So I am sitting in church right now and the lesson is on public affairs. The church is now telling the members how to represent the church. The lesson has taught them to get involved in the community. They want people to invade the local systems to influence the agendas. They want people look for things reported incorrectly about the church and its history and then make attempts to correct them by writing the sources that report the news. The lesson is also telling people to start looking like normal members of society and not be a peculiar people. They want more people to get involed in the school system to affect what is taught in schools. They want religion to play a larger part of the government and for it to stop being tossed aside from the government. They want people to change inaccurate media portrayal of the church. they wannt people to put on events to showcase the church. It is being taught under the category of public affairs. They are promoting members starting mormon blogs to help people see the church as it "really" is. This is all coming from the church higher ups. Thought this was interesting. Sorry about the errors I'm on my phone typing as it is being said.

I can't WAIT for them to start researching sources to correct us "anti's". Bwa ha ha ha ha!

Mormons rarely research before claiming something is wrong—
Hell, most members have zero idea what LDS leaders taught more that 5 years ago...and they really have no desire to find out. Instead they will say "yer wrong, I know cuz I'm Mormon" and give the Gospel Principles answer.

Hopefully I'm wrong. I'd love it if the Bros. campaign led to more people learning the truth.

I think it's too late and that TSCC cannot win the propaganda wars.

My reasons are posted here:

http://exmormon.org/phorum/read.php?2,99851

"Theres something wrong here
there can be no denying ...."

Something inside has died
And I cant hide
And I just cant fake it ...."

(Carol King)

Thanks for the report....but let me see now. Help the community see the church for what it really is???? How is that possible when the Temple is closed, the lovebombers only give milk before meat and a new member has no idea how the church will use you and spit you up even just to get toilets clean!!!

...That makes me sick. Not the trying to make people learn how the church really is, being that that's what drives people away in the first place, but to get people into schools to infect kids? The younger the age, the easier to brainwash. I can't beleive their going for that.

...well I can, but that's not the point.

We're moving inexorably toward a national curriculum, at least at the elementary and middle school level. That ship has sailed.

See this website if you want to know more. Or google, "common core curriculum" or "common core standards."

http://www.corestandards.org/

glad you have found something to do!

Another example of how the church is run like a business. Get the sheep to do the public affairs work. They already have them trained on how to respond why not use them to propogate their lies to the rest of the world. All it takes is a generation or two, and what was taught is forgotten and replaced with what they want their members to regurgitate & the rest of the world to learn, unless those who learn that the church is not what it claims to be continue to speak up.


And, there is already an infiltration of church influence in the government in Utah. I wonder how much more "influence" they are going to instruct their members to do? The Ensign articles use analogies that teach their members that, 'harassment is ok if it is for the person's well being'. (Links to some of this month's Ensign magazine articles were posted just this past week about the topic)
It's already difficult to live here in Utah, I can't take any more of the insufferable arrogance, lack of critical thinking skills, and the judgmental attitudes that members display.

"also telling people to start looking like normal members of society and not be a peculiar people."

That sounds like infiltration to me. I don't know- creepy sounding. How can you instruct your congregation not to be 'peculiar' and 'fit in'?

As soon as they open their mouth they are not "normal people".

to the year 2011. When females have been taught from birth that they need to cover every inch of their bodies in clothing to be "modest," how can they expect them to suddenly change their clothing style to "fit in." They would have to dress "immodestly" by current standards to fit in. Of course they probably don't expect females to take part in this (or any) campaign.

Does that mean doing away with the white shirts, suits, and short hair for men? Mormon males stick out in a group, and can be picked out immediately.

Put your phone back on your belt, gather the wife & kids, and run out the back door now! lol Run, run for your lives!

Guess the morg never heard of the separation of church and state.

This seems to be another ill concealed attempt to get Mormons into key positions in order to influence public policy.

Probably driven by the morg's anti-gay agenda and their desire to get a Mormon into the White House.

Gearing up for the upcoming presidential campaign.

Great report. I remember it was just fall 2007 that Ballard gave his "Faith, Family, Facts, and Fruits" talk. That one was trotted out in a few different formats over the next couple of years as a way to get members to do PR work, get the facts straight about the church, and to basically stay on message about what the church was.

Sounds like they are still working the members for PR, giving them the "facts" and message that TSCC wants propagated.

Now we just gotta get the word out.

You know, he that hath been warned must warn his neighbor.

Or the old, when you get to the other side, will your friends ask why you did not tell them what you knew and what share what you had?

And now that we have the facts on our side, it should be a lot easier to share the message- no need for wishywashy feelings and tears, just scans of actual church documents.

Thanks for sharing that tsunami3445.

It's absolutely craziness. Why does the church have to sell itself? If it was the only true church on the face of the earth none of this nonsense would be necessary. Can't imagine what they will be doing in another 10 years.

this won't help them to avoid looking like a "peculiar people"

That is just plain weird!

It's all about the brand - forget Christ and focus on the brand...

"The lesson is also telling people to start looking like normal members of society and not be a peculiar people."

LOL!!!!! Good luck with that!

If you get a chart with all the pictures of the General Authorites it says just one thing: WHITE POWER!!!

Want to look normal? Get some people of color.

Normal people don't wear underwear with Masonic signs on them.

Normal people don't recoil in horror at a cup of coffee.

Normal people don't keep people away from their own kid's weddings.

Normal people don't want anything to do with Mormonism.

After 181 years Mormons have less than 1% of the earth's population as members. So go ahead and try to act normal. That won't work either!

Also, normal churches don't use nonchurch names for proxy dead dunkings.

And normal churches don't send representatives out to knock on doors to try to lure new members. What other church does that? Only JWs, another weird cult.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/31/2011 11:56AM by Cheryl.

Shiner Bock Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> "The lesson is also telling people to start
> looking like normal members of society and not be
> a peculiar people."
>
> LOL!!!!! Good luck with that!
>
> If you get a chart with all the pictures of the
> General Authorites it says just one thing: WHITE
> POWER!!!
>
> Want to look normal? Get some people of color.
>
> Normal people don't wear underwear with Masonic
> signs on them.
>
> Normal people don't recoil in horror at a cup of
> coffee.
>
> Normal people don't keep people away from their
> own kid's weddings.
>
> Normal people don't want anything to do with
> Mormonism.
>
> After 181 years Mormons have less than 1% of the
> earth's population as members. So go ahead and try
> to act normal. That won't work either!

That about sums it up....go tell it on the mountain!

There is nothing weird here

Every culture changes history. Our country has done it at least as many times as Mormons have done it.

Also, interacting with a community is not "invading" a place. Mormons are, for all intents and purposes, normal (if not slightly wacky). Normal people get involved with the school system, with the government, with service, and it is completely normal for those people to represent their opinions and try to portray them in a positive light.

This is not weird, creepy, or anything but what normal Americans do every single day.

I can't think of a single conversation more boring than one of semantics.

However, if it means anything, I think the Mormon church itself is slightly more odd than Christianity, but members of it are generally like everybody else. You probably disagree with me, but that has been my overwhelming experience.

I think that you would have a point, except that this is an instruction that is coming out from the centre in 2011.

Was it not important for Mormons to be interacting with the community before now?

Normal people get involved with the things you list because they want to, not because they've been told on mass to do so because it's what the Church wants.

The Church is spending significant amounts on trying to improve it's brand - "I'm a Mormon" tv campaigns, new websites, encouraging people to use social networking. The 'normal' stance is not just a change, it's a complete U turn.
1. We are a peculiar people
OOops that didn't work, let's try
2. We are normal just like you

That's a bit like
1. Polygamy is okay
OOops that didn't work
2. Polygamy is not okay

And
1. Blacks can't have the Priesthood
OOops that didn't work
2. Blacks can have the Priesthood

You said
"every culture changes history"
No, every culture evolves, only Mormonism tries to retrospectively change it's history.

I wonder when Mormon "normal" will extend to gay people...?

Ok, yeah, so the doctrine is just coming out now. I would argue that "normalism" has been preached by Mormons since I was little, but that is besides the point.

While traditional Mormonism has always espoused separatism, that is in no way indicative of modern day Mormonism. Even if leaders had been preaching separatism up until 2011, that doesn't seem to have much of a bearing on what Mormons actually do.

When it comes down to it, it doesn't matter when they started saying it. How can you deny that Mormons are a part of their community? They always have been. Except for when I was living outside of the country, every job, class and non-drinking social group I've ever been a part of has been attended by Mormons as well.

Of course, not all Mormons really take part in non-church related activities. But, we should realize that there are lots of Americans too who don't step much outside of their family lines, or are part of few groups. Despite that, we don't classify Americans as "not being a part of their community."

The blog stuff, and general online apologetics is weird, I completely agree with that. For the rest of it though, they have been doing it their entire lives, just like you and I.

You seem to think that Mormonism is no longer a separatist organisation. That is probably because you are not Gay, or Female.

Mormonism only becomes non discriminatory (or non separatist if you prefer) when it has to.
Going to lose our property etc, okay Polygamy is banned.
Going to lose our tax exempt status, no problem Blacks can have the Priesthood.

Mormonism is not growing. It's shrinking. Active Attendance at Church is at it's lowest ever percentage. Temples are standing unused for long periods of time.

The 'peculiar people' strategy just sing viable and so there is a concerted effort to mainstream Mormonism to try and keep it afloat.

Sorry "sing" should read "isn't"

I'm not convinced of its separatist status. I'm skeptical of pretty much everything, and the Mormon people I work with, the Mormon people I'm related to and the Mormon people I grew up with all check out.

However, I absolutely, 100%, agree with you that the PR mentality of the Mormon church is what drives them to, as a religion, try to preach being normal. It makes perfect sense that their dwindling numbers is what is causing this change. In that vein, I would also argue that change is completely normal.

Hell, I'd rather the church be ok with black folks, gay folks, women folks and monogamy than to try and stick to its guns and prove to the world how they never change.

You have a more refreshing approach to Mormonism than I have heard from a believer before.

You also recognise that the Church's position on gay people and females is not the same as it's position on the men folk. (and we are talking about the Church as an organisation rather than some of the people who are Mormons, because non Mormons can be good people too).

So if the position for gays and females is different does that not make it separatist?

Well, let's define terms. The organization itself is despicable. Its facilitation of abuse, especially lately on homosexuals, is evil, no doubt about it.

I don't define it as separatist because there are other groups that, to varying degrees, also persecute homosexuality. To say that Mormons are separatist because they descriminate against gays is like saying the entire right wing political system is separatist. I severely dislike right-wing religiotards of any credo, but I recognize that they are a part of my overall American culture. We're all of the same trib.

Regular, everyday Mormons obviously vary on this issue, just like any other American.

Edit: I think you alluded to me being a believer. I'm not. Perhaps I'm naive, I'll accept that, but I don't believe in god, let alone virgin birth and prophets :)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/31/2011 12:05PM by snb.

So, the purpose of a church is what? To serve it's members? To bring them closer to god? What?

The emphasis on how the member can support the church in a blatantly business-minded PR ad campaign is not only not normal, it's wrong.

What citizens of a country choose to do to become involved in their political systems is one thing...but a church suggesting to members, well that crosses a line.

Hahahaha! The infiltrating Mormon in my life just got fired - well, forced to resign! And if you can believe this it was because our customers complained about her spouting off to them as one of Rush Limbaughs cronies. She'd listen to him as she worked and rant to the customers! Same deal with her Glenn Beck love. Customers complained.

She was on thin ice anyway.