Comments about ‘Emily W. Jensen: Today in the Bloggernacle: Mission over sports contract and a video testimony’

"Now, less than six weeks after conference, Australian LDS Church member Will Hopoate has chosen to follow Goings example, forgoing interest from six teams and at least one offer worth USD $1.6 million. Wow. Hows that for following the counsel of general conference?"

This is just a guess, but one year from now, few LDS people will be talking about Will Hopoate, but many will still be talking about Jimmer Fredette, and that's a sad commentary on our priorities. We make Hopoate a hero for choosing a mission, and we make Jimmer a hero for being better than everyone else. So which one is it? Is a mission the most important thing? Or winning the most important thing? I know a mission is a personal decision for each young man and we shouldn't judge their decisions, but those who would idolize Will Hopoate while at the same time defending Jimmer Fredette as the 'greatest misisonary every' are showing a bit of a double standard.

Richard, you have the luxury of thinking that "one year from now, few LDS people will be talking about Will Hopoate" because you live in the U.S. Remember, the majority of LDS Church members do not.

I'm fairly sure that the 250,000 LDS Church members in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific will NOT be thinking much of Fredette in a year either. I'm not even sure that Basketball is the favorite sport of most LDS Church members. Seems more likely that it is soccer!!

There may be a double standard here in the minds of some people. More likely, IMO, members of the Church are simply enjoying an affiliation with fellow LDS Church members. Interest and admiration don't imply approval of every detail of what the person does.