Mormon Media Observer: Top 10 LDS newsmakers of 2009

Mormon Times ^ | Dec. 30, 2009 | Joel Campbell

[Colofornian]

So of these 10, you have a...
...vampire author,
...vampire healthcare bill author,
...vampire healthcare bill guv,
...and a QB who 'hates' the University of Utah folks

From the column: A National Public Radio blog recent said this about who is a GOP frontrunner for 2012: "Answer: No one so far. Mitt Romney, the venture capitalist and former governor of Massachusetts who ran a pretty good campaign in 2008, remains the class of the field but kept a low profile in 2009. Mike Huckabee led in some polls of Republicans that also found Sarah Palin popular. But Huckabee ended the year uncertain about running (and damaged by a clemency scandal from his days as Arkansas governor). Romney remains too much a general election candidate, a problem for the Democrats to be sure but far from the average Republican activist's cup of tea. His past positions on social issues were too styled to Massachusetts, and his Mormonism still leaves the party's religious base lukewarm at best."

So, Romney's a Bay State social issues guy & doesn't appeal to the GOP religious base -- and moderates polled have said they are 11% less likely than conservatives to vote for a Mormon POTUS (& liberals are 9% less likely than conservatives). So how does that make him a "general election" candidate?

8. Max Hall BYU football quarterback Hall got his 15 minutes of national fame after the BYU-Utah football game when he said: "I don't like Utah. In fact, I hate them," Hall said. "I hate everything about them. I hate their program. I hate their fans, I hate everything. ... I think the whole university, their fans and their organization, is classless." He later issued an apology and was sanctioned by the Mountain West Conference.

9. John Yettaw ...Yettaw gave an unfortunate impression of Mormons to the world.

10. Michael Otterson He was the spokesman behind the LDS Church statement at the Salt Lake City council meeting in early November that appears to be changing the politics in Utah for gays. "The Church supports these ordinances because they are fair and reasonable and do not do violence to the institution of marriage. They are also entirely consistent with the Church's prior position on these matters. The Church remains unequivocally committed to defending the bedrock foundation of marriage between a man and a woman. I represent a church that believes in human dignity, in treating others with respect even when we disagree -- in fact, especially when we disagree."

OK, a man who employs 15 employees in his retail shop doesn't need to "show respect" to a cross-dressing employee by allowing him to represent his business in any "gender affinity" he chooses for that given day.

[zerosix]

Mormons are definitely on the move -- I've had no less than 5 calls per day (excepting Sunday, of course) since 12/26 from "Mitt Romney for President" campaign.

Frustrated, finally I asked, politely for them to take me/us off their list.

[colorcountry]

But, But....they are all so nice!

[LeGrande]

Why is this posted under religion?

[ejonesie22]

Because we don't have a Forum entitled “Fantasy”...

[mnehring]

Correction, Stephenie Meyer isn’t a vampire author, she instead, has destroyed the concept of the vampire in literature, turning into a whiny, zit faced, vegetarian, tween brat.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled two minutes of Mormon hating.

[greyfoxx39]

Emboldened by conservative supporters, Romney is keeping his eyes on 2012

There they go again, getting their information out of a hat!!

[Colofornian]

Why is this posted under religion?

(May have something to do with "LDS" in the title)

[Godzilla]

[ejonesie22]

Romney's a Conservative?

Huh, go figure...

[LeGrande]

(May have something to do with "LDS" in the title)

It wouldn't have anything to do with your inability to handle a little criticism would it?

[LeGrande]

Because we don't have a Forum entitled “Fantasy”...

It is odd what you consider fantasy to be. Do you think what BYU's quarterback said was fantasy?

What part of the article do you consider to be fantasy?

[greyfoxx39]

Watch for this to be announced soon in the Mormon Times:

The LDS church announced today a new program granting emeritus status to members who fall outside of traditional activity.

“As the church continues to grow at a fast pace, many of its members find themselves unable to maintain church activity for a variety of reasons,” said spokesman Dan LeFevered. “Always sensitive to the needs of the members, the brethren have fasted and prayed for guidance and have been inspired to grant these nontraditional members ‘emeritus’ status.”

Currently, statistics are kept on those who do not attend a church meeting in a given quarter. From this point on, LeFevered explained, members who do not attend a meeting in a given quarter will be termed “members emeritus.”

Emeritus members will be counted as members in the annual statistical report, but they will not be counted towards activity rates.

“Isn’t it marvelous?” said church president Thomas S. Monson in a written statement. “Instantly we have the highest activity rate of any religion in the world: 100%.”

LeFevered explained that activity rates will be calculated from members who attend a meeting at least once quarterly, so in effect, all who are counted are considered active. And those who do not attend are considered “emeritus” and will not count.

When asked about those who resign their membership in the church, LeFevered responded, “We don’t think there’s a need for that drastic a step. Rather than go through the difficult process of writing a letter, members can simply choose to grant themselves emeritus status.”

LeFevered went on to say that the new program is retroactive to the beginning of the church. “We have sent out millions of letters to former members notifying them of the change to their status.”

Fred Pecker, professional anti-Mormon, reached by phone in Washington State, expressed outrage intially at the new policy. “Yeah, I got my letter welcoming me back into the kingdom. But I’ve been thinking about it. Maybe it’s time for me to come back, anyway. I’m going to call my bishop today.”

LeFevered explained that the new status would also take the place of disciplinary councils, which had been taking up too much of church leaders’ time. “It’s much easier for a stake president to click an ‘emeritus’ button on a computer than it is to convene a high council to try a case.”

He went on to say that leaders have wide discretion as to how to use emeritus status. “It could be for serious transgression, or it could just be to rein in people who are, you know, a little off.”

Food Sciences professor and FARMS contributor Daniel Midgley-Welch explained that this system has its roots in the Mosaic practice of counting membership by tribe and family, such that no one was left out. “We even see echoes of this in the census that played a prominent role in the Savior’s birth in Nazareth.”

Midgley-Welch expressed bewilderment that he and the entire staff at FARMS have received letters from the First Presidency granting them emeritus status. “Maybe they think we need more time to research the gospel. That’s just like the brethren, always thinking of us.”

“Yeah, sure, if that’s how they want to look at it,” said LeFevered.

All you exmormon FReepers be sure and let me know when you have received your notification of your emeritus status.

[Colofornian]

Critique away. Actually, the religion section is a greater free-for-all than news articles. So if you wanna defend the Mormon vampire writer, or Harry Reid, or Max Hall's infamous hate quotes, or other notorious Mormons, have at it.

[ejonesie22]

Normally I would not respond to you past the initial post, waste of time, however the irony of mentioning BYU in any context when asking me what I consider fantasy is too delicious to pass without notice...

Ah, yes it is...

You may continue with your regular disruptive behavior now...

[greyfoxx39]

Mitt has conservative supporters? Go figure..of course mormons are conservative unless they are voting FOR a liberal mormon.

[1rudeboy]

Only two minutes?

MORMON!!!

[Elsie]

Why is this posted under religion?

Dang!

The TITLE didn't show up for me; either!

Mormon Media Observer: Top 10 LDS newsmakers of 2009

[reaganaut]

2. Stephenie Meyer

- - - - —
Showing to the world that “Yes, families CAN be together forever, even if one of you is a soulless blood sucking fiend.”

[monkapotamus]