Buzzfeed: Twede Excom Story "Went Viral" -Called "Baseless"

[_DrW]

The David Twede excommunication story is still echoing around the internet, with a new version each time it pops up, it seems.

This time it looks like someone from the LDS Church was able to have the headline changed, and then get the story relegated to "Weird News".

This is a link from the "Weird News" section of Huff Post.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/mckaycoppins/no ... ting-romne

Weird News?

Really?

Did whoever managed to do this really do any favors for the LDS Church?

Another backfire, perhaps?

Anyway, now the LDS Church is weird news and, "We're not with him."

[_sethpayne]

The David Twede excommunication story is still echoing around the internet, with a new version each time it pops up, it seems.

This time it looks like someone from the LDS Church was able to have the headline changed, and then get the story relegated to "Weird News".

This is a link from the "Weird News" section of Huff Post.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/mckaycoppins/no ... ting-romne

Weird News?

Really?

Did whoever managed to do this really do any favors for the LDS Church?

Another backfire, perhaps?

Anyway, now the LDS Church is weird news and, "We're not with him."

Hi DrW,

Without the Romney angle there really is no story here.

I think it's pretty obvious Twede was trying to provoke a Church response, and his SP foolishly took the bait. By not immediately disavowing the Romney angle (which is absolutely ridiculous ... otherwise Harry Reid and many others would have been exed a long long time ago) Twede let this story get away from him and now that the Romney angle has been shown to be without merit, Twede's credibility has taken a hit.

Will be interesting to see how this plays out. If Romney wins, I think this whole affair will be dropped. If he loses -- which it looks like is pretty much inevitable -- I think Twede will excommunicated in 2013. Just a hunch.

Seth

[_Chap]

As the story says:

But as Romney’s favorability ratings continue to slip along with the rest of his poll numbers, Mormonism risks having its international brand defined by an unpopular politican. And as the church hurdles toward the election-day conclusion of the “Mormon Moment,” its longsuffering public affairs office will face the daunting task of escaping this year without a partisan brand stamped onto its public image.

Anne is always there to help her husband, though, as CBS notes under the headline:

Ann Romney: If elected, "mental well-being" Mitt's biggest challenge.

Thanks, Anne, says the Obama campaign. Now to the list "Out of touch rich guy, dismissive of half of all Americans, weird religion, diplomatic gaffes" and so on, the headlines can add "Wife worries about mental health".

Once the candidacy of Mitt Romney seemed a Mormon dream come true. But now? As election day nears, expect more press releases stressing the church's political neutrality.

[_DrW]

Of the more than 1,000 comments on the Twede story when it was running on the Daily Beast, several commenters referred to the fact that it is time that Romney's religion was discussed.

They pointed out that a faithful Mormon's worldview, including that of Mitt Romney (who served as a Bishop), is so shaped by Mormonism that it is important for voters to understand what the Mormon worldview entails.

I am now not so concerned that there be a public discussion of Romney's religion as I was a month ago. That is because Romney's actions are reflecting very clearly what his worldview is - and it is quintessentially Mormon, in so many ways.

His arrogance, sense of entitlement, seeming cluelessness about how he appears to others, the unquestioning and naïve adoration for him expressed by his wife ("I worry about his mental health") are all characteristic of TBMs.

As the article indicates, and like it or not, for many non-Mormons Romney is defining or "branding" the Church. And a lot of folks within the Church are (apparently) not too happy about.

Romney is providing, for many (myself included) a very unflattering reflection of Mormonism.

[_Chap]

I am now not so concerned that there be a public discussion of Romney's religion as I was a month ago. That is because Romney's actions are reflecting very clearly what his worldview is - and it is quintessentially Mormon, in so many ways.

His arrogance, sense of entitlement, seeming cluelessness about how he appears to others, the unquestioning and naïve adoration for him expressed by his wife ("I worry about his mental health") are all characteristic of TBMs.

And it does seem that his wife (a potential First Lady, not an unimportant position for the image of the Presidency in both the US and abroad, even if only a customary and unelected one) has the same problem about minding what she says. I know she only said she was worried about his 'mental condition' if he was elected, but she should have known that this would immediately morph into 'mental health'.

But it does seem that the Mormon aristocracy is so used to unquestioning adoration that its members find it hard to learn the habit of thinking what others may make of what you say. And no-one should get anywhere near the White House if they don't have the ability to do that.

[_sock puppet]

The David Twede excommunication story is still echoing around the internet, with a new version each time it pops up, it seems.

This time it looks like someone from the LDS Church was able to have the headline changed, and then get the story relegated to "Weird News".

This is a link from the "Weird News" section of Huff Post.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/mckaycoppins/no ... ting-romne

Weird News?

Really?

Did whoever managed to do this really do any favors for the LDS Church?

Another backfire, perhaps?

Anyway, now the LDS Church is weird news and, "We're not with him."

Hi DrW,

Without the Romney angle there really is no story here.

I think it's pretty obvious Twede was trying to provoke a Church response, and his SP foolishly took the bait. By not immediately disavowing the Romney angle (which is absolutely ridiculous ... otherwise Harry Reid and many others would have been exed a long long time ago) Twede let this story get away from him and now that the Romney angle has been shown to be without merit, Twede's credibility has taken a hit.

Will be interesting to see how this plays out. If Romney wins, I think this whole affair will be dropped. If he loses -- which it looks like is pretty much inevitable -- I think Twede will excommunicated in 2013. Just a hunch.

Seth

Hey, Seth. Your post has me confused. In your second paragraph you mention it is absolutely ridiculous that the 'court of love' was scheduled for Tweded because of his criticism of Romney.

Then in your third, last paragraph you have hunch that how this will play out for Twede depends on whether Romney wins on 11/6. If he wins, Twede gets to remain a member is your hunch, but if Romney loses, Twede gets ex'd in '13.

It seems you have a hunch that there is a Romney-criticism connection to the move against Twede's membership, though that is 'absolutely ridiculous'.

There's something I am missing here.

[_sethpayne]

Hey, Seth. Your post has me confused. In your second paragraph you mention it is absolutely ridiculous that the 'court of love' was scheduled for Tweded because of his criticism of Romney.

Then in your third, last paragraph you have hunch that how this will play out for Twede depends on whether Romney wins on 11/6. If he wins, Twede gets to remain a member is your hunch, but if Romney loses, Twede gets ex'd in '13.

It seems you have a hunch that there is a Romney-criticism connection to the move against Twede's membership, though that is 'absolutely ridiculous'.

There's something I am missing here.

Poor communication on my part. in my opinion, Twede would never be excommunicated for criticizing Romney. Hell, I'd be exed if that were the case.

Twede would be exed for discussing temple content on the internet. I'm not sure of the details about his trying to "evangelize" people out of the Church but if that were true, then he would be exed for that. This, to me, seems perfectly reasonable.

I don't think Twede would be excommunicated for publishing history etc... There are hundreds of blogs that post sources and analysis that don't jive with the Church's correlated view. With all the people out there posting about Mormonism the Church would be doing nothing but exing people for expressing anger, or disbelief at a variety of church issues -- historical and contemporary.

The Church is PR savvy at the top. This whole mess was a complete disaster for them but they managed to turn the story on its head and now Twede is on the defensive. Twede's mistake is that he played the Romney card and it backfired.

So, given that the Church is PR Savvy and that a Romney presidency -- as absolutely implausible as that seems now -- would mean an extension of the Mormon Moment will all eyes on SLC. There is no way the Church would ex Twede then.

When Romney loses, however, and the Mormon Moment has passed, Twede will be excommunicated because no one will care and no one will be looking.

Seth

[_sock puppet]

Hey, Seth. Your post has me confused. In your second paragraph you mention it is absolutely ridiculous that the 'court of love' was scheduled for Tweded because of his criticism of Romney.

Then in your third, last paragraph you have hunch that how this will play out for Twede depends on whether Romney wins on 11/6. If he wins, Twede gets to remain a member is your hunch, but if Romney loses, Twede gets ex'd in '13.

It seems you have a hunch that there is a Romney-criticism connection to the move against Twede's membership, though that is 'absolutely ridiculous'.

There's something I am missing here.

Poor communication on my part. in my opinion, Twede would never be excommunicated for criticizing Romney. Hell, I'd be exed if that were the case.

Twede would be exed for discussing temple content on the internet. I'm not sure of the details about his trying to "evangelize" people out of the Church but if that were true, then he would be exed for that. This, to me, seems perfectly reasonable.

I don't think Twede would be excommunicated for publishing history etc... There are hundreds of blogs that post sources and analysis that don't jive with the Church's correlated view. With all the people out there posting about Mormonism the Church would be doing nothing but exing people for expressing anger, or disbelief at a variety of church issues -- historical and contemporary.

The Church is PR savvy at the top. This whole mess was a complete disaster for them but they managed to turn the story on its head and now Twede is on the defensive. Twede's mistake is that he played the Romney card and it backfired.

So, given that the Church is PR Savvy and that a Romney presidency -- as absolutely implausible as that seems now -- would mean an extension of the Mormon Moment will all eyes on SLC. There is no way the Church would ex Twede then.

When Romney loses, however, and the Mormon Moment has passed, Twede will be excommunicated because no one will care and no one will be looking.

Seth

Thanks for clearing that up for me. So basically, the cause for ex'ing Twede would not be Romney criticism, but LDS Inc would not ex Twede for his non-Romney offenses in the midst of a Romney/Mormon presidency. That makes sense.

[_RockSlider]

... I think it's pretty obvious Twede was trying to provoke a Church response, and his SP foolishly took the bait. By not immediately disavowing the Romney angle (which is absolutely ridiculous ... otherwise Harry Reid and many others would have been exed a long long time ago)
...
If Romney wins, I think this whole affair will be dropped. If he loses -- which it looks like is pretty much inevitable -- I think Twede will excommunicated in 2013. Just a hunch.

Your comments seem contradictory. Surely the excommunication was over MormonThink not Mitt, and yet Mitt's win/loss will determine the outcome of if the excommunication continues or not?

Seems there is some strong underlier with Mitt's name written all over it.

edit:
woops, should have read to the end before commenting

[_Kishkumen]

Your comments seem contradictory. Surely the excommunication was over MormonThink not Mitt, and yet Mitt's win/loss will determine the outcome of if the excommunication continues or not?

Seems there is some strong underlier with Mitt's name written all over it.

edit:
woops, should have read to the end before commenting

Good to see you, Rockslider.

I hope things are OK.