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15 April 2012
One of Utah’s oldest Mormon chapels to be razed
April 15, 2012
Salt Lake Tribune (Utah)
Church historians say the chapel, located in the heart of Paradise, was completed in 1877 and features limestone walls. The landmark structure has been added onto multiple times over the years.
While there’s no evidence of cracking in the original building’s walls, the chapel is not in compliance with seismic codes and has problems with its roof and foundation.
Church leaders say while some members wanted to save the chapel, most preferred a new church because of the high cost to renovate the existing one.
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/53917682-78/story.csp
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When Mormons were socialists
April 15, 2012
Salon
The rise and fall of the Nephite nation is a cautionary tale included in the Book of Mormon. The book purports to be the history of ancient American people, written by prophets who foresaw the present day and knew that calamity was coming. Joseph Smith reportedly translated the record by “the gift and power of God.” The prophetic message of the scripture is sharp; if Americans are obedient to God, we will be blessed with riches. If Americans set our hearts on riches and ignore the poor, we will be destroyed.
It’s an ontological dilemma facing every millionaire Mormon.
One hundred and eighty-two years after its founding, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is certainly prospering. The Church has diversified into commercial enterprises, owning television and radio stations, universities, farms, banks and, most recently, retail. Last month, the Church opened City Creek Mall, a stunning billion-dollar downtown renovation in Salt Lake City featuring the Utah debut of Tiffany Jewelry, Michael Kors and Porches Design. This ambitious temple of high-end commerce sits adjacent to the iconic LDS Temple where sacred rituals are performed daily by the Mormon faithful.
http://www.salon.com/2012/04/15/when_mormons_were_socialists/singleton/
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Mormon leader removed historic barriers between tribes, government
April 15, 2012
KSL
Distrust of the federal government ran high in Indian Country when Larry Echo Hawk arrived in Washington, D.C., three years ago.
Disputes over tribal homelands, sovereignty and water have plagued the relationship for decades. There also was a 13-year lawsuit over billions of dollars in royalties for oil, gas, grazing and other leases the government had failed to pay individual tribal members.
Those were a few of the longstanding issues Echo Hawk stepped into as assistant secretary of the Bureau of Indian Affairs in 2009.
And though he didn’t resolve them all, those who worked with the longest serving BIA head in a decade say his quiet strength and willingness to listen helped remove some historic barriers.
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=960&sid=19941091
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Obama leads Romney in projected electoral vote totals
April 15, 2012
Deccan Chronicle (India)
Nevada is a prime example of the economy’s struggles, a point that can benefit Romney. A higher Mormon population helps Romney.
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Mormon Tabernacle organist performing with DSC Symphony Orchestra
April 14, 2012
Examiner
Dixie State College Symphony Orchestra’s season is coming to an end, and they’re going out with a bang. For their final concert of the season, the Orchestra will be performing with special guest artist, Andrew Unsworth, an organist for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
Mr. Unsworth is one of the three full-time organists at the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City. He participates in daily recitals in the Tabernacle, accompanies the Mormon Tabernacle Choir on their weekly TV and radio broadcasts, and has performed around the globe both as a soloist and as an accompanist. A few of his other accomplishments include performing at the national convention of the Organ Historical Society and American Guild of Organists, serving as Assistant Professor of Music at Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas, and serving as Assistant Director of Music and organist at the Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City.
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Andrew Bowen, Man Who Spends 12 Months Practicing 12 Different Religions, Finds Peace
April 15, 2012
Huffington Post
Not Hindu (January). Not Baha’i (February). Not Zoroastrian (March). Not Jewish (April). Not Buddhist (May). Not agnostic (June). Not Mormon (July). Not Muslim (August). Not Sikh (September). Not Wiccan (October). Not Jain (November). And not Catholic (December).
Finding faith in God again was not Bowen’s aim. This young father of two was looking for faith in humanity.
Bowen became a Christian in high school and took “a nose dive into fundamentalism,” he said. “It just ignited a furnace in me.”
As a teen, Bowen said he was extremely critical of faiths different from his own. Once when a pair of male Mormon missionaries visited his home, Bowen said he chased them down the street as they retreated on their bicycles.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/15/andrew-bowen-12-religions_n_1425009.html
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Neo-Victorian deification of Romney-style motherhood a scam
April 15, 2012
Examiner
In Mormonism, for example, where Ann Romney’s allegedly hard job is not just her choice, but her spiritual obligation, the scam is written into Mormon scriptures, and is reflected in Mormon organization and indoctrination of young Mormons.
Women have no chance in the LDS to achieve the highest leadership positions. Furthermore, women are not even counted as possessing the most powerful, healing and blessing, anointments of the Holy Spirit. Only men who have been welcomed into the LDS priesthood can do that.
LDS women, on the other hand, get to work really hard raising much larger than normal broods of children, and are praised by the ruling powers, the LDS men, as of course being God’s creatures who are doing the really important work. It seems, among other things, to be patronizing hogwash that has a long and well-established tradition in the Christian (or Christian-inspired) faiths.
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A ‘war on women’ ceasefire?
April 15, 2012
Get Religion
Isn’t that an interesting angle to take? We get lots of color about what was going on at the Facebook page of Mormon Feminist Housewives. Women weren’t just concerned about the disrespect shown to stay-at-home parents but also whether this wasn’t a harbinger of what the general election attacks on Mormonism will be like.
The article goes on to describe some of what the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has said about women working outside the home over the years and how that has changed. This was just a blog post so I don’t want to nitpick but while the article did mention at the top that most Mormon women aren’t liberal, it only really highlighted those who are.
http://www.getreligion.org/2012/04/a-war-on-women-ceasefire/
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Polygamy and the presidential race
April 15, 2012
Monterey County Herald (California)
The line of polygamists in the Romney family traces back generations, when it was an accepted practice in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His paternal great-grandfathers, Miles Park Romney and Helaman Pratt, were born in the United States but lived for decades in Mexico. Pratt was a Mormon missionary there; Miles Park Romney left Utah for Mexico with a tribe of polygamous Mormons after the practice was outlawed in the United States in 1890.
Pratt had five wives. Miles Park Romney had four, and 30 children, one of whom was Gaskell Romney. The polygamy stopped at Gaskell, who had a single wife and seven children. One of the children, George, was born in a Mormon colony in the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, although he was nonetheless a U.S. citizen. He was Mitt’s father.
http://www.montereyherald.com/opinion/ci_20402740/polygamy-and-presidential-race
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Religion still has a role to play
April 15, 2012
Philadelphia Inquirer (Pennsylvania)
Does Santorum’s suspension of his campaign mean religion won’t play a role in the fall campaign? No, with a Mormon and a Protestant who still gets wrongly accused of being a Muslim in the race, you can expect religion to remain a factor in the election.
http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/147366905.html
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McAdams tops Romero to win Democratic nod in mayoral chase
April 14, 2012
Salt Lake Tribune (Utah)
Some delegates said they believed McAdams, who is a devout Mormon, would be the stronger candidate this fall — especially with fellow Latter-day Saint Mitt Romney expected to top the Republican presidential ticket.
Increasing Mormon participation among Utah Democrats has been a key goal of state party boss Jim Dabakis.
“It’s really important to get more LDS Democrats involved,” said Kelly Marinana, who lives in east Salt Lake City’s Yalecrest neighborhood. “It’s the only way we can get away from being a one-party state.”
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/entertainment/53914664-90/county-mcadams-romero-lake.html.csp
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LETTER: Boo to Obama
April 15, 2012
Odessa American (Texas)
Also much hand wringing by the morons has been done over Mitt Romney being a Mormon. Sen. Harry Reid (D) is also a Mormon.
If Romney is a member of a “cult” then so is Reid. I remember that much was said about JFK being a Catholic.
JFK was a great president and I seriously doubt his religion had anything to do with it, good or bad. Is it not strange that being a Catholic is never mentioned anymore? Obama cannot run on his record so he will attempt to divide this nation … I would vote for a tree trunk before I would vote for Obama !
http://www.oaoa.com/articles/boo-85763-letter-obama.html
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Hardships do not faze new student president
April 15, 2012
Honolulu Star Advertiser (Hawaii)
Mustapha El Akkari arrived at the Brigham Young University-Hawaii campus with a full-ride basketball scholarship, then went on to win election this year as BYUH’s first non-Mormon and first Muslim student body president.
But he will not be offered another basketball scholarship for his senior year. And the scholarship and stipend that come with the office of BYUH student body president won’t cover El Akkari’s higher tuition expenses as a nonmember of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — or LDS — when he takes office on Monday.
http://www.staradvertiser.com/s?action=login&f=y&id=147485685&id=147485685
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