Nightline piece on the Mormon Church

Interesting segment of Nightline featuring video from inside a soon to open temple and an interview by Dan Harris with two apostles. Pretty interesting what they discussed (a little bit about ritual, a little bit about misconceptions of the church). It ran about 10 minutes. I guess what surprised me the most is how much the Mormon Church opened up about themselves. I'm sure its available online.

 

Have you read Krakauer's "Under the Banner of Heaven"?

A lot of good Mormon history there, and a hell of a crime story, to boot.

 

Haven't read it, but damn, I love me some Jon Krakauer.

 

I read the Krakauer book. I also got the chance to check out a temple once before it was re-sealed or reconsecrated after a renovation. The baptising of the dead is kind of odd, and there were pictures of Jesus in the South Pacific, but mostly it made me wonder how odd all religions must be to those not brought up in a church.
The Nightline thing caught my attention because it seemed to be a pretty strong public relations push by the Mormon Church, something far more extensive than those "enjoy hanging out with your kids" ads they used to run.

 

The Krakauer book is particularly interesting since Mormonism is the first main stream religion to have gone from inception to acceptance in the age of media. As such, the documentation is pretty reliable. Recommended reading for everyone.

 

I didn't see the story, but wish I had.

I wonder if the PR flak's of the Morman Church are trying to get their story out there, since the new season of "Big Love" is starting soon on HBO.

 

I imagine the extremely negative fallout from their Prop 8 funding is another reason for the PR push.

 

The segment is on the Nightline Web site. The elders who were interviewed said that their stand in California was because they wanted to "protect marriage." What these guys do or what two men or two women do has nothing to do with my marriage. I can protect my marriage fine, thanks.

 

Oh, I was brought up going to Catholic Masses and catechism classes, and I still think religions are pretty odd. The relative newness of Mormonism makes it an easy target, but are the strangest beliefs of the LDS church any less bizarre than, say, transubstantiation? But that's one of the defining characteristics of Catholicism.

 

Here's the link to the Nightline story: http://abcnews.go.com/nightline

I've always figured Dan Harris will someday be ABC's main anchor. I've always enjoyed his work.

 

I always had a problem that you could never see their church in SLC unless you were brought in by a member. Think the Catholic Church would ever put restrictions like that on St. Patrick's?

 

Joseph Smith is probably cackling in whatever hell he's been consigned to at the thought that his con game, which was originally designed to fleece believers of their money and their women, has become a "mainstream" religion. Everything about mormonism is a scam that they make up as they go along.