1742: Progressive Bishop w/ an Unbelieving wife - Martine & Stuart Smith Pt 3
Mormon Stories Podcast
Dr. John Dehlin
4.6 • 5.2K Ratings
🗓️ 16 March 2023
⏱️ 238 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Martine and Stuart Smith are back in part three to discuss experiencing the “heavy hand” of Priesthood Authority from their Stake President; from false teachings affecting lives, being told not to watch a specific show he didn’t like, making youth “covenant” to go on missions and never date non-Mormons, only to see him be released and excommunicated for embezzlement. Martine had previously sympathized with the Stake President, who was sometimes unemployed and had five children. She later found out that he had put her membership status as “on probation” though she had never been notified as per policy, and that she had been “blacklisted” from certain callings. The couple began attending Sunstone, where they explored the gray areas of life and Mormon feminism.
During this time, they began to question the Church's teachings, including the Plan of Salvation, which involved separating families more than bringing them together. They also researched the lives of polygamous women and the Equal Rights Amendment. Stuart, an intellectual, was called into the bishopric as an unorthodox member. They stayed in the Church for its utility, but also for their son's sake. Martine became the RS Pres during the Sept Six Era, a time of more progressive leaders and scholars at BYU and at Women's Conferences and in leadership.
Eventually the walls crack on their belief and Martine and Stuart find they can no longer stay in a church that goes against their values.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Well, so there's going to be so much to cover, but let's try and touch on some of the |
| 0:05.6 | most important events in your lives over the 80s and 90s that relate to your faith journey |
| 0:12.1 | from there. |
| 0:13.1 | But where do you pick up from having two child pass away? |
| 0:17.0 | What would be the next part of your story that would be most consequential to your |
| 0:22.3 | faith journey? |
| 0:23.3 | Well, I'm going to cover the 80s. |
| 0:27.1 | I think sort of quickly the leadership, the local leadership in Louisiana and Baton Rouge |
| 0:34.5 | became extremely, our branch was merged back into the ward. |
| 0:40.1 | And for several years there, both at the ward level and at the stake presidency level, |
| 0:47.5 | the leadership was very prescriptive. |
| 0:49.8 | Very much, do, you know, members do this, members don't do that kind of thing. |
| 0:54.9 | We had, you know, back then you had regional representatives. |
| 1:02.3 | Remember one sick conference where one of them came, he was from Northern Louisiana. |
| 1:08.9 | He held a youth session to which parents were not allowed to attend. |
| 1:17.7 | I think some leaders were, some, you know, youth leaders were. |
| 1:22.0 | Our son wasn't old enough yet to be part of it. |
| 1:26.2 | But he had the youth, he had all the young men stand, but their arm to the square and |
| 1:31.6 | covenant that they would go on missions. |
| 1:35.4 | And then he had all of the youth stand and put their arm to the square and covenant |
| 1:40.6 | that they would not date non-mormons. |
| 1:45.2 | Boy, there were a lot of upset parents after that meeting, you know, you don't, obviously, |
... |
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