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Redford shows little class with LDS comment

I am so glad that I am not the only one seeing the upsurge of Anti-LDS bigotry. That is simply all it is; Bigotry.

Candor never seems polite when it is about you, but I thought Robert Redford�s comments were okay in their tone. He did seem out of touch on some of it.

Hicks was right to correct Redford that not every mormon male goes on a mission.

But Redford seems right about the plastic comment. There is fakeness in probably any large social structure. A lot of mormons in each Utah neighborhood I have lived in seem plastic in their delivery of niceties. But I don�t think it�s a bad thing...it is difficult to be sincerely nice all the time to everyone. It is better to be superficially nice, than to avoid others.

True that young mormon men often lack practice in considering the contrary points of view. I used to be one of those young mormon men. Now, I still see the good in the mormon church still, but I also see the plastic testimony deliveries. Not all mormons deliver their message plasticly, but many do. Still, I like the mormons. And I like Robert Redford...he isn�t fully in touch with what he said, but he did have a point at the end.

I am a practicing Mormon man, who went on a mission. I wasn't offended at all by his comments. So he thinks that we are fake, so what? Some of us are. If he wants to have misconceptions about something he doesn't know much about that is fine by me. Lumping him in the category of Richards and Gibson would be a mistake.

I do think he is rather lazy when it comes to logical reasoning, but that is his prerogative. We all make exaggerations and generalizations that aren't warranted. He should keep in mind his influence and hold his reasoning to a higher standard, but his comments don't mean much. It also doesn't show little class. I think to say he has little class is doing the same thing you are crying out against, it is making a character judgement on a little information.

For someone who is as "open" as Robert Redford, his comments are narrow-minded and embarrassing. How long does someone have to live in Utah to know that not all young Mormon men go on missions? Hello! And to categorize all Mormon men as "plastic" shows his ignorance and uneducated tolerance. Maybe he should move to Hollywood where all the cool, "real" people live.

It appears that Robert Redford managed some free advertising for his new movie (Rated R) with his anti-Mormon comments. I like Robert Redford as an actor. I cannot agree with his political opinions. And it is unfortunate he does not take pride in producing a great movie with a rating other than "R". What a waste of talent.

The problem is no one likes stereotypes - unless they're positive. We don't ALL do anything, no matter what the group, although let's face the facts, if you don't go on a mission in the LDS church, it is hard to fit perfectly in the culture ever afterwards.

I'm not sure what "plastic" means. On a scale of 10, this is rather mild. I think the scrutiny is good even though the lack of info is amazing. We deserve much of what we get because so many in Utah equate 'righteousness' with membership in the conservative wing of the GOP.

Take a self-test: how many of us are more concerned with church service stats rather than building real relationships with those we serve? Do we merely know all the scriptures and conference talks on "love" or are we able to really love those who don't love us and forgive freely and unconditionally?? Are we plastic (artificial) or real followers of Christ?

Now I will sit back and see how many respond to Redford's comments and other posters in anger and contention vs. those who think we can improve...

This article is way overblown. The only thing Redford was saying about Mormons is that they are trained to articulate a message (which they are). The comment about being plastic was specifically directed at Mitt Romney (and it's largely true).

Take a couple deep breaths. The world's not out to get Mormons. And really, if you're looking at people much more blatant in their feelings about Mormons, don't look at liberals, look at evangelical conservatives.

The free advertising for "Lions of the Lamb" didn't work very well. It should have been renamed "Cubbies in the Den" , but RR is persistent.

Why do you feel the need to lump in Gays with Mormons? If your not LDS then don't speak for the rest of us. It's clear, with your quote of left winger Andrew Young that you feel guilty about something. Don't tell us were all biased. Bottom line, I don't care one bit for Redford, but as an LDS person, I wasn't offended.

Ref to the Catholic comment when JFK was running for President.
Yes, the people were scared to death that the US Presidency was going to be ran by the POPE and we would loose our freedoms.

Did not Happen then either.

Hey Henry, your knowledge of Romney and Muslims on his cabinet is so typical of people who don�t read the details from more than one or two sources. Being Muslim isn�t the issue. Population wise, Muslims are too few in numbers to justify a cabinet position just because their a Muslim. Romney never said he wouldn�t appoint a person to the cabinet who also happened to be Muslim. Being Muslim is simply not the selection criteria Romney will use; as it should be.

As for Reobert Redford or any entertainer, their political opinions simply do not matter even though they think they do. I for one simply will not pay to see any of their films as my way to voice my objection to their political wonderings.

Who cares what Robert Redford says? He's an actor. He couldn't even be nice to the Mormon he married and professed to love. Maybe he was faking it when he told her he did? I guess she finally saw the plasticness.

It is true we as male Mormons do a lot of the same things over and over. Basically it is the concept of training. Do it until you get it right. I would appreciate, Mr. R. doing more homework though.

You guys are reading entirely too much into this. Redford's comments that "every Mormon man" goes on a mission is clearly false, but it seems to me to be a genuine misconception in his part. And I don't see anything offensive or mailicious about the error. He said "all" Mormon men, when really it is only "some." So what? Anyone who is offended by that mistake is clearly choosing to be.

As for the "plastic" comment, I read that as being directed specifically at Romney, not Mormon men in general. Redford's point seems to be that Mormon missionaries have to learn the skill of sticking to their message (the Gospel) even with they have "blows" (verbal attacks, misinformation, and all the other challenges a missionary faces) coming at them. Not only is that not an insult, it even almost sounds like a compliment. And then he simply concludes that in Romney's case, his display of that skill is "plastic." You think Redford is the first one to suggest that a politician is phony? I think we're being hypersensitive here.

(Sidenote: in its original sense, "plastic" simply means malleable, shapable, not "artificial"... FYI)

Re: not sure...

Your statement, "if you don't go on a mission in the LDS church, it is hard to fit perfectly in the culture ever afterwards." is misguided at best. I have served in a Bishopric for seven years now with a "non-mission" Bishop and "non-mission" 2nd Counselor. They both fit perfectly into Mormon culture. Maybe your comment centers on the Utah Mormon culture?

I think the ones on here who are members and are looking within analytically are really the one's who are the true members. There are pockets around the state where such things as kidnapping have happened because of this plastic attitude. Civil right have been trampled on and a people have been held back because they didn't buy into the norm set by the dominant religion. Opportunities have been wasted on both sides to come to some kind of civil understanding. Character assasination and hurt feelings abound when the system heavily favors one side without ever feeling true charity to others. Even members who have made gallant efforts in mediation have often been looked upon as a crusader who just aren't right. Honesty is such a lonely word , yet those that go against what is percieved to be the norm are to be commended because the minute I think I have heard all the rhetoric there is one that actually cares and listens,will emerge causiing me to not generalize!So I deal with a person one at a time!

Henry,

Please don't follow suit with the rest of the media and misrepresent the comments of Mitt Romney about Muslims. He never said he would not have someone of the Muslim faith in his cabinet. All he said was that he wouldn't appoint someone to his cabinet based solely on their being a Muslim.

An actor calling LDS men plastic. Has he looked in the mirror lately?

So Mr.Redford, you think when Christ tells us to "love thy neighbor has thyself" and we decide to heed that advise and apply it in our lives, we are plastic? And when God commanded Moses not to kill, steal or have any graven images, and we decide to again incorporate those principles in our lives, we are plastic? Or when growing up and our parents would teach, advise and counsel us and we did as they asked, we are plastic? When we heed the advise and warnings from an individual we consider a prophet, we are plastic? If that is plastic, then I am proud to say I am plastic.

The reason Redford's comments did not receive any attention is that he is a marginalized has-been.

He is irrelevant to any topic of substance. He is like the 80 year-old grandfather with alzheimer's, he is tolerated, but ignored.

Sundance has ridden into the sunset folks.