From the SLC Tribune:
Some Mormons Suffer From 'Chosen People Syndrome'
Saturday, October 20, 2001
BY JEFF OLIVER
THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE
As some members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints dealt with last month's terrorist attacks, they exhibited "Chosen People Syndrome."
So said Mary Ellen Robertson, who delivered a speech Thursday at the Sixth Annual Religious Studies Conference at Utah Valley State College in Provo.
Robertson, an expert on violence in Mormon history and scripture, said Mormons' traditional longing for uniqueness, coupled with an ecclesiastical mandate to be "in the world but not of the world," leads to the syndrome.
Some members, she said, believe themselves to be "more blessed, more special, more correct, more protected, more righteous and more worthy of God's favor than anyone else."
Robertson, who is a member of the faith, says several widely circulated Internet messages, which claimed that no Mormons and no Mormon missionaries had been killed in the attacks, exemplified this attitude. Many members were reluctant to accept the truth even when news reports stated that several Mormons did indeed die in the attacks on the World Trade Centers, Robertson said.
Robertson presented her paper, titled "Still Circling the Wagons: Violence and Mormon's Self Image," during a session on violence and religion in America, which explored Mormon, African American and Buddhist experiences.
The two-day conference included discussions on women and religious violence, contemporary genocide, pacifism and the Crusades.
Though the terrorist attacks gave birth to many urban legends, those that circulated among LDS Church members were the only ones to claim that religious affiliation spared individuals from tragedy, she said.
Mormons use such stories to bolster their faith in a time of crisis and to shore up their self-image, Robertson said.
"If I believe the Mormons are a chosen people and that God will protect his chosen people from meeting a tragic end, naturally I will create and tell stories that reinforce those beliefs," she said.
The stories illustrate a desire among LDS Church members to see their "Mormon-ness" as a protective force against evil and destruction, she said.
Violence also plays a role in what Robertson calls the "Mormon mindset."
A history of persecution has produced a "siege mentality" among members. The mentality has not disappeared, even though the persecution has, Robertson said.
"We anticipate mistreatment," she said.
"Perhaps Mormons fear losing the self-image they have constructed, losing the point of view that makes them feel special . . . I wonder would Mormons be Mormons without these stories?"
Robertson's talk wasn't the only one to focus on recent world events, though the theme of the conference -- "Religion and Violence: Advocacy and Resistance" -- was set months ago.
"The timing is unusual and tragic in a way," said Brian Birch, associate director for religious studies at UVSC. "But it's an opportunity to go beyond the rhetoric of the media in an academic setting."
Birch organized the conference with Michael Popich, an associate professor of philosophy and religion at Westminster College