New Mormon Tv ad Pro Gay Marriage.

[rhino47]

I just saw the new ad from the Church of the Later Day Saints.
It had two men dressed in black t shirts as bodyguards.You see black white couples going up to the church.They are let in.Then you see a gay couple they are let into the church.The message then comes on "Jesus didn`t turn anyone away."

[codegreen]

1. ROCK! i never thought i'd be so happy about a Later Day Saints commercial!

[aquart]

2. That I was not expecting.

[salin]

3. wow.

didn't expect to see that. Good for the LDS church.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

5. Double wow.

Guess they're really trying to get rid of that dark-skin-is-the-mark-of-Cain BS. Brownie points for them.

[prodigal_green]

4. Hmmm...polygamy angle?

<humor>
Remember, the Mormans had to denounce polygamy before Utah could become a state--maybe they are looking at the right-wing arguments against gay marriage as just being the first step to polygamy, incest and interspecies coupling as a good thing!
</humor>

Anyway, glad to hear about this ad--that is cool.

(Edited for grammar)

[Q3JR4]

6. Did it say anything about

gay marriage in particular, or was it just a let everyone come to church type of add?

[Terran]

42. That's what I'd like to know

It's one thing for the couples to just go inside the church as if to worship, and quite another to go inside and get married. Did it imply the latter? That would be absolutely amazing to me?

And did you see this in Utah, or where are you?

[Cronus Protagonist]

7. Are you sure it's from the bona fide LDS Church?

Because they, along with the Catholic church and various other fundie groups have been financing and preaching from the pulpit against gay marriage with a vigor last seen only during the Salem witch trials. They were behind anti-gay marriage statutes in almost all states across the country.

Here in Los Angeles on voting day in November 2000, there was a Mormon familiy, the entire family, I kid you not, on many freeway exits with signs asking people to protect them from the gay manace by voting to amend the state Constitution to exclude gay couples. They won too.

Somehow I doubt very much that the Brethren have changed so much in such a short time.

"FUCK BUSH" Buttons, Stickers & Magnets

[rhino47]

8. Said in big letters brought to you from Church latter day saints.

[cardlaw]

9. Must be

someone playing a joke. From the LDS website:

"We want to help these people, to strengthen them, to assist them with their problems and to help them with their difficulties. But we cannot stand idle if they indulge in immoral activity, if they try to uphold and defend and live in a so-called same-sex marriage situation. To permit such would be to make light of the very serious and sacred foundation of God-sanctioned marriage and its very purpose, the rearing of families."

http://www.mormon.org/question/faq/category/answer/0,9777,1601-1-60-1,00.html

[cprise]

11. I think he's full of it

.

[newyawker99]

28. Hi cardlaw!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Nlighten1]

10. That is awesome!

Good for them. Will there be retaliation from Washington over this?

[flowomo]

12. Are you sure....

What the message of that ad was? Did it use the words "gay" or "homosexual"? I ask because the church position so far as I know is decidedly unfriendly to gays. For example, this from a review of the movie, "Latter Days":

"Latter Days," a film about a gay Mormon missionary, opened in theaters late January amid controversy, after winning praise on the gay film festival circuit. The movie offers a strong critique of Mormonism's stance on homosexuality, as viewers see Elder Aaron Davis, the missionary, struggle to come to terms with being gay, suffer rejection from his family, endure an excommunication trial and aversion therapy, and ultimately fail to reconcile his religion with his sexuality.

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/139/story_13995_1.html

prepared to be corrected on this, but everything I see online suggests this is still official church policy. Perhaps the message was: all welcome because all can be helped with therapy

[rhino47]

13. no the words gay /homosexual was not used.

They run alot of "family ads" in this area .The tv station is out of ohio.It is the same bi line at the end of the ad as the other latter day saints ads.The message was quite clear.The gay couple was turned away at another church and showed them being welcomed into the lds church with biline jesus turned noone away.

[lcooksey]

18. Welcome in church, but not to marry

Just guessing since I haven't seen the ad, but it sounds like they're saying people shouldn't exclude gays from coming to church. That's very different from saying they should be allowed to marry.

The Mormon church spent millions of dollars to kill same-sex marriage in Hawaii in the 1990s. I can't imagine they've suddenly changed their minds on the issue.

The more I think about it, the more I suspect the real message is "Come to church and be cured of your homosexuality."

[iverglas]

36. me too -- they ain't gay-friendly

The more I think about it, the more I suspect the real message is "Come to church and be cured of your homosexuality."

After all, people go to church because they're sinners, right?

(Yeah, yeah, I know, there are all kinds of reasons for going to church. But the reason that anybody needs any of that stuff is that s/he is a sinner, and sinners go to hell unless they dance the dance.)

Anybody who believes that it's his/her job to save sinners (help them get saved, whatever) wants the sinners inside his/her church. So the ad is a "bring 'em on!" thing, I'd say. And yup, the way for these ones to get saved is to stop *doing* that dreadful stuff they do, even if they can't stop *being* the dreadful thing they are, and better still if they can stop *being* it ... here we go:

http://www.outfront.org/library/fact.html

Evergreen International is a Mormon (Latter Day Saints) treatment program.

and

http://www.lds.org/news/archiveday/0,5287,12805,00.html

Elder Porter to Speak at Evergreen International Conference -- Deseret News
Elder Bruce D. Porter of the Seventy will be a featured speaker at the 12th annual Evergreen International Conference held 13-14 September at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in Salt Lake City, Utah. Evergreen International is an organization dedicated to providing education, guidance, and support to those involved in the transition from homosexuality. Several workshops will be conducted by Alan Medinger, the founder of Regeneration, and his wife, Willa. Saturday morning will feature an address by Elder Porter.

and

http://www.evergreen-intl.org/



.

[minkyboodle]

14. misleading if true

As a kid I was raised in an LDS household. LDS has a terrible record on homosexuals and are trying to do damage control however, they still believe that gays and lesbians can be converted to heterosexuals. Their newest spin is we love you but if you act upon your sin then you can't be there. In other words the only way to be gay in the Mormon church is either a life of secrecy or celibacy (including denying who you are). Check the LDS website it reiterates this position.
Scott

[AmericanErrorist]

15. The closet alternative would be...

the liberal "Reformed Church of Latter-Day Saints", but they became the "Community of Christ" a few years back...

The official name is "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints". Unless is contains that exact phrasing, it was probably made by one of the many spin-off groups.

[FreeState]

16. I'm not doubting you but

let me tell you as a gay LDS man (I'm not active int he church but still a member) that such a TV ad would be a surprise.

The church made a video about Joseph Smith about 10 years ago. The lead actor turned out to be gay. After that only active Mormons can be in official LDS media productions. They will not hire someone who has played a gay part in a film or has been filmed nude.

If the church is playing this ad it is extremely offensive to me. While my parents and good LDS friends are accepting of me and my partner the church is not.

The church only lets GLB people take full part in church if they are not in a sexual relationship, including not dating anyone. So at a minimum the commercial is misleading. They only will accept you if you deny your homosexuality.

[newyawker99]

29. Hi Free State!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Eric J in MN]

17. There is a difference between saying they welcome

There is a difference between saying they welcome gay congregants and saying that they will perform a gay-marriage ceremony.

Based on your description, the message of the tv ad seems to be the former.

[FreeState]

19. They DON'T welcome gay congregants

There is a difference between saying they welcome gay congregants and saying that they will perform a gay-marriage ceremony.

They DON'T welcome gay congregants (members). You can not be a member and gay without denying your homosexuality. You must vow to celibacy. In fact the church has instructed its members in the past not to use the word 'gay' as a noun because there is no such thing as a gay person.

[Muddleoftheroad]

20. Yeah, and there's no linkage at all to polygamy

No, never.

[minkyboodle]

23. hilarious

for one who is always complaining about DU being hostile to religious people I think this post is quite hypocritical. Practice what you preach.
Scott

[FreeState]

21. They probably were MISSIONARIES

not a gay couple. Now that I have posted on this twice and took a smoke break I realized that more than likely the two men were missionaries not a gay couple.

I did not see it but I bet that the two men had name tags on and were in their early twenties. The church sends out 60,000 members as missionaries that bring investigators to the church (i.e. the black couple).


I will try and see it on TV here but that is my best guess...

[West Coast Democrat]

34. That's Hilarious!!!

I will have to watch this commercial now!

[flaminbats]

22. the saintly smoothies...

for it is not without reason they like to be called the Later Day Saints, just as our current bunch of fascists in the White House like to be known as compassionate and conservative.

Too bad the church council is run by only men in the church, and all of the top leadership positions in that church are only filled by men..reducing women to only secondary roles. Yet the Latter Day Saints requires that every member contributes 10% their income to the church...all of which is deducted from taxes. But of course only the men decide how this money is spent, even if women are making half the contributions!

And there is no fun allowed before marriage, no dates without the approval of the church or father first, no coffee, no beer, and certainly no sinful, protected sex allowed among Mormons..just the holy double standard as in every other church! For thine holy platt commands thou shalt punish but not reward, thou shalt donate but not collect, and thou shalt have sex for the Almighty's purpose only..no others

[bryant69]

30. Just so you know

You can date without the approval of the Church. Teenagers do get a fair amount of supervision; I'm not convinced that's a bad thing. But adult members of the church or even 17-18 years old do not have to get Parent's permission to date.

I'm also unclear in how prohibiting sex before marriage is a double standard. It's only a double standard if you argue that the chruch taught that it is ok for men to have sex before marriage and not ok for women to. In fact the Church teaches that it is equally a sin for either sex to commit premarital sex.

[flaminbats]

31. hmmm

I have been drifting away from dogmatism and all religion in recent years. When the Mormon temple will not allow non-Mormons to attend the weddings of close relatives, whether they are parents, brothers, or sisters...what right does the church have to collect money, to impose rules, and then tell Mormon young folks they can only marry others that become Mormon or are Mormon? :eyes:

[bryant69]

32. Well

Before I'm goign to spend a lot of time getting worked up defending my religion, can I ask a question as a fellow liberal? Do you really give a damn? I don't want to waste my time defending my faith if you don't. I've done that and it's just a never ending spiral; a person who doesn't want to understand something won't understand it. And I don't see anything in any ethical system that requires me to trot out my ethical system for you to make light of, if you're not really all that interested.

[flaminbats]

37. Why are we discussing this anyway?

I was responding only to a post about the misleading advertisement which implies the Mormon Church tolerates all individuals gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, or heterosexual in their ranks.

Someone responded to me, I responded to them, and now you claim I am attacking the church. I am merely stating my information of the church, while pointing out how this information conflicts with advertisements claiming the church is both liberal and tolerant of alternative lifestyles.

I admire those who follow the strict rules of the Mormon Church, but disagree with the promotional technique of glossing over those essential points!

[West Coast Democrat]

41. We're just informing you that your "information of the church"

is not all correct, that's all.

Some Mormons are liberal and Democratic-voting, although not many...you need only look at presidential elections for the last 30 years to tell you that.

However, you must know that some of your assumptions for how strict the church is are not true.

[flaminbats]

43. thanks very much!!

but as a former member of the Mormon Church I have had as much info forced on me about this arbitrary and ruthless Church as I can take!

I have seen many families torn apart by the church, many young workers financially ruined by the church, and women with great professional careers have those careers just ended after marrying into the Church! I don't need any lectures about finding religion, religion has found me...while giving me enough pain, criticism, and unhappiness to last a lifetime brother! :nopity:

Call me a lier or a sinner if you must, but DU is not a place for merely accepting or leaving religion, if brought up...it is an open topic just like any other.

[West Coast Democrat]

44. Okay....

I was brought up in the Mormon church also, but apparently you were brought up in a very different Mormon church.

[flaminbats]

46. I was not brought up in the Mormon Church...

I joined for about two years in my twenties, and then I finally came to my senses after nearly going broke just in being a member!

[West Coast Democrat]

47. I think you took up with a bad crowd

I mean, I gave up going to church when I was twelve (like a lot of people), but I still don't like it when people exaggerate about the strictness of the church, or assume that all Mormons are of the same type. For example, I know Mormons who refuse to drink cola drinks...the church never told them to so so. I also know Mormons who are pretty much liberal about most things, but still wear their special underwear. There are all kinds.

[flaminbats]

48. I agree...the same is true in all denominations.

but after I left, they acted as if I had taken up with Satan and never associated with me again. But I got over it, although it was a very difficult time for me..

[West Coast Democrat]

35. Nah! Most Mormons aren't that strict

You're not "supposed to" drink coffee or beer, but unless you're a student at BYU, you probably do. Protected sex is definitely allowed, you're just not "supposed to" have sex before marriage.

As for the "no dates without the approval of the church or father first"....I've never heard of that one before!! Are you confusing Mormons with the Amish?

[Hamlette]

24. PR campaign

is my guess. See, we are tolerant.

It is interesting that Hatch, Bennett and Bishop (mormons in the Utah Congressional delegation) have all said they have not decided what position to take on the gay marriage amendment.

Shocked me that they were not first in line.

The church has taken a couple of PR hits recently having to do with their treatment of gays. If you've seen Angels in America you know what I mean. I like to think maybe it caused some of them pause.

[minkyboodle]

25. ding ding ding ding

you are right hamlette and it couldn't be more phony.
Scott

[TheBigDemo]

26. I can explain this: I know lots and lots of Mormons

The Church is not accepting of Homosexuality. It is simply saying God loves everyone despite their downfalls. They in fact have counseling for Homosexuals and converting them. It is not accepting of Homosexuality as a whole. It is awfully funny too because the Mormon Church doesn't allow none priest, or members of the congregation, in the regular part of mass.

But, I have lots of friends, neighbors, co-workers, teachers, classmates, and even a boss that are Mormon. They are good people taken as a whole. There are also very liberal Mormons that are pretty excepting of gays. The LDS Church is pretty much out there in their beliefs, but boy are they the best neighbors you could have. They are very nice considerate people.

[OKNancy]

27. So true, and it makes one think

This is my own experience, but Mormans are the nicest people! I have had over the years many Morman students, and Morman neighbors and to a one, they are the nicest people. And they pay their bills on time!

And, my sister is a Morman convert, she married in the temple and everything, and she is a liberal Democrat and a high powered business woman, going to night school to be a lawyer, while hubby stays home and takes care of the kids. Not good to stereotype anyone.

[catzies]

38. Yes, indeed. I go to Salt Lake City every year (Utah Jazz fan)

and I have met many Utahns, and most of them are LDS to some degree.

THEY ARE ALL AMONG THE NICEST, KINDEST, FRIENDLIEST PEOPLE I HAVE EVER KNOWN.

Believe me, a certified California Liberal Trehugging Feminazi like myself was completey surpised at the warmth and generosity they have shown me every time I've been there.

As a matter of fact, I owe finding DU to a Salt Lake City denizen:

The one and only SEAN REYNOLDS

Take a bow, Sean. :loveya:

[Cappadonna]

39. Yeah, the Mormons remind me alot of the Black church...........

Like many black churches I grew up in, the Mormon leadership are pretty damn right wing, but their congregants are some of the nicest and most polite people you will ever meet in your life. And they are suprisingly liberal. You would think that a church that doesn't allow its members to get married w/o the church approval would be so open minded. Hell, half the 2000 Nader votes in my home town came from Mormons. (Figure that one out!)

[West Coast Democrat]

40. Well, Mormons in Utah tend very much to vote Republican.....

but Mormons outside of Utah tend to be quite a bit different from those who live in Utah. Mormons may be "surprisingly liberal" where you live, but not for the most part in Utah. The state has been called "the most Reliably Republican" state in the country by the GOP--in terms of presidential voting.

[West Coast Democrat]

33. The Mormon Church is NOT pro-Gay Marriage

There are some reform groups within the Mormon church that encourage more openness to this sort of thing, but for now the mainstream church is not pro-Gay, nor pro-Gay Marriage.

[David Zephyr]

45. The Mormon Church Underwrote the Anti-Gay Union Initiative in California

Gays who would be drawn to the Mormon faith because of such a television ad might first consider the foolishness of gays who were drawn to the Republican Party because of its touted "Big Tent" propaganda.

The Mormon Church was notoriously active in pushing the anti-gay marriage initiative with funding and workers here in California just a few years back.

[bushisanidiot]

49. The Mormon Church Excommunicates Gays, no way do they support gay marriage

they don't even believe there is such a thing as being gay. they believe there is such a thing as giving in to homosexual feelings, but they DO NOT believe anyone is actually gay.

(I'm a recovering mormon myself, so I know..) These idiots think it's normal to take a gay person and use shock therapy to try to "repair" them. They believe that is the "lord's" work.

idiot lemmings!! 95% of these brain dead morons are repukes.. not surprising, eh? they prefer to be told what to do instead of thinking for themselves.