Oh those poor Mormons! Businessweek mag lampoons the Mo'mall

[_Polygamy-Porter]

Poor picked on persecuted members of The Corporation of the President a.k.a. LDS Inc!

Ya know the church that is a business or is it the business that is a church?


LDS Inc makes a huge gamble both financially and from a public relations point of view by building the Mega Mormon Mall.

At a time when new mega mall construction is almost stopped nationally, and smack in the middle of a huge economic crisis, is LDS Inc being frugal like it counsels its own members? HELL NO!

Now when Business Week Magazine lampoons LDS Inc by publishing a caricature of what most of the public think of LDS Inc building a Mega Mall, the persecution complex Mormons cry foul.



http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/07/1 ... =obnetwork

All I can say is, you reap what you sow.

Boo fuggin hoo!

[_Cylon]

Outrageous! How dare they impugn us like that?!

Mormons don't say 'Hallelujah'!

[_harmony]

Outrageous! How dare they impugn us like that?!

Mormons don't say 'Hallelujah'!

We just raise our right arm to the square and sustain our leaders without thought.

[_Aristotle Smith]

Outrageous! How dare they impugn us like that?!

Mormons don't say 'Hallelujah'!

I understand your concerns and have modified it to have a more Mormon appropriate theme.

[_harmony]

I don't read Business Week magazine, but the cover seems a little mean spirited, for a credible business magazine. It's like something I'd expect from MAD magazine.

[_Kishkumen]

I don't read Business Week magazine, but the cover seems a little mean spirited, for a credible business magazine. It's like something I'd expect from MAD magazine.

I agree. The cover is tasteless. I am surprised that a magazine devoted to business would demonstrate such clear prejudice against a religious group that participates in the same. What's the reason? Because tasteless slams on Mormons sell copy?

My guess is that this is it.

[_Uncle Dale]

I don't read Business Week magazine, but the cover seems a little mean spirited, for a credible business magazine. It's like something I'd expect from MAD magazine.

I agree. The cover is tasteless. I am surprised that a magazine devoted to business would demonstrate such clear prejudice against a religious group that participates in the same. What's the reason? Because tasteless slams on Mormons sell copy?

My guess is that this is it.

On the other hand, I'd say that the parody WOULD be appropriate to direct
against a business entity masquerading as a religion.

Suppose Exxon-Mobile restored the Aztec human sacrifice system as the
"modern face" of its world-wide operations. You know, an "experience" that
all the shareholders, employees and customers could share in. A humanization
of the corporation, becoming more "personal."



Should that sort of a business-religio synthesis spring into being, I would
say that it would deserve each and every cynical parody the media could
conceive of and throw at them.

UD

[_Kishkumen]

On the other hand, I'd say that the parody WOULD be appropriate to direct
against a business entity masquerading as a religion.

Suppose Exxon-Mobile restored the Aztec human sacrifice system as the
"modern face" of its world-wide operations. You know, an "experience" that
all the shareholders, employees and customers could share in. A humanization
of the corporation, becoming more "personal."



Should that sort of a business-religio synthesis spring into being, I would
say that it would deserve each and every cynical parody the media could
conceive of and throw at them.

UD

Well, that's the rub, right? Mormonism has always mixed worldly business with religion, since it was conceived, very early on, as a religious "state within a state." Mormons have increasingly integrated themselves into the surrounding society, but they have never completely abandoned the kingdom theology of early Mormonism. The corporation is the clearest manifestation of the material aspects of that theology. Those who deride Mormonism find that material side an easy target for criticism and ridicule. As Terryl Givens correctly surmised, Mormonism lacks the polite sacred distance that dominates "serious" and "mainstream" religions, hence the animosity and ridicule.

Anti-Mormons and disillusioned members generally accept these societal norms as their own and don't take account of the genuine difference in worldview that underlies the tension. For the most part they are simply unaware of it. Many are easily converted to the idea that Mormon thought is simply weird, wrong, or laughable without recognizing the rationale behind it. When it comes to their own religion, they are illiterate, something for which I think the Church bears much of he blame.

[_Uncle Dale]

...Well, that's the rub, right? Mormonism has always mixed worldly business with religion, since it was conceived, very early on
...

Scene from an unwritten play -- New York State -- 1826:

"Well then, fellas, I see you have your picks and shovels -- and
you didn't forget the sheep, now did you?"

"No, Joe -- it's all here. And we promise to be as quiet as can be,
as we dig up that ancient treasure you located for us."

"Fine! Fine! I'll ask The Lord's blessing upon the night's work;
then perform a little ceremony; and after that you all can dig up
the ground within the pentagram I made in the dirt over there."

"You gonna dig too, Joe?"

"Well, I wish I could stick around all night, Zeke. But your wife has
that awful headache she was complaining to you about, the other
evening -- remember? While you fellas are getting the treasure, I'd
better be administering The Lord's blessings to your poor wife!"

"Brother Joseph, should we sing a hymn before you give the prayer?"

... fade to black....

UD

[_Cicero]

Anti-Mormons and disillusioned members generally accept these societal norms as their own and don't take account of the genuine difference in worldview that underlies the tension. For the most part they are simply unaware of it. Many are easily converted to the idea that Mormon thought is simply weird, wrong, or laughable without recognizing the rationale behind it. When it comes to their own religion, they are illiterate, something for which I think the Church bears much of he blame.

+1000

And I see this getting worse rather than better. We keep correlating, mainstreaming, and losing sight of the unique and interesting aspects of Mormonism. And for what?

I haven't fully believed in the church for years, but it still really hurt to watch the prophet stand there in front of that mall and say "Let's go shopping!"

It all makes me very sad.