*cough* *cough* horsesh!t *cough* *cough*The Church gave the genealogy to Mr. Rudd in recognition of his contribution to the nation over many years, including his period as a state public servant and his more recent service as a senior politician and prime minister.
Boaz & Lidia wrote:It was nothing but a cheap ass PR stunt by LDS Inc.
Ray? What do you think of this?
A senior Australian Latter-day Saint leader, Elder Terrence Vinson, made the presentation to the prime minister. “The more people know about their ancestors, the greater appreciation they have for who they are individually here and now,” he said.
“A study of our personal history helps us to respect the struggles that our ancestors endured — in a far different world than the one we live in today — to give us the prosperity we now enjoy.”
Elder Vinson added that Mr. Rudd’s family history contains a myriad of interesting stories. One ancestor, Mary Wade, in her young life was forced to beg for food on the streets of London because of her circumstances. After being sent to Australia as a convict at approximately age 12, Mary settled in New South Wales and had hundreds of descendents at the time of her death in 1859.
Alan Wakeley, the church's Asia-Pacific director of public affairs, said the Latter-day Saints collected family histories because of its doctrine that families exist beyond this life, but said everyone benefited from knowing their family history. "It's not just names and dates, but people, and events and circumstances that affected them," he said.
Mr Wakeley said Mr Rudd was delighted. "He asked question after question, some of which we couldn't answer. He was most fascinated."
Ray A wrote:Boaz & Lidia wrote:It was nothing but a cheap ass PR stunt by LDS Inc.
Ray? What do you think of this?
I agree with you here, and I've long been criticial of this blatant PR nonsense. Why don't they do mine?? Because I'm only a brain dead cab driver (speaking of which I'm heading off to work soon, no political lurks and perks added). I think many members must feel the same way, though I can't say for sure. Even as an active member I felt this was not appropriate.
Mr. Rudd, by the way, is a Christian, and that might have something to do with it. I don't recall any other PM receiving this, unless I missed it. I don't think John Howard did (PM before Rudd, from 1996). Howard was only a minimal, none-too-devoted Christian unlike Rudd is (though his [Howard's] Treasurer Peter Costello had associations with Right-wing Christians. Noel knows about this). Both have banned gay marriage, though allowing limited "civil unions". So they are obviously flavour of the month with the Church. I doubt the womanising Bob Hawke, or the now apparently gay Paul Keating (PM after Hawke), would have received such kudos or attention, but I may be wrong.
It's obvious the Church wants Rudd to keep them in mind.
The Australian membership is 117,000 and the Church has consistently been one of the fastest-growing Christian denominations in the country.
harmony wrote:This is nothing new. The church gave Pres Bush and Pres Reagan their geneologies, If I recall correctly. It's just good business!
Daniel Peterson wrote:I spent about thirty minutes or so with Kevin Rudd during my last visit to Australia. At that time, he was merely the shadow foreign minister and not yet prime minister.
A very pleasant fellow. I was impressed with him.
Present him with some new underwear?Ray A wrote:harmony wrote:This is nothing new. The church gave Pres Bush and Pres Reagan their geneologies, If I recall correctly. It's just good business!
Along with not a few sporting heroes. When ordinary members have to toil for years in genealogy libraries to get their work done, at the "peril of salvation", and even if this is done for PR purposes in the case of Rudd, it doesn't gel with me, I'm afraid. Let them think of some other way to flatter Rudd.
Boaz & Lidia wrote:Thanks for that Ray.
by the way, with only 117,000 on the roles, LDS Inc is puny in your country of over 21 million.
Given the average activity rates of 40% that pulls their numbers down under 50,000(no pun intended)
The bullsh!tting does not stop:The Australian membership is 117,000 and the Church has consistently been one of the fastest-growing Christian denominations in the country.