Mormons on NPR

[Brown]

Bill Maher has suggested that, if Romney's popularity surges, Mormonism is likely to come under scrutiny for its "non-Christian" beliefs, notably its apparent lack of emphasis on Jesus. Jesus is part of the scheme in Mormonism, sure (just as Jesus is an important figure for Muslims and Moonies and others), but he's not the Number One guy. Says Maher.

I note that Mark Twain said something similar about Catholicism. If you looked at how Catholics treated their own religion, the top of the list was the Virgin Mary, and infant Jesus was deemed more important than grown-up social philosopher Jesus. Said Twain.

 

[A'isha]

Bill Maher has suggested that, if Romney's popularity surges, Mormonism is likely to come under scrutiny for its "non-Christian" beliefs, notably its apparent lack of emphasis on Jesus. Jesus is part of the scheme in Mormonism, sure (just as Jesus is an important figure for Muslims and Moonies and others), but he's not the Number One guy. Says Maher.

Well, I was certainly struck by the repeated mention of Jesus (explicitly named and called the Christ) in parts of the Book of Mormon that were supposedly written 500-600 years BC.

If anything, Mormonism has more emphasis on Jesus than it seemingly ought to.

I note that Mark Twain said something similar about Catholicism. If you looked at how Catholics treated their own religion, the top of the list was the Virgin Mary, and infant Jesus was deemed more important than grown-up social philosopher Jesus. Said Twain.

Yeah, but he was a humorist, not a theologian. Though he did make several pointed satirical observations regarding the Book of Mormon itself.

 

[Bikewer]

I listened to the segment too. What I disliked is that the lady fielding most of the questions (in a very cheerleaderly fashion...) kept fielding the tougher questions with statements like, "Well, I don't believe that way."
If I had been in a position to call in, I would have said, "It's very well that YOU don't believe that, but what is the Official Position Of The Church? It's all very well to be a contemporary rather-liberal Mormon, but the Church Of Latter Day Saints has some very weird theology indeed.

 

[Denver]

I couldn't help wondering if this segment wasn't initiated by pressure from the Mormon church itself, considering its recent PR push to show that Mormons are like everyone else. The fact that there are 2 Mormons in the presidential run is probably the leverage they used to get NPR to ok it: but it seemed like just one more commercial to me.

 

[RandFan]

Bill Maher has suggested that, if Romney's popularity surges, Mormonism is likely to come under scrutiny for its "non-Christian" beliefs, notably its apparent lack of emphasis on Jesus. Jesus is part of the scheme in Mormonism, sure (just as Jesus is an important figure for Muslims and Moonies and others), but he's not the Number One guy. Says Maher.

Meh~ Having been raised in Mormonism I can tell you that Jesus is pretty damn important. Jesus is very much emphasized. Until I left Mormonism I had a large print of Jesus on my wall and most people I know have the same. Depictions of Jesus are in every church building. It's mostly just a different emphasis. No one evokes Joseph Smith in prayers. All prayers end in Jesus name.

 

[RandFan]

I listened to the segment too. What I disliked is that the lady fielding most of the questions (in a very cheerleaderly fashion...) kept fielding the tougher questions with statements like, "Well, I don't believe that way."
If I had been in a position to call in, I would have said, "It's very well that YOU don't believe that, but what is the Official Position Of The Church? It's all very well to be a contemporary rather-liberal Mormon, but the Church Of Latter Day Saints has some very weird theology indeed.

Because talking snakes, talking donkeys, zombies, unicorns, cannibalism, witchcraft, magic, genocide, incest, infanticide, celibacy, human sacrifice, animal sacrifice are all pedestrian. Who wouldn't actually believe that those are all real?

One man's "weird"...

 

[Charlie Monoxide]

Meh~ Having been raised in Mormonism I can tell you that Jesus is pretty damn important. Jesus is very much emphasized. Until I left Mormonism I had a large print of Jesus on my wall and most people I know have the same. Depictions of Jesus are in every church building. It's mostly just a different emphasis. No one evokes Joseph Smith in prayers. All prayers end in Jesus name.

What's he look like in the pictures?

A slim handsome white dude, long brown hair, with a beard and blue eyes?

Back in my 20's that's what I looked like. I remember an older woman at the time remarking that i "had eyes, just like Jesus".

I am pretty sure Jesus (existence moot) would have been at minimum swarthy, maybe even black with distinctive bedoin features.

Charlie (more weight, less hair, same baby blues) Monoxide

 

[RandFan]

What's he look like in the pictures?

A slim handsome white dude, long brown hair, with a beard and blue eyes?

Back in my 20's that's what I looked like. I remember an older woman at the time remarking that i "had eyes, just like Jesus".

I am pretty sure Jesus (existence moot) would have been at minimum swarthy, maybe even black with distinctive bedoin features.

Charlie (more weight, less hair, same baby blues) Monoxide

I did say depiction. Agreed.

 

[sloinker]

Mormons do something that I believe is inherently discriminatory and not found with other religions as far as I can tell. I worked at a place that hired a Mormon general manager. Soon after that all hirings seemed to be Mormons. When cutbacks occured the Mormons to a man kept their jobs as others were let go. In other places of employ I have found that the bosses are indifferent at best about religion. Mormon's run their church like a money making business and they are good at it.
Heres a stereotyping racist Mormon joke.

Q: What do you get when you cross a Mormon with a Mexican?
A: A thief that has two years worth of provisions in his basement.

When it's about making money and you can further your cause by dis-information then it's all blessed by the LDS.
I did read that Huntsman believes in the theory of evolution so there's something positive I suppose.

 

[RandFan]

Mormons do something that I believe is inherently discriminatory and not found with other religions as far as I can tell.

While living in Colorado I worked for a company owned by a Seventh Day Adventist. Yep, you guessed it. Most of the employees were Seventh Day Adventist. It's human nature to look after what you perceive as "your own". It's akin to nepotism. Pretty standard stuff actually.

 

[The Shrike]

If you looked at how Catholics treated their own religion, the top of the list was the Virgin Mary,

Indeed. In my personal experience, Catholics spend a lot more time praying to Mary than to God as Jesus, Holy Spirit, or the Father. The idea is that you pray to Mary to intercede with her son, 'cause everybody knows that a good son always capitulates when his mom gets after him. (This, I think, is the whole lesson behind Jesus' first miracle - turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana after Mary pleads with him to save the bridegroom's family from the embarrassment of running out of wine.)

Anyway, a re-emphasis on Mary's centrality to the faith was a huge factor in JP II's popularity among Catholics.

(apologies for tangent!)