Posted on 12/30/2010 6:26:18 PM PST by Colofornian
Latter-day Saints themselves are the new face of public relations for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, several presenters said during last week’s Mormon Media Studies Symposium on BYU’s campus.
“The most authentic and transparent ways to dispel myths about the Church is through the lives of our members,” said Joel Campbell, associate professor of communications at BYU.
SNIP
The two-day conference was the first of its kind and brought together scholars and practitioners to discuss a variety of topics relating to Mormonism and media.
SNIP
Scott Swofford, who previously coordinated media for the Church and is now director of content at BYU Broadcasting, said the missionary department has done research for years on the most effective way to share the gospel message. A catalyst to the new campaign was a Pew study that said 51 percent of Americans know little or nothing about Mormons.
“We did the research and the most authentic and transparent way to do that [introduce the church] is through the lives of our members,” Swofford said. “The way to connect with people most likely to respond to our message is personally, not institutionally.”
SNIP
Otterson said in a recent interview on the Mormon Channel that public perceptions are influenced just as much — if not more so — by interactions with individual Church members.
SNIP
“I think there has been a nervousness about sharing the things that we believe are true and that are fundamental parts of our faith, and when we represent ourselves we leave that part out of the conversations,” Cardon said. “Those are the things that convert us.”
(Excerpt) Read more at universe.byu.edu ...
One of the top Lds thread replies of the year (1,361 replies) was to this Mormon wonderment as to why there's lack of PR popularity by the Lds church: Why do they hate us? The responses
That thread came on the back of its "sister" thread: McKay Coppins: Why do they hate us? Try Asking [Coppins, BTW, is now @ Newsweek]
See also:
* Myths and Reality - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints [Posted by Mormon poster...over 400 replies...see especially posts 29, 37, 41, 47, 86 -- and #76 by Elsie]
* LDS don’t get theological respect because they seek and shun mainstream acceptance, prof says [see especially posts 1, 2, 6, 8]
For examples of misleading Mormon PRism, see Elsie's post #428:
IBPD spam
PD, when I read this, it provoked a few honest questions that I had as I reflected upon your posting style.
First of all, do these comments at all engender a desire to reconsider that style?
IOW, if the "most authentic and transparent way" to relate to others personally and not institutionally -- doesn't spam linkages present more of a tilted "institutional" front vs. personally transparent?
And perhaps you could address this question: If Lds leaders are saying that "I think there has been a nervousness about sharing the things that we believe are true and that are fundamental parts of our faith... -- then why do I perceive a reluctance on the part of some Mormons to directly share these things? (vs. "go here" only approach)
Have a very blessed New Year!
(Ping to mention in post #1)
IBPD2!
PD, when I read this, it provoked a few honest questions that I had as I reflected upon your posting style.
First of all, do these comments at all engender a desire to reconsider that style?
IOW, if the “most authentic and transparent way” to relate to others personally and not institutionally — doesn’t spam linkages present more of a tilted “institutional” front vs. personally transparent?
And perhaps you could address this question: If Lds leaders are saying that “I think there has been a nervousness about sharing the things that we believe are true and that are fundamental parts of our faith... — then why do I perceive a reluctance on the part of some Mormons to directly share these things? (vs. “go here” only approach)
When I converse with people in person I share plenty.
When I deal with a bunch of anonymous persons, of which a large part are anti-Mormon activists, you will get my links to the truth.
So twist this all you want, I STILL will not play your game.
Nice try!!
Oh btw thanks for this post it is very interesting. I am sure the thread will head downhill from here.
Have a good night!
1. If Gods are individuals who have passed through mortality and have progressed to Godhood, how has one person of the Trinity (the Holy Spirit) attained Godhood without getting a body? (See Acts 5:3,4)
2. If Gods are individuals who have passed through an earth life to attain Godhood, how is it that one person of the Trinity (Jesus Christ) was God before He received a body or passed through earth life? (Matt. 1:23 and Hebrews 10:5)
3. If the Book of Mormon really contains the fullness of the Gospel, why does it not teach the doctrine of “eternal progression”? (See D&C 20:8,9)
4. God said, “Is there a God beside me? Yea, there is no God; I know not any”. How can there be Gods who are Elohim’s ancestors? Surely an all-knowing God would know this and wouldn’t speak falsehoods. (See Isa. 44:8 and Journal of Discourses Vol. 1, pg. 123)
5. How can any men ever become Gods when the Bible says, “Before me there was no god formed, neither shall there be after me”? (Isaiah 43:10)
6. If Adam is the “only God with whom we have to do”, did Adam create himself? (Journal of Discourses Vol. 1, pg. 50, 51)
7. Joseph Smith stated that without the ordinances and authority of the priesthood no man can see the face of God and live (D & C 84:21, 22). He also said that he saw God in 1820 (Joseph Smith 2:17). Joseph Smith, however, never received any priesthood until 1829 (D&C 13). How did he see God and survive? In which was he in error: his revelation in D & C 84:21, 22 or his experience in the grove?
8. If a spirit is a being without a body (See Luke 24:39), why do Mormons teach that God the Father has a body of flesh and bones? (See John 4:24)
9. If the Father is Elohim and Jesus is Jehovah (as the Mormons teach), how does a Mormon explain Deuteronomy 6:4, which in the Hebrew says, “Hear, O Israel: Jehovah our Elohim is one Jehovah”?
10. If the Book of Mormon contains the fullness of the Gospel, why doesn’t it teach that God was once a man?
CB
If you are a worthy mormon, you could try writing a letter
about your questions to the “authorities”...
... but they really don’t want members pestering them by
asking anything embarrassing!
Things that show a lack of logic in LDS doctrine
Things that point out the lack of objective facts
Things that point out a lack of logic
Things that point out a lack of evidence
In short, stick with your feelings, mormon! It’s all we got!
...................>
or, mormons could flee from the cult and turn to Christ.
INB4PD3!
IB4PD4!!!!!!!!
IB4PD5!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DOH! I was mistaken...I didn’t see the cut & paste stuff so I assumed he hadn’t shown up. My bad.
BTTT
I think Sisterwives and Big Love might have helped.
mind reading
Well, let us know when you decide to post some.
While we are waiting, here are some links to the truth about Mormonism, from those who have been there
www.mormonoutreach.org
www.utlm.org
www.irr.org./mit
www.exmormon.org
BINGO! That is exactly it and why the LDS leadership, several years ago taught in their conference that members should be aware of what is posted online about 'the church'. Truth of the matter is, if the LDS really research their religion in order to respond to the 'antis' they will leave. I did and so did many others I know.
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