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Your first and second points are strong hypotheses. In my opinion the third in particular needs substantiation. It's quite common for external religiosity to be

Your first and second points are strong hypotheses. In my opinion the third in particular needs substantiation. It's quite common for external religiosity to be negatively correlated with higher education (a reasonable proxy for "rational individual thought," which is otherwise difficult to measure). Neutral evidence points towards the opposite for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - unique in having a strong positive correlation wherein the more highly educated, the more religiously active a member is, at least in the United States [1]. Members are also more likely to have a college education than non-members (61% vs. 50%) in the U.S. as a whole, again not supporting an aversion to rational thought [2]. Neither of those disproves your assertion, but they do provide evidence to the contrary. [1] https://www.pewforum.org/2017/04/26/in-america-does-more-education-equal-less-religion/ https://www.pewforum.org/2017/04/26/in-america-does-more-edu... [2] https://www.pewforum.org/2009/07/24/a-portrait-of-mormons-in-the-us/ https://www.pewforum.org/2009/07/24/a-portrait-of-mormons-in...

yellowapple 7y ago
> In my opinion the third in particular needs substantiation. Fair enough. Exhibit A would be the AAUP's report on BYU's academic freedom¹ (BYU - Brigham Young University - being the LDS-owned-and-financed university system, aimed specifically at Mormon students and faculty). Money quote: Many faculty members shared in some detail the narratives of their problems with academic freedom, reappointment, promo- tion, and tenure, frequently producing documents but asking that their names and identifying circumstances not be included in this report. At least two cases are in litigation against the uni- versity. Some cases involve issues of personal conduct that are under investigation and others focus on academic research that raises concern with the administration. Several creative artists in different fields told of pressures to alter works to meet unclear administrative agendas. The ability of faculty members to leave BYU after many years of service is impeded by a non-portable re- tirement plan. Numerous women, some in groups and some alone, spoke to the investigating committee about the hostile cli- mate for women on campus. Many expressed the view that single women and women who want professional careers are under sus- picion by the administration and the LDS Church because the Mormon Church considers marriage and family the first duty of a woman.5 Overall, faculty members described an intensified pressure in recent years for a rigid orthodoxy and active interfer- ence by Church officials in university business to the detriment of faculty morale. And bear in mind this is a university (or more accurately three universities, though the report predates BYU Idaho transitioning from a junior college to a 4-year university, which is likely why only BYU and BYU Hawaii are mentioned). If even the Church's own university prioritizes Church doctrine over free thought and academic integrity, then the Church itself - and the various stakes and wards thereof - is unlikely to be much better. On another note, per your second source, the "61% vs 50%" only pertains to individuals with "at least some college education"; the percentages drop to national averages when you look at actual graduates (18% of Mormons, v. 16% nationally) or those with post-graduate education (10% of Mormons, v. 11% nationally). Not that college education is really a reliable proxy for rational individual thought anyway (lots of smart and rational people didn't go to college; lots of less-smart and/or less-rational people did). ---- ¹: https://www.aaup.org/NR/rdonlyres/27EB0A08-8D25-4415-9E55-8081CC874AC5/0/Brigham.pdf https://www.aaup.org/NR/rdonlyres/27EB0A08-8D25-4415-9E55-80...

yellowapple 7y ago

> In my opinion the third in particular needs substantiation. Fair enough. Exhibit A would be the AAUP's report on BYU's academic freedom¹ (BYU - Brigham Young University - being the LDS-owned-and-financed university system, aimed specifically at Mormon students and faculty). Money quote: Many faculty members shared in some detail the narratives of their problems with academic freedom, reappointment, promo- tion, and tenure, frequently producing documents but asking that their names and identifying circumstances not be included in this report. At least two cases are in litigation against the uni- versity. Some cases involve issues of personal conduct that are under investigation and others focus on academic research that raises concern with the administration. Several creative artists in different fields told of pressures to alter works to meet unclear administrative agendas. The ability of faculty members to leave BYU after many years of service is impeded by a non-portable re- tirement plan. Numerous women, some in groups and some alone, spoke to the investigating committee about the hostile cli- mate for women on campus. Many expressed the view that single women and women who want professional careers are under sus- picion by the administration and the LDS Church because the Mormon Church considers marriage and family the first duty of a woman.5 Overall, faculty members described an intensified pressure in recent years for a rigid orthodoxy and active interfer- ence by Church officials in university business to the detriment of faculty morale. And bear in mind this is a university (or more accurately three universities, though the report predates BYU Idaho transitioning from a junior college to a 4-year university, which is likely why only BYU and BYU Hawaii are mentioned). If even the Church's own university prioritizes Church doctrine over free thought and academic integrity, then the Church itself - and the various stakes and wards thereof - is unlikely to be much better. On another note, per your second source, the "61% vs 50%" only pertains to individuals with "at least some college education"; the percentages drop to national averages when you look at actual graduates (18% of Mormons, v. 16% nationally) or those with post-graduate education (10% of Mormons, v. 11% nationally). Not that college education is really a reliable proxy for rational individual thought anyway (lots of smart and rational people didn't go to college; lots of less-smart and/or less-rational people did). ---- ¹: https://www.aaup.org/NR/rdonlyres/27EB0A08-8D25-4415-9E55-8081CC874AC5/0/Brigham.pdf https://www.aaup.org/NR/rdonlyres/27EB0A08-8D25-4415-9E55-80...