DiscussMormonism.com

I thought this was quite an interesting article.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/52371 ... s.html.csp

The last paragraph was particularly provocative:

Many among the FLDS faithful will, no doubt, continue to defend their leader, seeing Jeffs as God’s mouthpiece. They may even view him as a martyr, jailed for his faith.

It remains to be seen whether his brand of polygamy will create a vibrant, global faith or shrink to nothing. Only then might the comparison with Mormonism’s founder be clear.

So the real difference isn't so much in their behavior, but the development of their religions.

I was rather surprised by the tone of the article. Is the Tribune viewed as a gentile, hostile paper in SL?

Actually, Beastie, I think that a lot of TBMs subscribe to that logic---i.e., that the LDS Church is more "true" than the FLDS simply because of the LDS Church's growth. In fact, I know that I've seen Simon Belmont make arguments along these lines several times.

It remains to be seen whether his brand of polygamy will create a vibrant, global faith or shrink to nothing. Only then might the comparison with Mormonism’s founder be clear.

I'm not sure the LDS church could be described as vibrant or technically global, seeing as how there's a whole lotta the globe that isn't open for missionary work.

And it's kinda hard for the FLDS church to shrink further. They have something like 10,000 adherents anyway.

harmony wrote:
And it's kinda hard for the FLDS church to shrink further. They have something like 10,000 adherents anyway.

Have the FLDS ever been shrinking? I have heard that there current growth % exceeds that of the LDS by quite a bit.

Is the newspaper/media business so bad in the US that writers have to whore themselves to the inciting of controversy in order to keep people's attention?

Everything I see posted from any US news outlet seems intent to arouse divisive feelings. Maybe that's not representative of all the content, but it seems like it's the only stuff that is passed around.

Maybe it reflects on the maturity level of the local readers?

From what I've read, the FLDS do not engage in any sort of proselytizing, so their numbers would grow from births alone.

I would think that it would disturb Mormons to be told that the only way they can differentiate between Jeffs and Smith is to see what happens to the churches they led.

And, of course, the idea that the growth of any religion is somehow connected to its truth or worth makes little sense in the context of all the religions of the world. According to Mormonism, the only church that God directly leads is the LDS church, and it is still eclipsed by many religions.

Doctor Scratch wrote:Actually, Beastie, I think that a lot of TBMs subscribe to that logic---i.e., that the LDS Church is more "true" than the FLDS simply because of the LDS Church's growth. In fact, I know that I've seen Simon Belmont make arguments along these lines several times.

There is no question about it. That is most definitely the "logic" applied. I once heard an LDS apostle claim that David Koresh was clearly inspired by Satan because the government overran his Waco compound and he and his followers died. Good thing that guy wasn't present to pronounce the eulogy for the dead Joseph and Hyrum in old Nauvoo! LOL.

quaker wrote:Is the newspaper/media business so bad in the US that writers have to whore themselves to the inciting of controversy in order to keep people's attention?

Everything I see posted from any US news outlet seems intent to arouse divisive feelings. Maybe that's not representative of all the content, but it seems like it's the only stuff that is passed around.

Maybe it reflects on the maturity level of the local readers?

Perhaps you will see a treatment more to your liking when Deseret News provides its comparison of Jeffs with Smith.

(Please don't hold your breath, we would hate to lose you.)

It would be an unlikely event for someone to make a mention of any Deseret News article.

Once again begging the question about what the types of articles which are chosen to pass around reflect about the readers.