I haven't been a regular on the board for awhile so this may have come up already.

I just got an invitation for a baptism- but its done like a wedding announcement, or a baby announcement. A picture of the child and text over top of the picture.

Um. Seriously. Do we have to celebrate everything in life with a glamour shot announcement? We have wedding announcements, baby announcements, 50 year anniversary announcements, new house announcements, and now baptism announcements.

Have any of you seen this?

I know in Mormonism turning 8 is a big deal- but when I was growing up we just made some phone calls, set a time, did the dunk, then had a meal. End of story. I'm sure people are also doing the FB event invite too.

That's all. I'm done. At least it was something interesting in the mail ;)

I've received several of those, but they were sent by email or through facebook. None of them have been a printed announcement.

yes.. its a thing.

I think its because its super easy to create those kinds of photos and send out cards. It really only takes a few clicks on the computer and its done.

All we got back in my day was a copy of the program from the baptism.

Yes, I've seen them and received a couple. I just love the line
"Johnny has "chosen" to be baptised....blah blah blah....yeah right.

They actually say "chosen?" LMAO.

OMG, this is too funny. Johnny has chosen to be babtised!!

Does the invitation/proud announcement go on to say the whole truth, that Johnny has chosen to be babtised because he wanted the trip to Disneyland that he was promised if he "chose" the right?

I remember one babtism I attended years ago where the other Grandma (not me) in her babtism talk had a set of keys she held for a visual reminder and referred to over and over and OVER again, declaring that this babtism contained very important "keys to God's Kingdom and that this important step they had made today was a key that they would carry with them throughout their lives, just as she held the key lovingly and tightly in her hand."

I seriously was so tired of her holding the key visual up that I wanted to get up and snatch the keys from her hands, and say, "See, they are only CAR keys, not keys to God's kingdom.

(Yeah, I know I am evil)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/07/2014 10:50PM by presleynfactsrock.

We got one that said the chosen thing too.

The worst was the talk at the baptism (Sons best friend) the speaker kept going on and on about how "dirty" you are before baptism washes you clean. In the car going home DS said wow "friend" must have done something really bad to be that dirty.

Mormons are clueless!

My mission president's wife was BIG on doing this type of stuff for investigators/new converts.

She said that we needed to have respect for the event and that a formal announcement would bring that respect.

It turned into a huge hassle with a lot of missionaries throwing together half assed announcements.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/07/2014 10:52PM by nonsequiter.

I'm guessing it would be a bad thing to hijack the photo and put the kid next to Jim Jones handing out the koolaid?

It sounds like they are cheapening the whole thing. Who knows maybe in 10 to 20 years these kids will realize the cheapness of the morg. Maybe they'll find their way here one day!??

I have seen formal missionary announcements too, usually with a pic of the missionary in missionary dress holding tightly to their scriptures while leaning on one knee or against a tree.

This is what I was going to say - I've seen these not only for baptisms but for missionary farewells also. The missionary ones are crazy in that they are posed like heroes from the Book of Mormon or idealized paintings of Joseph Smith.

Sounds like a good opportunity for an entrepreneurial photographer and graphic designer.

It's customary in religious cultures to celebrate the expected rituals. It's done in other religious cultures; Judaism, Catholicism, for instance.

As the society changes, some of the typical cultural religious rituals change.
Parties, announcements, etc. are typical in Mormonism today.

Seems perfectly reasonable in Mormon culture to send or give out or make announcements of baptisms, missionary farewells, etc.

It's for the members or those interested.

I wouldn't feel any obligation to attend, in my case, however.

My wife teaches the 7 turning 8 year old kids in primary. Yes, she gets these. One is hanging in the fridge from last Saturday. I asked her if she wanted to skip Sunstone to attend. Nope, she said, we have planned going to Sunstone since last year's Sunstone.

I got one that was very nice, included a return RSVP envelope (not kidding).

The "event" started out with a custom DVD containing highlights of this 8 year old's "life and times." Apparently these "milestone" videos are now offered by several LDS-centric photographers (most of the DVD is actually a bunch of photos in succession).

Too much money and effort, imho.