In response to Elder Nelson’s recent keynote address at BYU’s commencement (here is a link to a recording of the whole ceremony–the address begins speaking at ~39 minute mark), I made an alternate version of the speech, published on the Infants on Thrones podcast.
Find the recording here:
Wheat & Tares 
You hit the nail on the head!
“I am an apostle, so my cherry picking is divinely inspired.” Classic!
A little more snarky than true. Not loving this one.
I think it’s both snarky, AND true.
Snarky but truthy. A compromise.
I found this to be disrespectful and poorly done.
Your little schpeel sounds almost like an ironic commentary on disbelievers of apostolic authority. But, alas, me thinks it is pure snark.
Sick
I can understand why some people wouldn’t care for this, but I don’t see anything disrespectful about it.
spiel, not schpeel
For those who found this overly snarky and/or disrespectful, I completely understand that sentiment. The sarcasm is especially thick, and I was entirely unforgiving in my cynicism.
However, the reason I approached it this way is because I find the whole affair incredibly frustrating. If this was a conference talk, I’d have the same objections to the content as I did here, but I probably wouldn’t have made a snarky response, because it was given to a group of Mormons who had gathered to hear talks about Mormonism. The setting would be appropriate.
The fact that this talk was given as the keynote address at an accredited university’s graduation commencement makes it, in my opinion, pretty unforgivable. I know it’s a Church-owned school, so they technically do whatever they want. Call me old-fashioned, but I believe that institutions of higher education–even those that have religious affiliations–should at least somewhat embrace the idea that there’s a separation between the service they provide and the agenda of a particular religion.
Snark on, Bro Jake.
I would certainly agree that this kind of speech was probably not appropriate for a commencement. However, if it were done in a CES fireside or at General Conference, the usual crowd would have not appreciated it any better….
Dr. Nelson would have been better advised and his listeners better served had he spent the afternoon dozing on the chaise lounge on his patio.
“Dr. Nelson would have been better advised and his listeners better served had he spent the afternoon dozing on the chaise lounge on his patio.” Well, duh. That’s pretty true for all of us nearly all the time!
Wowza. Talks like Elder Nelson’s are the reason I feel so conflicted about staying in the church. Thankfully, I still believe President Uchtdorf’s message that I’m wanted.
Of all the things you have done this, I believe, is my favorite. Let us indeed oggle the subsidized tuition and remember.
“I know it’s a Church-owned school, so they technically do whatever they want. Call me old-fashioned, but I believe that institutions of higher education–even those that have religious affiliations–should at least somewhat embrace the idea that there’s a separation between the service they provide and the agenda of a particular religion.”
I almost have no words for that having been a commencement speech…. Seminary graduation, maybe. A talk in sacrament, a conference talk, ok… It has absolutely nothing to do with what all of those graduates just spent time and money working toward, or what they spent time and money hoping to achieve one day. It’s not inspiritational or congratulatory. It’s an admonishment that has mostly nothing to do with any of their degrees, other than that they took religion classes. It’s a ‘this is how you should live your lives’ speech. My brother graduated from a private religious university – not LDS – and the commencement address was really great about how each graduate should ask themselves how they can make their life count and how they can make a difference in the world. I can’t believe he would be encouraged to make that speech and Bro. Jake, your sarcasm is necessary because the blow of a speech like this needs to be softened.