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9 August 2012
Church Providing Aid After Devastating Flooding in Manila
August 8, 2012
Torrential rain paralyzed the city of Manila in the Philippines Tuesday, 7 August, sweeping homes from their foundations, stranding residents on rooftops and triggering a landslide. 250,000 people are now homeless.
Monsoons have pounded Manila and nearby areas for over a week. Meteorologists say more than half a month’s rain fell on the city in 24 hours.
In coordination with the Philippine government, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) has provided humanitarian aid in the form of food, water and other relief supplies to the people of Manila in the most devastated areas. The Church continues to assess the needs of its members and their neighbors and has opened its meetinghouses to all in need of shelter. The Church’s Welfare Services will continue to provide aid to the people of Manila.
http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/church-providing-aid-after-devastating-flooding-in-manila
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Mormon FAIR-Cast 101: Dan Peterson takes questions
August 8, 2012
FAIR Blog
Dan Peterson takes questions from callers who both support and oppose the Church on this live interview with Mills Crenshaw that appeared on K-Talk radio on July 31, 2012, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Brother Peterson answers questions about the Book of Abraham and a variety of questions about the Book of Mormon, including ones pertaining to DNA studies, Mesoamerican and Near-Eastern archaeology, and Joseph Smith’s production of the Book of Mormon.
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Does Mormonism Encourage LDS People to Lie?
August 8, 2012
Religion Dispatches
Newsweek/Daily Beast reporter Jamie Reno published a provocative interview this week with Sue Emmett, a direct descendent of Brigham Young and a former LDS Church member, that plumbs controversial aspects of Mormon faith and culture, including the status of women in the faith and a tendency among some Mormons to manage the way they speak with non-Mormons about complicated aspects of our history and religious practice.
Flagging concern about how this highly managed communications style has impacted the Romney campaign and might shape a Romney presidency, Reno quotes a former LDS Church employee, who states, “Every Mormon grows up with the idea that it’s OK to lie if it’s for a higher cause.”
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Mormons go head to head in duels for voters’ hearts and minds
August 9, 2012
Salt Lake Tribune (Utah)
To some Mormons, it’s unseemly watching two members of their faith — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney — go at it in the political arena.
Reid has alleged that Romney isn’t releasing his taxes because he didn’t pay any; Romney denies it and cries foul.
But that’s not the only high-stakes Mormon vs. Mormon case of verbal jousting — even outside of LDS-dominated Utah — in this election cycle.
In Arizona, which has never had a Mormon U.S. senator, two Latter-day Saints are battling one another for the Republican nomination, writes Kay Atkinson King in a blog post at By Common Consent.
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/blogsfaithblog/54667393-180/mormon-romney-senator-king.html.csp
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The Mormon Moment — Postponed
August 9, 2012
Huffington Post
Despite his reluctance to address the subject directly, public interest in Mormonism remains at historic levels. His “Mormon Moment” is laden with obligation: never in the history of the United States has an ordained minister been a major party’s candidate for the presidency. The Mormon Church has a lay priesthood, and by virtue of his ordination to the offices of Bishop and Stake President, Romney has occupied ecclesiastical positions equivalent to those within the Roman Catholic Church of Priest and Bishop. Were a Catholic Bishop to run for the presidency, there would doubtless be a demand that he address aspects of his religion in far greater detail than would be required of candidates never ordained to the ministry — and thus Gov. Romney’s obligation.
But it is also a moment of opportunity: Ever since Joseph Smith founded Mormonism in 1830, no other American religion has aroused so much fear and hatred; none has been the object of so much misinformation, falsehood — and persecution. The hearings on the seating of Utah Senator and Mormon Apostle Reed Smoot a century ago gained Mormonism the dubious distinction of being the only religion ever to be put on trial by the United States Congress.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/helen-c-whitney/mormon-moment-postponed_b_1759700.html
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Media, Mormonism and meaning
August 9, 2012
Get Religion
There’s actually much about these two paragraphs I think is very perceptive. But Gopnik whistles past so many issues here from sin to politics to commercialism that it’s hard to see where Mormonism is the common thread running through them. Gopnik may observe that Mormons believing in God as Man creates some problematic theological niceties, but he doesn’t seem bothered by the fact his unearned authorial omniscience on complex theological matters raises more questions than it answers. I give Gopnik a lot of credit for devising an elegant launching pad for discussing “Mormonism and its meanings,” but ultimately he’s unable elevate the subject matter to a place of real understanding.
Having said all that, I can heartily recommend another piece that covers some similar territory — Jesse Walker has a primer on Mormonism and its accompanying political tensions in the latest Reason magazine. Reason is a political magazine, but its libertarian bent often assures that it doesn’t view culture and politics in a predictable fashion. Walker’s piece is a straightforward tour through some esoteric political history. It manages to be remarkably evenhanded — no easy feat — by noting the widespread and irrational anti-Mormon prejudice and less flattering aspects of the early church.
http://www.getreligion.org/2012/08/media-mormonism-and-meaning/
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For a Mormon political first, a Mormon convention blessing?
August 8, 2012
Seattle Times (Washington)
Spiritual leaders will give invocations and benedictions each day at the Republican National Convention. Will Mitt Romney ask anyone from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to offer a blessing?
Romney, who will be the first Mormon nominated for president by a major party, never discusses his church while campaigning unless the circumstances require it. Instead, he talks about “my faith” or “shared values” with voters.
http://seattletimes.com/html/politics/2018873875_apusrepublicanconventionreligion.html
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The First Mormon President: Does Faith Matter?
August 9, 2012
Christian Broadcasting Network
At a Mormon sacrament service near Salt Lake City, the Smoot family said they’re tired of being viewed differently by others but know it comes with the territory.
“You know, polygamy is always the first thing that’s thrown out,” Scott Smoot told CBN News. “It’s been 122 years — for me, that’s two and a half lifetimes ago — since polygamy was taken away from the church or not permitted.”
http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/politics/2012/August/The-First-Mormon-President-Does-Faith-Matter/
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For a Mormon political first, a Mormon blessing?
August 9, 2012
Laramie Boomerang (Wyoming)
Spiritual leaders will give invocations and benedictions each day at the Republican National Convention. Will Mitt Romney ask anyone from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to offer a blessing?
Romney, who will be the first Mormon nominated for president by a major party, never discusses his church while campaigning unless the circumstances require it. Instead, he talks about “my faith” or “shared values” with voters.
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US election: Mormon Church in UK distancing itself from Mitt Romney’s political campaign
August 8, 2012
The Telegraph (United Kingdom)
Senior Mormon officials are offering to hold off-the-record talks with national media to stress that they are not actively supporting the campaign for the White House by one of their best-known members.
“Despite the church’s political neutrality they recognise the church will increasingly become a topic of conversation in the run up to November,” a representative said in an invitation email. “The church takes its political neutrality very seriously.”
The briefings are intended to provide a “starting point of fact” about the religion and counter potential misconceptions about what Mormons believe.
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Speakers roster at GOP Convention will raise topic of Mormonism that Romney usually avoids
August 8, 2012
Newser
The GOP convention will begin Aug. 27 in Tampa, Fla. The full roster of speakers hasn’t been released. Faith leaders are usually chosen to display as much diversity as possible and to highlight some aspect of the candidate.
A Mormon invitee would be far from the first to offer a blessing or perform a key role at the GOP national convention. Mormons have long been active in public life and are overwhelmingly Republican.
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Column: Candidates have no right to remain silent
August 8, 2012
Marshfield News Herald (Wisconsin)
What do we know about Mitt Romney? Not that much. His dad, a committed Mormon, was the successful president of American Motors before winning three terms as the civil rights-championing Republican governor of Michigan. We know that Mitt went to a select private boys’ school, served a 30-month Mormon mission in France, graduated from Brigham Young University, married Ann, his high-school sweetheart, and earned degrees from Harvard Law and Harvard Business School. We know that he founded Bain Capital, became a multimillioniaire, successfully headed the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics, won one term as governor of Massachusetts and has been running for president since at least 2005.
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Quo vadis?
August 7, 2012
Wilmington Star News (North Carolina)
Mitt Romney is in a quagmire, “Romney and his faith,” August 7. Romney must know that the Book of Mormon and the Bible are theologically inconsistent; thus the concern of evangelical Christians with his candidacy.
However, what truly matters in a president is competence and integrity. Romney’s personal principles are quite consistent with Christian morals. Voters must evaluate the records of both candidates and decide.
http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20120807/LETTERS/120809754/1107/opinion?Title=Quo-vadis-
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Famous posthoumous Mormon baptisms
August 9, 2012
Detroit News (Michigan)
I find it very odd that the Mormon Church baptizes people without their permission, after they’re dead. I had no idea posthoumous baptisim was such a common practice nor that so many thousands have been subjected to this peculiar form of Mormon salvation. Including a fair number of very famous people.
Elvis was baptized eight times but at least there was some chance he might have been interested in joining their church. That doesn’t appear to be the case for the rest of the famous people on this list that include President Obama’s mother, Anne Frank, Princess Di and Hitler. Yes, that Adolph Hitler. Have to give the Mormons some points for optimism on that one. I’m pretty sure Hitler’s soul is beyond saving.
http://blogs.detroitnews.com/politics/2012/08/09/famous-posthoumous-mormon-baptisms/
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Here’s The Truth About The Video Of The Secret Mormon Ceremony That Just Leaked…
August 9, 2012
Business Insider
[WARNING: This item contains specific descriptions of sacred temple ceremonies.]
I don’t know what this ceremony is all about–perhaps one of our Mormon readers can explain it in the comments below (thank you in advance!). I assume it’s one of the super-secret rituals an ex-Mormon apostate describes here.
For those expecting to be let in some bizarre religious ritual, however, I have some unfortunate news.
The ceremony seems pretty boring.
I don’t want to needlessly offend our Mormon readers by embedding the video, but if you’re curious, you can watch it here. Again, I’d be grateful if someone could explain what’s happening and what it means (and why it’s so secret–because, honestly, it really doesn’t seem that interesting.)
http://www.businessinsider.com/secret-mormon-ceremony-video-2012-8Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/secret-mormon-ceremony-video-2012-8#ixzz235nwmmB4
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Black Mormon woman looks to make political history in Utah
August 9, 2012
Amsterdam News (New York)
During a profile by MSNBC, when asked if she focuses on her race, Love said, “I don’t because it doesn’t define who I am.” Love’s Mormon faith dictates her belief system, and that dictates her politics. She’s against same-sex marriage and would vote to decrease the size of social programs meant to combat poverty. Love told MSNBC that she’d also “cut spending, simplify the tax code” and overhaul Medicare and Social Security.
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Mormon Modesty And Shame
August 8, 2012
Salon
Starting at age twelve, once I was inducted into the Mormon Church’s Young Women’s program, the lessons on modesty and chastity began in earnest. I was never taught about the mechanics or pleasures of sex – I was taught that my virginity was a precious asset that should be preserved as a gift for my husband. I was also taught that my appearance needed to be modest at all times. Mormon women are raised to be example of modest femininity – pretty but not sexy.
http://open.salon.com/blog/postmormongirl/2012/08/08/mormon_modesty
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For a Mormon political first, a Mormon blessing?
August 8, 2012
Beaumont Enterprise (Texas)
Spiritual leaders will give invocations and benedictions each day at the Republican National Convention. Will Mitt Romney ask anyone from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to offer a blessing?
Romney, who will be the first Mormon nominated for president by a major party, never discusses his church while campaigning unless the circumstances require it. Instead, he talks about “my faith” or “shared values” with voters.
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In presidential race, the religious test that wasn’t
August 9, 2012
Janesville Gazette (Wisconsin)
Remember all the media chatter during the primaries about how the “Mormon factor” could undermine Mitt Romney’s candidacy?
Forget about it.
American voters, it turns out, are mostly unconcerned about Romney’s religious affiliation or have no idea what it is.
http://gazettextra.com/news/2012/aug/09/presidential-race-religious-test-wasnt/
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Mormon church leader ‘bit man’s penis’ when he tried to stop him from ‘assaulting his sister, 13, and his mother’
August 9, 2012
Daily Mail (United Kingdom)
A Mormon church leader in Utah allegedly bit a 20-year-old man’s penis so badly it required surgery when the man tried to stop him from attacking his little sister and his mother.
Efrey Antonio Guzman, 46, is accused of using his status as a family friend to stalk a 13-year-old girl in a Salt Lake City suburb. In May he allegedly went to the girl’s home and grabbed her tightly, kissed her and fondled her buttocks, police say.
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Michael Gerson: Mitt Romney and his faith
August 9, 2012
Winona Daily News (Minnesota)
The political risks are overblown. A new survey by the Pew Research Center finds that more than 80 percent of voters who know Romney is a Mormon are either comfortable with his faith or it doesn’t matter to them. And even among the margin of the uncomfortable — including some secularists and evangelicals — this concern doesn’t dictate voting behavior. In American politics, partisanship is a far stronger political force than theological affinity. “Overwhelming majorities of Republican and Republican-leaning voters who know Romney is Mormon support him, whether they are comfortable with his religion or not,” the Pew study concludes. “Conversely, about nine in ten Democrats and Democratic-leaners intend to vote for Barack Obama, regardless of their view of Romney’s faith.”
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YUCAIPA-CALIMESA: Mormon Church celebrates Pioneer Day
August 8, 2012
Press Enterprise (California)
In commemoration of the Mormon pioneers entering Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847, the Yucaipa 1st Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints held a “Pie-o-neer Day” Celebration at Yucaipa Community Park on July 24.
Most members dressed in pioneer-day clothes and brought pies to share after everyone ate their own prepared dinners.
Children had fun playing games and pulling and riding in the handmade replica carts.
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‘Romney bumper stickers’ hashtag flooded with bigoted anti-Mormon tweets
August 9, 2012
Twitchy
Yesterday happy warriors on the Right suggested amusing slogans for #Obama_Bumperstickers. As the Left struggled to catch up with the #Romney_Bumperstickers hashtag, all the anti-Mormonism we’ve come to expect reared its vile head.
Here’s a sample of what passes for humor among hateful, intolerant lefties.
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Portman’s Shaker Problem
August 9, 2012
The New Republic
Wisdom’s Paradise (the title refers to a spiritual name the Shakers gave the Lebanon settlement, more commonly known as Union Village) is a work of history, not of advocacy, but Portman’s (and Bauer’s) tone in describing what they call “one of America’s more successful experiments in Christian communal life” is weirdly boosterish. It’s simply wrong to call Shakerism a success. Compared to Mormonism, which was in many ways its opposite, the Shaker experiment failed at its most basic task, which was to perpetuate itself. The Mormons’ polygamy in their early days put them pretty drastically at odds with civil authorities, but while it lasted it was an excellent strategy to increase the church’s numbers, conversion being a lot more difficult to achieve than procreation. The Shakers’ insistence on celibacy, by contrast, made procreation impossible, and–combined with their systematic breakup of families–severely limited the ranks of future
recruits.
http://www.tnr.com/blog/plank/105952/portmans-shaker-problem
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Romney, Who Baptized The Dead Against Their Will: I’ll Protect Religious Freedom Better Than Obama
August 9, 2012
The New Civil Rights Movement
Mitt Romney admitted in 2007 that he had participated in Mormon ceremonies in which dead people were baptized into Christianity without their prior consent or knowledge. Yet in his latest attack ad against President Obama, Romney gratuitously uses footage of his recent meeting in Poland with Lech Walesa to claim he, Romney, will protect your religious freedom better than President Obama.
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Former Mormon High Priest Urges Americans to Consider Risk of Electing Latter-Day Faithful As President
August 9, 2012
SBWire
Having served for many years as a Mormon High Priest, Eddie Scott has experienced the inner facets of the Latter-Day Saints Movement from a deeply personal angle. Now, with the release of an update to his latest book, Scott is urging Americans to become aware of the troubling beliefs the Mormon faith preaches, while considering the catastrophic impacts they could have on the country.
‘The Chosen Few’ exposes the deep-rooted beliefs that the Mormon faith holds dear; beliefs regarding the end of the world and the famed role that Latter-day Saints believe they will play in it.
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A Unified Theory of Romney Tax-Stubbornness
August 9, 2012
The New Republic
The second theory is based on Romney’s enormous contributions to the Mormon Church over the years. While he is personally proud of his financial support for the church, the theory concedes, he is deeply uncomfortable discussing his religion in public. As John Heilemann, the father of the theory, puts it:
[F]or a candidate who has taken extravagant pains to avoid discussion of his supremely prominent role in contemporary Mormonism, the idea of a wave of news stories detailing the tens of millions of dollars that he has given to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints–surely making him among its most generous funders in the modern era–must be a kind of nightmare.
http://www.tnr.com/blog/plank/105974/unified-theory-romney-tax-stubbornness
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CONSTRUCTION SIGN IN UTAH FLASHES ‘GOD HATES GAYS’
August 9, 2012
Think Progress
Someone recently hacked a construction sign in Provo, Utah to flash “God Hates Gays.” Provo is best known as the town where prominent Mormon college Brigham Young University is located. A YouTube video uploaded today captures the flashing message, alternating that phrase with “Follow Detour,” on a roadside after dark. According to a spokesperson from the Utah Department of Transportation, the sign was “a very bad prank that is obviously unacceptable.”
http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2012/08/09/667921/utah-sign-god-gays/?mobile=nc
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In new political thriller, Marine is killed after uncovering Mormon conspiracy
August 9, 2012
PR News Channel
Avraham Azrieli’s “The Mormon Candidate” (ISBN 147519451X) tells the story of a young photojournalist who investigates the suspicious death of a Marine Corps veteran named Zachariah Hinckley, a devout Mormon who worked for Veterans Affairs. With the national elections only a few weeks away, Ben Teller follows clues left by Zachariah, leading him to secret baptisms for dead American heroes and the possible involvement of a presidential candidate who’s also a Mormon.
Ben’s prying puts him in the crosshairs of the same assassins who laid waste to the Marine veteran, but he persists. A group of former Mormons train the young reporter, who infiltrates cloistered ceremonies at the Mormon Temple and confronts malevolent forces in a quest for hard evidence. If he succeeds, the discovery will not only shock the nation and embarrass the powerful LDS church, but could also derail a presidential candidacy and change the course of American history.
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Steve Lopez: Defending free speech, not bigotry, at Chick-fil-A
August 9, 2012
Los Angeles Times (California)
Back in 2008, gay rights activist Fred Karger told me he thought it would have been more effective to target the Mormon church and other big backers of Proposition 8 rather than go after a small operation like El Coyote. He told me this week that he still feels that way, but on the other hand, he used to go to El Coyote once a month or so but hasn’t been there since the flap over Proposition 8.
That’s understandable, and I can’t say I have any burning desire to visit El Coyote or Chick-fil-A. Though I’ll always defend free speech, nothing ruins my appetite like the expression of bigotry masked as God’s word.
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