Comments about ‘Mormon Media Observer: A subtle change in Mormon media coverage’

I happened upon a list of current and recent famous atheists/agnostics. The list was surprising. There are a lot of people on the list who are very powerful and influentual in the countrys media and culture. I'am sure they regard most religious people as just following a family tradition, but not being energized to use faith based values for political purposes. The evengelical Christians would be an exception. Now with the possibility of a Mormon President, that will add to the fire. It will be interesting to see if

Continuing from my un-completed last;

To see if the anti-Mormon groups will side with the secular left, or go with the side that more represents their values in spite of the religious differences.

I agree with Lane Williams. There has been a shift, however subtle, in the way serious journalists approach coverage of the LDS Church. There is more respect, less automatic derision. It's also interesting to see the secular media take issue with comedians who continue to try to get cheap laughs at the expense of one's beliefs, Mormons included. If nothing more than this comes from the Romney and Huntsman candidacies, they've done the Mormon Church a huge favor.

We are making progress, but real engagement with the teaching of the Book of Mormon is still rare. It probably does not help that we as Latter-day Saints have been incorrectly reading it to say that Lamanites had physically darker skins than Nephites. The Book never says any such thing, such claims are based on misreading some passages. The language of the book of Mormon is never the 19th century language of racially describing Native Americans. From Alma 3 we learn that the Amlicites placed the mark on themselves, as did the Lamanites. Any outward physical indicators of the Lamanites were from marks they placed on themselves, not things they inherited.

The Lord looketh not on the outward apparence, but on the heart. Until we really understand what the Book of Mormon actually says, and not just the second hand simplitic and racist reading of it that we have too often accepted, we cannot expect anyone else to actually engage with it as a useful text.

Nice article. I saw one of these also...thanks for pointint them out. I hope they are the start of trend toward more honest inquiry, by jounalists, about our theology.