I'm pretty far away from the land of the underwear gods, and I don't watch TV. So, I thought I would be spared those deplorable "I'm a Mormon" ads, but I still see them occasionally. They make me feel like I've just stepped in dog crap, but also I get a feeling of unease because these commercials are so deeply and unapologetically dishonest.
The one I saw today is about a woman with three kids who paints. She claims she is a Mormon, but she is not like any Mormon I've ever known -- and I was a Mormon for over 30 years. She has no Mormon arts or crafts in her home. No pictures of temples or Smith or Monson on the wall. Her bookcase is curiously devoid of Mormon literature. Her clothing doesn't look like it could conceal the, shall we say, "authorized pattern." She doesn't look like a Mormon. She doesn't talk like a Mormon. Nothing about her has any of the usual hallmarks of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
So, why is the Mormon church working so hard to make the people in its ads look like something other than who they really are? We all know that as soon as you join the Mormon church, there is powerful pressure to conform and be like all the other righteous of Zion.
The message I'm getting from these ads is that Mormons don't want to be Mormon any more than I do, and these commercials are kind of a fantasy where they get to pretend that they're normal for awhile. They don't really want to hang that ugly art on their walls or wear those unstylish clothes. They want to escape into a world where they can do all the exciting and fun things the people in these commercials do instead of spending their Saturdays preparing their Sunday School lesson.
What they are saying really is "And this is the Mormon I wish I was."
occasionally come up in conversations and they'll ask, "why aren't you mormon anymore?" I'll answer, "would you want to be?" We'll both get a laugh out of it, and the conversation will usually go on about how weird mormons are.
People who "know" mormons can see the desperation in the mormon ads; most people just don't care but become suspicious if anything.
Once I ditched mormonism, I've had a lot more time to do fun things, while my mormon family are all in obedient molly mode. They put on the smile, bear testimony, but they look tired, unhappy, and some are taking meds for depression. I would think they would be envious of the non-mormon lifestyle, but most likely, they somehow feel they are on the higher road... and I'm doomed. (Been there, done that.)
So, yes, I wonder what the average mormon thinks about those ads. The ad people don't look/live like my extended family or other mormons that I currently know.
Non-Mormons see the Mormons as pests who come to your door periodically like the Jehovah's Witnesses. The commercials are no different -- more unwanted religion peddling. The Mormon church isn't fooling anyone with these ads. Mormons aren't cool. They're annoying, obsessed religious fanatics, and these ads are an obvious lie to everyone but Mormons.
A while back the JWs stopped by. At first I thought "oh no where is my repellant" but I decided to take this opportunity to get to the bottom on something I've been wanting to know about the JWs. What's the deal with the 144,000 and how do I sign up to be part of the 144,000? One of the things I like about cookbook recipes is how they provide step by step instructions on how to make certain dishes. When I don't know the step by step instructions of a recipe then things easily burn. Thus I was looking for a step-by-step list of instructions on the recipe of how to become one of the 144,000. I mean there is no sense in me hooking up with the JWs if I'm only going to end up getting burned ;) I said something like "what is the website address on how to become one of the 144,000" and all she did was tell me that I could find out whatever information I needed by going to the website address listed on a copy of their Awake pamphlet. Then she quickly proceeded to schedule a return appointment which I agreed to and I let her know I was anxious to talk about any questions I might have on the process for becoming one of the 144,000. I was at home at the time of our next appointment but they never called or anything. I guess I was dumped ;) Maybe if I had just approached it all with a "please show me Jehovah's way" attitude and just checked my brain at the door then I'd still be their investigator ;) Well in the meantime I went on that website and didn't find in my 5-10 minutes of searching any links to any documentation on the steps to become one of the 144,000. And suppose they're right and I became one of the 144,000. What would my life be like for eternity? Playing little harps while dressed in white and listening to General Conference talks 24/7 for all eternity? Hmmmmmm what a waste of mortal life ;)
I believe that someone on this board has already said this, but the other point of this campaign is to convince mormons that they themselves are normal.
Exactly. I think with Romney and the election bringing Mormonism into the light, I think some members may ask themselves, well, why don't people think we are Christian? Shouldn't it be blantantly obvious? And probably other questions too.
Yeah, there's a lot that's really fucked up about it.
It the churches way of reassuring the sheep that there are other fools too. Cool, normal ones so it's ok.
All I know is that the TBMs that I still speak to think the commercials are weird and not at all reflective of the membership.
I'm surprised the old white guys are THAT out of touch. I mean, not surprising, but it's bad business. Seriously, I think they are even off putting to the normal TBMs because they are so dishonest. It's a joke because if you go to church you know NONE of those people in those commercials are there. Seriously the black, single mom dentist? WTF? I don't even think she's a Mormon. There's no way.
The church is in the habit of piling more and more responsibility onto the members. For example, in addition to all the old stuff, a few years ago the church decided to put members in yellow t-shirts and send them out on service projects so the church could get props for being charitable.
I think the ad campaign is the next step. Now in addition to doing all the church stuff and participating in the yellow t-shirt projects, the church wants you to be artistic, fashionable, hip, attractive, and stylish. It's all about making the church look good in front of the Gentiles.
in Colorado now. I've never seen an I'm a mormon ad in Utah--but since I've been back 10 days now in Colorado, I see them ALL THE TIME. I said just the other day--I've seen 2 white and delightsome people on the commercials. I'd say I've seen at least 10 of the commercials and 2 of the people were white and delightsome. One of the WAD was married to another race.
Most of the people are every other nationality and many speak with a heavy accent. Most of the women so far WORK outside the home. I'm not even sure even one of the women doesn't work.
I have yet to see one person who looks like any mormon I know or have ever known growing up all my life in Utah.
Yep--they are very deceptive.
And the Denver area has 20 billboards. I haven't seen any of those yet. These ads have also been on the news.
i know mormons like her. my mom was mormon but never had a picture of jesus or smith on the wall. she drank coke a lot; she wore jeans sometimes; she enjoyed elvis' music and the beattles; she enjoyed horror movies; and in more than one occasion she swore when i screwed up --ah the infinite wisdom of my teenage years.
but then again, i live in an area where mormonism is not like in, let's say, utah (did i spell that right?) or any of those places from what i've been told.
don't get me wrong, the church is trying to sell the concept of "we are just like you", but the trick is to broadcast the least mormon looking people so they don't look that weird to normal people. does that make sense?
non-mainstream mormon is good for public relations.
Man, the cult would never allow him to skate, he would be off home teaching or something and wearing 'normal' clothes instead of that grubby get up. Or he should be at home with his pregnant wife and 3 kids, completing an online college course while holding down two jobs to get that tithing money to SLC.
NOPE, those are NOT Mormons, those are actors. Someone on here mentioned how they used actors for the cheesy "I'll Build You a Rainbow" film. FAKERS!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/16/2011 02:28AM by charles, buddhist punk.
This is the video version of Fast and Testimony. Preaching to the LDS choir. Yeah, we're normal, we're Christian, we're like everybody else. Except they're not and they know it.
When I joined the church in 1979, the phrase "we are a peculiar people" was very popular. Mormons took pride in their weirdness, because they KNEW they had the truth and they were so into not being like anybody else.
Then the Interwebs came along and people (like me) started doing research and EUREKA!...we found all those negative feelings that we had about the church and the nutjob teachings were RIGHT!! It wasn't true!! And people started leaving in droves.
So now they have to act like it's Fast Sunday and they have to convince themselves they're normal and hopefully convince the Gentiles of the same.
Kinda reminds me of the McDonald's commercials that were on back in the day when I worked at McD's. I couldn't help noticine the people who came in to buy our food were not all as cheerful, happy, fun-loving, good-looking and neatly dressed as the people who came in to the TV McDonald's. Commercials sell illusions. Period.
Ok so a TBM posted a link to Brandon Flowers' I'm a Mormon video on FB today. My question is, how many of the people in the commercials are actually card-carrying Mormons? I think that is another reason why these commercials are dishonest. It is one thing to talk about your Mormon culture and growing up in a nice Mormon family and what not. What about your oaths in the temple? What about requiring 100% belief? What about getting dirty looks and being shunned from asking a perfectly legit question in Sunday school?
All people have to do is look at a photo layout comprised of Thomas Monson, the first presidency, the apostles, and the seventy to know all they need to know about the Mormon church. Maybe LDS, Inc. should use such a photo in its ad campaign. "Hello, we're a bunch of rich, conservative white guys, and we're Mormons! You can be one, too!"
My mother and father (never mo) have seen these ads and wondered why they are even on TV. Our phone conversation was pretty funny as they described what they were seeing (I do not watch TV). They have met my DH's family on rare occasions and can't jive what they have experienced on those occasions with the commercials they see. In fact, they think these clips are strange as the characters do not seem to relate to 'mainstream' lives any more than they do to the Mo's that they are acquainted with.
Hey, lipkist--why don't you ask all of us HOW MANY TIMES we have read the book of mormon--probably more times than you.
You know NOTHING of our history.
And being that I'm from Utah--and have lived there for 54 years--I have yet to see anyone even closely resembling the people I know in mormonism in Utah in the commercials--not even close.
Most of us have been where you are now. Just remember that.
Hey, Susan, you can remove this comment, too-since lipkist's was removed (that is if you notice). This was a reply to a comment by mormon which has been removed from the thread.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/30/2011 09:37AM by cl2.
Because LDS, Inc. bought the rights to their "story," including making changes of any kind without authorization or notification, including photos. That could be the home of anyone and the person speaking just an actor.
The words might be those of an actual Mormon artist wearing the usual Mormon female attire complete with a Relief Society-made decorative urp cloth over her shoulder, baby sling dividing her breasts lopsidedly and a macaroni necklace.
on the money! That's so totally right. Mormons aren't going to change who they are even though they KNOW they are weird, so they pay for this add to hopefully get OTHERs to think they aren't weird.
Maybe it's just me, but I KNOW that back in my mormon days I would have seen these ads for what they were and would have been embarrassed. Makes me wonder how many mormons really do like these ads.
I was only different on the inside. On the outside, I looked the part. I didn't have Smith kitsch around my house though. I didn't think I looked like a Mormon, but looking back at old photos, I did. I also used a lot of clichéd Mormon language. You don't realize how deeply the cult invades your identity, but outsiders do. That's why these ads are so ridiculous. To Mormons they say "Look at us! We're normal!" To everyone else they scream "Look at us! We're in a cult!"
Most people think if Mormonism is so great, how come they have to sell it so hard? I mean if it's so wonderful they would have a waiting list to get on to be baptized.
Not talking about the commericals at all just looking at what all of you are saying.
I could say "Well if Apple is so great how come they have to sell it so hard?" If you have something that you like and you think it's great; what do you do? You tell others.
I could go on and on about every company and even every person. People want others to like them and they try to sell themselves to others.
The root problem here is you don't like religion and that is fine. Just don't go thinking that just because you don't like something that it is wrong for others to like it. Also, just because you don't like something or don't understand something that doesn't make it wrong, crazy, or evil. That kind of thinking leads to nothing but hate and intolerence.
I could go on and on, but I won't. Look up something called transference, it's a psycological term and it effects how you see everybody else in the world.
Are you still a Mormon? It says in your little spiel that "[you were] a Mormon for over 30 years." So you're now an ex-Mormon if I'm understanding correctly? I just want to make sure. Also, I completely agree with you: these ads are SO fake and total bullshit. As if Mormons are all accepting and normal; they don't accept gay people so I automatically despise their faith, but they're, from what I understand, quite deluded and brainwashed. Is that an accurate statement?