Mormon ad campaign for converts

[SonSeeker]

In new TV ads, Mormons pitch message to Middle America

By Liz Goodwin

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By Liz Goodwin liz Goodwin – Wed Aug 11, 4:17 pm ET

The [COLOR=#366388 ! important][COLOR=#366388 ! important]Mormon[/COLOR][/COLOR] church recently launched a new ad campaign in nine U.S. cities that show regular people talking about their lives and hobbies before announcing near the end of the spots that they are Mormons.
The ads are part of a new campaign that encourages Mormons to make profiles and share stories about their faith at Mormon.org. Minneapolis' WCCO-TV reports that the ads are airing in Baton Rouge, La.; Colorado Springs, Colo.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Pittsburgh; Rochester, N.Y.; Oklahoma City; St. Louis; Tucson, Ariz.; and Minneapolis.
According to Joel Campbell, a Mormon journalism professor at Brigham Young University who is researching the ad campaign, the Utah-based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had a TV ad campaign three years ago that tried to explain [COLOR=#366388 ! important][COLOR=#366388 ! important]Mormon [COLOR=#366388 ! important]beliefs[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR]. Research showed that the ads were too "sophisticated" and viewers weren't getting the message.
These new ads dodge religion almost altogether in favor of a simpler message: We're not weird. In the ad below, pro surfer Joy Monahan says, "I'm a surfer, a woman, and a woman's longboard champion. And I'm a Mormon." Watch:


So why the recent publicity push?
Several reporters speculated that [COLOR=#366388 ! important][COLOR=#366388 ! important]church [COLOR=#366388 ! important]leaders[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] are trying to get out in front of the widely anticipated push from former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney to rejoin the GOP political fray. Most political observers expect Romney, a lifelong Mormon, to make a run for president in 2012.
[Related: Young Americans more loyal to religion than Boomers]
So was Romney involved in getting the church to try giving the [COLOR=#366388 ! important][COLOR=#366388 ! important]Mormon [COLOR=#366388 ! important]faith[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] a more accessible and familiar face (and thereby allay some of the suspicions that swirled around the Mormon tradition during his 2008 presidential run)? Apparently not. A spokesman for the ad campaign, Ron Wilson, told WCCO-TV that the ads are "not connected to Mitt at all."
Campbell says the ads are a response to worsening public perception of Mormons over the past few years. Polygamists run wild on the popular HBO show "Big Love," and a new TLC reality show called "Sister Wives" will feature a polygamist marriage. Some non-Mormons don't understand that splinter groups that [COLOR=#366388 ! important][COLOR=#366388 ! important]practice [COLOR=#366388 ! important]polygamy[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] are excommunicated from the church, he said.
A 2007 Pew Center poll showed that 18 percent of Americans associate the religion with polygamy, even though the church has banned the practice since the late 19th century. Six percent said they associated Mormonism with terms like "weird" and "cult-like." The religion is one of the world's fastest-growing, with about 13 million members.
"The church's desire here is just to tell people who have no opinion or a negative opinion of Mormons to say, Look it, we're not a bunch of polygamists that wear weird clothes and have a compound in Texas. That's not us, we're just regular folks," Campbell said.
Mormon leaders were also very vocal in their support of California's Proposition 8, the gay marriage ban. Utahns sent $3.8 million to the state, most of it to supporters of the ban. Campbell says the media framed the controversy over the initiative (which a federal judge overturned last week) as "Mormons vs. gays." He said that the church "has a lot of work to do to improve that reputation."
LDS spokesman Scott Swofford said the church has run ad campaigns for 25 years and has found that the best way to dispel myths about the religion is to have Mormons speak for themselves. The aim of the new campaign is to give Americans "a virtual Mormon neighbor," he said.
(2006 photo of Salt Lake City LDS Temple: AP/Douglas C. Pizac)

[mikhen7]

Satan is working overtime.

Lord in the precious name of the true Jesus our Lord, we come up against his message that will lead innocent people to a life of destruction and damnation, separated from the true Jesus not the lie they teach about Jesus being Satan's brother, and self-godhood. May the truth be lifted up and the wheat be separated from the chaff. May your name be hallowed!

In Jesus Name Amen

[makememeek]

I have a suspicion that Mormon elders would secretly like to reintroduce polygamy.

I say, "Isn't one wife enough?"

[Chris]

There is no one within the main Church of Jesus Christ (LDS) who wants to "re-introduce" polygamy. Why did the Church want California to approve "one man, one woman for marriage"?

Mormons' theology is based on First Century Christianity, not Fourth Century Creeds. For example, the Church of Jesus Christ (LDS) views on Baptism, Lay Ministry, the Trinity, Theosis, Grace vs. Works, the Divinity of Jesus Christ comport more closely with Early Christianity than any other denomination. And Mormons’ teenagers have been judged to “top the charts” in Christian Characteristics by a UNC-Chapel Hill study. Read about it here:

*Admin Edit* No links to blogs per the rules.

Those who would denigrate the Mormon religion, usually have an ulterior motive. 11 of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were non-Trinitarian Christians. Those who insist on a narrow definition of Christianity are doing our Republic an injustice.

You can read all about Mormonism here:

Christian Cults, Islam, and Pagan Religions

I'm sorry, Mormonism is not based on First Century Christianity, it is based on a cult started by Joseph Smith. Here's a few Mormon beliefs and I can guarantee you Jesus did not teach any of this mess:

Mormon theology teaches:

* God was born and raised on another planet.

* He has a harem of wives.

* They produce spirit-babies that are sent to earth; there they gain bodies and earn sainthood.

* Jesus is the brother of Lucifer.

* Jesus is the chosen/elected savior by a council of gods from other worlds.

* America is the promised land, not Israel. The holy city is Independence, Missouri, not Jerusalem. Jesus' latter-day agenda is to return to Missouri.

* The U.S. Constitution is as sacred as the Book of Mormon. In the latter days, it will be under siege and will be saved by Mormons. Thus, we must "reclaim America" to save the Constitution and usher in a genuine age of Mormon leadership. They want to build a Mormon kingdom on earth, similar to modern day Dominionists/Kingdom Now proponents within Christianity. Founder Joseph Smith had a socialistic philosophy and wished to have a society that shared things in common.

* America's founding fathers were "spirit babies" who created a "sacred Constitution."

* Salvation is works-based and not through grace and faith.

[mikhen7]

Wow! They are coming out of the woodwork. Again, Satan is on OT.

I posted this previously but wanted to revisit for the Mormon sympathizer:

The Morman Plan of salvation

The True Word of God Will Stand Forever!

[paul&katie]

MORMONISM vs. CHRISTIANITY

WHAT THE MORMON MISSIONARIES WON'T TELL YOU

QUOTES FROM MORMONISM

[mattfivefour]

Satan is working overtime.

He knows just how short his time is.

Lord in the precious name of the true Jesus our Lord, we come up against his message that will lead innocent people to a life of destruction and damnation, separated from the true Jesus not the lie they teach about Jesus being Satan's brother, and self-godhood. May the truth be lifted up and the wheat be separated from the chaff. May your name be hallowed!

In Jesus Name Amen

Amen.

[Robert]

Those who would denigrate the Mormon religion, usually have an ulterior motive.

Scripture itself exposes the Mormon religion as a sham. Does that mean God has an "ulterior motive"?