I just went to the Church website. Topics aside, the entire presentation seems so artificial. The pictures are all professionally done, but just not "real-life" at all. It seems so staged. It doesn't speak to me spiritually.

The other day, I walked past someone showing a church-produced video on the life of Christ. I had the same feeling. The production quality was decent, but I had a hard time envisioning that Jesus really walked and acted like that.

Every time I go into a temple visitor's center, I feel the same way. They have all these spiffy presentations and exhibits but it just doesn't seem real. It is just so neatly pre-packaged. Tied with a bow, if you will, but superficial. I can imagine some consultant coming in and advising the church on what to present, what layout to use etc.

I notice it way more now than I used to. Anyone else feel the same way?

You are talking about Fabio Jesus in the new LDS church movies? the one with the English accent and distinct Euro-features?

It drives me crazy. Everytime my TBM wife puts one one I have to bite my tongue till it bleeds.

Ha ha .. never thought of him as Fabio Jesus, but that's a good description.

I used to look at other Church's depiction of Jesus and think they seemed so fake. But now I realize the LDS version seems just as fake.

It's amusing how close artist now paint old Joe to look like Jesus. And with such a good fake and bake tan, lol!
https://www.google.com/search?q=joseph+smith+painting&rlz=1C1CHFX_enUS726US726&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=662&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjf1LT0harSAhUph1QKHbMKBZIQ_AUIBigB#tbm=isch&q=jesus+in+a+suit&*&imgrc=pQIWeHIbmwlbaM:

An artificial look for an artificial church.

Many Filipinos imagine magic jesus differently...

http://www.nathanielturner.com/images/New_Folder/manilanazarene.jpg

People make up jesus to be what they want. Mormons want white and delightsome.

You are spot on, paulk.

Mormonism, the Lawrence Welk Show of religions.

Their Book of Mormon is an artificial Bible. The Mormons invented artificial Christianity.

https://www.google.com/search?q=fuck+off+jesus+get+your+own+heroin&client=ms-android-att-aio-us&prmd=inv&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjBveTCoKzSAhVCRSYKHWCECeQQ_AUIBygB&biw=598&bih=279#imgrc=IEbAXLXGsejlNM:

How I always imagined Mr. Jesus

Yeah, the package is insipid to the nth degree.

Ever notice how the only time somebody isn't smiling is when they have some kind of problem--faith crisis, shame, I'm-not-worthy?

Meanwhile the suits are always smiling. Must be a lot of work. They should hire a cosmetic surgeon to give them all permanent smiles, save them the trouble of remembering to smile when a camera's around.

I have some TBM relatives that are very into endlessly posting pics of themselves. In every single pic they have gigantic fake smiles and poses. They've taught their young children to do the same. After several years of these phony fakey pics, I can no longer look at them. I feel so bad for their kids that are being taught to present a fake look to anyone they meet, and every time a cell phone comes out, they must pose.

Mormonism demands you present a fake persona, fake life, fake spirituality, fake bank account, fake, fake, fake. I don't know how I survived it.

It's ALL a facade! It's so empty, like a cheap wall, you can punch holes all in it. It wouldn't stand up to a 20 mph wind- much less, a questioning or knowledgeable person/ member.

There is always an excuse/ defense/ explanation for everything (as opposed to an answer).

There is nothing to it, therefore they have to have multiple websites for everything- from this angle and that... one for members, another for not yet member/ regular people. One (or two) for black Mormons. One (or two) for gay Mormons. Etc., ETC., etc.

[http://www.mormonsandgays.org (used to be - now the subject is at LDS.snore) + http://www.gaysandmormons.org]
[http://www.blacklds.org (probably also moved to lds/) + http://www.ldsgenesisgroup.org]
[mormonwomen + LDSwimin']?

When typing in 'gay and Mormon', the suggestion "Joseph Smith Sexuality" popped up. They probably have that url too.

"Timeline of Mormon Thinking About Homosexuality"

http://www.nomorestrangers.org/timeline-of-mormon-thinking-about-homosexuality/

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/frame_game/2014/11/mormons_will_accept_homosexuality_mormon_church_leaders_use_revelation_to.html

The pattern is a thousand faces [for one (simple? Christian? equality?) message?]

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/2017 05:37AM by steve benson.

The church has had to admit before that they buy many of the photographs from a clearinghouse of staged illustrative photographs having nothing to do with Mormonism. That is, in fact, how they get so many pictures of what appear to be African-American Mormons. Sometimes that has got them into trouble, like the time they had a cute little black girl in a jumper. But someone discovered that the very same photo existed somewhere else, and the girl was originally wearing a sun dress. The church, obsessed with bare shoulders, had professionally airbrushed a jumper or T-shirt onto the photo.

"Mormonism Stock Photos and Pictures | Getty Images
Getty Images › photos › mormonism
Find the perfect Mormonism stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. Download premium images ...

"Mormonism Pictures and Images"

http://www.gettyimages.com/photos/mormonism


"Pan across front of Mormon Church headquarters sunlight reflected on glass door

"Credit: BBC Universal
Creative #: 1B02612_0008SD
Pan across front of Mormon Church headquarters sunlight reflected on glass door (Core Number: LDOI796T)

"Restrictions

"Restrictions: No use as a complete program, for sequential use with other BBC clips, for unofficial association with BBC, or in a manner that brings BBC into disrepute. Additional BBC Motion Gallery restrictions apply – see Section 10.6 of applicable Getty Images license agreement. Please contact Getty Images for any use of this clip for education/learning purposes."

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/video/pan-across-front-of-mormon-church-headquarters-stock-video-footage/1B02612_0008



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/2017 12:05PM by steve benson.

steve

of a happy family in a church pew that was taken at a different church?

Found the article I was thinking about:

http://archive.sltrib.com/story.php?ref=/sltrib/blogsfaithblog/54843931-180/lds-mormon-photo-church.html.csp


Please note that it was more important for the church to publish a photo featuring a black child, hoping to illustrate a more inclusive Mormon church, than to have to alter a picture of a child wearing a sundress. Rather than reject the photo, the solution was to accept the photo of the black child in a sundress, but then alter it, thus preserving both the myth of an inclusive church, along with the confusing need to shame girls of all ages.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/2017 12:51PM by cludgie.

The racial makeup of the pictures online and the ensign have bugged me for a long time. Not because I think showing diversity is bad. But because I have never been in a ward with more than a couple African-Americans. Even when we lived in Washington DC, the wards only had one or two African-American members, usually married to a Caucasian spouse.

Same thing with "Meet the Mormons." Sorry but the racial diversity shown is not at all like 99.9% of the church. It felt deceptive.

I have to add that the newer Joseph Smith movies starring the guys that play JS both young and adult, have so many shots of him looking slightly upward with a great-heavenly-revelation-gee-I-never-thought-of-that-before look in his eyes tat it drives me crazy.

The only way I can describe it more simply is: the Patrick Swayze look.

TSCC would have loved to him play JS.

Many years ago I think they would have loved to have Jimmy Stewart play him.*

In an ironic twist, Vincent Price played him.


*In the Christmastime LDS produced short which starred Jimmy Stewart as an aged pensioner, you can see that it's obviously a set, and one point you can see a stangehand!

The reason? Because it is artificial!!!

Mormons see artificial as a good thing. A very good thing. That is why they are so besotted with all things Disney.

Doesn't the inside of any temple scream "artificiality" to you? They look like the lobby of a middle-brow (that is, what middle class people think high class should look like) light assisted living center.

They can't have/ don't know the real thing - plus they presume they have it - resulting in it being a replacement, or facade, of/ for 'happy families', "eternal life", images of perfection, etc.

It mimics any perceived good or beauty or real or natural because the rest of the world is bad, or ugly, or faux, or unnatural.

The squeaky clean fakey-phoney image portrayed in places like the Visitors Centers impresses some people (aka prospective converts), and is a tool to lure them in.

Church media reminds me of a Thomas Kinkaid "gallery."and

It's what you get when the leaders are detached from reality.

The kind of fishing LDSinc does IS ARTIFICIAL... as is the bait!

It's glossy-PR. They want to look "normal", and have been trying since the 1830's, never to much success.