Church Update on Response to Japan Earthquake and Tsunami (Mormon)

LDS Newsroom ^ | March 14, 2011 | Press Release

[greyfoxx39]

Church Update on Response to Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

14 March 2011 — Salt Lake City

News Release

As the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami continues to unfold, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is assessing how it will best provide relief. News reports indicate that the death toll from the earthquake and tsunami in Japan is nearing 3,000 and will likely continue to rise. The majority of casualties in Japan are expected to be from the tsunami rather than the earthquake. Tens of thousands more are homeless and millions are without power. The government of Japan has mobilized thousands of troops, planes and ships for a large-scale emergency response operation.

The Church’s First Presidency made the following statement regarding the disaster:

We express our love and support to the people of Japan as they deal with this terrible tragedy. Our prayers, and the prayers of millions of Latter-day Saints across the world, are with them as they begin to recover from this disaster.

Relief Aid
Communication and transportation is difficult in the most affected areas, but local Church leaders are currently discussing with government and humanitarian organizations ways to provide assistance.

Missionaries and Church Members
The Church reported Saturday morning that all of its missionaries serving in Japan are accounted for and mission leaders are taking precautions to ensure that missionaries remain safe. All missionaries are a safe distance from damaged nuclear plants.

It is likely Church members have been directly impacted by the quake, and local Church leaders are working tirelessly to account for them. Approximately 95% of the Latter-day Saints in the affected areas have been contacted, and initial reports indicate there are no confirmed deaths; however, there is limited information on the status of members from the most devastated areas.

Church Buildings
The Church has received several inquiries regarding the condition of its temple in Tokyo and can confirm that there is no significant damage to the building.  While we know that some buildings have sustained varying degrees of damage, Church leaders in the affected areas are assessing the condition of other Church buildings.

[RBranha]

And thus you've found another nit to pick, which is somewhere in between "trumpeting" and remaining quiet. They're "misprioritizing."

You also criticize the idea of the mormons checking on their members before others. It makes perfect sense for an organization to mobilize its resources by first accounting for its members, then having those members go out and assist in the community at large. An organization which has the ability to organize manpower must first assess the status of that manpower.

[Gamecock]

I believe they are doing more than assessing, but the full scope of their effort is more than can be communicated in a press release.

Ohhhh Really?

Mormon Inc. has a much better PR apparatchik than that. If they were on the ground taking care of victims that is all we would hear about. Not the mundane planning....

[Colofornian]

Yeah, that's right. You've been caught on your two-faced hypocrisy. So, simply refuse to answer the question that reveals how inconsistent your posts are.

And simply continue your ad hominen attacks.

Just look @ your ad hominen approach: Why does it seem that you love going around calling FREEPERS
"tiny"
"small"
"little"
...as if you're some elite GIANT of a FREEPER who loves goin' 'round frowning upon other FREEPERS?

When you can't address the question or the argument, you simply resort to bullying labels.

ALL: What do you think of FREEPERS who highlight being neighborly in three posts (#40, #44, #48), but somehow can't show his "neighborliness" to fellow FREEPERS he calls "tiny," "small," "little," "foolish," "hobgoblin" -- all while judging inward motives of complete strangers as being "bitter?"

Doesn't this just reveal even more of your fractured personality? You critique others for critiquing others -- yet instead of sticking to issues like other FREEPERS here, you resort to ad hominen attacks & labels & somehow concluding you can do mind-reading?

[RBranha]

Ok, then just to make you feel better I will ask them to stop calling themselves this and even to pay to change the sign on their church and only to refer to themselves as Christians. Will you feel better then? So we are clear no matter how agitated you are by their name, mormonISM is still not Christianity.

I was less bothered by what they call themselves than I was curious about your response to it. For you, association with Islam is a big problem giving aid to victims of natural disasters, but Christian converts who call themselves "Christian Muslims" is not an issue, even though a Muslim is an adherent of Islam.

I see a disconnect in your thinking which I'm having trouble reconciling, that's all. If you can live with it, I sure can. It's really none of my business, I suppose. I was just trying to learn something. :-)

[svcw]

Oh brother.
lds are partnering with islamic groups, just more of the same is really quite different than people who refer to themselves as muslim Christians even though they are really just Christians.
But like I said I am going to ask them to stop, I want you to feel good about yourself.
Everyday there is another story about lds and islamic groups getting together for this or that, yes I do have a problem with that.
I do not have a problem with born again Christians who still might use a term that you find offensive.

[RBranha]

you can do mind-reading?

Nope, I'm not a mind reader, but "ye shall know them by their fruits." Your fruits, as far as FR is concerned, consist of a lot of posts of questionable accuracy and heavy on the criticism. The amount of material you post which is critical of the lds suggests you have an unhealthy obsession.

BTW, don't take my observation as a diagnosis. I'm not a psychiatrist or psychologist (or a mind reader), and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

[svcw]

ye shall know them by their fruits

Do some research. This versus you posted (with out reference again) is talking about false prophets, you know like Joseph Smith.

[RBranha]

A person who has no problem with “Christian Muslims” is going to teach us about the New Testament? Seriously??

[svcw]

And a person who thinks mormonISM is Christian quoting Bible, seriously? You need to stop obsessing on people who are born again Christians that still use a phrase muslim. It is not healthy, maybe you should see some one about that obsession. Just saying.

[RBranha]

And a person who thinks mormonISM is Christian quoting Bible, seriously? You need to stop obsessing on people who are born again Christians that still use a phrase muslim.

I don't recall discussing whether or not mormons are Christians, but perhaps we did. I suppose if Muslims can be Christian, then perhaps the mormons can, too.

[caww]

Samaritains Purse Rocks!

[greyfoxx39]

Many of us on FR

ROTFL...."many"....those many are perfectly free to avoid clicking on these threads and reading them..there are MANY, MANY other threads to read during a 24-hour period.

Lots of Catholic threads, for instance that go for hundreds of replies all the time.

I always think it's rather obsessive for people to be reading the Religion Forum when they don't like hearing about religion (unless, of course, it's flattering to THEIR religion).

[svcw]

I am going to write this really slowly. This group refers to themselves as muslim Christians, they are Bible believing Spirit filled on fire Christians.
That is not true with mormomISM, it can't be.
They are not muslims (really you are thinking islamic) they are Christians as I described above.
Seriously you need to seek help, your obsession is unnerving.

But back to the original post, if lds had been on the ground they would have stated it in the press release. They have an entire self promotion department. They like to broadcast their alms. All they talked about was thier buildings.

And you still haven't addressed the questions in post #7.

[svcw]

You may have seen this, if so sorry but it is a good link.
http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/articles/pray_for_japan/

[RBranha]

You may have seen this, if so sorry but it is a good link. http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/articles/pray_for_japan/

Trumpeting is not allowed!!!! I mean, what person or organization would allow an Internet article or posting about them doing their alms? Heresy, I say!

[svcw]

Look at the link.
I am trumpeting. These people did not put out a press release to say they were looking at buildings.
If you are going to try and be clever, Ok, never mind - you just can't pull it off.

[svcw]

Forgot to add, Samaritan’s Purse is to busy putting boots on the ground to self promote.

[greyfoxx39]

lds are partnering with islamic groups

IMO, the LDS church is using the mormon-muslim connection Link in the hopes that mormons will be the last ones beheaded.

[RBranha]

I am going to write this really slowly. This group refers to themselves as muslim Christians, they are Bible believing Spirit filled on fire Christians.

Do these "Muslim Christians" worship Christ on Sundays and Allah on Tuesdays? Or do they switch from week to week? When they're done praying, do they end in the name of Christ or do they shout "Allahu Akbar"? Sorry, I can't see how a person who has accepted Jesus and prays in His name can continue to call themselves Muslim. The 2 don't go together.

your obsession is unnerving.

Apparently, you are easily un-nerved.

But back to the original post, if lds had been on the ground they would have stated it in the press release.

You'll have to prove this one. Just because you claim it, doesn't mean it's true.

And you still haven't addressed the questions in post #7.

I already said I don't know what's going on with the mormons in Japan. I also said that because we lack of information doesn't mean that they aren't doing anything.

[BlueMoose]

I have been in communication with a friend that has relatives at IwaKuni Japan.members there have been working to help their neighbors from day one. I have no doubt that the local leaders have the building setup as shelters the same as they did in Haiti. The problem in Haiti was that the government would not let the planes come in.

The local leadership are in the best position to know what to ask for.

I have been on ships that provided relief and saw over half of the items wasted because the local people did not know how to prepare the food. It makes no sense to send plane load of stuff that goes to waste.In Sri Lanka we dropped food only to go to Singapore and get rice because that is what the local people understand. the food that was dropped a week earlier was roting because the people didn't what to do with it.