Friday, May 15, 2009

More on Yettaw

Papers across Europe and around the world have been noting the fact that the man who landed Aung San Suu Kyi in so much trouble is a Mormon with a history of mental trauma and probable illness -- his ex-wife says, not surprisingly, that she thinks he suffers from bipolar disorder.

His Mormonism is almost never been mentioned in the American press that I can find -- save an important Associated Press article.

If it matters to anyone, Mormon doctrine says that Mormons should obey the law.  This is clearly a violation of the law and, therefore, this sad man is in violation of Mormon teaching.  

Beyond this, his strange stunt does little to help anyone with mental disabilities.

What a sad, sad story.  

1 comment:

  1. I'm a Mormon living in Mae Sot, on the Burma border.I also am following the Yettaw story.

    Although it would be convenient to disassociate Yettaw's actions from his LDS faith, it is impossible to do. He had 'visions' and felt God was telling him to warn Suu Kyi. Also, he wanted to give Suu Kyi a Book of Mormon. Had he not been caught, and had he returned home to tell his ward the story in testimony meeting, he no doubt would have been considered a brave spiritual hero. That was, after all, his primary motive.

    Its also not useful to sweep away his actions by saying Yettaw should have obeyed laws imposed by the junta. There were those who violated the law to assist Joseph Smith escape from Carthage jail, not to mention hundreds of cases in the scriptures of people breaking unjust laws laid down by unjust rulers.

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