The 2002 Olympic Games:
The Mormon Church
With Dr. Robert L. Millet
Brigham Young University Professor
Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2002; Noon EST

The Mormon Church has been a focus of media attention since the announcement that Salt Lake City would host the 2002 Winter Olympics. Mormon officials have said that they would stay out of the limelight, but with more than three-fourths of all Utah's citizens belonging to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints it has been impossible for the church to not play a part in the games.

Dr. Robert L. Millet, the Richard L. Evans Professor of Religious Understanding at Brigham Young University, was online to discuss the Mormon Church and its role in the 2002 Games.

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Somewhere, USA: Dr. Millet --

The fact that the Salt Lake Temple backs up to the Medals Plaza has become quite a controversy, as explained in the Washington Post article "Striving for Acceptance." I have yet to see the Temple in the background of any medal awarding. What do you think of the assumptions the media has portrayed about Mormons? Has the publicity been more positive or negative towards the Mormon church? Thank you.

washingtonpost.com: Striving for Acceptance (Post, Feb. 9, 2002)

Dr. Robert Millet: Hello. It's nice to be with you this afternoon.We feel that the media coverage has been, for the most part, positive and fair. While the Temple is not actually seen from ground level of the Medals Plaza,the Temple is a part of the city and thus the skyline. Producers and directors make the decision as to what will be seen by the viewing public.

Fredericksburg, Va.: How should church members react to the Olympics being called a 'Mormon Media Blitz?' I think the Church has done a great job of sharing the limelight when possible and avoiding the spotlight altogether but the Games are happening in Salt Lake City, why should the Church get bad press for showcasing, even on a low level, our good side?

Dr. Robert Millet: From the beginning the Church has affirmed that the Olympic Games are intended to highlight excellence in athletics and to sponsor and encourage good will among nations. Salt Lake City happens to be the headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but the Games are being conducted independent of the Church. We are very pleased to welcome the world to our community.

Charlottesville, Va.: In a very general sense, the church seems to be obscuring its past idiosyncrasies,even though some are no longer practiced such as polygamy, to make room for a more mainstream "protestant" religious theology. Does this change in attitude disrespect the fundamental tenet in Mormon doctrine, that of being set apart and "peculiar?" The attitude of church members also reflects this, they want to be viewed as normal people, and I'm afraid Utah will lose its cultural identity. What do you think?

Dr. Robert Millet: President Gordon B. HInckley observed: "Those who observe us say that we are moving into the mainstream of religion. We are not changing. The world's perception of us is changing. We teach the same doctrine. We have the same organization. We labor to perform the same good works. But the old hatred is disappearing. People are better informed. They are coming to realize what we stand for and what we do." While it is important to us that people understand that we believe in and follow Jesus Christ, we try to emphasize that we are neither Protestant nor Catholic; we claim to be a restoration of the Lord's church.

Port Huron, Mich.: The press seems to focus on Utah's strict liquor laws whenever they try to discribe Mormon or Utah culture. Why is that? What else are they missing?

Dr. Robert Millet: Faithful Latter-day Saints observe a health code that encourages us to avoid substances that prove deleterious to one's health. We do not presume in any way to impose our practice on others. Utah is not alone in regulating alcohol consumption; we are one of nineteen states that restricts the distribution and consumption of alcohol out of regard for public health and welfare.

Baltimore, Md.: Why does President Hinckley continue to say that plural marriage is not doctrine of the LDS Church when Doctrine & Covenants Section 132 is still part of the canon? While polygamy currently is not practiced by members of the Church, it certainly remains doctrine. Also, a form of polygamy still exists in the Church because a widower previously sealed to his deceased wife in the temple may marry a second wife in the temple for "time and all eternity." Comments?

Dr. Robert Millet: The present practice of the Church constitutes the interpretation of scripture. That is, revealed practice is tied to revealed doctrine. President Hinckley appears to be referring to the present prohibition against plural marriage, which in no way denies what was appropriate and proper in another time in the history of the Church.

Centreville, Va.: I'm not sure I understand why there is a question about the Mormon Church playing a part in the Winter Games. Why should the Mormon Church as an organization play a part at all? Naturally, men and women who happen to belong to the Mormon Church will play a part, but as long as they don't impose church practices on a decidedly secular event, I don't see where there's a question at all.

Dr. Robert Millet: The Church is not playing a role in the Games. We are simply a part of the community with a commitment to be good hosts.

Washington, D.C.: How is the Church viewing the Olympic Games? What if anything does the Church want to get out of the event?

Dr. Robert Millet: The Church continues to reaffirm that we will not use the Olympics as a forum for presenting our doctrinal teachings. We are thrilled to welcome tens of thousands of people into our city. To the extent that we are able to answer questions and clear up misunderstandings about our faith, we are pleased to do so.

Washington, D.C.: As someone who reads the European Press, I have seen several pieces about how the Mormon Church was the driving force behind the new decency guidelines in several ice-skating events. Do you believe that this is true? Why is this not garnering the same press attention in the U.S.? What precedent does this set, especially considering the fact that China has won the 2008 bid and could change other aspects of this international event to suit their own local agenda?

Dr. Robert Millet: The Church has absolutely nothing to do with what sporting officials determine for their sport.

Somewhere, USA: I have heard that your church is hoping to "clear up" some of the misunderstandings, or "myths" about your church and doctrine while the games are hosted by the city of your headquarters. What are those myths that you want to dispel for the rest of us? What don't we understand?

Dr. Robert Millet: It is important to us that our friends of other faiths understand that we believe in God; that he has a plan for the happiness and growth of his children; that Jesus Christ is the Savior and Redeemer of all humankind; that family is the most important unit in society and should be upheld and preserved; that living the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ brings joy and satisfaction. We are a Christian people who ove our families, who are committed to strengthening our communities wherever we live. We are a people who strive to be the best we can be.

Somewhere, USA: Do you find that people in Salt Lake and the IOC are going out of their way to NOT highlight the Mormon population, way of life and religious beliefs? The fact that the Church was barely alluded to in the Opening Ceremonies (specifically the settlers) was, I thought, a little odd.

Dr. Robert Millet: Highlighting the host city and culture is fundamental to the Olympic mandate to foster international understanding. We feel that the coverage the Church has received has been fair, appropriate, and balanced.

Reston, Va.: I think we need to a bit balanced here. When Hinckley talks about old hatreds disappearing towards Mormonism, he is being highly unbalanced and selective. As you indicate with notably soft rhetoric, Mormonism claims to be the restoration of the true church. But prominent Mormons throughout church history have been much more demonstrative in their rhetoric, saying that the historic church has been in a state of apostasy for the last 1,600 years, and that only through the Mormon church can anyone expect to attain the highest level in the Celestial Kingdom, which is the Mormon concept of the afterlife. If we're going to talk about hatreds, it must be stated very clearly that Mormonism has a long history of espousing highly offensive and hateful rhetoric towards Christians that they are now trying to cozy up to.

Dr. Robert Millet: It should not be surprising that the Latter-day Saints claim to possess divine authority or sacred truths not espoused or accepted by others. Such is the case with any religious body: they believe they have something of worth to offer the world, or else they would have no reason for being. A commitment to one's faith hardly constitutes a denunciation or rejection of truths found in other faiths. "We claim the privilege of worshipping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may" (Articles of Faith 1:11). As our missionaries go into the world, they are instructed not to debate or denounce, but rather to build upon all the good that people already possess.

Somewhere, USA: Is your church doing anything differently during the few weeks that the Olympics are in Salt Lake than it normally would do?

Dr. Robert Millet: The work of the Church goes forward throughout the world, but missionaries will not be proselyting on the streets of downtown Salt Lake City or at any of the Olympic venues.

Washington, D.C.: Recently -- probably two weeks before the start of the Olympics -- the New Yorker did a story on Mormons that was quite lengthy and, I felt, well-researched. I am a non-Mormon, but have taken many religious history courses that have delved into the religion.
How did you react to the article?
Is is fair to compare Mormon culture to Jewish culture as the article did?

Dr. Robert Millet: We are pleased that Mr. Lawrence Wright and the New Yorker chose to devote so many pages to a discussion of the Church, athough we disagree with some of Mr. Wright's interpretations and conclusions, particularly in regard to historical matters.
There is much to be admired in Jewish culture in terms of devotion to the faith, particularly over centuries of opposition and persecution. While our own suffering as a people pales next to that experienced by the Jews in terms of lives lost, we do feel to identify with their plight. Latter-day Saints believe that we too are children of Abraham and claim the blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant.

Washington, D.C.: I'm a little confused on the question of whether or not Mormonism is "Christian." You described Mormons as a "Christian people", yet on many important doctrines -- such as whether there is one God in the entire universe or many gods over individual planets, whether or not God exists as a Trinity, whether or not humans are born sinful, whether or not salvation is by grace alone through faith alone -- Mormon doctrine seems to differ with historic Christianity. Can you help clear this up?

Dr. Robert Millet: Latter-day Saints claim to be Christians on the basis of our doctrine, our defined relationship to Christ, our patterns of worship, and our way of life. We resonate with the words of C. S. Lewis, beloved Christian thinker: "It is not for us to say who, in the deepest sense, is or is not close to the spirit of Christ. We do not see into men's hearts. We cannot judge, and are indeed forbidden to judge. It would be wicked arrogance for us to say that a man is, or is not, a Christian in this refined sense." (Mere Christianity, Touchstone, 1996, pp. 10-11.)

Washington, D.C.: I felt the opening ceremonies theme of "A Burning Fire Within" seemed like a veiled reference to LDS teaching's about experiencing the "truth" of the Book Morman. Have you heard of any similar comments?

Dr. Robert Millet: The Church did not participate in planning the program of the opening ceremonies of the Games, except to make the Mormon Tabernacle Choir available when requested by the Organizing Committee. The idea that people should respond to an inner fire or a "light within" is hardly exclusive to Latter-day Saint theology.

Harrisonburg, Va.: I hope you don't find this question ridiculous but is there a difference between "Mormons" and "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints?" I am woefully ignorant on the subject. Thank you.

Dr. Robert Millet: The full name of the Church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The term "Mormon" actually comes from our belief in the Book of Mormon as another testament of Jesus Christ and a companion to the Bible as a book of scripture.

Alexandria, Va.: The Mormon Church has grown tremendously since its founding. What do you see as the main reason behind this growth?

Dr. Robert Millet: President Gordon B. Hinckley stated: "People are looking for a solid anchor in a world of shifting values. They want something they can hold to as the world about them increasingly appears to be in disarray." The Church offers answers to some of life's oldest questions: Where do I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going after death? What is the purpose of life? We believe that marriage is a divine institution and that families can be together forever. In short, we teach that there is more truth to be had, more joy to be felt, and greater satisfaction to be enjoyed in family relationships.

Centreville, Va: Hello. What is the (fundamental) difference between the Church of Latter Day Saints and Catholicism? Where do the two separate on beliefs/customs/etc?
Thanks!

Dr. Robert Millet: As I understand it, while Catholics believe in an unbroken line of authority from Jesus through Peter, the Latter-day Saints believe that the priesthood or power of God was lost following the death of the apostles, thus necessitating a restoration of the gospel (including the priesthood) through a modern prophet, Joseph Smith. We enjoy a cordial and cooperative relationship with the Roman Catholic Church, particularly in working with Catholic Charities on a number of international humanitarian relief efforts.

washingtonpost.com:

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