Angela Ellsworth on Being Gay, the Mormon Church, and Her Increasing Artistic Success

Chad, there's nothing ignorant about what I said. What "falsehoods"? What are you, Joseph Smith, anyway -- you mean lies? As for ignorant, look in the mirror Mormon dude! Your church hates gays and opresses women, no matter with the Book of Mormon says. No wonder this artist has spent her life mocking it. You guys are worthy of mockery. And there's nothing racist about New Times letting this woman have a forum. She's an artist of international repute. You have progressive opinions about politics here, Chad, but you are wearing blinders when it comes to your faith. Also, get a grip, this is a review of an aratist's work.

At least get your facts right. This is absurd.

Russell Pearce is a Mormon and so is this weird bitch.Nothing unusual here.

And, like many other previous writers, this one fails to make the distinction between the mainstream Mormon Church and those offshoots who base their religions on the practice of polygamy. FYI, the true Mormon Church officially banned polygamy 120 years ago and had effectively ended the practice long before that. Don't you just love how it's ok to support gay rights, but not ok to allow other people their beliefs? There is enough room in the world for us all, you know.

Yo, what "facts" are you referring to? If you're going to make ignorant closed minded comments based on "facts", I'd like to see them. Have you read the Book of Mormon? I doubt it. But I'm not here to argue with you about religion - you are welcome to call me any time and I'd be glad to talk to you about it. I was only making a point that the New Times (and the AZ Republic for that matter) seem to have a perverse fixation with all things Mormon and have no qualms printing outright falsehoods about the Church.

Not a bigoted article. Facts are that Smith used silly woo woo to start a religion.

Its like Scientology + 100 years, or Christianity +2000 years. Silly stuff.

Jack Swift, you see absolutely nothing bigoted about this piece in the same way that Russell Pearce sees absolutely nothing bigoted about SB1070 - it's all in your perspective I guess. And make no mistake about it - this is not an "art review". How many art reviews have you read that go into the geneology and religious history of the artist?. It's another slam piece by the New TImes on what is the last acceptable bastion of intolerance in our society - Mormons (and Muslims). With all that is going on in Arizona right now, two cover stories in two weeks about gays and Mormons...and you call me sensitive!!! Lacey and Larkin are good guys and should know better.

Just a couple of historical points of clarification. While some believe Joseph Smith, Jr. used a seer stone to translate the Book of Mormon, in fact he used a Urim and Thummim, a device used by High Priests of ancient Israel to divine the will of God for Israel. Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were the only first hand witnesses of how Joseph translated the Book of Mormon. Their testimony was that he used a Urim and Thummin. The story that he used a seer stone, a device used for magical or occult divinations, came from those who never observed how Joseph translated the Book of Mormon. For a more in depth explanation of this, read the pamphlet, How the Plates of the Book of Mormon were Translated, by Delbert Smith.

The other point I wish to clarify is that while it is the prevailing opinion that Joseph Smith, Jr. was a polygamist, it is not a fact. Joseph Smith Fought Polygamy is an online work containing over three volumes of evidence supporting the position that he did not teach or practice polygamy. Other people including Brigham Young and eight other Apostles introduced polygamy into the LDS Church. In addition, the evidence and testimonies presented by the Utah LDS Church in the Temple Lot Suit in the 1890s was not sufficient to determine in a court of law that Joseph Smith, Jr. taught or practiced polygamy.

You may obtain a copy of Delbert Smith’s pamphlet or read Joseph Smith Fought Polygamy and the Temple Lot Suit decision at RestorationBookstore.org.

Chad, sensitive, aren't you? I see noting remotely bigoted in this piece. Facts are facts, Chad. This artist is hardly the first to call BS on the Mormon Church. Particularly the fundamentalist sect of it. That Mormons despise gays is not exactly a news flash. You know what, Chad, artists are allowed to express themselves as they please, and the press is allowed to report on that. There are constitutional guarantees of this. Sorry that it offends your backward morality. Maybe you should be fitted for a bonnet.

As for you, Rex, maybe you're the one who should lay off the ganja. Those of us with clear heads, not infused with religious bias, had no problem figuring out this art review.

I don't think I have ever read a poorer biography. Whom ever wrote this make no attempt to make it coherant. It rambles and rambles and after spending half an hour trying to find the theme and point of the story I con only conclude that the writer (not corespondent) was likely on something. Along with Chad Snow, I can only conclude that the writer made a great effort to write about what he or she knew nothing of. As a suggested help I would advise abstaining from any form of mind altering substance for at least twelve hours before begining the task.

Interesting that New Times can be such a clear voice against racial bigotry but give such a regular platform for religious bigotry. As a lifelong Mormon, I found most of the information in this article about the Mormon church to be either patently false or mythical at best. A bitter ex-Mormon is probably not the best source of information about the Church...