Is this the Church’s version of The Body Issue?

[Red Ryder]

We’ve all seen ESPN’s Body Issue, an edition of ESPN The Magazine that features dozens of athletes in nude and semi-nude photographs, which is intended to rival the annual Swimsuit Issue from Sports Illustrated.

It appears the church has its own August version of The Body Issue for every member via the Friend, The New Era, and the Ensign. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news (I know Kishkumen is seriously disappointed here) but these August issues don’t show Mormon celebrities photographed in their garments let alone naked in any form.





I know it’s easy to complain about the church message around modesty and chastity but there are some positive changes the church has inserted into these magazines. Here’s a few examples:

In addition to encouraging them to be healthy, we can create a family environment that models these good decisions.This includes having open and shame-free discussions about sexual intimacy and what changes to expect in their body as they grow up.

Then there’s the passive aggressive message to avoid tattoos and immodest clothes but nonetheless to be kind. That’s a positive start, right?

Finally, other people may treat their bodies in ways we are taught to avoid. As we tell our children to stay away from tattoos, piercings, and immodest clothing, let’s make sure we are also teaching them to be kind. While we might not agree with the choices people make, we should always treat others with love and respect.

They have a long way to go to move away from the current culture of toxic shame and sexual repression but some of the messaging in these “Body Issues” was positive.

For anyone wanting to browse here’s an article that summarizes the magazine articles.

https://latterdaysaintmag.com/august-en ... -the-body/

[Wonderment]

Thanks for sending this along -- but my cynical take is that probably some "liberal" wrote/ edited this issue and will be released shortly after Nelson claims that he never approved of it. Also, look at the cover illustration -- some woman who is not Caucasian is wearing an immodest top and probably garments a couple sizes too small; otherwise, the garment would peek through the v-neck of her top. In addition, the small child is wearing ( gasp !) a sleeveless dress, and what way is that to prepare our daughters to dress modestly? This looks verrrrry, verrry suspicious to me. Apparently, even the elect have been deceived......

[crazyhamster]

Yeah, that kindness message seems a bit like, "feel free to pass judgements on people you don't know about their personal style, but make sure you're kind while you do it."

[Advocate]

Nice to see some positive messages from the church about the body, even if many members will ignore it. The message about modesty in the New Era was good and is something I would teach to youth.

The problem is the messages don't go far enough and aren't strong enough when it comes to being judgmental. Judging others for "immodest" clothing seems to be a favorite past time of many women, and some men, in our ward. I'm not sure why we can't teach correct principles and let others choose for themselves.

[RubinHighlander]

[Corsair]

This issue of the Ensign stands in amusing contrast with the practical standards that are usually inflicted on youth and adults. The disussion over in the Modesty Requirements for Youth Conference is exactly the problem with the usual implementation. The entire idea of "porn shoulders" is getting out of hand with escalating virtue signalling.