From Deseret News archives:

Psychology group calms Utahns over film on LDS

Film claims church methods were like 'brainwashing'

Published: Monday, May 2, 2005 10:38 a.m. MDT
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After repeated contact with top APA officials, seeking an official apology to the group's national membership, the two felt their concerns were not being taken seriously, and they set up a Web site to explain the situation in detail, www.biasfire.com. They continued to tell national officials their concern was with the characterizations the APA provided about the LDS Church and its missionaries, not with the film itself.

Groom and Adams recounted much of their story Wednesday for members of the Utah Psychological Association and other local professionals who gather each month to discuss Utah's ongoing religious divide. Anton represented APA at the gathering and said the association has now changed the way it puts the national convention program together in an effort to prevent similar problems in the future.

Wednesday's meeting followed a March confab between UPA officials and leaders of the APA to reinforce the concerns that Groom and Adams had raised. Nanci Klein, who represents the UPA on the APA national council, said she was impressed that the association's top leaders had agreed to hear input on the issue for two hours earlier this year, and had also sent a representative to the Wednesday meeting.

"It happened because it's about anyone who has a belief that gets walked on or treated poorly. That's what psychologists do."

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Responding to characterizations raised by Groom and Adams about how such a characterization of other faiths would not be tolerated, Klein said she's seen a variety of faith or ethnic groups express similar concerns and get a hearing with the APA.

Groom said he appreciated the chance to discuss the discrepancy with a local group concerned about religious discrimination and prejudice. He and Adams said they still would like an apology from the APA to its national membership over the incident.

The association has 160,000 members nationwide.


E-mail: carrie@desnews.com

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