Some of my facts and assumptions may be off base here, in which case I defer to the experts.

Back in the 1830’s-40’s agrarian America, people had little time and a much lower threshold for bullshit. That’s why mormons were chased out of everywhere they went. They came, committed crimes, pissed people off, and were run out of the county. As many have stated here, the key word here is prosecuted, not persecuted. People saw it for what it was: a hoax, a fraud, a crime.

So like the seven year locust, they move to the mid-mountain west and hibernated. The 1950’s roll around, they climb out of their hole and look around. America is prosperous, full of fat, happy people distracted by diversions. The marments emerge like a tribe of meerkats. They stand on their hind legs, look around and seem almost human. It’s the 50’s, society is sexist and racist, but seems to be tolerant of other sexists and racists. The meerkats (notice all the animal analogies?) decide, hey, I can give it a shot and pass for human too.

So, after 70 years of all the image consulting, branding, marketing, advertising and public relations they could buy, here they are. Just tack some plastic steeples on the buildings and Jesus Christ in 72 point font on the front and there you go. Just another religion in America. A peculiar folk, but a religion none the less.

Are you with me so far?

They want acceptance, but will settle for indifference.

But would mormons be better served?

By discussing it as a religion at all, haven’t they in effect already won?

Would mormons be better served if we took back the terms of the discussion and called them what they are and treated them for what they are.

Mormons are victims of an obvious and demonstrable hoax orchestrated by a career conman.

Should we, as society: individuals, media, family members of mormons stop talking about it in terms of religion and start talking about it again as a hoax, a fraud, a crime? And its victims. We talk about the victims of Bernie Madoff. Can we talk about the victims of Joseph’s Myth?

I see three benefits.

1. Stop talking religion and you stop the enabling. There is no more “what ifs?”
2. Call it a hoax and then you have all the hard cold facts on your side and at your fingertips. You have the motivation, the time line. No ifs, buts, or maybes. Follow the money. Follow the honeys.
3. Discussing kolobianism only in the context of the hoax lets mormons know, in absolute terms, that you will never buy into their bullshit.

Just because we can be a tolerant society, and embrace multiculturalism, does it mean we should ignore the crime of kolobianism and its many victims?

damn kitten on key board. let's get subject line and screen name correct this time.

What is it about cats and keyboards? LOL.

Have long felt this. It just doesn't deserve to be called a religion, although many religions are in effect businesses.

So I think they should be called religious businesses, although when they are tauting lies, then they should be called "shady religious businesses."