A couple of disclaimers: (1.) This was typed quickly off the top of my head; it's not my best writing. (2.) I contrasted LDSCorp with "real" Christianity only because they think they're following Christ. I'm not a Christian myself and really don't care. (3.) I don't know why I bothered. Just sharing it here for the lulz.
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I'm a non-Mormon who has been interested in LDS history and culture for over 20 years. I've read a great deal, attended church meetings, read the Standard Works, even took the missionary discussions. I watched the "Hastening" presentation tonight as well, and I'd like to give you some honest feedback.
Mormons have a serious image problem. Quite aside from the historical problems, you have a massive PR problem. What I've learned from more than 20 years of study is that the LDS church is primarily a for-profit corporation obsessed with money and image.
The average person is not looking for a way to part with 10% and more of their already limited income. And be honest: the church already has billions in assets and an estimated $7 billion a year in revenue. In normal churches, monies collected are used for operating expenses, including missionary work. In the LDS church, it's hoarded. This is not going to strike ANYONE who knows how a normal Christian church works as reasonable. The money you collect should pay for missionary work without hundreds of dollars a month extra from a missionary's family. It should pay for professional cleaning services. A large proportion should go to charity, for members or non-members, with no strings attached. That is what Christ taught.
The average person is also not looking for someone to tell them how to dress. Mormons seem obsessed with fashion and looking just-so. Most people can't afford to dress up and are not impressed by overdressed missionaries. The real message they're getting is that they would never fit in. That is why other churches have de-emphasized dressing up. They believe it's more important to worship than to look right. You probably think that you're sending a subtle message to investigators that Mormons are successful and investigators will be successful and beautiful if they join the church. What's really happening is that people who are less shallow and more interested in substance are turned off. Christianity is not about "Sunday dress."
So my advice? Stop being so effing greedy and shallow. The church of Christ is not about fashion and money-hoarding.
The cult is empire building. They are nothing more than some weirdo quasi-government who think the world is going to end and they will be around to pick up the pieces.
Let's see, that makes them a Freemason Sex Cult, Death Cult and Apocalyptic Cult.
What would the world be like if the cult took over?
It's ironic that as image-conscious as they are, as much as they hate being thought weird and a cult, they keep doing the very things that make them look like a weird cult.
I would have added that they need to stop putting the apostles up for public consumption. Why, why, why do they insist on doing that? My god, those guys are OLD. And their stories are OLD. Do the members even really want to hear them? I don't think so.
Holland and Perry, in spite of their efforts to project energy, looked ridiculous. It took everything I had to keep listening to Perry, with his wwweeeird Marman accent. And the others, with their korums and babtisms.
Even Nielson, who's only about 60, came off like some kind of creepy, overly enthusiastic Mister Rogers. His piece was the most cultish of all.
They need to find some charismatic members who resemble normal society to do the presenting and be in the videos. Let the silly old goobers fly around getting fawned over and collect their stipends and whatever else they do. But I guess they don't want the folks finding out how things are done.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/24/2013 11:40AM by munchybotaz.