From Deseret News archives:
Anti-LDS bias running high
The survey of 1,269 faculty members, done by the Institute for Jewish and Community Research, showed that among social sciences and humanities faculty, the "unfavorable" rating for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was at 38 percent.
The results come at a time when discussion of public perceptions about Latter-day Saints is top-of-mind for many Utahns. The Rev. Al Sharpton apologized Thursday to two top LDS leaders for his jab earlier this week at GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney's LDS faith. And last week, the four-hour PBS documentary "The Mormons" broke records for viewership at KUED. The ensuing discussion about whether the program accurately portrayed the LDS Church's history, doctrine and members was the topic of water-cooler discussion, news stories and Internet blogs for days.
Gary Tobin, president of the nonpartisan IJCR think tank in San Francisco, said the survey did not ask why the respondents hold the views they do. It simply measured whether faculty members held favorable, unfavorable or neutral views about a variety of faiths, including the LDS Church.
The LDS Church had no comment on the survey results.
Tobin said he can only conjecture why the results came out the way they did, but he thinks there may be some stereotypes about who these religious groups are. "That's what we're trying to measure here."
Of faculty surveyed, 75 percent said religion is not important to them, and 65 percent said they are Democrats.
"For evangelicals, given that most faculty are Democrats and liberals, they are likely to see evangelicals as conservative and Republican," Tobin said. "For Mormons, we don't know what they see or what is their stereotype."
Tobin said he could only guess that, along with evangelicals, faculty see Latter-day Saints as either "too politically conservative or holding what many believe to be anti-intellectual religious views, whatever they might be." Faculty are more likely to support abortion, gun control, separation of church and state, he said, and thus are likely to see "evangelicals and Mormons as groups opposed morally and politically to what (faculty) believe."
Comments
- Two American pilots die in Iraq 12:47 a.m.
- Murder suspect is vetran, avid skier 12:47 a.m.
- MLB: Zambrano's mom kidnapped 12:32 a.m.
- Lambert surprisingly tops news 12:25 a.m.
- Philadelphia transit strike ends 12:25 a.m.
- TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd 12:24 a.m.
- 12 high schools ready for 'The Turf' 12:17 a.m.
- RSL unfazed by conference final 12:17 a.m.
- Korver and Miles to be evaluated 12:17 a.m.
- Today on TV 12:13 a.m.
- Gay advocates trek to LDS office
216 - House passes health care bill
201 - Lobo suspended
173 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
151 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
129 - RSL rallies to advance
103 - Thousands protest health bill
102 - Provo company innovating engines
101 - Utes pound winless Lobos
89 - BYU cuts Women's Research Institute
88
Why do so many people live so close to refineries in Utah and elsewhere?
NASA's Stardust probe continues to bring new knowledge about the nature...
STOP blaming the Democrats, BLAME THE REPUBLICANS FOR 8 YEARS DOING NOTHING...
The best way to break the law is to become someone who enforces the law.
It's a real shame so many folks have never gotten out and gotten to know the...
It's all talk... you do not have any evidence for your claims. You assume...
Maybe if you could bat .408 in the major leagues, you too would be paid a...
I prefer the “Wizard of Earthsea” quartet by Ursula Le Guin, an...
The bottom line question that no one can possibly answer is; what will be the...
It looks to me like special treatment.
Jazz will have a tough week, with what should be a easy win against the...
I am very excited for this game. As much as I want the Utes to win, it won't...



You can be the first to comment on this story.