Book of Mormon Stories must go

[Linked]

Book of Mormon Stories was one of my favorite songs as a little boy, and my son loves it now. A great beat, you get to do actions with it, and you could almost yell the words. But the beat and the actions are stereotypical Native American, implying that the Native American culture came from the Lamanites. The moment the church took the "primary" out of the intro to the Book of Mormon and now say that the Lamanites are among the ancestors of the Native Americans they should have taken that song out of the Children's Songbook so they could be consistent, because that song tells everyone that the Lamanites are the Native Americans.

[Red Ryder]

Haven't the Indians suffered enough!!! I vote to let is stay among the other songs in the book. After all, they weren't righteous and lost their land to the white man, were placed into mormon homes as children, and now you want to remove their token song from the primary children's song book! What would they have left? We must brothers be........

Book of Mormon stories that my teacher tells to me, Are about the Lamanites in ancient history.
Long ago their fathers came from far across the sea, Giv'n the land if they lived righteously!

Lamanites met others who were seeking liberty,
And the land soon welcomed all who wanted to be free. Book of Mormon stories say that we must brothers be, Giv'n the land if we live righteously!

[Corsair]

I served in Primary for a few years and it was always amusing when some fervent child wanted to sing this song. All the adults in the room were visibly uncomfortable with the sentiments expressed in this song. There are hand signals to go along with the lyrics and they are as culturally insensitive as you can imagine. I normally act with aggressive disdain for political correctness and this song still makes me uncomfortable.

[wtfluff]

Hmmm...

Using this logic; They should probably get rid of the entire Book of Mormon, and parts of the D&C, and...

[Korihor]

Alright, I admit I'm a little slow.

I don't see how it is THAT offensive. But I've been proven wrong many many times before.

Of course the lamanites aren't native americans. But so what, it's a fun song.
Hand signals involve placing 2 fingers behind the mimicking feather, folding the arms like a chief and maybe covering the mouth quickly making the AA BAA BAA BAA sound.

THis song is near and dear to me (even those I totally reject what is says) because this was my song to act super crazy in sunday school.

I don't want to see it go but I don't want to keep it either.

[Linked]

I served in Primary for a few years and it was always amusing when some fervent child wanted to sing this song. All the adults in the room were visibly uncomfortable with the sentiments expressed in this song. There are hand signals to go along with the lyrics and they are as culturally insensitive as you can imagine. I normally act with aggressive disdain for political correctness and this song still makes me uncomfortable.

Did you enjoy PC Principal?

Alright, I admit I'm a little slow.

I don't see how it is THAT offensive. But I've been proven wrong many many times before.

Of course the lamanites aren't native americans. But so what, it's a fun song.
Hand signals involve placing 2 fingers behind the mimicking feather, folding the arms like a chief and maybe covering the mouth quickly making the AA BAA BAA BAA sound.

THis song is near and dear to me (even those I totally reject what is says) because this was my song to act super crazy in sunday school.

I don't want to see it go but I don't want to keep it either.

Yes, the hand signals are definitely playing into a stereo type, and it is not PC at all. It makes me a little uncomfortable that way. But even ignoring the PCness of it, the song reinforces the idea that Native Americans are the Lamanites and that goes deep into your soul and 30 years later you have never reconsidered it and you are living in a fake world built around the church. How's that for a stretch?

[Korihor]

[Yes, the hand signals are definitely playing into a stereo type, and it is not PC at all. It makes me a little uncomfortable that way. But even ignoring the PCness of it, the song reinforces the idea that Native Americans are the Lamanites and that goes deep into your soul and 30 years later you have never reconsidered it and you are living in a fake world built around the church. How's that for a stretch?

I totally get it, it's just that tune is so darn catchy.

"I love to see the temple" is my trigger.

[rincewind]

"Follow the Prophet" is the one that makes my head explode. Grooming another generation of mindless obedience...

[Corsair]

I served in Primary for a few years and it was always amusing when some fervent child wanted to sing this song. All the adults in the room were visibly uncomfortable with the sentiments expressed in this song. There are hand signals to go along with the lyrics and they are as culturally insensitive as you can imagine. I normally act with aggressive disdain for political correctness and this song still makes me uncomfortable.

Did you enjoy PC Principal?

I thoroughly enjoyed the episodes of "South Park" that introduced PC Principal. It was skewering satire and culminated with an admirable self awareness from the character by the end of the season.

I am frankly quite eager to see some TBM try to justify this song in front of some Navajo or Hopi man who has any background outside of the LDS church. It's similar to seeing Disney's 1953 cartoon "Peter Pan" and viewing their portrayal of the song "What Makes the Red Man Red?" I'm waiting for Peter Pan to join "Song of the South" in Disney's "I Can't Believe We Ever Filmed This Embarrassingly Racist Movie" collection. I am no fan of political correctness or racial politics, but it does not take much thought to understand how both "Peter Pan" and "Book of Mormon Stories" are going to tread on some non-"white and delightsome" toes.

[RubinHighlander]

Yup, time to kill that one for sure! They should have removed it at the same time they changed the intro in the BOM to get rid of the "...are the primary ancestors of..." statement. Catchy songs like BOM Stories and Follow the Profit (er...I mean Prophet) are also bit cultish IMHO. Those catchy phrases become embedded in young minds so easily with music and repetitive weekly indoctrination.

Follow The Prophet reminds me of Pay Lay Ale and the chanting nature of the prayer circle. My first time through the temple in the early 80's was one disturbing and freaky experience; back when you were naked under the table cloth to get washed and anointed and all those nasty blood atonement suicidal Samarai penalties. Still gives me the heebees thinking about it.

[Red Ryder]

Follow The Prophet reminds me of Pay Lay Ale and the chanting nature of the prayer circle. My first time through the temple in the early 80's was one disturbing and freaky experience; back when you were naked under the table cloth to get washed and anointed and all those nasty blood atonement suicidal Samarai penalties. Still gives me the heebees thinking about it.

Me too!