[greyfoxx39]

Recent studies, he said, found that "51 percent of people have no awareness of Mormon practices and beliefs," that "47 percent of people do not have a favorable view of Mormons," and "that 31 percent of people believe that Mormons are not Christian."

[greyfoxx39]

Ping

[1000 silverlings]

[lurk]

We believe God was once a man.
We believe God and his wives live near a planet called Kolob.
We believe Jesus and the devil are brothers.
We believe we can score enough points to become gods.
We wear...unique...undergarments.
We believe all the other religions are an abomination.
We used to practice polygamy, but we don’t, even though it’s still in our scripture.
We used to believe in throat cutting to save sinners, but hey, not any more, because the guy who said it in general conference is dead now.

...I just don’t get it; why do people think we’re a fringy cult?

[DannyTN]

The Mormon's could improve their image by:

• Rejecting Joseph Smith as a prophet.
• Examining all of their beliefs that are different from mainstream Christianity and rejecting everything new that Joseph Smith or subsequent leaders taught.
• Dumping all scripture other than the Old and New Testaments.
• Changing their name.

[reaganaut]

31 percent of people believe that Mormons are not Christian.”

- - - — - - - — - —
Only 31 percent? Sounds like we have more work to to do.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“We have employed some professional firms to help us define and project our true image to the world.”

Using consulting firms - Just like Jesus!

Their image is not their problem. Their theology is their
problem. Their practice is their problem. Their heresy is
their problem.

[Colofornian]

From the article: Further, he said, one-word impressions of the Church include: polygamy, family, cult, different, and dedicated. Three wrong impressions out of five "is not a good batting average for us," he said.

Let's see. The lds polling data says that when those polled play freestyle word association with the word "Mormon," three of the first four things they think of is polygamy, family, cult and different. Hmm. Could it just possibly be that a sect that believes in one God -- and many gods -- all at the same time -- as their "scriptures" reveal -- is a wee bit different & cultish?
Or that a sect that practices necro-baptism & necro-salvation is a wee bit different & cultish?
Or that god wasn't always god...isn't that a wee bit different & cultish?
Or that men can become gods...a bit "different" and "cultish," eh?
Or that "eternal damnation" isn't really "eternal damnation" -- it just means temporarily "damned up" -- a bit "odd" & a cult-like twist, would you not say?
Or that the fall of Adam & Eve wasn't really a "fall" at all -- except if you consider it an "upward fall" -- and something to "celebrate" (Eve's rebellious sin)...a tinge weird & cultish, is it not?

As for polygamy, what do you expect?
Less than 50 yrs ago, the mainstream LDS church still had plural-union families still intact. Why? (Because they were still solemnizing plural unions in the early 1900s AFTER the supposed polygamy-ending "manifesto" of 1890)
LDS believe its polygamous practitioners are alive & well & still practicing eternal polygamy on another star/planet in another dimension.
LDS leaders say contemporary serial monogamists who are sealed to multiple spouses for eternity will be eternal polygamists.
LDS apostle Bruce R. McConkie said the Mormon jesus would re-institute polygamy as a "holy" practice upon returning.
LDS "scripture" of D&C 132 still is intact & still sanctions polygamy.
(And they wonder why they can't shed its polygamy image?)