The attached Washington Post article was linked as a feature on the side of another Yahoo article. I wondered if it was the result of the SLC church's effort to protect its image as 2 Mormon - Huntsman and Romney - run for the Republican nomination for President in 2012.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/five-myths-about-mormonism/2011/08/03/gIQAyIhTwI_story.html

The Myth headings:
1. Mormons practice polygamy.
2. Mormons aren’t Christians.
3. Most Mormons are white, English-speaking conservatives.
4. Mormon women are second-class citizens.
5. A Mormon president would blur the line between church and state.

I am glad to see that Brooks admitted that polygamy is still considered a Mormon principle to be practiced in the next life. Often, when SLC Mormons disavow polygamy, they conveniently omit this tidbit. While SLC Mormons no longer practice polygamy, they still believe in it. (And in the way they still believe in it, they affirm that #4 is not a myth).

Plenty of people will have a reaction to #2. I think there are good arguments to claim that Mormonism isn't Christian. The whole idea that members can become Gods can be argued as a kind of polytheism which is contrary to traditional Christianity which has claimed monotheism with regard to belief in God.

The demographics argument in #3 is comical to me because no matter what Mormons claim, they have a predominantly white and conservative membership. I also think it is comical that they claim membership # for South American when we have regularly discussed the high inactivity rates throughout nations of that continent. Attached below is a link to the Pew Forum. If we look at the Portrait/Demographics for Mormonism and look at the "racial and ethnic composition of Mormons" we see that they are 86% White (non-Hispanic), 7% Hispanic (White), 3% Black (non-Hispanic), 3% Other, and 1% Asian. Now look at the Social & Political Views for Mormonism. 52% are Republican with another 13% leaning Republican. 60% are conservative (the second pie chart), and they show predominantly conservative support for nearly every other social issue mentioned.

Women as second class citizens? Any of you ladies care to comment on if the LDS church treats women like second class citizens?

And finally, would a Mormon President blur the line between church and state. I don't know that Romney or Huntsman would any more than George W Bush did while he was President. Granted, it was a different denomination Bush promoted. But if Bush is the standard, I for one don't care to risk a Mormon President blurring the line. Keep SLC out of Washington and allow ALL Americans to be represented, not just those who pay their tithing money to offices in the intermountain west.

I nearly risked being outed by posting on WaPo site in my mild-mannered secret identity since I'm registered that way with them. The fact that there were 1,200 or so comments dissuaded me, however.

Most of her rhetoric amounts to some lame "strawman incineration" tactics people just can't seem to get away from...

Her comment on the "Mormons are polygamists" claim ignores the historical reality of Post-Manifesto polygamy, the fact that Fundamentalists still call themselves Mormons, and she presents disparate figures from LDS sources and historians on the percentage of polygamists in 19th Century Utah with the implied innuendo they should be given equal credibility.

Similarly her disavowal of the "Mormons aren't Christians" attack reduces to "My Jewish husband thinks I am."

Okay, I won't engage one way or the other on the "Christian" debate, but I was living in Utah during the ERA days, and Ms. Brooks appears to have overlooked that one as well as the real issues that include the historical accuracy of the BOM not being supported by science, the very real theocracy that operates in Utah--and has become worse in the last 30 or so years--and the adverse effect the LDS Church has on the entire intellectual and social climate of its culture.

+1 SL Cabbie. Well said.

And what the heck has gone wrong at the Washington Post? They have now published over two dozen pro-mormon pieces. Did LD$ Inc. buy the Washington Post? Even if they didn't, I suspect money and favors have been paid.

Good journalism is screwed again.

As for women REALLY being second-class citizens, try this fucking bullshit from Richard "Snoozefest" Scott:

http://lds.org/ensign/2000/05/the-sanctity-of-womanhood?lang=eng

" Satan has unleashed a seductive campaign to undermine the sanctity of womanhood, to deceive the daughters of God and divert them from their divine destiny. He well knows women are the compassionate, self-sacrificing, loving power that binds together the human family. He would focus their interests solely on their physical attributes and rob them of their exalting roles as wives and mothers. He has convinced many of the lie that they are third-class citizens in the kingdom of God."

Yes. Reread that LAST SENTENCE:

"He has convinced many of the lie that they are third-class citizens in the kingdom of God."

Yes, folks, women ARE second-class citizens! An "apostle" has said this shit, and this was in April of 2000 General Conference!

This infuriates Mormons. As a former Mormon I remember how I felt. But being able to reflect on it since, I perfectly understand the beliefs and opinions of others, that whether or not Mormons are Christians is a little iffy. I commented on this article, too, and tried to make an argument that there are good reasons why Mormons are not considered Christians. Look at the external or visible symbolism--instead of the cross, Mormons use temple symbols, which are just symbols from the cross-over of Craft Lodge Freemasonry, i.e. the compass and square (sewn into the garments), the five-pointed star, the sun, the moon, clasped hands, the beehive, and the all-seeing eye. Since the cross is always missing, and Mormons willfully reject the cross as a religious symbol, people aren't left with much to assess Mormons' Christianity. And then if they actually know what Mormons teach regarding Jesus and the atonement and the nature of God and the Trinity, that sets off a whole new set of alarms.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/10/2011 07:12PM by cludgie.