CNN reports that the Mormon church has undertaken a video campaign to show the diversity of Mormon believers and to try to normalize Mormon as just one more Christian sect.
This is apparently a serious problem for Mormons, not being accepted as Christian – but it’s a distinction that is entirely lost on me, other than to know that as much as people like to say they are inclusive, that big tent is an invitation extended only to people who look and act like they already belong.
In the marketplace of ideas, mormonism is just as plausible as any other religion; which is to say, they are all equally implausible, given that they are all sharing the same zero evidence.
That the invention and rise of Mormonism and Scientology is well documented and should be extrapolated to apply to the religions who’s origins are lost to history: religion is a human invention to make an easy living off of other people, it’s parasitic and worse, the people who’ve fallen for it are the biggest proponents – it’s like a perpetual motion machination – you kick start it and it just consumes people down through the ages.
Which is why we need more than ever, to be teaching critical thinking, more history and social sciences: education to turn back the coming dark ages 2.0.
I’m pretty ignorant, but it seems to me that if you know the name of the guy (always a guy) who wrote your holy book, then it’s a cult. Mormons and Witnesses both qualify.
I’ve always thought of religion as a cult that’s lost it’s amateur standing and gone pro.
What’s new about the campaign? Mormons have been running the “I am a Mormon” videos on YouTube for quite some time.
Hmmm, I just went by the article. I guess it’s not so new then, but new to my awareness.
I just find it interesting that in order to sell the product, people have to pretend it is other than what it is.
Mormonism was founded by a guy who was a bigot against non-whites – as were most people of the time period – and who didn’t want to be limited to one wife. Which may also be true, but everyone else was at least willing to stay within the social rules of only taking what you needed and leaving some women so that other could have some too.
Like all things, religion evolved over time, but you have to wonder, how deep the changes really are.
The thing that strikes me about the “I am Mormon” videos it how blatantly they leave out anything about what Mormons actually believe. It’s like the videos say nothing more than, “Look. This is Joe. He’s a Mormon. See how ordinary and nice he is. You should be a Mormon, too.”
Critical thinkers will observe these videos and see how absolutely devoid of content they really are, except for lots of information about Joe, of course.
Exactly – and the videos are mostly showing that Mormon, it’s not just for white people anymore.
Which the originators of the faith, would be spinning in their graves over. If they could do such a thing.