Reader comments
Mormon missionary calendar-maker facing discipline

"I just feel like my right to free speech is being violated."

I don't see anybody infringing on his right to free speech - he can say and do whatever he wants, including publishing the calendar.

BUT.... he is not immune to consequences to his free speech.

That's a difference that many people are quick to forget.

Why is he being diciplined? This calender was the best PR the LDS church has gotten in a while thanks to the FLDS church. Every non-mormon I've talked to who has seen this calender loved it. They said if missionaries who looked like that came knocking on their doors the would definitely let them in.

Seems to me "The Church" needs to relax. It uses the First Amendment for protection when it sees fit yet wants to infringe on another person's First Amendment rights. So a few RM's took off thier shirts. Big Whoop. I bet if he paid his 10% membership fee there would be no need for discipline.

This is crazy. Does anyone know whether the dudes in the calendar are all gay? Did this calendar get sold to more gay guys or more females? No one should have a problem with this calendar unless it is targeting the closet mormon gays....or open mormon gays for that matter. If thats the case then that is a problem. If people view this calendar as a faith promoting vehicle, then what is your logic in that? I think the photos could have been shot in a more conservative way, and still project the church in a positive light. Having the guys with their shirts off I think pushes the "worry" line a little too far.

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints VOLUNTARILY submit themselves to the discipline of the Church. If one doesn't accept this then he should walk away and not look back...

Oh, yes, this is Utah...that means that career, family, and general well-being are at the mercy of an unelected, uneducated, and generally uncaring Church hierarchy which discriminates against all who don't fall under their sway.

Good luck...

Maybe since Hardy hasn't attended a church meeting in 6 years he has forgotten a little (or a lot) about what Mormonism is all about. This meeting should be a good refresher course for him. Oh, and "The Church" is doing nothing to infringe on his First Ammendment rights. Church membership, or disicipline within any private religious organization, is not something the constitution directly addresses.

Well said Dave! Well said!

Regarding Mr. Hardy and his attempt to shake up the Mormon church by publishing his trite little calendar; I suspect that Mr. Hardy, whom i have never met or heard of was more hoping for a little income boost than to rattle the church. The Mormon church has faced many trials of almost unspeakable magnitude and has always proven worthy of the task. The Church has world wide concerns that encompass feeding poor and destitute people both spiritual and temporal food. For Mr. Hardy to assume that Headquarters is massing an attack over such trivia is laughable. As is always the case those who lose their faith and depart therefrom are always trying to "provoke the Church and it's leaders to do a better job", even though they themselves can not or could not muster the faith to stay "active" and serve their fellow man. Mr. Hardys assertion that no one has ever encouraged him to return to activity, is not possible, however it may make him feel justified in trying to degrade such an important work, by saying so.

It's Las Vegas. Last I checked that was in Nevada, not Utah. Just couldn't pass up an opportunity for Utah-bashing, could you? Makes you look foolish as well as bigoted.

By the way, all church callings are presented to church membership for a vote, so calling them unelected is a little off, too. As for uncaring, I've not experienced that in church leaders. The rest of the rant in your second paragraph is just too ridiculous to address.

The church will excommunicate members for speech. There is no free speech within the gospel. You do not have an unlimited ability to express yourself and stay in the church.
This is a very offensive item. However if Hardy has broken his temple covenants as he seems to have than he has other issues besides this publication. Also, the very act of having made this whole thing public will not help his case. He is definantly not showing an attidute of trying to advance Christian behavior or any amount of respect for the church and its authorities.

"I wondered what would happen if we took that perfect Disneyland image that the church spends millions of dollars cultivating each year and shook it up a little bit."

Well, there is a pollyanna approach & outlook on life behind the Zion curtain. How else do you explain Utah leading the nation in anti-depressant use if for no other reason than to keep up appearances.

As for L. Wasden's comment, "For Mr. Hardy to assume that Headquarters is massing an attack over such trivia is laughable."

I doubt HQ is behind this particular witch hunt. It seems that most crusades to save people from themselves are conducted at a grass roots level.

My guess is there is an uptight puritan of a neighbor who believes their Mr. Hardy is deviating to far from their ideal of what should be acceptable.

I also think some of the comments from people who do not understand why members find pictures of shirtless Mormon missionaries offensive are from people who do not understand that all Mormon missionaries are under covenants that require them to wear shirts except for a very few activities, like swimming, that are exceptions.
I have to agree with the 3:15 poster. When did Utah annex Las Vegas?

this guy hasn't attended church since 2002...why does this guy feel like he needs to shake up the sterotype of a church he han't attended in 6 years. Its all about the money...

Even if Las Vegas was in Utah the comment about not being a member ruinging your career does not add up. Ross Anderson has had a plenty good career, not only outside the church but proactively attacking it half the time.

Steven: You are so right. Well said.
It does bother me, though, that we are reading about this in the news. I don't know who (I know it wasn't the church leaders.) contacted the media about it, but I'm disgusted that something that is between them, him, and the Lord, is being plastered on the news. It's not anyone elses business if he's been asked to meet to explain himself.

Bwahahahahaha.... I recommend church members who are offended by this NEVER go to the beach... or the swimming pool, or take showers.

How silly. It's a shame he didn't just publish it with shirts on. When you "rattle the church" as has been said, you quickly learn it's not yours to rattle.

As for all those who say oh well, big deal--shame shame shame too.

Further, Las Vegas started as a colony of Church Members. Know your history folks. Get off the strip and you realize the percentage of mormon population is much larger than even that of many Utah towns.

Go Utah basher Go!

should be treated as a matter of "Internal Affairs" for the LDS Church...

What would be more meaningful, is to bring the former home teacher, Bishop, and Elder Quorom President who failed "their covenants" by not caring, reaching out, or contacting Chad when he become inactive back in 2002, to a discpline council.

That seems to be bigger issue in my view than some guys without a shirt on. Big deal.

And I'm an active LDS member btw...

This is not a first amendment issue. It is a spiritual issue; hence the church�s valid and rightful interest. It is an issue of our covenant relationship with God. Modesty matters. It is a true principle lived by those who know and love God. Both the man making the calendar and those who posed for it were out of line. If they reflected upon the meanings of their voluntary commitments of discipleship and of living the gospel in a covenant relationship with Christ, they would have automatically understood such a calendar was out of line with the spirit of Christ and our relationship with Him. Life is not about us, our vanity, our wealth, our rights, our pleasure, me, me, me. Rather, life is about knowing God, loving what He loves, and living as He would, which, brings indescribable peace and joy. Immodesty for profit which can besmirch a church by those who have made voluntary, covenants not to do such things is a proper point of interest for any church, and the inquiry will be guided by a genuine love and interest for the spiritual well-being of the subject.