For as long as I can remember, my Sunday School teachers have taught me to take a stand for what’s right, at all times and places. If you find yourself in an unwholesome environment, just up and leave! I admire those who are unwavering in their support of righteous living.
Thus, I really, really, really think that this deserves its own thread.
Thanks to Julie in Austin at T&S for the link.
Aaron B
By Common Consent, a Mormon Blog 
Sounds like a shoo-in for a Darwin Award.
I might as well put my head in the lions mouth but here goes.
The guy who jumped was wrong. It’s that simple to me. The line in the article that shows it to me is this one.
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he became offended by one of them using profanity. Poulson, who recently returned from an LDS mission, threatened to get out of the truck if he continued.
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I have read elsewhere comments that he died for his beliefs. Wrong. He died trying to get other people to follow and live by his beliefs. His “threat” to jump was a form of coercion. His bluff was called. He died for his beliefs yes, but he died trying to force others to follow them also. That’s wrong.
What you said was correct
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If you find yourself in an unwholesome environment, just up and leave
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The thing is your Sunday school teacher never said “Get up and leave if they don’t do what you command”
Maybe he had not decompressed from the mission, but he attempted to make them jump to his rules. He failed, and died.
He had a whole life in front of him and yet he jumped because he failed to force them to do as he wanted. Dumb dumb dumb.
No to Jon Krakauer-style commentary–yes to prayers and sympathy for the family.
gunner,
I think Aaron agrees with you. As do I.
But it’s really hard to call someone dumb that was just killed.
Was he killed or did he commit suicide?
I hope no returned missionaries come to work in my office. Luckily, our windows don’t open (I’ve tried).
I’m so sorry for the family of this boy. Such a tragedy.
Daumb might have been cruel, but what is the Darwin award but the grand prize for the dumb ones.
Not to be a cynic, but the description of what happened came from those in the truck. Could it be possible that they are witholding information or putting their spin on the story?
I read in the story there was an argument, could this argument have escalated by oversensitive RM condemming his companions, resulting in a little push?
Could the companions ” i told him to jump” have been a little threatening perhaps, and MR Poulson jumped to “save” himself.
Could the RM have been half joking about his desire to jump and then have fallen?
Could he have made the ultimatum with out any intent to do so, and then, being dared to do so, thought it might be a funny/exciting thing to do?
Extreme perhaps, but it seems unlikely that the KSL article has all the details.
Maybe a pause for the deceased before we rush to judge too harshly.
WOW, how tragic for everyone….no matter the cause.
Now, this is an occasion where it makes sense to say he was LDS (let alone a returned missionary).
years ago some used to teach that it was better to die fighting than be violated by rape.
maybe he was trying to protect his virgin ears.
Some of the comments are probably a tad upsetting to the family. Might I suggest that if we don’t know the circumstances it’s probably quite inappropriate to speculate in the fashion some have?
I suspect the simplest explanation (and given explanation) is best to keep to for now. The guy was trying to make a point. Perhaps a silly point, but a point nonetheless. He just was an idiot of the dangers of speed.
A lot of people are. I once was pulling off to the side of the road and my passenger jumped out, only to tumble hitting the door many times. He was not just lucky he didn’t break several limbs in the tumble but that he didn’t slide under the wheels.
We all need some creative way to persuade others to act more appropriately. I doubt that jumping from a moving vehicle classifies though.
While standing with a group at work, one particularly foul mouthed coworker began a *joke*. I interrupted when it became clear that the joke was offensive on several levels. I said that anyone can tell a dirty joke, but that it takes much more skill to deliver a clean joke so that it is funny. I proceeded to tell a joke. The others then began telling the clean jokes they knew. Sometimes a little diversion is all it takes.
There’s always someone out there liking for someone they can needle. The Pharisees just seem to paint a target on their back.
I agree with those who feel this whole thread is objectionable and insensitive to the family of this poor boy. The intelligence of the sarcastic comments, the humor, just are not worth the pain it might cause them. Regardless.
I think it goes without saying that the family definitely deserves our condolences, and the death of this young man is certainly tragic.
That having been said, I don’t think it’s inappropriate for us to point out that this death was certainly unecessary and could easily have been prevented by a little tolerance and less fanatacism (on the RM’s part). And yes, rational thinking.
I’d certainly offer my condolences to the family, as I’m sure their son and brother was a fine young man. But I’m not going to classify him as a martyr or anything.
yeah, you’re right, Steve. I was feeling guilty because somebody made me laugh.
I hope my children will know how to handle situations like this in a better way as they grow up. How horrible for the family. I have nothing else to add that wouldn’t be insensitive to them.
Since this thread uses T&S links to nominate candidates for Darwin awards, consider this one from Greg.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2005/11/16/gree.DTL
Go ahead and mock without guilt.
What I thought sad was the fact that KSL reported he “died for his beliefs.”
This is not the way I would want to go out of this world.
Last lemming, I think you left something out of the link.
I agree, Greta, that was stupider of KSL to report he died for his beliefs than it was for him to jump. How many young kids will think it was glorious instead of stupid?
I wonder if the post-mission syndrome would be easier to manage if missionaries were allowed/encouraged to watch TV, wear street clothes, interact with other youth their age and call home more often. We all know missionaries who come home and act extra-holy and/or extremely weird. Too bad this case was so extreme, weird and sad.
I think it was great that he did what he did, if he did it at all. Frankly, those who were swearing caused his death as much as his jumping out of the vehicle. In fact, I think the whole incident is fishy.
Nontheless, the fact he died for his beliefs is something I am proud of for him. Perhaps it was the wrong time and the wrong reason, but too many LDS give in rather than stand up or jump out. I felt sorry he died, but I felt angry that whoever was in the vehicle were insensitive jerks who were proud to be of this world.