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LDS Church hopes videos will help distinguish it from FLDS

The LDS church shouldn't have to do this. It's sad that people can be so bias & so corrupting that they try to hurt another religion. It's also sad that people will believe what they see on a television more than what they see in real life. The LDS church does good things for the world yet so many people either attack it or don't care when it is.

This will be an age of ignorance and defending against it.

The extremely convoluted nature of the LDS church, its history and ways, render it impossible for it to differentiate itself from different polygamous sects.

I think the LDS Church shot themselves in the foot by allowing polygamy to be practiced in the open through out the state for the last 100 years. Even after the first declaration announcing the stop of polyamy, it continued forcing a second annoucement on the subject. This, couple with the fact that a large percentage of Utah residents are themselves descendants from polygamy families, may be the reason why people still associate polygamy with the LDS Church.

Will they acknowledge that Joseph Smith started it?

The state of Texas took every single child irregardless of age or gender that the FLDS people at El Dorado had. A horrible injusice was done. Ane yet the LDS sole concern is that the two groups not be confused.

I agree completely. Very well put. The church shouldn't have to. I was shocked to find out in my early twenties that there actually pastors of other churches "teaching" about our doctrine, as if they actually knew it, when they weren't even close. These were churches within my community. I'd grown up going to church every Sunday and going to different wards when we traveled. Not once did I ever see, what these guys taught from the pulpit of their own churches, about LDS members actions and beliefs. I was horrified. They were teaching adults and children this. They were teaching hate. I hope and pray those pastors no longer exist.

Thinking introspectively as a Mormon myself, I have to be honest with myself and state that I'd probably do no better than the survey respondents in distinguishing between, say, the different varieties of Baptists, Catholics, Jews, Muslims, etc. I'm guessing that would be the case with most members of the LDS Church.

Personally, I don't think it should be surprising that people less familiar with the history of the Mormon movement don't always fully appreciate the differences between LDS and FLDS. I know the LDS Church regularly says that they/we have no association whatsoever with polygamy, but I wonder whether such a statement may not be confusing to those who know something but not all about Mormonism. The fact is is that the LDS and FLDS churches do, in fact, share common roots, but that there has been no association between the two groups and their practices for over a century.

The names are similar, but both groups are heading in completely opposite directions. Somehow that seems like the clearer response to those who are understandably confused.

"It's sad that people can be so bias & so corrupting that they try to hurt another religion"

Isn't that what this article and these videos are doing to the FLDS?

I hope it comes out on VHS

I would certainly hope that by now Mormon people might understand that no matter what they do, there will always be those who do not accept them as Christians.

While it may seem to some it is wise to differentiate between the LDS and the FLDS, i would like to ask the question of the LDS if they truly believe the teachings of Joseph Smith. I see you saying " Yes we do", but where is the devotion? Are you Fair Weather Friends? Or do you see how necessary it is to want to run every time there is trouble? You see my point!

We started the practice of polygamy in this country (on a large scale). These groups claim the same roots as us and claim we have gone astray. They believe in the BOM, Joseph Smith, BY, etc. They lived in this state (and elsewhere) and practiced their perversions, just like our ancestors did (alas!). We will have a hard time "distancing" ourselves from these groups, they "look" to much like JS, BY, John Taylor, Heber C. Kimball, Lorenzo Snow, etc. The marrying of young girls to older men, marrying large numbers of wives, marrying other men's wives, etc., it all happened here under our leaders. Once you actually, independently, research this sordid history you get no "help". If you ask questions you get no answers. So, my advise is, if you like the world the way you believe it to be and don't want your world rocked....don't learn anymore about this subject. If you do the whole thing comes down.

The Corporate LDS' pitiful concern with its public image reflects that it is a dying branch of the Restoration and will soon be indistinguishable from the Talibangelists and any other number of fair-weather hucksters. While the FLDS is wicked indeed and cannot be considered "Mormon", there is no reason to mercilessly persecute people who believe in the principle and wish to practice it the way the real prophets told us. SLC LDS will continualy suffer reproof through the example of righteous believers in the whole gospel for its abandonment of sacred ordinances, video or no video. This is one crack they can't wiggle out of.

No not exactly, bcause these videos are explaining the LDS viewpoints, not corrupting, condeming and/or criticizing the FLDS - a simple "we belive this...." is all that is needed because "everyone" (those who read the news anyway) by now knows the FLDS practice polygamy, oh yeah and that children are groomed to be abusers/victims (which I don't believe by the way) and whatever else is in the media.
That is why it is important to get it out there in the media, what the LDS church DOES believe in, so crazy stuff like this isn't associated with the LDS in the void of other beliefs.
And why it is SO SO important that people look to the source for information, be it catholics, mormons, baptists, FLDS, jews, muslims, etc. Don't let the "bad news" define the religion, ie, the 9/11 bombers were crazy guys who happened to be muslim, not true representatives of their religion. That guy who chopped and hid his wife's body isn't typical of all LDS RM's. That scoutmaster who molests isn't typical of all LDS/non-LDS scoutmasters. and so on.

I do not fault the church for doing this we are different now, and as Latter Day Saints, we will never embrace polygamy again even if it were to become legal. We are modern. This is not an unchanging church, we have changed dramatically. We abhor polygamy, but the early church embraced it, in radical ways. 120 years ago, we were the FLDS church.

I still believe God does not change, but even as an active LDS member, I cannot reconcile in my mind Joseph Smith's polygamous ways, and deceit to Emma Smith. In my mind, polygamy had nothing to do with God. Even though I grew up in the church I was never told J.S. was a polygamist. It was never discussed. It is not "faithful history." We cannot understand it, because it is so foreign to our modern church. Yes, the LDS church changes. I embrace its changes. This is truthful history.

HOWEVER,

Who cares what Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and other leaders did? That is not now and never was meant to be what FLDS leaders have made of the FLDS church. Yes the LDS are different from the FLDS. Every Protestant church broke away from Catholics, and the protestant churches do not call themselves Fundamentalist Cahtolics, etc. The FLDS broke away from our church over 100 years ago, and that is where the likeness ends.

I don't see how this problem can ever be reconciled.
The world knows that the LDS quit The Principle in order to attain US statehood.
Perhaps things will change in a thousand years or so.

RE: Don't accept them

Are you kidding? Of course there will always be people who don't agree or accept any type of religion but I think you are a little out of place to say in general that 'Mormons' are not considered Christian. I have to agree with Ken, yes as a Mormon myself I can see where the confusion could take place for those who either are unfamiliar or only have a limited knowledge of our religion, but I think before we should have to start making formal statements and releasing documents to prove we do not practice pologamy, maybe just maybe you should do your research first.

RE Thomas:
I guess I'm a little confused... What do you think the LDS Church was suppose to do? It's not their place to question the State of Texas or their actions, place blame where blame is due! Don't drag the LDS Church into it, they had nothing to do with it!!

The church, as I see it, is trying to put some distance between itself and polygamy from a PR perspective. They really do spend a lot of energy crafting the image and brand. However, just below the surface the image fades for me. This is because the church, through the state government which it virtually controls as owner, ignores polygamy here. You want to change the image? Let it be illegal here as if illegal was something to be prosecuted.

I would like to know what the FLDS people call themselves? Does anybody know? What I do know is that we used to call them cohabs.