BYU fans and The Photo

[BD]

I’m sure you are aware of the photo by now. If not, you will be soon. In case you haven’t heard, the photo shows some Utah recruits in their football uniforms showing some Church ceremony – such as an ordination circle or similar. BYU supporter Ben Criddle tweeted it.

From what we understand, they are recruits that are members of the church, which is important to keep in mind. This of course suggests that they didn’t have intentions to mock the religion, but were just trying to be funny. Poor taste in my opinion, but nothing I am going to be offended about. I saw missionaries on my own mission do similar and much worse things.

Of course, BYU fans on Twitter and especially CougarBoard are calling down the wrath of acid rain, hell-fire and damnation on the U of U, Utah fans, and especially U fans that are members of the Church, for allowing such “horribly insensitive and offensive material” to pollute our fanbase and university. I guarantee you, we ALUFs as they call us (Active LDS Ute Fan) will hear their wrath of this for the next 15 years.

Of course, BYU fans ignore their own religion ironically (hypocritically): “To be offended is a choice we make; it is not a condition inflicted or imposed upon us by someone or something else.” said Church leader David A. Bednar. It seems Ute fans are living this counsel and not BYU fans, LOL.

Anyway, when BYU fans insist on a failed narrative that is ridiculous, “How dare you be a member of the church and allow this horrible anti-Mormon behavior! How dare you be a Ute supporter and allow this!”, then they will do anything to find reasons to continue to stand by that failed narrative. Which is, of course, why they are so outraged by this photo.

We know darn well why they display their outrage at Ute fans – particularly members of the church that are Ute fans – over this photo. It really isn’t the photo itself, it is to continue to have a big piece of mud to throw at us. It is to desperately hold onto the failed logic that it is wrong to be active in the church and be a Utes fan. They find any mud/poo that they think works in their favor over this, and launch at Ute fans for the next 15 years – that is the reason for their “outrage”.

The obvious irony of this, is that if they are so outraged at the photo, bringing it up over and over again on Twitter or CougarBoard gives more attention to the photo that they are so outraged over. I mean if something is so offensive to them, then why give it more attention? But they do just that – so they can convince themselves that someone else (Ute fans) are evil, wrong, and they, therfore, are good and righteous. That is their narrative, and it is obvious to me. And it is disgusting to me. (Yes, I realize the irony of my double standard here of me being offended by their behavior, LOL. I’m just making a point in all this drama, and then I’m going to forget about it. LOL.)

Not wanting to paint with a wide brush, I do have BYU fans that are co-workers and family that I care about, and are good people. But the Cougarboard/Twitter bunch displays an online arrogance that we all know is disgusting.

[Central Coast Ute]

Zoobs will be zoobs. Any opportunity they get to be offended they will pounce on. It’s a big part of their persecution complex.

As an ALUF myself, I don’t find myself getting triggered or offended by the picture. Kids do things all of the time without thinking and I don’t have time in my life to care about something that does not affect me. Your quote from Elder Bednar reminds me of another one and I might not be quoting it verbatim but it comes from Brigham Young, their namesake himself, “He who takes offense when it is not intended is a fool, and he who takes offense when it is intended is a greater fool”. I guess ol Brigham has accurately described modern day TDS fans.

[BD]

LOL!

https://www.cougarboard.com/board/message.html?id=28488408

[MFury]

As an ALUF, this is the least offensive or sacred of the church things we do on a regular basis. If they wanted to be offensive, it would have been really easy…

Clearly fits in the “mildly dumb s**t teenagers do” category.

So glad I grew up in the 80/90s without insta to preserve a record of the dumb s**t I did. This would certainly not have made the top 25. Or 100.

That said. I’m now planning my sarcastic retorts when this inevitably get brought up in quorum tomorrow.

[RedUte14]

The cougar board doesn’t seem (mostly) to be overreacting to it. But can I get a link to said photo out of curiosity?

[ALUF]

Plot twist: a majority of them commit elsewhere or even worst for them…byu-p

[Larry B]

I found BYU’s new fight song.

[Waybackutefan]

FOTC one of the best shows evaaaa.

[GameForAnyFuss]

Here’s the best part: When the news finally came out that one of the kids in the photo is an LDS 4-star from Kahuku HS that BYU-Provo Campus is really hot for, their fans started backtracking hard on the criticism.

Just another example of the conditional morality and selective outrage that permeates the BYU-Provo Campus culture.

[PhiladelphiaUte]

Correct you are BD.  Had it been any other university, the tdS wouldn’t have reacted in such an colossal apoplexy.  They’re still butt-hurt over Utah’s invitation to join the very league they’d spent the prior 30-yrs claiming was coming their way, and then couldn’t land anywhere better than the MWC, so they’ve been bending over backwards ever since trying to find ammunition against us.  They’re actively LOOKING for reasons to be offended.

As an active LDS member myself, I was neither offended, alarmed, nor amused by it.  I just don’t care!  I don’t care if they did it “innocently“, and I don’t care if they did it “maliciously“.  I don’t know these people, and neither do they know me.  So what do I care if they if they believe the same as I?  And what do I care if they don’t?  This isn’t 19th century Missouri, and Gov. Boggs had died over 160-yrs ago.  I. Don’t. Care.

[SkinyUte]

As a non-member, I just don’t get why LDS folks get so weirdly riled up when people poke fun at their religion. It happens to every religion. Just laugh (or don’t) and move on, there’s no need to take everything SO damn personal.

I know most of this reaction from Zoobs is just rivalry nonsense, but their consistent overreaction to everything still just weird to me.

[Central Coast Ute]

We’re not all like that. For example, I found that South Park episode to be hilarious. If you can’t laugh at yourself, your life must be miserable. As someone has already pointed out, TDS fans are back tracking on their outrage due to who one of the recruits is. If that kid chooses Utah, I’m sure their outrage will return.

[MDUte]

Totally agree Central. I’m an ALUF and have always found it healthy to be able to laugh at ourselves. South Park has had some hilarious pokes at our faith and I found the Book of Mormon Musical to be hysterically funny with maybe the exception of a couple of parts. But I realize I’m in the minority when it comes to this perspective.

[SkinyUte]

We’re not all like that.

Apologies, I didn’t mean to imply that.  Most of my family is LDS (including Mrs. SkinyUte) and they seem to mostly be able to take a joke.

Seems to be more of a Utah thing, tbh.  The closer you are to Utah County (either in physical location or mindset), the more likely you are to howl “help, help…we’re being repressed!!” whenever a joke involving the Church is made.  It’s honestly been rather hilarious to watch them claim “extreme religious bigotry” over that photo.  

[GameForAnyFuss]

As an ALUF, I’m don’t get riled up at all when people poke fun at my religion. Don’t paint with such a broad brush.

That said, in my life experience I’ve found there are certain beliefs that are close enough to peoples’ hearts that, if you poke fun at them, you can expect them to get riled up. Here are those things:
1. Religion
2. Politics
3. Android vs. iPhone

Go ahead and make fun of any of those things (I know I do), but you should expect a negative emotional response.

[Crow]

How it they follow a religion that their founder was arrested 42 times for fraud? Translated the book of mormon out of a top hat and not the urmim and thumin we were taught about during primary? How is it Jo married multiple wife’s as young as 13, he married mens wifes he sent on missions. Yup my great uncle archeologist for the church. Spoke 14 languages fluently, translated the book of mormon into Greek for the church. Was commissioned by the church to prove the authenticity of the book of mormon. He could not reported back to the presidency. They excommunicated him so it wouldn’t get out. I have his diary in Spanish it was written in. When he was in south America. I have a friend genetics in her home county of Peru. She did her families genetics they come from Mongolia and not Israel as the book claims where the descendants of Leman and Lamuel supposedly came from. So who cares what byu fans think

[MDUte]

I understand and respect that you don’t believe in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. One of the things I love about our fanbase is that we have diversity of cultures, ethnicities, and faiths. With that said, please respect the fact that there is a large percentage of Mormons that all attended the U and are Utah fans as well. There is no need for posts like yours on here. Poke fun at Zoobs/ybu-P all you want. But don’t hate on a large % of our fanbase.

[dystopiamembrane]

(1) all things lack ontological reality; (2) they, nevertheless, have a temporary existence; (3) they are simultaneously unreal and temporarily existing

[DrJazzy]

Not LDS – and 100% agree with your post. I hate that a segment of our fanbase make it about religion and the LDS church when our coach, many of our players, and many of our fans are LDS. Just be respectful of other people’s beliefs. I personally love that we have so many LDS fans. 

[PhiladelphiaUte]

Crow:  It’s “Laman and Lemuel”.  Not “Leman and Lamuel”.  Just sayin’….

[RedUte14]

Crow, your hilarious and probably live a negative life. Thanks for sharing.

[Waybackutefan]

Would appear the Utah smack category is no longer publicly available on boogerboard.

 

[GameForAnyFuss]

On the contrary…Utah smack is currently the only category available on boogerboard.