# This whole Elizabeth Smart thing is getting ridiculous **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 27, 2003, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-whole-elizabeth-smart-thing-is-getting-ridiculous/209904 "2003-10-27T20:06:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-whole-elizabeth-smart-thing-is-getting-ridiculous/209904/61 "2003-10-29T00:20:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tinkertoy \* > \*\*if you truly believe the LDS church is telling these people to exploit their daughter you are an ignoranus. \*\* I’m just bringing up a relevant point here. This whole case revolves around religion, shouldn’t we be considering their religion’s influence in our discussion? But if you want to play the childish name-calling game, I can do that too, it’s up to you. WWJD? ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-whole-elizabeth-smart-thing-is-getting-ridiculous/209904/62 "2003-10-29T00:26:41Z")
how do you figure ‘the whole case revolves around religion’? other than some of the participants apparently have strong religious beliefs? So if a devout Catholic holds up a Hassidic Jew, that case would ‘revolve around religion’? ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-whole-elizabeth-smart-thing-is-getting-ridiculous/209904/63 "2003-10-29T00:36:18Z")
Relevant? Hahahhahahahahahhahahah {catches breath} Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahha {wheezes a bit} Hahahahahhahahahahahhahahahahaha {seeks medical attention} You can’t seriously both (a) believe that’s relevant (let alone likely) and (b) think rational people will consider you even remotely intelligent, can you? ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-whole-elizabeth-smart-thing-is-getting-ridiculous/209904/64 "2003-10-29T00:41:28Z")
Relevant? Hahahhahahahahahhahahah {catches breath} Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahha {wheezes a bit} Hahahahahhahahahahahhahahahahaha {seeks medical attention} You can’t seriously both (a) believe that’s relevant (let alone likely) and (b) think rational people will consider you even remotely intelligent, can you? ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-whole-elizabeth-smart-thing-is-getting-ridiculous/209904/65 "2003-10-29T01:30:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Monty \* > \*\*You can’t seriously both (a) believe that’s relevant (let alone likely) and (b) think rational people will consider you even remotely intelligent, can you? \*\* Well I’m not one of those hypocrites that walks around being a total asshole to my fellow human beings all week, then hides behind the Bible every Sunday morning, so I really don’t know how their thought process works. But really, in this case, WWJD? ---
**Author:** ![Avalonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@Avalonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avalonian)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-whole-elizabeth-smart-thing-is-getting-ridiculous/209904/66 "2003-10-29T01:32:23Z")
How unfortunate that someone has to ruin a great user name like **leatherheather** with such a silly OP. Oh well. Now that that’s out of the way, I find myself agreeing with **wring** , when he said this: > [@](#): > > **Their daughter went through an absolutely horrible ordeal. They’re now marketing her and her story.** My wife watched the Oprah show with the Smarts last night, and I was working but within earshot of it. I was disgusted with how the topic was handled. First off, the Smarts are indeed making bank from their daughter’s story. Two major TV appearances and a book deal… what’s next, a TV movie? Were this to happen to any of my daughters (I have three), I would help her through it in whatever way I could, and most especially I would _not_ make more of a public spectacle out of it than it already was. I would tell Oprah and Katie and anyone else who came to call to kindly fuck off. They’re not going to make their ratings and their advertising dollars off of my child’s tragedy, thank you very much. Second, I don’t know about the Katie Couric thing (didn’t see it), but I was deeply disappointed in Oprah’s handling of the subject matter. She could have gone for the high ground, but instead the story focused heavily on the sensationalist aspects of the event. “Oooh, let’s take a tour of the house where it happened,” “Oooh, let’s go look at the campsite,” “Oooh, let’s show the kidnapper.” The show was in terrible taste. Absolutely abhorrent. Oprah gets bad mojo for doing a ratings-making show at the expense of a 16-year-old girl (is it sweeps week?), and the parents get it worse for going along with it. Fuck 'em all. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-whole-elizabeth-smart-thing-is-getting-ridiculous/209904/67 "2003-10-29T02:42:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Monty \* > \*\*PunditLisa: > > Very well said. Very well, indeed & in deed. \*\* I could not agree more. I can’t imagine what it must be like to be any member of the Smart family, and I hope none of us ever has to know. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-whole-elizabeth-smart-thing-is-getting-ridiculous/209904/68 "2003-10-29T07:06:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ccwaterback \* > Well I’m not one of those hypocrites that walks around being a total asshole to my fellow human beings all week, then hides behind the Bible every Sunday morning, so I really don’t know how their thought process works. What the fuck are you talking about? ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-whole-elizabeth-smart-thing-is-getting-ridiculous/209904/69 "2003-10-29T07:26:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Monty \* > \*\*What the fuck are you talking about? \*\* If the Smarts did NOT get the blessing of their church to exploit their daughter, then they are not being very good Mormons. If they did get the blessing of the church, and the church is in it for a cut of the action, then the church is being more hypocritical than the Smarts. WWJD? ---
**Author:** ![lezlers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@lezlers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lezlers)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-whole-elizabeth-smart-thing-is-getting-ridiculous/209904/70 "2003-10-29T07:36:16Z")
You’re just _begging_ for an argument, aren’t you **ccwaterback**. I’m no fan of the Mormon church myself, but I suggest if your sole purpose in posting to this thread is to shit all over it (and that is what it’s looking like) you knock it off and start a new thread for that purpose. You’re rather transparent. ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-whole-elizabeth-smart-thing-is-getting-ridiculous/209904/71 "2003-10-29T07:49:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lezlers \* > \*\*If your sole purpose in posting to this thread is to shit all over it (and that is what it’s looking like) you knock it off and start a new thread for that purpose. \*\* Did you notice what forum this thread is in? Take a look. ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-whole-elizabeth-smart-thing-is-getting-ridiculous/209904/72 "2003-10-29T07:59:04Z")
It’s not my intention to hurt anyone’s feelings. I certainly feel sorry for the young lady, what has happened to her, what is happening to her, and what will happen to her. I just wanted to point out that the Smart’s, or whoever is controlling their actions, are being very hypocritical. OK, that’s all I’m going to say, continue on with your evaluation of Oprah’s presentation style. ---
**Author:** ![Nightime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Nightime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightime)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-whole-elizabeth-smart-thing-is-getting-ridiculous/209904/73 "2003-10-29T08:09:20Z")
My take: if the Smarts didn’t write a book about their spiritual journey during the ordeal, the same people who are deriding them for writing that book would be making vague and unsubstantiated claims about how they were accomplices in the whole thing. “Why don’t they tell us what really happened? What are they hiding? They’re Mormons, they must be crazy.” Heck, some people are making such claims anyway. The moral: some people are idiots. Oh yeah: those of you who are making comments about her going willingly should probably go get your brain cell back from the person you share it with. It’s your turn to have it for a week. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-whole-elizabeth-smart-thing-is-getting-ridiculous/209904/74 "2003-10-29T08:14:50Z")
Oh, that’s just bullshit, cc. Here’s a fucking newsflash for you: the LDS church is not mind-control central. The Smarts are free & independent people. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-whole-elizabeth-smart-thing-is-getting-ridiculous/209904/75 "2003-10-29T14:19:35Z")
**ccwaterback** , LDS/Mormons do NOT need to seek “the blessing” of their Church in order to write a book, grant an interview, or paint themselves blue and stand on their heads in the public square blowing diggeridoos (though they may need a permit from the city to do the latter), and remain in good standing with their religion. ---
**Author:** ![Diane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2acd7d/32.png) [@Diane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diane)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-whole-elizabeth-smart-thing-is-getting-ridiculous/209904/76 "2003-10-29T15:26:31Z")
ccwaterback, I feel that I am pretty objective when it comes to the Mormon Church. I was born and raised in Utah (still live here) in a family that was mostly active Mormon. Most of my neighbors and coworkers and friends are Mormon. I am very familiar with Mormon doctorine because I studied it for years - in Utah no less. However, I am not Mormon and I do not believe in the teachings (I am Atheist/agnostic). I will even go as far as to say that I am very against most of their beliefs. I have my own strong feelings about (the sometimes violent) church history and current practices. I will not give my (not flattering) personal opinion of Joseph Smith or Brigham Young nor will I debate religion on a message board. Having said that - The things you and others say about the church are almost humorous by how outrageously wrong they are. How much do you really know about the LDS Church? If you are going to hate an entire group of people, at least educate yourself enough to know why you hate them instead of pulling something out of your ass or believing some bizarre rumor. ---
**Author:** ![Diane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2acd7d/32.png) [@Diane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diane)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-whole-elizabeth-smart-thing-is-getting-ridiculous/209904/77 "2003-10-29T16:12:24Z")
JFTR in case my last posts gave the impression that I know enough about the LDS Church to hate them, it is not true! As a whole, they are the most compassionate, kind, honest people you could know. We just don’t have the same beliefs :::shrug::: ---
**Author:** ![Elenfair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cc9497/32.png) [@Elenfair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elenfair)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-whole-elizabeth-smart-thing-is-getting-ridiculous/209904/78 "2003-10-29T16:26:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Avalonian \* > \*\*First off, the Smarts are indeed making bank from their daughter’s story. Two major TV appearances and a book deal… what’s next, a TV movie? \*\* I noticed that a number of people had asked about this. The answer is YES. There are two made for TV movies on the way. I know one is hitting the air in November… > **[The Elizabeth Smart Story (TV Movie 2003) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0380787/)** > > The Elizabeth Smart Story: Directed by Bobby Roth. With Dylan Baker, Lindsay Frost, Amber Marshall, Tom Everett. Based on the true story of the June 2002 kidnapping of teenager Elizabeth Smart by two people in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. > **[Elizabeth Smart: On the Side of the Angels (1991) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0245093/)** > > Elizabeth Smart: On the Side of the Angels: Directed by Maya Gallus. With Jackie Burroughs. “Elizabeth Smart: on the side of angels” Good LORD. What disgusts me is that the family is marketing the child. They’re making money off of a book, two movies, and plenty of interviews. To me, that’s just… NUTS. If the kid had been poor, and black, the story would have died by now. There would be no made for TV movies. She wouldn’t be “America’s little princess”. Smart was - her case was paraded around by the media from the get-go, while hundreds of children are victims of parental abductions and end up in FAR worse shape than she did… I think THAT’s what bothers me about the case. If she had been anything but a white, blond-haired, upper class kid with a picture perfect family, the story would never have gotten this kind of attention. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-whole-elizabeth-smart-thing-is-getting-ridiculous/209904/79 "2003-10-29T16:27:31Z")
Every single thing I’ve seen you post on this board, Diane, about my church shows three things: (1) You know what you’re talking about, (2) You have different beliefs than what my church teaches, and (3) You don’t hate the LDS. As far as cc’s concerned, your statement [quote] If you are going to hate an entire group of people, at least educate yourself enough to know why you hate them instead of pulling something out of your ass or believing some bizarre rumor. [quote] shows the root of his stupidity. He’s in love with his ignorance and ignorance breeds prejudice. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-whole-elizabeth-smart-thing-is-getting-ridiculous/209904/80 "2003-10-29T16:32:29Z")
Corrected posting (close quote tag corrected & italicized portion added): Every single thing I’ve seen you post on this board, Diane, about my church shows three things: (1) You know what you’re talking about, (2) You have different beliefs than what my church teaches, and (3) You don’t hate the LDS. As far as cc’s concerned, your statement > [@](#): > > If you are going to hate an entire group of people, at least educate yourself enough to know why you hate them instead of pulling something out of your ass or believing some bizarre rumor. shows the root of his stupidity. He’s in love with his ignorance _so he’s refusing to actualy learn_, and ignorance breeds prejudice. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-whole-elizabeth-smart-thing-is-getting-ridiculous/209904.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-whole-elizabeth-smart-thing-is-getting-ridiculous/209904.md?page=5)