-V'^* 5: ^S^*m m Monday • July 20, 2009 Make some money with your mission DAVID SELF NEWLIN Opinions editor Imagine seeing this advertisement in your local classified ads: "You know what you can get for $10,000? The best sales training money can buy! That's right folks: just a few blocks north of BYU you and all your 19 to 26 year-old friends can sign up for the most glorious and profitable experience of your life - a mission for the LDS Church. Best of all you can triple your investment in only one summer by signing up to sell for ACME security systems as soon as you get back!" No doubt you are surprised by this ad - after all, a mission is supposed to be first and foremost a religious experience. But according to many businesses both local and national, especially businesses that rely on door-to-door selling, the mission is some of the best sales training you can get. You learn to talk to people, how to get your foot in the door, and how to speak for your cause - or your product - with genuine conviction. All cally like Apex and Pinnacle rely heavily on of these skills can lead to higher sales if used returned missionaries. But the benefits aren't just for the sellcorrectly. Home security companies run loers or their employers. In a recent article by plained that some who sell take LDS passalong cards with them to sales, and are not afraid to talk about religion with those who they sell to. After all, that's what their "sales" training taught them to do the best. Isn't there something strange about all this? Perhaps there used to be some natural distinction between proselytizing and selling. Now we are ready, it seems, to casually accept that our capitalist commitment to the pursuit of the almighty dollar and our religious commitment to the almighty Lord should coincide in this perverse symbiosis. "Free conversion with every install!" Perhaps it is too late to untangle these two. I don't think Pinnacle will ever stop recruiting returned missionaries, and relying on their religious skills. But at minimum, we can reflect on the loss of importance and the disrespect that selling your religious background to employers, and buyers, does to the missionary experience. In the back of every missionary's head could lurk the thought of Photo illustration by Jordy Kirkman/UVU Review the money they stand to gain as a result of The Daily Universe (July 7, 2009 - 'Tract- their mission; somehow I don't think that ing helps RMs in summer sales jobs"), the helps their spiritual goals. connection between proselytizing and selling was cursorily explored. This article ex- Where are the marches for our students? DIEGO IBANEZ Opinions writer Once again, our politicians have made the wrong move and sent the wrong message. Last Wednesday, Senate Bill 81 went into effect, creating what some have described as fear and confusion. There are three main downfalls to this bill. 1) Sheriffs can (and likely will) begin to act like immigration agents. 2) Any public employer will be required to verify the immigration status of every employee through a federal data bank called "E-Verify," and 3) Class A misdemeanors will be given to anyone who knowingly transports an "illegal alien." Suddenly, driving your "illegal" grandmother to Church on Sunday is a crime. Talks about this bill began to surge after a Mormon missionary was arrested for being an undocumented immigrant in April. Of course the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is main- court of appeals, Utah and Oklahoma share the same fate when it comes to this issue. Where are the marches you ask? I'm curious myself. Do you recall the immigration movements a couple years ago? UVU must its her voice just as any important local University should. President Sederburg was always quick to show support for UVU Students. With our new president in place, I'm worried along with many others that immigration issues will either be ignored or addressed incorrectly. Let's hope this will not be the case. For those who are being affected, don't lose hope. The Dream Act will be proposed once again and this time we cannot fail. In the meantime, inform yourselves and let new UVU President Holland know your concerns. Even if you are undocumented, Ieam your rights, stay attentive for rallies and support groups most likely in the Salt Lake City area. Faith no more? ANDYSHERWIN Opinions writer On July 10, Michael Pratt, the principal of the LDS seminary at Lone Peak High School was arrested by police. Pratt, who is married with three children, had alUtah County Jail leged sexual relations with a Michael Pratt's Utah County 16-year old student. Jail mugshot A Facebook group called Courtesy of Jon White "Pray for Brother Pratt," is that man is imperfect and Protestors demonstrating against discrimination of boldly displaying the famous makes mistakes, so I canundocumented immigrants painting of Jesus cradling a not see how criticism of the lamb, was launched within unsanctioned practices of its taining its neutrality on this ed will now have to worry hours of his arrest and fea- members equates to a critiissue. If it was so easy for about a police officer questures more than ,350 mem- cism of a church's doctrine. the church to put money tioning their legal status. bers and 129 posts to the But the issue at hand is that and effort into opposing gay Fortunately, not all police group's wall. These range some think that because they marriage, then how is it that officers agree. In fact most between adamant, firm de- "felt the Spirit" or were enthey cannot completely re- local authorities have alnials (including one from couraged by his counsel and ject legislation that adverse- ready spoken out against Pratt's sister) and harsh in- support, Pratt's alleged misly affects some of their own SB 81 claiming that their dictments and references take either negates all of the members? job descriptions are only to to Pratt's 16-year old lover good he did, or could" not You need not look farther serve and protect, regardas an "innocent child." As possibly have occurred. than Oklahoma, the state less of status. Yes, there of this writing, — m ^ ^ • There's a which we copied this bill are groups trying to underno group called ^ • widely unchalfrom, to realize that a bill take the vast quandary that "Pray for the lenged - if not such as SB 81, in terms of has become what we call 16-year old girl Knowing about accepted - unbusinesses a buzzkill. Many immigration reform. Yet, that Brother Pratt Joseph Smith's derstanding that immigrants both legal and many are still waiting to see [allegedly] slept other relationJoseph Smith, illegal have begun to leave how the struggle unravels in with" exists. the founder of the state according to many Okla. first, where the bill has ships should the LDS church, sources. UVU students who been challenged. Since both However, the not shake a had only one happen to be undocument- states are in the tenth circuit most interesting true faith in a wife, Emma. reactions are the religion, just as However, it is former students Bill Clinton's documented in whose faith has several dalliseveral biograbeen shaken to phies and histoances should its foundation. ries that Joseph not shake faith Students that himself practiced spent hours be- in the United polygamy and the history of Honduran pol- ing the leading role in much the actual population of ing DAVID SELF NEWLIN counseled States. married, among itics, things get a little more of it. Opinions editor Honduras, and he enjoys or befriended by complex, and in fact, it beThe constitution was also the wide support of the in- Pratt when he others, Helen On June 28, Honduras gins to look a lot more like a drafted and put in place fol- ternational community, with was their teacher Mar Kimball in was embroiled in a politi- power grab by the military. lowing ten years of dictator- the likes of not only Hugo have nothing but kind, gener- May of 1843, when she was cal crisis, specifically a Honduras has a long his- ship by the military, but was Chavez and Raul Castro ous things to say Neverthe- the tender age of 14. The thus far - successful coup tory of military dictatorship, written largely by a body calling for his reinstatement, less, despite their Town admit- circumstances, of course, are by the military, supported on and off again from the elected during the dictator- but also President Barack tedly positive experiences wildly different: Smith had by both the judicial and mid-fifties until now. ship years, meaning that the Obama and Secretary of with their former instructor, founded a church while Pratt the legislative branches of Currently, the military in military had a strong role in State Hillary Clinton, not to their conscience weighs was representing it; Smith government. Progressive Honduras is ostensibly sub- writing it in the first place, mention the Organization of heavy at the sight of a spiri- had parental consent while center-left President Manuel servient to all branches of which is why they continue American States tual role model falling from a Pratt faces federal kidnapZelaya was arrested and sent government, and under the to play such a leading role in ping charges; Smith's relaWhen looked at in this rarefied air of grace. into exile by the military as direct control of the execu- current politics, and which light, it seems that the miliAs Pratt was an employ- tionship wasn't widely kept a result of Zelaya's attempt tive branch via the president, was why, it seems, the presi- tary is once again attempting a secret while Pratt hid his to push through a non-bind- who is also the commander dent can only serve one to take over the Honduran ee of the LDS Church and from his wife and family, etc. ing resolution calling for a in chief. But as a matter of term, preventing the thug- government, with seemingly a professional instructor of But knowing about Joseph referendum that would al- fact, the military acts as a gish military from ever be- full support of the strong its doctrines, I would cer- Smith's relationships should low the constitution to be strong-arm fourth branch of ing dominated by a strong center-right legislative and tainly consider him a mem- not shake a true faith in a reamended. The amendment government - responsible or leftist president for too judicial branches of the ber of the small minority of ligion, just as Bill Clinton's in question would allow the for administering and over- long, while maintaining the current government. Let us paid clergy within the LDS several dalliances should Church, and members of the president to run for a second seeing elections, something veneer of democracy. hope that the United States, clergy having inappropriate not shake faith in the United term; currently the Hondu- not common in liberal demSo, technically, the entire along with the OAS, can act relationships with their con- States. ran constitution only allows ocratic governments, and quickly and put pressure on 1 never had what is being for the president to serve a responsible for determining coup was completely legal. the Honduran military to gregations, students, or folThe catch is that the constilowers is not as new (or rare) called the privilege of learnsingle term. when the president is and tution itself is something of cease its power grab. Supas some of us would prefer. ing from Michael Pratt, and porting democracy interna- But if someone's faith in a a video of him at the courtInitially, it may seem to is not acting unconstitution- a burden on democracy. us like a power play by the ally, again something wildly Zelaya was elected in a tionally requires us to sup- religion that simultaneously house, choking back sobs President, an attempt to hold 'out of line with most lib- fair and open election, and port Zelaya. believes in the imperfection and fighting back tears, apon to power for longer than eral democracies. Further, it has always had a high apof Man-with-a-capital-M and pears to my unfamiliar, unhe is allowed constitution- plays an active role in all na- proval rating in polls, sugthe perfection of God can be trained eye to be an imperally. But when you look at tional politics, in fact play- gesting wide support among shaken by the good evidence fect man who made a terrible of illegal, adulterous behav- mistake and is willing to pay ior of one of the church's the price for it. He has not representatives, did that per- made a claim, explicit or oth-# Letters to the editot requirements / uvu.review.opinions@gmaiixom son have faith in the religion erwise, to either innocence at all? Or did they have faith or guilt, but simply hoped • Letters must be turned in on Wednesday by noon in order to be you wish to submit a hard copy. in a man? that the "whole truth" would printed in the next edition. • All letters become the property of UVU Review as soon as they • We make no guarantee that letters will be printed. are submitted. come to light. Any organized religion • Letters 300 words or less have a greater chance of being pub• Anonymous letters are only publishablc when the safety or proFor the sake of all, let us has its fair share of darkness lished - anything longer will be edited for content. fessional status of the letter writer is in jeopardy. hope with him. in its history. A central te• Please provide an electronic copy regardless of whether or not net of Judeo-Christian belief Hard times for Honduran democracy |