A celebrated teacher at Brigham Young University has landed himself in hot water after referring to a gay student by a Mormon term associated with the anti-Christ.
The Salt Lake Tribune reports Professor Hank Smith made the comment on Twitter last month. Smith serves as an assistant teaching professor in the religion department at BYU. Smith had gone on a Twitter tirade about former parishioners ex-communicated by the Church of Latter-day Saints, following the ouster of sex therapist Natasha Helfer. The church banned Helfer over her sex-affirming teachings, including that masturbation and same-sex relationships are healthy.
In now-deleted tweets, Smith defended the church’s casting out of Helfer, labeling her defenders non-believers. Then a gay student and practicing Mormon, Calvin Burke, offered an apology for Smith’s remarks. Burke had also attended Smith’s classes.
“On behalf of Mormonism, I apologize for Hank Smith,” Burke wrote.
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Smith replied, labeling Burke a “Korihor.” For those unfamiliar with the term, Korihor is a character in the Book of Mormon who denies the existence of Christ. The book also labels him a false prophet and anti-Christ. God punishes him by making him mute, and a crowd tramples him to death.
I do need to apologize for calling Cal what I did. I deleted the reply. That was unjustified and unfair. My emotions got the better of me. I am very sorry.
— Hank Smith (@hankrsmith) April 23, 2021
Smith’s remarks invited wide backlash, which prompted him to delete the tweets and issue an apology. “I do need to apologize for calling Cal what I did,” he wrote. “I deleted the reply. That was unjustified and unfair. My emotions got the better of me. I am very sorry.”
Worse, Burke has begun receiving death threats over the exchange. Korihor is also a term used by the alt-right DezNat movement, a group of fundamentalist Mormons that oppose rights for women and frequently target the LGBTQ community for harassment. Members of the group began targeting Burke after Smith’s use of the term. Burke has since made his Twitter account private and declined to comment to reporters.
Related: LGBTQ students turn Mormon university’s huge, mountainside logo rainbow
Brigham Young University remains mum on if Smith’s conduct could result in disciplinary action. Carri Jenkins, a spokesperson for the school, told reporters BYU has “processes in place to address personnel matters. These are handled on a confidential basis.” She also added she “wouldn’t be able to comment on an individual situation.”
According to The Salt Lake City Tribune, no professor has ever faced disciplinary action for harassment of a queer student. On the other hand, the school has a long history of punishing or terminating faculty that defend LGBTQ students.
Chrisk
Wow. This all started because a former member got kicked out for saying masturbation and gay relationships were healthy.
I think it’s pretty clear that Hank Smith is a POS. The little girl can’t handle any criticism without lashing out in a juvenile way.
I sure won’t be holding my breath for any disciplinary action from the Mormon Church though. More like an atta boy. These bigoted loons are all the same.
Fahd
Mormonism has a long history of being on the wrong side of history – nothing new here. Ironically, as I understand it there’s nothing “fundamental” about Mormonism, but its most reactionary members consider themselves its most pious members.
Individual Mormons born into the totalitarian institution that is the Mormon church can’t all be lumped together – some like Calvin Burke are very brave in their outspokenness and deserve all the support they can get.
C_Alan
I would not be insulted by being called an anti-christ, mostly because I am.
James
A gay person still attending the mormon church………. has to be a trump supporter.
Mack
There are some who don’t want to embarrass their family, but I tend to agree with those who still support the church and their teaching as being Trump supporters.
Cam
That’s like saying all Catholics are pro-life.
BGreen1963
Were any of you actually thinking a Cult would have a logical or realistic view of people outside their cult?
shanfrina
… As a former Gay Mormon, Graduated with a BA in Broadcast Journalism from BYU & having served a Mission to the Pacific/Northwest, glad I was Excommunicated after 15-Yrs. Membership for “Being Gay!”
– Returned to the faith of My Childhood, thee Presbyterian Church ? USA, but now an Agnostic.
… This Professor at the Y, is a Perv! At least, when I joined the LDS Faith in ’69, they weren’t that Anti-Gay.
trojanboy
If you have these views, the term ‘professor’ is actually stolen.
Cam
“”which prompted him to delete the tweets and issue an apology. “I do need to apologize for calling Cal what I did,” he wrote. “I deleted the reply. That was unjustified and unfair. My emotions got the better of me. I am very sorry.”””
And why was he so “emotional”? Because the Mormon’s have gotten so anti-LGBTQ and bigoted, that to dare suggest LGBTQ people are human is enough to enrage many of them.
Also, interesting how when pressed, he used a term associated with a group that also hates women. Looks like he exposed more than just his anti-queer bigotry.