News Media Put LDS at Center Stage

The Salt Lake Tribune ^ | 2/28/2002 | PEGGY FLETCHER STACK

[Utah Girl]

The 2002 Winter Olympic Games may not have been the "Molympics," as many had feared, but the state's other religions received barely a mention by the 10,000 visiting journalists and only in passing.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, on the other hand, got a boatload of free publicity.

In the days leading up to the Feb. 8 Opening Ceremony, LDS media officials received more than 2,000 phone calls as reporters from all over the world scrambled to produce at least one "Mormon" story. In the days that followed, the LDS Church was mentioned in about 100 stories a day in Germany alone, said Bruce Olsen, director of the LDS Public Affairs Department, in an interview last week.

That number declined somewhat after the Olympics' own dramas took center stage, but the church continued to be a focus of some media coverage throughout the 17-day event.

Nearly 1,300 reporters registered with the LDS Church's media resource center at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in downtown Salt Lake City. Many even made it a sort of home away from home, using the church's computers to send their stories to foreign newspapers or television stations and its televisions to follow the Games.

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir was written up most often, including in three stories in The New York Times.

"The Mormon Tabernacle reminded me of so many other good places I have been, places where people share their faith, and try to find some way better than the hurly-burly of the world," wrote Times sports columnist George Vecsey. "In sporting terms, this was like going to Yankee Stadium and meeting solid citizens like Geter and Rivera and Williams in the clubhouse, knowing it is as awesome up close as it is from a distance. No disillusionment. No bad vibes."

And this from Electa Draper of the Denver Post: "Sting said he wanted to give each of his Olympic backup singers a hug, but he didn't follow through. Maybe it's because there are 360 members of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir."

(The Times also wrote about Orthodox Jewish Rabbi Benny Zippel and The Dallas Morning News about the Hari Krishnas of Spanish Fork.)

The second most popular topic was the church's genealogy program, Olsen said. Besides writing about the Family History Library, about 200 journalists asked the church "to do their genealogy for them."

Other newspapers looked into the church's welfare and humanitarian services and its all-female Temple Square missionaries.

Many looked at the church's decision not to proselytize in Salt Lake City during the Games and Mormons' need for acceptance and understanding. A few took up the question of polygamy, the LDS Church's opposition to gay rights and LDS humor.

"It's the surprise of the Mormon makeover now under way at the Olympics: that Mormons can laugh at themselves," wrote Joe Garofoli of the San Francisco Chronicle.

One bold writer, Hank Steuver of The Washington Post, went where most other reporters feared to tread: LDS underwear.

The LDS Church "may never again be so open and welcoming to such irreverent global scrutiny, and it's hard to think of anything else about the faith I'd rather know," Steuver wrote. "Never mind about the angel Moroni, the golden plates, the forbidden coffee and the spirit babies. Let's just move right to the good stuff. What is the garment?"

But Mormons can stop wincing. This was no expos?, just a light look at what Mormons believe are sacred reminders of their faith.

In the end, Steuver found much to admire about the LDS faithful. "Everyone looked nutty except the Mormons, who looked golden," he writes. "Underneath, the Molympics rang true and warm."

Whatever Olsen thought of Steuver's column, which appeared on Tuesday, he did estimate that 95 percent of the pieces about the church were accurate and positive.

"We feel the church has become better understood. We've put aside the stereotypes." Olsen said. "I can count on two hands the ones with gross inaccuracies."

But, true to form, LDS media officials could not resist the urge to "correct" those few mistakes. On its Web site at ldschurch.org, there is a list of articles from various publications with offending passages on the left and the correct information on the right.

[scottiewottie]

You have to pick your Python, that is for sure. I love the dead parrot sketch, the department of silly walks, and the bureau of argumentation. No need for repentance after those venues.

[connectthedots]

I'm still receiving FReepmails from one die-hard who continues to attempt to regale and horrify with still more of his new-found "terrible secrets" about the Church obtained from from his "contacts" who are ex-"Mormons," Church members, or "friends" of the Church who are not members thereof.

Just so everyone knows, it's not me doing this. I prefer my well reasoned arguments to be public. If someone isn't willing to put their opinion out for others to critique, they aren't worth my attention.

[scottiewottie]

Thanks. Since we are vetting, I did hit the abuse button. Before I hit it, I announced in the thread that I was going to hit it and explained why I hit the button. It was not my intention to have the thread removed, I wanted only five or six threads removed that clearly violated community standards.

I do not recall any events in which you violated that standard.

[scottiewottie]

Uh, make that five or six comments!

[tracer]

Sorry. It certainly was not you. In any event, this whole business is moot, really of no import, and has been filed by me under old news. I should add that our exchanges here never have begun to approach the level of sick vitriol of another's.

Life really is too short. All the best (really).... ;~)

[connectthedots]

I never thought for a second that you meant to imply that I would do such a thing, but others might have thought I would.

[Some hope remaining.]

Just for the record, connectthedots, I didn't think it was you either. :)

[Grig]

the department of silly walks, and the bureau of argumentation

Suddenly I find myself starting to understand government. :)

[tracer]

Thanks. I wanted to clarify things for the "benefit" of anyone who wrongfully might be inclined to throw rocks at or think ill of you.

I/all of us should keep in mind that in actuality we are on the same team and facing some very real and formidable enemies to our Nation, IMO. Take care...

[restornu]

Thank you, worts and all I like it at least the site seems balance.

[HungarianGypsy]

So many times I get so irritated with those that have nothing better to do after leaving a religion than to bash it. Often I wonder what benefit someone would have from getting someone else away from their religion. Do they think they will get extra points to get into Heaven? Are they really worried about my salvation?

I was raised Catholic. There were certain questions that were often put off with, "You'll find out in the end." Outside of church my father would teach me beliefs from what he had read in the Bible. When I began to investigate the LDS church I felt I had come home. Everything I had been taught all my life from my father, were the beliefs in the LDS church.

I still have respect for the Catholic church, but know I am where I belong. I have been to other denominations and have always felt uncomfortable. Of course, it was funny that my mother (who is not active in her faith) at first believed I was "going against my beliefs" because I was no longer Catholic. Would it be better for someone to have no religion than for them to be active in the LDS church?

I know I originally had a point, but then went on and on. My original point (somewhere in there) is that even though I am no longer in the Catholic church, it is not my place to bash it.