lds

You are currently browsing articles tagged lds.

Pew Forum Celebrates Pioneer Day Releasing “A Portrait of Mormons in the U.S.”

24 July 2009 @ 10:25 am | 4 comments

As they promised a few weeks ago, the Pew Forum has released a comprehensive look at Mormons in the U.S. by considering demographics, religious beliefs and practices, and social and political views. It will take a little while to digest all the info but it looks to be very interesting.

Just a cursory glance at some of the charts shows that Mormons are the among the most devout religious believers as well as the most politically conservative. Perhaps not a surprise but it’s interesting to see hard numbers and comparisons to other faiths.

I’m sure many others in the Bloggernacle will take a swing at the report and I hope to do more later after recovering some more from the DesNews 10K.

Happy Pioneer Day!

A Portrait of Mormons in the U.S.

A new analysis of the Landscape Survey data reveals that as a group Mormons are among the most devout and conservative religious people in the country. The Mormon community is also internally diverse, with differences according to levels of religious commitment and educational attainment, regions of the country where Mormons live, and between lifelong Mormons and those who have converted to the faith. This report explores Mormons’ unique place in the American religious landscape and is divided into three parts: demographic characteristics, religious beliefs and practices, and social and political views.

Where to Find the Mormon Church on Twitter

23 July 2009 @ 1:52 pm | No comments

Twitter has really exploded this year. While it remains to be decided if the Twitterverse will revolutionize the universe, it’s an interesting way to stay in touch and engage people and organizations with whom you may otherwise not.

Not to be left out, various parts of the LDS Church have started tweeting. Here are some of the official tweeters (twitterers? twit channels?) that I have come across, designated with the ‘@’ symbol. Have I missed some?

While not official, Nothing Wavering has rigged a Twitter feed for all official LDS RSS updates via its @LDSOfficial. It also has other twitter feeds for its blog aggregators.

Alas, the official @LDSChurchNews – shows no signs of coming back from suspension since it was hacked last month. Not too important, I bet, as they also recently deployed a very useful RSS feed.

Is @LDSNews legit? It claims to be news from the Church linking to LDS.org but was only tweeting during the last conference.

Some other LDS-related twitter channels that are may be considered semi-official or not.

Many members of the bloggernacle have their own Twitter feeds to tweet away or just announce new blog posts. There are too may to list here but the @Tweeternacle’s interesting commentary is worth highlighting as a blogless voice who nonetheless has become a valuable part of the Bloggernacle.

I can’t say I’m a big twit (at least in this regard) as I find it hard enough to keep up with email and trying to blog, but I do use @asoftanswer, @ldsmormonblogs (soon to be reactivated), and my personal @davidsundwall.

President Monson to visit President Obama Tomorrow

19 July 2009 @ 8:39 pm | 6 comments

President Monson is to visit with President Obama tomorrow at the White House.

President Barack Obama is scheduled to meet with Thomas Monson, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in the Oval Office on Monday, according to the White House.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., is expected to be present at the 1:30 p.m. meeting.

UPDATE: The SL Trib article has been updated to include a Church spokeswoman describing tomorrow’s appointment as a “brief courtesy visit.” The article also revisits the posthumous temple baptism for Pres. Obama’s mother. I doubt that will be an issue but don’t Church leaders usually give dignitaries a copy of their genealogy?

Pew Forum’s Resources on Mormonism

16 July 2009 @ 2:19 pm | No comments

In honor of the upcoming Pioneer Day (just a little more than a week away) the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life has posted a roundup of their articles on Mormonism, including a teaser for an upcoming report.

A Portrait of Mormons in the U.S.
Coming soon
An upcoming analysis of Mormons based on the U.S. Religious Landscape Survey reveals that Mormons are among the most devout religious people in the United States.

Sorry about that getting struck by lightning . . . hope this makes up for it.

LDS Mormon Oquirrh Mountain temple rainbow

LDS Mormon Oquirrh Mountain temple rainbow

29 June 2009 @ 12:03 pm | 3 comments

Albuquerque, New Mexico LDS Mormon Temple

22 June 2009 @ 7:54 pm | No comments

LDS Radio iPhone App Now Available

19 June 2009 @ 11:19 pm | 1 comment

LDS iPhone Radio applicationThe perfect way to cap off iPhone week. The LDS Radio app is now available for the iPhone/iPod Touch [iTunes link]. The app looks very nice and is not just for listening to the recently launched Mormon Channel internet radio station.

The Mormon Channel is the official radio station of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The channel originates from Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah and broadcasts 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The LDS Radio application allows you to listen to the Mormon Channel using your iPhone or iTouch device [sic ed.- how did Apple let that slide?].

Using the LDS Radio iPhone application, you can tune into content being broadcast on the Mormon Channel as well as listen to audio recordings of General Conference addresses, magazine articles, and listen to audio recordings of the Church’s standard works.

The English language now has one million words (maybe) and why it’s so pervasive. Hint: The Bible helped.

17 June 2009 @ 2:48 pm | 2 comments

DesNews: PBS lets KBYU keep affiliation and religious programming:

PBS voted Tuesday in Arlington, Va., not to punish stations that air religious shows. As a result, there should be no changes in KBYU programming or content.

“KBYU is pleased with the final recommendations from the PBS Station Services Committee and the vote of the PBS board regarding the local programming autonomy of PBS member stations,” said Derek Marquis, BYU Broadcasting managing director.

Fortunately yesterday’s hand-wringing was for naught. Too bad it was an issue at all.

UPDATE: Turns out PBS just grandfathered KBYU and other stations which broadcasted religious programming, but still seeks to phase out all sectarian braodcasts.

But no new religious shows can be offered, and none of the 350 other stations may air any purely spiritual content, a move some groups say is a quiet means of phasing out religion from their airwaves. . .

Federal law does not bar showing the services on public television, but PBS worries that the broadcasts have the appearance of an official endorsement from the network.

On that last point, isn’t that the inherent problem with anything PBS broadcasts?

MORE: Get Religion asks how will PBS treat Deepak Chopra and similar New Age gurus who regularly air specials during those obnoxious telethons?

16 June 2009 @ 5:30 pm | No comments

Whaa?!?!?! Millenial Star: “Some scientists doubt moderate drinking is good for you”

There goes my faith in scientific consensus.

16 June 2009 @ 5:00 pm | No comments

LDS & Mormon Blogs – 16 June 2009

16 June 2009 @ 4:00 pm | No comments

Resuscitating with some history blogs.

Warfare and the Book of Mormon
A spot for civilians, military historians, and members of the LDS church to study the military aspects of the Book of Mormon and its impact on the LDS Church and society.

Amateur Mormon Historian
An exploration of Mormon history from my vantage point in rural Tennessee.

Mormon Church History
A Tour through Mormon Church History, from the beginning to the end, covering a little bit each day, through the the entire history of the church. About a dozen chronological entries will be posted each day, gradually covering the history. This should appeal to those interested in a comprehensive look at Mormon history.

Archaiologia
Hopefully we will be posting articles, opinions and links to articles that relate to the ancient world especially the Middle East, the Americas, Asia as well as other locales of ancient note. The scope will be anything ancient with particular emphasis on religious material and specifically the LDS view.

Mt. Pleasant Pioneer Relic Home and Blacksmith Shop
We feature a Pioneer of the Month, Pioneer Recipes, Grave Markers, Related Poetry, Historical Photos, Genealogy and more.

Nauvoo History and Other Things
A blog about Nauvoo and Carthage area, its history, and culture

More can be found at LDS and Mormon Blogs.

To submit your blog please fill out this form.

You can subscribe to all updates via email or a RSS feed via this LDS and Mormon Blogs subscription link.

Thanks.

LDS-Mormon-Blogs-Badge.png

LDS Church to shut down Beneficial Life and get out of the life insurance business, eventually.

Mark Willes, president and CEO of Deseret Management Corp., said, “It’s completely tied to the meltdown in the financial markets which we face just like everybody else does.”

The Church’s business managers do plan to shut down Beneficial Life, eventually, but it will take more than a half-century to pull it off. That’s because the insurance company, with a skyscraper named after it in downtown Salt Lake, will stop selling new policies October 31. But they’re making a commitment to service existing policies, until the last beneficiary is gone.

Unfortunately, the layoffs start today.

16 June 2009 @ 12:18 pm | No comments

For those of you who have problems with some of the LDS-owned radio stations airing conservative talk shows, take heart: The Church’s communications company Bonneville Communications will be launching the “progressive radio” network Air America in the DC area soon.

Progressive radio returns to Washington this month as Air America takes over 1050 AM, which had been Federal News Radio, under a deal with Bonneville International. The station, which plans to add local programming, launches months after Redskins owner Dan Snyder pulled the plug on ratings-challenged OBAMA 1260.

As the blurb states, AA has tried D.C. a few times already and has never caught on (of all places!).

UPDATE: DCRTV clarifies that Bonneville is leasing the signal to Air America. So Bonneville won’t be operating the station.

16 June 2009 @ 10:05 am | No comments

The DesNews has some photos of the scorched Angel Moroni at the Oquirrh Mountain Temple. KSL has video too (but not of the actual strike).

15 June 2009 @ 2:27 pm | 5 comments

Will KBYU Still Be A PBS Affiliate Tomorrow?

15 June 2009 @ 2:06 pm | 12 comments

Tomorrow, the PBS Board of Directors is expected to decide whether PBS affiliates will be allowed to continue broadcasting religious content given its policy “the Three Nons,” requiring content be noncommercial, nonpartisan and nonsectarian. For stations like KBYU, which airs about two hours of religious devotionals and other content a day, this could mean losing their PBS affiliation or be forced to drop airing such shows.

Not only would this affect KBYU, but it would also stop Howard University’s D.C. affiliate from airing its Mass for Shut-ins, and other stations that broadcast Mass.

A PBS statement explained that the service:

“places a high value on presenting diverse perspectives, as opposed to rigidly adhering to any single political or religious point of view.”

Allowing such programming “would cause the public’s trust in PBS to erode, along with the value of the brand.”

Why single out sectarian broadcasting on PBS? From what I’ve seen of PBS, the shows my children watch are riddled with commercial promotions and its current affairs programming is hardly nonpartisan. It’s also interesting that the FCC only requires PBS to be noncommercial and nonpartisan, while PBS has created the nonsectarian requirement as a self-imposed restriction.

And does eliminating all sectarian programming seem like a very persuasive way to be “presenting diverse perspectives”?

While I like some of what PBS has to offer, in the age of cable TV I don’t see it’s reason to exist. There is definitely worthwhile programming (hello, Masterpiece Theater and America’s Test Kitchen) but nothing that couldn’t easily find a home on cable (or perhaps lift the struggling broadcast networks). Furthermore, PBS apparently struggles so much to support itself that it needs to resort to ever more frequent telethons that seem nothing more than upper-middle class baby boomer infomercials.

Just like with other PBS shows, KBYU programming does have other options, such as BYU Television. But I hope it puts up a fight to keep PBS honest and from becoming even more bland and needlessly secular. However, if KBYU will only be able to broadcast BYU devotionals and Little House on the Prairie reruns, so be it.

Times and Seasons first brought this up.

The PBS Ombudsman presents the PBS perspective with some sample letters for and against sectarian programming.

The Obama administration defends DOMA! And who’s fault is that? Why a sneaky Mormon of course.

13 June 2009 @ 5:20 pm | No comments

Keepapitchinin gives us another reason to like Churchill. Whether he liked Mormons or just didn’t care, he refused to join the anti-Mormonism of his day.

12 June 2009 @ 4:00 pm | No comments

It’s been linked to lot already but it deserves another. Sixteen Small Stones “”A simple proposal to completely revolutionize the lds missionary effort.” Not only will help with the missionary effort but I can see sacrament meeting invitations as a great motivation for people to prepare great talks.

12 June 2009 @ 2:00 pm | 1 comment

Census Study to Determine How to Count Missionaries Abroad

12 June 2009 @ 12:19 pm | 2 comments

It won’t help for the 2010 census but Rep. Jim Matheson (D-UT) has passed a House amendment ordering the State Department and Census Bureau to conduct a study on how to best count overseas citizens, inlcuding LDS missionaries.

Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, persuaded the House on Wednesday to order the State Department and the Census Bureau to begin working together on ways to count Americans living abroad during the once-a-decade Census.

“It is unfair to Utah that the Census Bureau does not count (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) missionaries living overseas,” Matheson said.

He added, “After the 2000 Census, Utah narrowly missed getting a fourth seat in the U.S. House of Representatives because many LDS missionaries living abroad were not counted.” Final audits showed the state missed that seat by about 80 people.

The bill now awaits Senate consideration. Another attempt to get Utah a fourth seat via a compromise givinge D.C. its own congressional seat has apparently stalled permanently. My understanding is that Utah’s growth this last decade will garner it a new seat in the new census so this all may be for naught.

Time Magazine: “The Storm Over the Mormons.” Very fair overview of the LDS CHurch and look at the aftermath of Proposition 8.

But as a Mormon concern, it long predates Prop 8. For a century, the Mormon church had a rocky and sometimes bloody relationship with American culture at large; persecution by “gentiles” became key to LDS self-understanding. But thanks to their industry, optimism and civic-mindedness, many Mormons have found their place in the American fabric. Ballard says, “We’d like to be seen as mainstream–if that means being part of the national conversation about issues of morality and having our members respected as contributing members of society. But we have to hang on to what’s true, regardless of where society goes.” He adds, “We’ve never felt that we were being more understood or more appreciated, at least in my 30 years as a general authority.” Ballard helped supervise an outreach program during the heightened “Mormon Moment” of the Romney campaign as apostles fanned out to visit media editorial boards. However, he contends that the “real power” determining public perception of his faith is “when a member of the church meets his neighbor, and the neighbor sees that he has objectives to his life and is finding happiness in his field. That’s starting to happen all over” . . .

The Church has not decided on its future role in the gay-marriage debate. The heat surrounding Prop 8 may die down by next year. “Talking about what may or may not happen in 2010 would be speculation, and I wouldn’t want to do that,” says Apostle Quentin Cook. The LDS abstained from same-sex-marriage battles in Iowa and New England. But avoiding a California rematch may be tougher. Notre Dame’s Campbell says, “If it appeared that the church sat out next time because it was criticized this time, there might be a credibility question.” But given a national trend toward supporting gay marriage, he asks, “Does the church want the public to identify it primarily as a political body opposing an issue that comes back again and again?”

11 June 2009 @ 4:02 pm | 2 comments