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I will never view Mormon missionaries in quite the same way after a gander at the young men featured in the "Mormons Exposed: Men on a Mission" calendar. Maybe that's exactly what rankles some members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints about these harbingers of morality being depicted as just so much beefcake - global-minded, community-oriented, engaged-in-good-works beefcake, but beefcake nonetheless.
Yes, there's more to these missionaries than bike helmets, nerdy ties and short-sleeve white shirts. And there must be something more to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints' extreme response to this tongue-in-cheek attempt to offer a glimpse beneath the religious undergarments, to expose missionaries as mere mortals and maybe spread a little religious tolerance in the process.
Why would a church dedicated to good works frown on a calendar that shares its profits with 12 charities throughout the world? What about all those Mormons who make a living in fields frowned upon by the church... like gaming? Are they, too, in danger of excommunication? We explore some possibilities tonight with recently excommunicated calendar creator Chad Hardy and his non-Mormon business partner, Fred Brodsky, and hear about the divine inspiration for the 2009 edition.
From my perspective, sure the calendar lets people know that Mormons are regular and very physically attractive as the next person, but the donations being made to charities is a form of rationalization. It's the same with gambling funds being donated to schools. The calendar just seems to cheapen the value Mormons place on the body.
The discipline may have seemed harsh to some but this non active member knows how important modesty and personal accountability is in the LDS faith. Once you go to the Temple you are counseled not to expose your body unnecessarily. While some activities such as swimming present more exposure then regular daily activities modesty is always the rule of dress. “Dressing modestly is important because those around us judge us by how we appear. What you wear tells others who you are. What you wear shows your respect (or disrespect) for places you go and people you’re with. What you wear reflects how committed you are to following the Savior. If you ignore how He’s asked you to dress, you’re saying, “The Lord isn’t important to me.”” (New Era Magazine 1/04) These examples encompass the way we feel about clothing. The clean and conservative dress and grooming of LDS missionaries has become as a badge of honor recognized wherever they go.
Because of these values this “tongue-in-cheek” calendar is very inappropriate and completely out of line with what the church teaches. Again its not always just about the money. I am proud to be a member of a religion that teaches that our bodies are temples and should not be exploited or defiled in anyway.