The filmmakers came from Utah with cameras and settled inside a modest church across from the University of South Florida.
"People think we're a bunch of weirdos," said sound guy Jason Allred. Weird is not the mission here. Imagine you're Mormon. You need an image overhaul.
In 2010, the church revamped its website, Mormon.org, into a jazzy meetup for believers and curious types. Then began the quest for cool Mormons to appear in a series of slick video profiles for — what else? — YouTube.
They found happy moms, reformed alcoholics, artists, surfers, businessmen. The white founder of the Backstreet Boys, the black, female mayor of Saratoga Springs, Utah, the Hispanic 9/11 survivor. They filmed in homes and offices and streets, creating tidy three-minute morsels that all end the same.
"My name is . . . and I'm a Mormon."
The videos blew up on YouTube — 10,000 hits, 20,000, 800,000. They're warm, digestible and habit-forming. They pop up when you're searching for things like skin cream reviews and funny clips.
Well, at least I can rest assured the tithing I paid in 2010 helped pay for that. I helped pay for some marketing jobs, which is pretty cool because marketers are, well, cool.
Oh for shame, how the mortals put the blame on us gods, for they say evils come from us, but it is they, rather, who by their own recklessness win sorrow beyond what is given... Zeus (1178 BC)
I am happy with my tithing money being used to forestall people thinking I am a weirdo even before they have met me. Wait till they get to know me before making that assessment.
Yeah, I get what you are saying. I can think of many worse things to pay for.
Oh for shame, how the mortals put the blame on us gods, for they say evils come from us, but it is they, rather, who by their own recklessness win sorrow beyond what is given... Zeus (1178 BC)
I was actually looking at the "I'm a Mormon" things one day, when I found an old friend. She had often come with me to meetings and such when we were younger. She eventually joined the church once she moved out of her house. What's odd though now, is that she moved into Mormonism and I moved away from it towards Buddhism (if anything). It's almost like we swapped religions! She's also one of the Mormons who won't talk to me because of my family affiliations. Yay.....
greentam wrote:I was actually looking at the "I'm a Mormon" things one day, when I found an old friend. She had often come with me to meetings and such when we were younger. She eventually joined the church once she moved out of her house. What's odd though now, is that she moved into Mormonism and I moved away from it towards Buddhism (if anything). It's almost like we swapped religions! She's also one of the Mormons who won't talk to me because of my family affiliations. Yay.....
That's pretty funny. I, too, looked at the campaign only to find an old friend was the director of it!
From the Ernest L. Wilkinson Diaries: "ELW dreams he's spattered w/ grease. Hundreds steal his greasy pants."
I think it’s a sad state of affairs when a church cares so much for public opinion that they’ll gladly slaughter thousands of young calves to the gods of popular culture. Christ’s own church isn’t a political candidate, nor a corporate enterprise trying to beat bad press, it should let Spirit give men the eyes to see and the ears to hear, not a youtube ad campaign.
Saint Francis of Assisi is often quoted as saying, “Preach the gospel at all times, and when necessary use words.” I wish that kind of wisdom could be found in Thomas Monson.