A new book shows Mormons have a problem: an image problem. Dr. Gary Lawrence -- who is a Latter-day Saint, a political pollster and market researcher based in California -- says recent news events are not the problem. Rather, it's the way Latter-day Saints talk about their faith.
Lawrence says his findings point to a fear factor in most Americans about Latter-day Saints and what are perceived as weird beliefs and secretiveness.
One of the biggest gaps he found in his poll: 84 percent said they have seen Church ads, talked with missionaries or received literature; but only 14 percent know what Mormons believe.
He has some advice for fellow Church members. "Simply be yourself. Relax. Don't go into a conversation with an agenda [like] ‘I have to get a referral for the missionaries.' Just be yourself," he said.
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Last edited by _Ray A on Thu Nov 20, 2008 7:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"Finally, for your rather strange idea that miracles are somehow linked to the amount of gay sexual gratification that is taking place would require that primitive Christianity was launched by gay sex, would it not?"
Dr. Shades wrote:It took him a whole book just to say that?
He's actually trying to improve the Church's image so they can get better conversion results. Kind of ironical. But what he says is true.
Contra that, a group of Mormons is now publicising the Book of Mormon on Facebook
Initially the site was open for comments, and some members were critical precisely for the reasons outlined by Gary Lawrence, but the critical commentary seems to have been cleaned up (read-censored).
Goody-goody or holier than thou judgmental intolerant clique-ish keep to themselves materialistic have an agenda resent the "we're the true church and you're not" attitude too many kids (often more than they can care for) obnoxious
"Brigham said the day would come when thousands would be made Eunuchs in order for them to be saved in the kingdom of God." (Wilford Woodruff's Diary, June 2, 1857, Vol. 5, pages 54-55)
Gay Lawrence says that people are turned off by the Church largely because of the the way they talk about their faith. And this is the same Gary Lawrence that wrote the recent Meridian Magazine article comparing opponents of Pop 8 to those who sided with Lucifer in the pre-existence??? http://www.meridianmagazine.com/ideas/080711war.html
Mike Reed wrote:Gay Lawrence says that people are turned off by the Church largely because of the the way they talk about their faith. And this is the same Gary Lawrence that wrote the recent Meridian Magazine article comparing opponents of Pop 8 to those who sided with Lucifer in the pre-existence??? http://www.meridianmagazine.com/ideas/080711war.html
Gary is just finding a way to win more converts, Mike, as I pointed out earlier. Solution? Relax. Take it easy. Be yourself.
So what does that mean? "Yourself" is different to "your Mormon self"?
There would be no purpose for the Church if we simply "fit in". However, I've found that only the hyper-senstive often political left wingers have any problem with the way I talk about the Church.
bcspace wrote:There would be no purpose for the Church if we simply "fit in". However, I've found that only the hyper-senstive often political left wingers have any problem with the way I talk about the Church.
Your problem, BC, is that your religious and political views are indistinguishable. You may not see it yet. So, do you think Hugh Nibley was an apostate for being a Democrat?
Mike Reed wrote:Gay Lawrence says that people are turned off by the Church largely because of the the way they talk about their faith. And this is the same Gary Lawrence that wrote the recent Meridian Magazine article comparing opponents of Pop 8 to those who sided with Lucifer in the pre-existence??? http://www.meridianmagazine.com/ideas/080711war.html
Gary is just finding a way to win more converts, Mike, as I pointed out earlier. Solution? Relax. Take it easy. Be yourself.
So what does that mean? "Yourself" is different to "your Mormon self"?
Right. :) I'm not sure the church will have much success winning converts (and improving public relations) by following his example, comparing dissenters/opponents to Satan’s minions.
Mike Reed wrote:Right. :) I'm not sure the church will have much success winning converts (and improving public relations) by following his example, comparing dissenters/opponents to Satan’s minions.
You can be assured he won't write "Satan's minions" in any academic work. But, in reality, that's what he really thinks.
Once people find out things like his Meridian article, he will be singing with the larks in another PR disaster. Because it's simply not possible for a Mormon to "be yourself". If every member was "him/herself", they pews would be empty.