excellent article, I have heard some interesting and maybe almost horrifiying stories recently about people losing businesses or business opportunities or getting death threats or their family being threatened or scholarships being pulled because of political or social opinions they have voiced or in one case somebody found something in a high school yearbook from way back and posted it and it destroyed the individuals business. Cancel Culture/Political Correctness is most prominent right now with politics but it has a part that is very specific to religion, particularly to Christian religions which also includes the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, especially those who follow scriptural teachings on morality, especially marriage. A personal example, just a month or two ago a co-worker said, "come look at this". It was a policy announcement on the company's intranet site that said they would no longer be hiring from BYU because BYU did not have an LGBT+ policy that fit their company policy. There are quite a few BYU graduates, some pretty high up in my division, I had to wonder if any replied to this or they just let it go.This is a very large company, a multinational company who's work is mostly with the government, a direct violation of the 1st amendment, but people are scared for their jobs and the Cancel Culture know this and they wield tremendous influence in corporate America right now. Like one of my co-workers said one day, it was corporate America that killed the Boy Scouts.There is also a Cancel Culture specific to the LDS church, there is a concerted effort (guess you could say renewed) that has been going on for a couple of years now, aided by the internet, it seeks to discredit Joseph Smith and some other leaders of the church, notably Brigham Young, Spencer W. Kimball, Ezra Taft Benson, Bruce R. McKonkie and a few others. There is a reason the leaders of the church have been emphasizing strong personal testimonies for a some years now and encouraging family and home study and President Nelson emphasizing personal revelation and the church posting essays etc. We need to diligently and correctly study it all out.
Mary SukerJanuary 12, 2021
Cancel culture is fundamentally about condemning someone because of behaviors âtheyâ consider unforgiveable or unacceptable. This has been going on forever but now has a catchy name to make it seem new and relevant. Think of the widow who spends her life hating the drunk driver who killed her spouse. The child who forever hates his alcoholic parent. I hope that those who believe in cancelling others will one day come to know Jesus Christ and how He can set us free-with forgiveness- through a kind and loving heart. Because He has forgiven us of all our wrongs, we cannot, rightfully, harbor an unforgiving heart against anyone. Itâs helpful to remember that everyone is imperfect. The cancel culture is Satan's work. It is mean, unforgiving, and full of hate.
RobertJanuary 8, 2021
Danielle, cancel culture is not about stopping bad behavior. It is about shaming unpopular behavior with no chance of redemption. If it was about stopping bad behavior then abortion would be a target, but since abortion is popular in the cancel culture itâs permissible and even applauded. This isnât about creating a more civil society. Cancel culture has one goal: speak only what is popular and lie about the rest or risk being shamed for life. That is antithetical to our values as a country and is edging closer to Orwellâs 1984.
RebeccaJanuary 5, 2021
I wonder if Jimmy Galligan is condemning the rappers/musicians who continually use the ânâ word as swiftly as he did with Mimi Groves?
JemezblueJanuary 5, 2021
How ironic that people allow Cancel Cultural bullying as a way to make people behave the way they want, but call it "psychological abuse" when a marriage partner or parent does it in their family. If you don't like psychological abuse in a marriage, then don't accept it in regular society.
BTW, as a student at a local university I am already lying about my political beliefs because I am afraid that my graduate work will get canceled if I do so. AND other university students assume that my political beliefs coincide with theirs. I just change the subject.
Tracey L. CarpenterJanuary 5, 2021
Excellent points.
LorettaJanuary 5, 2021
I am over 70 years of age. And even as a young teen I knew that saying the "n"word was offensive and wrong. Mimi can't excuse herself because of her age and not knowing. We are all born with the light of Christ that will let us know that something we are doing is wrong.
Jan KuesterJanuary 5, 2021
Amen!! I agree wholeheartedly. Many years ago, having gone through a short but emotionally brutal marriage, I had a period in my young life where I proudly proclaimed âA woman within a man is like a fish without a bicycle.â Fortunately that chapter of my life was a short one as I met some missionaries, had a quick, profound tutelage from the Holy Ghost and came to love and embrace the truth of the restored Gospel. I am the only member in my extended family and am grateful that none of my family or friends have ever used my foolish, ignorant proclamation against me, especially when I testify to them of the sanctity of marriage, the meaning of temple ordinances and so forth.
KJBJanuary 5, 2021
And how many times have conservatives called for bans and boycotts? Ah, the hypocrisy...
DanielleJanuary 5, 2021
I have to sit a moment to savor what was written. I noticed this piece alluded cancel culture was reserved for those of power, but now that everyday individuals have this power to use it, it is considered dangerous from the viewpoint of the author. Maybe the author meant it was also dangerous in the hands of those who are with power or belong to the elite and maybe the practice should not belong in those hands either. I do appreciate how the article points to the need for forgiveness in certain situations can be hard to do when someone is feeling the sense of shame for a set action(s). I think the way the article, maybe unintentionally, is written validates errant behavior as culture. Behavior that lacks taste, respect, and choses to denigrate is simply bad behavior and should not be confused with culture. I am sure Adolf Hitler wouldnât have been moved into the direction of leadership that he took on if someone did shame him into the basic concepts of love and respect for oneâs neighbor that are found in the Bible, Torah, and many other religious traditions and sacred works. Instead, many decided not to challenge his actions and words that sought to divide people by race, physical handicaps and abilities, and religion. Should the punishment be proportionate to the crime supported by context, by all means yes. However, one should never give a platform for bad behavior.
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Corey D.January 18, 2021
excellent article, I have heard some interesting and maybe almost horrifiying stories recently about people losing businesses or business opportunities or getting death threats or their family being threatened or scholarships being pulled because of political or social opinions they have voiced or in one case somebody found something in a high school yearbook from way back and posted it and it destroyed the individuals business. Cancel Culture/Political Correctness is most prominent right now with politics but it has a part that is very specific to religion, particularly to Christian religions which also includes the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, especially those who follow scriptural teachings on morality, especially marriage. A personal example, just a month or two ago a co-worker said, "come look at this". It was a policy announcement on the company's intranet site that said they would no longer be hiring from BYU because BYU did not have an LGBT+ policy that fit their company policy. There are quite a few BYU graduates, some pretty high up in my division, I had to wonder if any replied to this or they just let it go.This is a very large company, a multinational company who's work is mostly with the government, a direct violation of the 1st amendment, but people are scared for their jobs and the Cancel Culture know this and they wield tremendous influence in corporate America right now. Like one of my co-workers said one day, it was corporate America that killed the Boy Scouts.There is also a Cancel Culture specific to the LDS church, there is a concerted effort (guess you could say renewed) that has been going on for a couple of years now, aided by the internet, it seeks to discredit Joseph Smith and some other leaders of the church, notably Brigham Young, Spencer W. Kimball, Ezra Taft Benson, Bruce R. McKonkie and a few others. There is a reason the leaders of the church have been emphasizing strong personal testimonies for a some years now and encouraging family and home study and President Nelson emphasizing personal revelation and the church posting essays etc. We need to diligently and correctly study it all out.
Mary SukerJanuary 12, 2021
Cancel culture is fundamentally about condemning someone because of behaviors âtheyâ consider unforgiveable or unacceptable. This has been going on forever but now has a catchy name to make it seem new and relevant. Think of the widow who spends her life hating the drunk driver who killed her spouse. The child who forever hates his alcoholic parent. I hope that those who believe in cancelling others will one day come to know Jesus Christ and how He can set us free-with forgiveness- through a kind and loving heart. Because He has forgiven us of all our wrongs, we cannot, rightfully, harbor an unforgiving heart against anyone. Itâs helpful to remember that everyone is imperfect. The cancel culture is Satan's work. It is mean, unforgiving, and full of hate.
RobertJanuary 8, 2021
Danielle, cancel culture is not about stopping bad behavior. It is about shaming unpopular behavior with no chance of redemption. If it was about stopping bad behavior then abortion would be a target, but since abortion is popular in the cancel culture itâs permissible and even applauded. This isnât about creating a more civil society. Cancel culture has one goal: speak only what is popular and lie about the rest or risk being shamed for life. That is antithetical to our values as a country and is edging closer to Orwellâs 1984.
RebeccaJanuary 5, 2021
I wonder if Jimmy Galligan is condemning the rappers/musicians who continually use the ânâ word as swiftly as he did with Mimi Groves?
JemezblueJanuary 5, 2021
How ironic that people allow Cancel Cultural bullying as a way to make people behave the way they want, but call it "psychological abuse" when a marriage partner or parent does it in their family. If you don't like psychological abuse in a marriage, then don't accept it in regular society. BTW, as a student at a local university I am already lying about my political beliefs because I am afraid that my graduate work will get canceled if I do so. AND other university students assume that my political beliefs coincide with theirs. I just change the subject.
Tracey L. CarpenterJanuary 5, 2021
Excellent points.
LorettaJanuary 5, 2021
I am over 70 years of age. And even as a young teen I knew that saying the "n"word was offensive and wrong. Mimi can't excuse herself because of her age and not knowing. We are all born with the light of Christ that will let us know that something we are doing is wrong.
Jan KuesterJanuary 5, 2021
Amen!! I agree wholeheartedly. Many years ago, having gone through a short but emotionally brutal marriage, I had a period in my young life where I proudly proclaimed âA woman within a man is like a fish without a bicycle.â Fortunately that chapter of my life was a short one as I met some missionaries, had a quick, profound tutelage from the Holy Ghost and came to love and embrace the truth of the restored Gospel. I am the only member in my extended family and am grateful that none of my family or friends have ever used my foolish, ignorant proclamation against me, especially when I testify to them of the sanctity of marriage, the meaning of temple ordinances and so forth.
KJBJanuary 5, 2021
And how many times have conservatives called for bans and boycotts? Ah, the hypocrisy...
DanielleJanuary 5, 2021
I have to sit a moment to savor what was written. I noticed this piece alluded cancel culture was reserved for those of power, but now that everyday individuals have this power to use it, it is considered dangerous from the viewpoint of the author. Maybe the author meant it was also dangerous in the hands of those who are with power or belong to the elite and maybe the practice should not belong in those hands either. I do appreciate how the article points to the need for forgiveness in certain situations can be hard to do when someone is feeling the sense of shame for a set action(s). I think the way the article, maybe unintentionally, is written validates errant behavior as culture. Behavior that lacks taste, respect, and choses to denigrate is simply bad behavior and should not be confused with culture. I am sure Adolf Hitler wouldnât have been moved into the direction of leadership that he took on if someone did shame him into the basic concepts of love and respect for oneâs neighbor that are found in the Bible, Torah, and many other religious traditions and sacred works. Instead, many decided not to challenge his actions and words that sought to divide people by race, physical handicaps and abilities, and religion. Should the punishment be proportionate to the crime supported by context, by all means yes. However, one should never give a platform for bad behavior.
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