Posted on 12/30/2009 1:32:39 PM PST by Colofornian
The Mormon Media Observer looks back at the year filled with LDS newsmakers. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., tops the list, based on a newsmaker's frequency in the news as well as the significance of their stories.
1. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nevada
The Senate Majority Leader led the battle to push through health reform in the Senate. News coverage of Reid made a household name and the divisive debate made him out to be both villain and saint. He may still face a tough battle in his home state of Nevada to save his seat.
On Christmas The New York Times wrote:
"WASHINGTON -- It was the pinnacle moment of his political career. The Senate majority leader, Harry Reid of Nevada, on the verge of making history by shepherding through far-reaching health care legislation, was called upon by the clerk to cast his vote. And Mr. Reid, who had fought tirelessly for months to get the health care bill adopted, looked up from his desk and said, "No." ...Mr. Reid's oh-no vote capped one of the more remarkable stretches in what is shaping up to be one of the more remarkable careers in American politics, characterized in no small part by the sheer inscrutability of much of what he says and does. In the end, of course, Congressional leaders are judged on one thing alone: whether they come up with the votes. And Mr. Reid -- the miner's son from Searchlight, Nev., the amateur boxer who worked his way through law school as a Capitol Hill police officer, who has a knack for mumbling and off-the-cuff gaffes -- had the votes."
2. Stephenie Meyer
The release of "New Moon" attracted media attention around the world. Here's a sampling of the some of the worldwide headlines: "New Moon takes biggest bite," "Vatican denounces the 'deviant' Twilight Movie," "Mormon who put new life into vampires."
The Sunday Mail of London wrote: "Her teenage vampire books outsell Harry Potter -- but she's a devout Mormon who lives modestly in Cave Creek, Ariz., and eats at the local burger joint. For a woman who has sold more than 85 million books and has been hailed as the new J. K. Rowling, it is a remarkably modest home. Set down a dusty dirt trail, the four-bedroom property blends seamlessly into the desert landscape -- low and sand-colored with just a few cacti for decoration. Only a high-tech camera and newly installed metal gates give some hint of the occupant's desire for privacy."
3. Elizabeth Smart
The young woman endured brutality and came to court this year to face her abuser, Brian David Mitchell. After attending Brigham Young University, she is preparing to serve a mission in France. She was named Utahn of the Year by the Salt Lake Tribune. The excellent tribute by Trib columnist Peg McEntee reads:
"She had wanted to confront Mitchell with her eyes and words, but, predictably, he sang his hymns and was removed from the courtroom. When it was over, Elizabeth Smart strode, tall and straight, into the rest of her life. For so many of us, her astonishing homecoming restored hope when there seemed to be none, and the knowledge that even terrible times can end, and end well. And she taught us this: Faith, whatever its source, can make amazing things happen."
4. Jon Huntsman Jr.
President Barack Obama named Utah's former governor U.S. Ambassador to China. He took his post in August. Huntsman played host to Obama during a visit to China in November. Chinese media lauded Obama for the choice for Huntsman's understanding of Chinese language and culture. Huntsman previously served a U.S. ambassador to Singapore.
5. Orrin Hatch
Sen. Orrin Hatch was a key opponent to health care reform and taken on foes like the Bowl Championship Series. He also played a role in honoring the Sen. Edward Kennedy at his death. Over the years, the pair made an interesting senatorial odd couple. Along with speaking at Kennedy's memorial service, Hatch penned this piece in Newsweek. He also penned a Hanukkah song which was both complimented and parodied on "The Tonight Show."
6. Glenn Beck
The firebrand talk show host continued to attract attention on his national radio and TV shows, through his books and in the news media. The picture of Beck sticking his tongue out made it on the cover of Time magazine and parodied on several comedy shows. Here was Time's assessment:
"Glenn Beck: the pudgy, buzz-cut, weeping phenomenon of radio, TV and books. Our hot summer of political combat is turning toward an autumn of showdowns over some of the biggest public-policy initiatives in decades. The creamy notions of postpartisan cooperation -- poured abundantly over Obama's presidential campaign a year ago -- have curdled into suspicion and feelings of helplessness. Trust is a toxic asset, sitting valueless on the national books. Good faith is trading at pennies on the dollar. "
7. Mitt Romney
Emboldened by conservative supporters, Romney is keeping his eyes on 2012 presidential prize. Romney has been delivering a lot of keynoters and political endorsements around the nation and is getting ready to launch a book-promotion tour. 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."
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
The Missouri man widely noted in international media for his Mormon faith was held for a time in a Burmese prison charged with crime related to a swim across a lake to one of the world's best-known democracy figures, Aung San Suu Kyi. He left Myanmar with a U.S. senator. Despite his good intentions, 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."
Oops..
(snicker)
Ahh, and what part of life is not mass and energy?
I have differing definition, but would still like to see documentation for the “life” component. Certainly you’ve got it at your fingertips to emphasis it so much.
See, I can play your and Elsie's little game too : )
Doesn’t matter what I “get” at this stage. I prefer to read a respectable articles or references on how “life” is now factored into the equation - once I evaluate your ‘proofs’ then I will respond with my definitions. You are able to provide this simple information, yes?
I don’t think we are talking about the same thing. There is nothing more than wave functions. You seem to be trying to imply that there is. If you think there is please tell me : )
*sigh* You inserted the variable “life” into Einstein’s equation. Where in the respected realm of physics (peer reviewed papers, books and the like) is that defined and justified. Now you are saying wave functions - not a component of the Einsteinium equation either - are there professional papers/works out there that specifically define “life” in relationship to wave functions? It shouldn’t be that hard of a request to fill.
I do : )
Why don't you play your twenty questions with Elsie. That might at least be entertaining.
Well; you're over the DENIAL part!
But and this is an interesting but :) my examination (I also had total access to all church records) vindicated Smith more often than not. But it deviated greatly from the ‘official’ history.
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You lost me right here, sorry. I know from personal experience that there are levels of access to church records. There is NO possible way you could have access to ALL records unless you are in the first presidency.
Some records are avail to non-members, some to members only, many only to temple recommend holders, some only to descendants of members, and some only avail to GA’s, and a few only avail to the FP. Nice try though.
There were several factors involved in the exodus from MO. Slave holding was only ONE of them. Voting as a bloc was a major factor (one that does not vindicate Smith), isolation by the LDS, theft and refusal to engage in local economies were also factors. And there was religious persecution on BOTH sides, some started by the LDS themselves.
However, I will agree that there is a great deviation between the historical record and “official” LDS history.
Why not? Saying the Christian history stinks is being extremely polite. I studied the history not from the perspective of religion but from the history of warfare and found it hard to sympathize with the “Christians”.
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I would not say “extremely polite”. There are issues in Christian Church history, I do not deny that in the least. That does not make Christianity, as a belief, invalid. I know many agnostic/atheist professional historians who agree with my statement.
As a historian, I will say that studying history from only one perspective gives a VERY skewed view.
And a good historian would never confuse certain aspects of a history of any group to be representative of the whole. IOW, they would not judge Christianity based upon a history of the Crusades (or other wars Christians were involved in).
You do not throw out the babe (Christ) with the bathwater.
Denial wasn’t part of it : )
lol. no magic stones that I recall, but I do have some great stories about visions of Christ being run through a grain mill. :)
I like that.
Ouch...
Obviously I didn't have access to current personal or financial records(the financials definitely are hard to come by), but I am pretty sure I had access to all historical records, unpublished revelations, excommunications, 2nd endowments, etc. It's not like the Vatican by any means. The reality was that I was merely a gopher for Nibley.
Some records are avail to non-members, some to members only, many only to temple recommend holders, some only to descendants of members, and some only avail to GA’s, and a few only avail to the FP. Nice try though.
No. If you have access to the records you have access. There might be records not in the general archives of course, but I don't think so. It's not like they stored any records in the Holy of Holies if you know what I mean. And definitely everyone had to be a temple recommend holder.
There were several factors involved in the exodus from MO. Slave holding was only ONE of them. Voting as a bloc was a major factor (one that does not vindicate Smith), isolation by the LDS, theft and refusal to engage in local economies were also factors. And there was religious persecution on BOTH sides, some started by the LDS themselves.
Sure, but it is the emphasis that is put on the various factors. Everyone puts the emphasis to bolster their own viewpoint. Is it wrong? I don't know. I do know the truth is always a casualty. How did/does the Mormons voting as a bloc condemn Joseph Smith, any more so than Jews or blacks voting as a block?
Obviously, but I think that is the way we get all our history, skewed. I have found that most people aren't defined by their views so much as by the lies that they are willing to go along with.
"Convictions are greater enemies of truth than lies." -Nietzsche
So forgive me if I don't hold the whitewashing of 'Christian' history in any higher regard than I do the Mormon history.
So forgive me if I don’t hold the whitewashing of ‘Christian’ history in any higher regard than I do the Mormon history.
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If you read most of modern “Church history” you will find it anything but whitewashed. Most “church historians” today are not believers. If anything, attempts are usually at discrediting Christianity.
The reality was that I was merely a gopher for Nibley.
How did/does the Mormons voting as a bloc condemn Joseph Smith,
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If you were a gopher for Nibley, then I can see access to a lot of the documents. But I do know from a former professor at BYU (Reed Benson) that there were some records that even Nibley was not given access to.
My point was that there were other contributing factors in the exodus from MO, not just the slavery issue that you put forth.
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