I don't lose my temper easily. But it took all of three seconds for my temperature to start rising yesterday while reading a CNN article. Within a couple more minutes, I realized I better walk away or else my mood would be totally upset. What caused this uncharacteristic frustration? Yet another article about the FLDS drama, making inappropriate, misleading and damaging references to my own beloved religion.
The word "fundamentalist" seems to imply that the FLDS church believes they are living the true spirit of the LDS teachings. The media play it up and report them as a "sect" of the LDS church, as if the Mormon church has many different "sects" under its wings. This is like saying the LDS church is a "sect" of the Catholic church, simply because we share some views.
I don't call myself a "Fundamentalist Catholic" and don't want to be viewed that way. Whatever the common roots are between our churches, we are in no way connected now. Similarly, whatever psychological connection the founders of the FLDS church seem to have to the LDS church, the two churches are in no way connected now.
It's time for the media to stop misrepresenting this situation and get on with some other titillating fairy tale.
I know! It is amazing that they think we are the same! Get your facts right people!
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more! Why can't they do a little research first?
ReplyDeleteI agree wholeheartedly. I'm tired of the whole thing. It's like when they out every crazy Mormon's religion, i.e. Ted Bundy. As though the religion breeds a bunch of serial rapists and killers. You never hear them say "The Unabomber, a devout Baptist, is responsible for untold deaths and destruction." The media needs to get over the whole religion thing and accept that some people call themselves Mormon, Baptist, Catholic, etc. but that doesn't mean diddly squat. Living the chosen religion is what counts.
ReplyDeleteI love the email that is being sent around about what a mormon woman/man looks like..Some people will always have their own agenda and there will always be stupid people that listen to them
ReplyDeleteWe talked about this a little at book club last week (missed you by the way!). I hate that every single article about them has to mention our church and how they broke off, blah, blah. I guess the church has gotten requests from the media to tour the FLDS temple in Texas. Clearly, people are still confused. And when the media continually mentions our church in connection with them, the confusion isn't going to go away.
ReplyDeleteI read an article on CNN that boiled my blood, too. The very first sentence called the group Mormon--not even "breakaway" or anything else. I like CNN--but sometimes they are irresponsible. The LDS Church has an extremely clear press statement on its website which asks the media NOT to refer to the FLDS church as Mormon. It makes me take the other news article less seriously, because I don't know how accurate they are, either.
ReplyDeleteAMEN!!
ReplyDeleteWhether Mormons choose to associate themselves with FLDS, the FLDS, choose to associate themselves with Mormons. They study the book of mormon, and practice polygamy based on the teachings of both Joseph Smith and Brigham Young. That is why the media mentions mormonism, because its roots are not far from the current practices of FLDS.
ReplyDeletenot making a judgement call...just stating fact...
D&C 132 verses 62-63