Mormon General Conference

Yes, the Mormon Church has just had their General Conference.

Members of the Mormon church will have received instructions that they must pay their tithing, be subservient to local Mormon leaders, visit the temple as often as possible and testify to people that the Mormon church is the true church of God.

How do I know this? Because that is all the leaders of the Mormon Church (or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to give it its full title) every say at their General Conferences.

There will also have been a few rather weak jokes, but that will have been about it.

It is, in reality, a slick presentation by a large MLM corporation, rather than a church in any meaningful sense of the word that would be understandable by an outsider. It's like an MLM convention salted with a few hymns and prayers to make it more palatable to the members.

An oddity of Mormonism

An oddity of Mormonism is that, although the official name of the Mormon Church is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Or LDS) is that there seems very little real emphasis on Jesus Christ, himself.

In fact, there is often more emphasis on Joseph Smith the founder of the LDS Church than on Jesus Christ.

Several years ago BYU had a sort of weird Joseph Smith Nativity Scene instead of a traditional Jesus Christ Nativity Scene. And yet Mormons still cannot understand why other Christians can look at them and wonder exactly how Christian the Mormons are.

The writings of Joseph Smith seem to indicate that he thought he was not equal to Jesus but even better than him. Blasphemous? Joseph Smith? Well, you read what's on this link and then see how people might think it so...

http://www.mormoncurtain.com/topic_josephsmithworship.html

Combine THAT with the "Amway, Noni Juice, Nu Skin, Mary Kay, Nature’s Sunshine Products, Herbalife, Nutra-Smart, XanGo, Living Scriptures, 4Life Research, NSA, Pharmanex, Quixtar, Shaklee, Kirby, etc., etc., etc" Multi Level Marketing aspects of Mormonism and see why many people in the world shake their heads and wonder if, perhaps, Mormonism is more a money making pseudo cult rather than being a 'straight' religious cult?

By the way, some of those MLM firms have roots in Utah and were, in at least one or two cases, founded by faithful Mormons...

How Mormonism changes its core doctrines

I was watching a TV programme with my mother and (as an aside) the presenter pointed out that people from Asia had settled America having crossed the Baring Straights.

My mother then said: "Well that's interesting because the (Mormon) church teaches that Lehi and his family were from Asia, so that confirms what it teaches."

I made no comment.

A colleague dashed back into the office shouting: "Help! I'm been chased by the Moomins!"

She said: "I told them "'I don't believe in God' and ran off!" But they chased me! The one said he was sorry for me!" (Moomins! She has a very good sense of humour!)

They are a right pair of idiots.

Someone on the RFM board suggested reporting them. I considered that suggestion, but then I thought better of it. Because the best thing is to just let them keep on putting people off their ersatz multi-level marketing scam church!

Those missionaries, again

Yes, I met those two rude missionaries, again. I was about to go into the local hospital for a routine blood test (to check that the prescriptions meds I am aren't harming me) when the bicycling buffoons finished harassing some random pedestrian and decided to illegally cycle towards me and try to engage me in their: "If you don't let us bore the crap out of you with our message about Jesus Smith (thanks for that quote, Mr Hinckley!) we'll start berating you for being an atheist" line, I just said: "I'm late for an appointment and after the last time I spoke with you, I have nothing to add to it."

They must have then remembered who I was as they ceased following me and I can't recall even geting a faked: "Have a nice day!"

Matt meets the Mormons and gives 'em what for!

Yesterday, I had a good day. I had visited my doctor (yes, on a Saturday and for free) and gone to pay the gas and electricity bill (finally sorted out after a great deal of effort) I'd met my Managing Director and one of his children on the way back from Football practice (that's soccer, if anyone wonders) and I was almost at home having had a glorious walk in some surprisingly warm September sunshine when I was almost home when my heart sank. Oh, no! Mormon missionaries!

It was the overaggressive deadly duo I had had a run in with several weeks previously.

They have a very annoying way of approaching people on the street. They had just been told "no" by someone and switched their attention to a woman walking through a small park area at the side of the pavement (sidewalk). "Can we share our message with you?" said the more aggressive one. "No! Thank you" she said, firmly but politely.

"Oh!" He shouted at her, rudely. "So you don't believe in God?!"

I looked at his companion, who was heading towards me, a look of fervour in his eyes. "He's still very presumptive, isn't he?" I said.

Companion said: "Can we share a message with you about..." I cut him off by saying: No, thank you!"

He continued to drone on, giving me his sales script. I repeated myself. It made not a jot of difference. He went on and on.

At this point I lost my temper, somewhat. I said, very loudly: "I have said NO! I quite like the word no! It's short and to the point. It only has one syllable and two letters. N and O. I wonder which part of that rather short word you seem to have trouble grasping?"

At this point a man out walking his dog let out a snort of laughter.

The companion then said: "Well, if you are not interested in us sharing our message, perhaps you might know some people who would be interested in us sharing our message with them?"

I shouted: My God! It's like being assaulted by a religious salesman in the street! Please! Just go away! I am NOT interested!"

He then said: "Have a nice day!" To which I replied: "Yes, you have a nice day, too."

It was clear they were beyond reason and beyond debate or argument. My parents became Mormons in 1966. Throughout that time as a TBM and an exmo I have met many Mormon missionaries from all over the world from all types of backgrounds. I can honestly say I have never met a more dense and self-centred pair of plonkers as these.

Are they playing a game? Seeing how many people they can enrage?

Mormonism: How stupid do they think people are?

The answer is they hope people are very stupid indeed.

Everyone who uses multilevel marketing techniques to sell either a product or a way of life must really hate the Internet.

For out there on the internet you will find sites both for and against (for example): Amway, Noni Juice, Nu Skin, Mary Kay, Nature’s Sunshine Products, Herbalife, Nutra-Smart, XanGo, Living Scriptures, 4Life Research, NSA, Pharmanex, Quixtar, Shaklee, Covey, Kirby, Unicity International, USANA Health Sciences, Inc., Mormonism, etc., etc.

Some of the sites are purely bonkers with criticism that is unfair or based on a misunderstanding with someone. Others. however, have very valid and genuine criticism of the firm or organisation concerned.

The Mormon Church, however, is one of the few that actually warn people not toseek out critical information on it! To many people, this is the red rag to the bull. "If you don't want me to find out some information, then there's a reason why." And people use the Internet and discover websites like this one, or Recovery From Mormonism and the like.

Prospects (yes, Mormonism uses American Insurance sales terms for people thinking about joining their church) can see how many women (married and single) Joseph Smith had as 'wives' what the Danites were, which modern LDS leaders thought it better that a young lady allow herself to be murdered rather than raped and other such gems of LDS wisdom.

Many decline to join such a church. Or, if they do, keep their wits about them and bale out as soon as the nutty ways of Mormonism become all too apparent.

And that is why the Mormon Church doesn't want you on the Internet, researching all about the Mormon Church. No salesman wants to lose a prospect, do they?

How to Lie for the Lord. (VIDEO)

green_messiah's annotated version of the 'banned' cartoon

Sex between adult males and 14 year old girls apparently defended by Mormon Church in Australian court case

In what could be regarded as an astonishing faux pas, a Barrister defending the Mormon Church in a court case in the NSW Supreme Court brought by a woman who alleges that her step father who was a Mormon sexually abused her.

The Barrister, Philip Taylor, SC, is quoted in press reports as cross-examining the woman -who is now 36- on the claim by her father that, as a 14-year-old child, she had consented to sex with him.

This was a strange point to cross-examine her on, as Taylor would have been expected to know that under the laws of NSW, a child of 14 would not have been able to give consent to sexual intercourse with any adult, not just her own stepfather.

The woman is asking the court to increase the time she is legally allowed to enter a claim as she points out that the Mormon Church deliberately withheld information about her sexual abuse -which it excommunicated her stepfather for- from the authorises including the police.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/latest/5151765/woman-accuses-mormons-sex-abuse/

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24665248-26103,00.html

Anger in America turns on Mormon Church

Many people in American are offended that the Mormon Church put its considerable weight organisational muscle and money behind proposals to outlaw so-called gay marriage in California. Some $22M according to reports.

The influential America Blog covers the building sense of outrage, inlcuding calls for people to boycott Utah, including the Sundance Film Festival.

The story can be found at
http://www.americablog.com/2008/11/ap-on-possibility-of-utahsundance.html

"Utah's growing tourism industry and the star-studded Sundance Film Festival are being targeted for a boycott by bloggers, gay rights activists and others seeking to punish the Mormon church for its aggressive promotion of California's ban on gay marriage.

"It could be a heavy price to pay. Tourism brings in $6 billion a year to Utah, with world-class skiing, the spectacular red rock country and the film festival founded by Robert Redford among the state's popular tourist draws..."

(EDITOR: Unless, of course, the organisers of the Sundance Film Festival decide to join in the boycott and decamp to another location? Such a permanent loss would be a blow to Utah.)

A spokesman for the Mormon Church said: "As we move forward from the election, Church members need to be understanding and accepting of each other and work together for a better society.)

(EDITOR: This spokesman seems unaware that some Mormons have been disciplined by local and regional leaders for daring to fail to comply with church orders to campaign against gay marriage.)

The Mormon Church will live through interesting times. And all of its own making...

UPDATE:
Here is video footage of a protest in Salt Lake City, Utah:


Salt Lake City No on Prop 8 Rally from Reid on Vimeo.

Mormon Church issues sinister threat to world's media

The following is a letter from Elder Lance B. Wickman, General Counsel of the Church to publishers of major newspapers, TV stations and magazines. It was sent out on Tuesday, June 24, 2008.

Recent events have focused the media spotlight on a polygamous sect near San Angelo, Texas, calling itself the “Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.” As you probably know, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has absolutely no affiliation with this polygamous sect. Decades ago, the founders of that sect rejected the doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, were excommunicated, and then started their own religion. To the best of our knowledge, no one at the Texas compound has ever been a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Unfortunately, however, some of the media coverage of the recent events in Texas has caused members of the public to confuse the doctrines and members of that group and our church. We have received numerous inquiries from confused members of the public who, by listening to less than careful media reports, have come to a grave misunderstanding about our respective doctrines and faith. Based on these media reports many have erroneously concluded that there is some affiliation between the two – or even worse, that they are one and the same.

Over the years, in a careful effort to distinguish itself, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has gone to significant lengths to protect its rights in the name of the church and related matters. Specifically, we have obtained registrations for the name “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” “Mormon,” “Book of Mormon” and related trade and service marks from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and corresponding agencies in a significant number of foreign countries.

We are confident that you are committed to avoiding misleading statements that cause unwarranted confusion and that may disparage or infringe the intellectual property rights discussed above. Accordingly, we respectfully request the following:

1. As reflected in the AP Style Guide, we ask that you and your organization refrain from referring to members of that polygamous sect as “fundamentalist Mormons” or “fundamentalist” members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
2. We ask that, when reporting about this Texas-based polygamous sect or any other polygamous group, you avoid either explicitly or implicitly any inference that these groups are affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
3. On those occasions when it may be necessary in your reporting to refer to the historical practice of plural marriage in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, that you make very clear that the Church does not condone the practice of polygamy and that it has been forbidden in the Church for over one hundred years. Moreover, we absolutely condemn arranged or forced “marriages” of underage girls to anyone under any circumstances.

Stated simply, we would like to be known and recognized for whom we are and what we believe, and not be inaccurately associated with beliefs and practices that we condemn in the strongest terms. We would be grateful if you could circulate or copy this letter to your editorial staff and to your legal counsel.

We thank you for your consideration of these important matters.

Sincerely,

Lance B. Wickman

General Counsel

(EDITOR: Here is some free, without prejudice, 'counsel to Lance B. Wickman and the Mormon Church:

Don't issue threats to the entire media of the world, lest people mistake you as a clown and the organisation that you work for as an organisation made up of clowns.)

Cov for Sunday 20 April

Doesn't time fly when you are having fun?

First in this edition is this from CV Rick Nina Writer, who writes on Fast Sunday. Always seemed very slooow to me!

http://www.cvrick.com/cv_rick/2008/04/growing-up-mo-1.htmlhavnig fun?
"Let me tell you what Fast Sunday is all about in the Mormon world. It was the one weekend a month that I hated more than any other, it was dread, it was the pain and suffering that can only come from the directives of a vengeful God.

My father never did anything halfway when it came to adhering to the principles and precepts of the gospel until after I had moved out of his house. I hear he softened a bit for the younger kids but I'm not in touch with them enough to know if this is true. However back in the day, when it came to Fast Sunday there was no softness in the old man."

And next one from Eight Hour Lunch. It's not long, So I am not going to quote from anything, but but the title. "Your Doing it Wrong!" And you know, I think he might have a point!

http://www.eighthourlunch.com/2008/04/youre-doing-it-wrong.html


And next something rather moving from South Bay Soliloquies:

http://south-bay-soliloquies.blogspot.com/2008/04/carolyn-jessop-on-her-escape-from-flds.html

It links to a video interview of Carolyn Jessop on her Escape from the FLDS and her book.

http://averticalbloghappens.blogspot.com/2008/04/hooray-for-religion.html
Wow. How wield! THIS one's hyperlink worked!
"Hooray for religion, writes Blog Happens:

Let me start off by warning you all that I am a whirling tornado of hormones right now. I'm on day twelve of freakin' fertility shots and I am truly amazed that I am still a.) alive b.) still employed and c.) still married. Poor Military Man.
And my own current blog entry takes a look at the FLDS raid and takes a look at who is realy responsible for all this:

And here is my blog entry
http://notamormon.blogspot.com/2008/04/flds-in-texas.html

"The FLDS story will, to coin an old journalistic expression, run and run. Especially when lawyers for the FLDS get involved. And just wait for self-proclaimed civil Rights lawyers to get their snouts in the trough!

Some people have questioned the propriety of the raid/s in that they offend their liberal sensibilities. These seem to run along the lines of: "People should be allowed to do what they want on their own property" and "parents should have a right to bring up their own children in any way that they see fit." Yes, but not if that bringing up of children utilises what boils down to torture techniques outlawed by International Military Conventions for use against enemy combatants, let alone against your own toddlers and children, for goodness sake!"

That's all the entries for this issue.

See you next time, in two weeks when we will have more about TSCC and Mormonism, the FLDS and whatever else we want to blog about.

Cheers!

Celebrate the ' Year of the Pig ' with Tetley Green Tea!

On 18 February, 1.3 billion people in China and around 160,000 Chinese residents in the UK begin a 15-day celebration of Chinese New Year.

A truly global celebration, Chinese NewYear includes many centuries-old customs. Red envelopes containing money are given to unmarried adults and children and there is the ritualistic serving of green tea on the ninth day to pay respect to an honoured person.

But there is also more widespread drinking of green tea throughout the celebrations (and, of course, throughout the year), making New Year's drinks a rather healthier option in China than they tend to be in the UK!

And now you can join in the celebrations and welcome the 'Year of the Pig 'with a cup of authentic Tetley Green Tea. With leaves gently steamed to preserve the delicate flavour of the Camellia Sinensis plant it comes from,Tetley Green Tea gives a great taste of this ancient Chinese tradition.

Tetley green teas are naturally rich in antioxidants, hydrating like waterand without any calories or fat whatsoever. If you want to extend your New Year celebrations, remember there are fourdifferent varieties from Tetley to try.

As well as Green Tea Pure, thereis Tetley Green Lemon which is a perfect pick me up, Tetley Green Mint with extra zest thanks to its real mint and even a Decaffeinated Green tea. Whichever one you choose, you'll open a treasure-trove of flavour and benefits to your health.

So go out, wish your friends and family good health, good fortune and prosperity - and share with them a cup of Tetley Green Tea.

Overview of Britain's favourite tea maker: Tetley is the biggest manufacturer and distributor of tea in the UK. It has exactly one quarter of the country’s £530m-a-year tea market, and its main brand tea bags are regularly bought by over eight million UK households.

The four popular varieties of Tetley Green Tea make it a strong contender in the UK’s fast-growing green tea market, currently worth £14.8m.

Tetley are experts in tea, and have a huge range of other brands of teas and infusions, and these are becoming an increasingly important part of its business. Some, such as luxury teas Earl Grey and English Breakfast or old favourites Quick Brew and Lyons Red Label, are aimed at more traditional markets.

Others address the growing demand for alternative, overtly healthy hot drinks. Tetley already has a strong range of herbal and fruit infusions, and it is expanding its offering still further with new brand like Tetley Redbush and Tetley Organic.

Combining tradition with innovation in this way, Tetley is well placed to consolidate its place as Britain's favourite tea maker. Tetley really is ‘Everyone’s cup of tea!'

www.tetley.co.uk

www.tetley.com

www.teaexperts.co.uk

Just think! All those poor faith Mormons missing out on the benefits of green tea. It is quite sad, isn't it?