Thus Fulfilling the Prophecy of Rob Long ...
I'm just surprised that it's taken this long. From the AP Wire:
NBC News unsuccessfully went back to Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney to request an interview for this week's prime-time special on the Mormon faith after he began to seem more open to talking about it.
The single-topic "Rock Center" episode will air Thursday as originally planned, said the show's executive producer, Rome Hartman.
...
The newsmagazine's producers thought it worthwhile to examine the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on the eve of one of its members becoming the Republican nominee for president. During the hour, correspondent Harry Smith does a piece on why Mormons are so successful in business and tours a Salt Lake City warehouse where a huge amount of supplies is kept for the needy.
Kate Snow profiles a gay person, a feminist and an interracial couple on their experiences within the church, and NBC finds a Mormon cast member of the Broadway show "The Book of Mormon."
The biggest red flag here is the presence of Harry Smith (see here), a man who represents conservative criticisms of the media made flesh. Beyond that, it looks like the usual pap: a pro forma nod to the decent people within the faith combined with prolonged hand-wringing about how intolerant the church is towards people who probably don't agree with its doctrine (the corollary of the left's belief that dissent is the highest form of patriotism seems to be that heresy is the highest form of faith).
For what it's worth, I'm not particularly bothered. If anyone can bungle this to such an epic degree that it boomerangs back on the press, it's Smith. And the topic itself is a legitimate, if tertiary, one. Of course, in the interest of objectivity, I'll be awaiting the hour-long profile of Jeremiah Wright's church the following week.
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Re: Thus Fulfilling the Prophecy of Rob Long ...
I love this line so much that I'm stealing it.
Also, I don't know why you're even writing about this. I have absolutely no doubt -- no doubt at all -- that the media will run their "Black Liberation Theology" one-hour special the following night.
Sure of it.
Jun '10
Re: Thus Fulfilling the Prophecy of Rob Long ...
Somehow, they never concentrate on things like the Mormon Tabernacle Choir:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrVTuskdCgo
May '10
Re: Thus Fulfilling the Prophecy of Rob Long ...
Don't scare me like that! I thought you were referring to Rob's other prophecy... about VP Clinton.
Jun '12
Re: Thus Fulfilling the Prophecy of Rob Long ...
I'm not a big fan of the LDS church, but I'd rather have a Mormon President than a President who worships the image he sees in the mirror.
Jun '10
Re: Thus Fulfilling the Prophecy of Rob Long ...
Ricochet Mormon here. I'm sure this will follow a predictable path. The impression will be left that there are vast pools of dissent within the Church.
Three facts worth remembering:
Mormons are believers. A 2008 Pew study found that more Mormons (92 percent) than any other denomination believe that scripture is God’s words (Evangelicals are close behind). Most Mormons embrace scripture (including the Bible).
Mormons believe in traditional doctrine. 68 percent of Mormons favor retaining traditional beliefs, 23 percent favor some adaptation, and only 3 percent favor adopting modern beliefs and practices. Thus, by a wide margin, Mormons are happy with traditional religious beliefs and practices. In other words, there is little dissent in the LDS Church. I sure don't see it.
Mormons are religiously literate. Another Pew study found that Mormons are the most literate of any American Christian denomination on general religious questions. The test consisted of 32 questions. Mormons, on average, got 20.3 correct. The average number of correct answers for all respondents was 16.
My point: most Mormons think seriously about their religion and the vast majority are highly satisfied.
Are there dissenters? Sure. Are they a major force? No.
Edited on August 23, 2012 at 9:27pmMay '10
Re: Thus Fulfilling the Prophecy of Rob Long ...
As a Mormon, these MSM 'investigative reports' always make me see red. The MSM's idea of covering the Church is the usual: let's use 10% of the time to skim (often sneeringly and/or incredulously) over the Church's beliefs and mission, and the good they do in the world. Then devote the remaining 90% to interviews with the excommunicated member, the gay person, polygamists (who are NOT members of the Church), the tattooed feminist, or whoever, where you ask them how they feel about the Church. Not practicing members. Not Church leaders or spokespersons. (I hope I am wrong about that.) Oh, and throw in a cast member of the Broadway musical that mocks Mormon beliefs? It's so predictable.
I hope you are right and this boomerangs on these media hacks.
Sep '11
Re: Thus Fulfilling the Prophecy of Rob Long ...
Between the cast member of "The Book of Mormon" and the obligatory biracial lesbian polygamist, will there be any in-depth analysis of other Mormons in our national leadership?
Like, say....
Could we ask Harry Reid his views on whether Mitt and Ann Romney's faith would be a barrier to occupying the White House? Does he think a Mormon could not be president? Does he think Romney is not a faithful Mormon?
If you don't see Reid and other Democrats in the segment, it's a hit piece.
But it's on NBC, so you knew that already.
(I'm not a Mormon, FWIW.)
Aug '10
Re: Thus Fulfilling the Prophecy of Rob Long ...
As a Mormon I must say that I don't get too worked up over these MSM pieces anymore. You find out how inaccurate media reports are when they cover a topic with which you are familiar so you take to take them with a grain of salt.
As to JM's point about interviewing Harry Reid...I may prefer the biracial lesbian ploygamist instead.
Aug '10
Re: Thus Fulfilling the Prophecy of Rob Long ...
I appreciate your unsolicited slight of my faith...
Jun '12
Re: Thus Fulfilling the Prophecy of Rob Long ...
Frozen Chosen
I appreciate your unsolicited slight of my faith... · 10 minutes ago
I'm not a big fan of the Yankees, either, but that doesn't mean that Yankees fans are bad people.
I honestly don't care what church you go to, unless and until your church tells you to start killing unbelievers. Then I do care.
Aug '10
Re: Thus Fulfilling the Prophecy of Rob Long ...
ConservativeWanderer
Frozen Chosen
I appreciate your unsolicited slight of my faith... · 10 minutes ago
I'm not a big fan of the Yankees, either, but that doesn't mean that Yankees fans are bad people.
I honestly don't care what church you go to, unless and until your church tells you to start killing unbelievers. Then I do care. · 24 minutes ago
Then why the shot? You see, when it comes to churches I don't believe you can separate the believer from the organization. After all, aren't churches just a reflection of the values and beliefs of their members?
Jun '12
Re: Thus Fulfilling the Prophecy of Rob Long ...
Frozen Chosen
ConservativeWanderer
Frozen Chosen
I appreciate your unsolicited slight of my faith... · 10 minutes ago
I'm not a big fan of the Yankees, either, but that doesn't mean that Yankees fans are bad people.
I honestly don't care what church you go to, unless and until your church tells you to start killing unbelievers. Then I do care. · 24 minutes ago
Then why the shot? You see, when it comes to churches I don't believe you can separate the believer from the organization. After all, aren't churches just a reflection of the values and beliefs of their members? · 12 minutes ago
It wasn't a shot.
If you choose to believe differently, that's your business. But I'm not going to get into a long knock-down drag-out argument with you over it.
Jun '10
Re: Thus Fulfilling the Prophecy of Rob Long ...
I could mention something about too many Mormons having thin skin, but I don't want to drive anybody into a defensive frenzy. I think the Catholics do better with criticism because we don't expect perfection from ourselves. If people tell us we're crazy rotten scum, we say, "you don't know half the story."
Aug '10
Re: Thus Fulfilling the Prophecy of Rob Long ...
It's really not a matter of having a thin skin, Mel, it's just that I think that the Ricochet community should be respectful of its members faiths. I hope I would never say something negative about the Catholic church or any other faith on this site and if I do I'm wrong and I hope someone calls me on it.
Jun '12
Re: Thus Fulfilling the Prophecy of Rob Long ...
Ain't that the truth!
Frozen Chosen:
I don't see a slight in what CW said at all! And I'm probably one of the few people very sensitive to slights of anything because of my disability, etc... lighten up.
And in case anyone needs a roadmap: Yes, I'm Roman Catholic... by choice. :) My adoptive parents aren't church goers, they let me choose my own way, and it gets REALLY interesting, when you add in my birth mother, who IS Catholic, only thing is, I didn't know it at the time I chose my faith and was baptized into the Church. :) Ain't God great?
Dec '10
Re: Thus Fulfilling the Prophecy of Rob Long ...
Like Troy, I'm waiting for the probing documentary on Jeremiah Wright's church. I hear rumors that he's an racist, anti-Semite who damns America. But, how can that be when BHO sat in his church for twenty years; dedicated his books to Wright as his spiritual mentor; had him perform his marriage ceremony; and had him officiate at his children's baptisms? Surely, we wouldn't elect a president who subscribed to the teachings of such a man!
But, I guess if you believe in racial quotas, abortion, and socialized medicine you get a pass on being a racist and anti-Semite. Plus you also get one free grope!
May '10
Re: Thus Fulfilling the Prophecy of Rob Long ...
Update: I just read an article in the paper that makes me more hopeful that tonight's show may be less of a hit piece than I cynically assumed at first. We'll see.
As to us Mormons being thin-skinned, fair criticism, but I don't think we typically are too bad with that. After almost 200 years, we ought to be used to it by now. ;)
But when you couple attacks on our religion with the standard Democrat playbook trying to take down a Republican for being a kooky scary religious freak who is therefore a threat to Americans' liberties, it takes it to the next level. At least for me.
Re: Thus Fulfilling the Prophecy of Rob Long ...
Yes, sadly, this is my prophecy. The LDS faith is going to be a not-so-secret issue that gets litigated during the fall campaign. On the other hand, one look at that giant Romney clan -- and the overall image of prosperous health that many Mormons exude -- is going to make a lot of folks think hard about converting. I mean, they must be doing something right, right?
Apr '11
Re: Thus Fulfilling the Prophecy of Rob Long ...
So, did anyone see it? What was it like?
Jun '10
Re: Thus Fulfilling the Prophecy of Rob Long ...
It wasn't as bad as I expected. They allowed a proud Mormon woman to explain that she personally didn't feel oppressed by the rules of the Church. She was grateful for them. They kept her out of trouble. And, the critics (including one of Jon Huntsman's daughters) didn't really vilify the Church. They were disappointed that the Church "wasn't keeping up with the times," but no horror stories. There was a bit of "that's kind of weird" in the reporting, but not too bad on balance.