Stop Praising or Lionizing Shaw

My family and I are avid viewers of The Mormon Tabernacle Choir presentation each Sunday. A couple of weeks ago I heard announcer Lloyd K. Newell use some material referring to abortionist - Family Planning advocate Irish Playwright G. Bernard Shaw.

Shaw advocated abortion and the killing of many people in the world - especially those who were not productive or who had a disability of one kind or another. This is offensive to the people of America. It tramples on the idea that all men are created equal - a Constitutional promise that each of us has a purpose to live and that someone like Bernard Shaw, Hitler, or Mao can't waltz in here and kill a bunch of people. Certainly, the Church shouldn't be hailing Shaw for his plays or any other achievement. It is misleading and wrong to do so. Here's my letter to Bonneville Corporation, the people who produce the choir's show each Sunday. I don't want this killer praised or even lionized because all it does is hurt the church and people who oppose what he stood for.
                                                                      ______

September 26, 2010

A couple of weeks ago, Lloyd K. Newell featured a picture of Irish playwright G. Bernard Shaw and a statement from him to tie into Lloyd's spiritual message. The problem is, Bernard Shaw is a big abortion rights family planning advocate. He has openly said he advocates killing a lot of the world's population; requiring everyone every five years to come before a board and tell why their life on earth is productive and why they should not be eliminated. Since 1973 there have been something like 53 million  abortions in this country. (That could be a world figure). Since the Church and I are adamantly against abortion - Pro Life in policy, dogma, teaching, and practice - it seems ridiculous for a writer and spokesman [for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints] as experienced as Mr. Newell to be quoting someone as blatantly sinful as the now deceased Bernard Shaw. 

My first impression is that I have never seen Hitler or Mao quoted on the Mormon Tabernacle Choir broadcast, so why Shaw, who is every bit as bad a fellow?

I would think Mr. Newell could do a better job of researching the people whose quotations he uses. There is a large segment of the church listenership, in America and throughout the world, who are deeply offended by the statements and actions of this man Shaw and what he stood for. For the Church to place him on a pedestal is an outrageous error. We certainly expect more from Newell in his presentations, which are usually innocuous but not often terribly inspiring. In fact Newell is the weakest part of the choir presentation.

Thanks and keep up the excellent work,

Don White

An avid viewer from Orlando, Florida

P.S. I love the Tabernacle Choir and the Orchestra at Temple. But as to Newell's dissertations, not so much. He's no Richard L. Evans.  

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