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They just posted the following on their ponderizing FB page: Hi All,
We have decided that it is best to take down the Ponderize.us page because of those who were offended by our idea. We ensure you that we only had good intentions and continue to believe that this would have been a great way to remember to Ponderize but we would rather shut down the site than let a wonderful message be tainted.
We will keep this Facebook page and will continue posting weekly scriptures and hope you do the same!”
What I was more shock about was how all my facebook friends/family responded: “What an awesome idea!”
Then I said, the website was made a couple weeks ago by the son.
“Smart kid!”
WHAT?!?! My head hurts….
I’m glad they took it down. Noble intentions, probably. They’re just not very aware of horrible value system they are living in.
hawkgrrrl wrote:I wish he had instead pulled out a bag of Doritos. Product placement at GC. Wonders never cease. Also, “ponderize” is plagiarized:
http://www.amazon.com/Think-These-Things-Ponderize-Joyful/dp/1494808781
A lot of what we do as Mormons is recirculate Christian stuff. Doubt your doubts is also plagiarized errrrr I prefer to say “borrowed”.
Giving Devin Durrant the complete benefit of the doubt, that the website was going to be strictly not-for-profit and only had the motivation of popularizing the term with the aim at increasing scripture study, I still have a little bit of a problem with this. Here he is a newly called general authority at a pretty young age. He’s giving a talk in general conference right on the heels of being called. And his approach is to start off with a bang. Combined with his mannerisms and delivery of his talk, this does not come across as a humble servant of God at all. He’s overreaching and trying to take control of something he has no right to do. Very poor judgement.
I am glad the site was taken down, and I am glad people spoke up about it. Good intentions, I am sure; horrible idea.
Could someone give me the backstory on this one? The opening post implies it’s sales of items from Elder Scott’s legacy given his passing. But later in the thread, it sounds like it’s sales of items regarding a new Apostle that has been called. Would like to understand what ponderize.us was actually about before it got taken down. The facebook page is vague if you read the About section.
One thing — I even thought it was odd that at the end of each session there was an advertisement for spiritual thoughts from President Monson you could buy. The church has strict rules about anyone selling things in the church. Even if the proceeds go to the church, it reminded me of what we see when commercial pastors have a talk/sermon and then try to get everyone to sign up for their mailing list/book/recorded message/calendars etcetera.
They ride a fine line with these kinds of product promotions.
Here’s a chronological overview as I understand it: A week or so before conference Devin Durrant’s son and DIL register the site ponderize.us and start to sell t-shirts and those plastic bracelet things. The theme of the t-shirts and bracelets are to “ponderize” and “what’s your verse?”
- Devin Durrant gives his conference talk where he repeatedly uses the phrase “ponderize,” presumably to help the talk stand out in people’s minds.
- T-shirt prices drop from $19.99 to $9.99 with the claim that the owners of the site only want to sell at cost, not make a profit, and only meant to get the word out to “ponderize.”
- T-shirt prices go back up to $17.99, this time site owners state that all proceeds will go to the mission fund.
- The site is yanked.
I didn’t keep track of the price fluctuations of the bracelets.
Presumably the change in prices and position of the site owners mirrored public outcry.
I should give them the benefit of the doubt…but lotsa Mormons are thrifty and money motivated….I can’t help but think they thought they could make a quick buck while doing something good. It’s fine since they took it down. Just an oops and a learning opportunity…and a good thing people spoke up. The Internet is a great tool to give instant feedback and learn some things, Pres. Uchtdorf. The tool isn’t the problem, it’s how people use it. Thanks for the overview nibbler. I was similarly feeling out of the loop on this. Moving past the merchandising aspect, the idea behind it is horrible. Mormons are already pretty scripturally illiterate. Why compound the problem with more catchy ways to reduce scriptures to a sound bite? It’s begun on my Facebook feed I had a #ponderize. Save us. I agree hawkgrrl we tend to be scriptural illiterate because we focus on the same scriptures over and over. I read the entire OT on my mission and gained a whole new perspective on the atonement that is missed in ss and all other classes because we focus too much.
Elder Durrant has issued an apology. He said he knew about the site and didn’t try to stop it, which was “poor judgment” – and that no church leaders knew about it. He said it will stay down. The link to the apology is:
http://kutv.com/news/local/lds-church-leader-apologizes-for-ponderize-merchandise-website I appreciate the apology, even as I would characterize it as a terrible lapse in judgment. I have had terrible lapses of judgment, as well, and I choose to believe he did not think it was done as a profit venture.
I think Durrant’s apology is sincere. I have made mistakes in my life, I can certainly forgive another. The apology – very much appreciated. I had no plans to hold a grudge, still glad he set an example by apologizing. The talk – Even before the website thing I had trouble with the talk. His first words of advice were about his career as a financial planner, then save a little money. From that point on I felt very Utah-Amwayized. Not comfortable in the least.
Ponderize – Not me. My ward started one ASAP, all I could think of was the most recent Julie Rowe epidemic in Utah. It makes me sad. It waters down the milk.
Do you think Devin will get an invitation to speak in General Conference again? I also want to say that I think the word Ponderize is kind of silly. It doesn’t really inspire me to take out my credit card. Not like GBK Be Attitudes or SWK’s Lengthen Your Stride, or BY’s “This is the right place”.
I remember a comedian I once worked with — he was telling me about a trip to Las Vegas. He went into an LDS Bookstore and thought all the gear was cool. Said he particularly liked these two items.
1. One of those key chain finders — when you lose your keys, you clap, and then Moroni appears and points.
2. The BY version — when you lose your keys, BY appears, scans the room for your keys, points, and and says “This is the right place”.
When I was tracting years ago as an enthusiastic young FT missionary, I went into a house where there were a bunch of guys drinking in the garage. Mentioned we were Mormon. The guy said “I loved SLC”. I said, “What did you like about it?”…he replied he liked the monument of Brigham Young. I used it as an opportunity to talk about the role of prophets etcetera. The guy replied “you didn’t let me finish”. Me: “Oh, sorry”. Guy in the garge “I found it inspiring that BY’s finger points to the bank and his backside points to the temple”. We just left without responding to that one. It was so offensive to me at the time.
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