Mormons Using The Web To Control Their Own Image

[Okrahomer]

Quite an interesting article: My link

[bluebell]

I thought this statement was pretty funny-

"Elizabeth Drescher, who advises mainline Protestant groups on using digital technology, was critical of the Latter-day Saints for pouring money into steering people to the church’s Web site.

“Online isn’t just a technology; it’s a place to go. It’s a landscape. It’s as though you looked down the street and all you saw were LDS churches,” Drescher said. “It’s a way to triumph over democracy. To me, it’s freaky.”

Considering what her job is, i'd say she sounds a bit jealous. I think describing successful use of the internet as a 'way to triumph over democracy' might be a bit overly dramatic.

[Okrahomer]

I thought this statement was pretty funny-

"Elizabeth Drescher, who advises mainline Protestant groups on using digital technology, was critical of the Latter-day Saints for pouring money into steering people to the church’s Web site.

“Online isn’t just a technology; it’s a place to go. It’s a landscape. It’s as though you looked down the street and all you saw were LDS churches,” Drescher said. “It’s a way to triumph over democracy. To me, it’s freaky.”

Considering what her job is, i'd say she sounds a bit jealous. I think describing successful use of the internet as a 'way to triumph over democracy' might be a bit overly dramatic.

I agree. Her response reveals a high level of "SEO-envy."

[thesometimesaint]

Bluebell:

It is also self-serving hyperbole at its "finest".

[KevinG]

Good gravy!!! I made the mistake of reading the comments. No wonder the church has to work so hard to counter the outright lies and bigotry.

[bluebell]

It doesn't seem to matter what the topic is, the comments section of any article on the internet always seem to be filled with people who come across like they failed the 8th grade.

I almost never read the comments for that reason. Life is too short.

[blueadept]

It doesn't seem to matter what the topic is, the comments section of any article on the internet always seem to be filled with people who come across like they failed the 8th grade.

I almost never read the comments for that reason. Life is too short.

I guess I never minded reading the comments. It tells me what the wackos are thinking. I hate Bill Maher but I'll watch it so I can laugh at the weirdness. There's no reasoning with them so we might as well laugh. Remind you of any critics at times?

[blueadept]

double post

[thesometimesaint]

blueadept:

I don't hate Mr. Maher. He actually has SOME good ideas, and he does have interesting guests. Now if we can just get him off of his two pet peeves, the food we eat, and his lack of religion. He'd be a lot better. IMNTBHO

[Daniel Peterson]

I can't stand Bill Maher. Especially his claim to be "politically incorrect," since he's actually in complete lockstep with his particular ideological circles, who baselessly fancy themselves some sort of dismissive elite.

I was sitting at an outdoor restaurant in Vienna a bit more than a year ago and, hearing a familiar voice, noticed that Bill Maher was standing on the sidewalk about six or seven feet from where I was, talking with a couple that I didn't recognize. The thought crossed my mind of making a witty and dismissive comment to him, or, more dramatically, of dumping my bowl of Hungarian goulash over his head -- but, for better or for worse, I didn't.

[ERayR]

I can't stand Bill Maher. Especially his claim to be "politically incorrect," since he's actually in complete lockstep with his particular ideological circles, who baselessly fancy themselves some sort of dismissive elite.

I was sitting at an outdoor restaurant in Vienna a bit more than a year ago and, hearing a familiar voice, noticed that Bill Maher was standing on the sidewalk about six or seven feet from where I was, talking with a couple that I didn't recognize. The thought crossed my mind of making a witty and dismissive comment to him, or, more dramatically, of dumping my bowl of Hungarian goulash over his head -- but, for better or for worse, I didn't.

When I am in a masochistic frame of mind and want a dose of indigestion I will watch about one minute and ten seconds of the man. This is enough for extended periods of time.

[sjdawg]

Good gravy!!! I made the mistake of reading the comments. No wonder the church has to work so hard to counter the outright lies and bigotry.

I thought some of the comments defending mormonism were just as strange as those criticing it.

[bluebell]

I thought some of the comments defending mormonism were just as strange as those criticing it.

No doubt. Like i said before, it really doesn't seem to matter what the topic is, the comments section is never the place to go for either good discussion or good information.

[sjdawg]

No doubt. Like i said before, it really doesn't seem to matter what the topic is, the comments section is never the place to go for either good discussion or good information.

It does seem to bring out some oddballs.

[Avatar4321]

I thought this statement was pretty funny-

"Elizabeth Drescher, who advises mainline Protestant groups on using digital technology, was critical of the Latter-day Saints for pouring money into steering people to the church’s Web site.

“Online isn’t just a technology; it’s a place to go. It’s a landscape. It’s as though you looked down the street and all you saw were LDS churches,” Drescher said. “It’s a way to triumph over democracy. To me, it’s freaky.”

Considering what her job is, i'd say she sounds a bit jealous. I think describing successful use of the internet as a 'way to triumph over democracy' might be a bit overly dramatic.

Triumph over democracy? Using the internet intelligently to reach out to others is a triumph over democracy? Where do I even begin with that ridiculous comment?

[ERayR]

Triumph over democracy? Using the internet intelligently to reach out to others is a triumph over democracy? Where do I even begin with that ridiculous comment?

I don't know where to begin but unfortunatly if you get enough of these people we are in real trouble. Unfortunatly I am seeing more and more of them. They seem to be comeing out of the woodwork.

[ldsfaqs]

Triumph over democracy? Using the internet intelligently to reach out to others is a triumph over democracy? Where do I even begin with that ridiculous comment?

Not only ridiculous, but completely false..... Other religions have their "internet" message and presence out there just as much as LDS do.

Yes, maybe as an individual "entity" we are doing the best job, but collectively, they are out there much more than we are. Plus, they don't even believe in a "central religion", they are a body of "believers", so what are they worried about?

Anti's, drive me nuts!

[volgadon]

I can't stand Bill Maher. Especially his claim to be "politically incorrect," since he's actually in complete lockstep with his particular ideological circles, who baselessly fancy themselves some sort of dismissive elite.

I was sitting at an outdoor restaurant in Vienna a bit more than a year ago and, hearing a familiar voice, noticed that Bill Maher was standing on the sidewalk about six or seven feet from where I was, talking with a couple that I didn't recognize. The thought crossed my mind of making a witty and dismissive comment to him, or, more dramatically, of dumping my bowl of Hungarian goulash over his head -- but, for better or for worse, I didn't.

I like goulash far too mcuh to contemplate doing that.

[Daniel Peterson]

I like goulash far too mcuh to contemplate doing that.

I like it a lot, too. Especially in Budapest and Vienna and environs, where they really know how to make it.

That was one of the major factors in my decision not to dump mine over his very worthy head.

[Mordecai]

“Online isn’t just a technology; it’s a place to go. It’s a landscape. It’s as though you looked down the street and all you saw were LDS churches,” Drescher said. “It’s a way to triumph over democracy. To me, it’s freaky.”

This gave me a great laugh. Holy cow, people are ridiculous.

[Scott Lloyd]

Isn't exercising one's freedom of speech and of the press by means of the Internet -- today's counterpart to pamphleteering -- the very essence of democracy? I guess when Mormons do it, it automatically becomes sinister and subversive.

Wacky as they are, the woman's comments are a manifestation of plain old, garden-variety bigotry.

[Calm]

It would be interesting to know how much money is being poured into the countercult ministries in comparison to what the Church spends on spreading a positive message.

We basically have one massive site, but there are multitudes of church backed websites for attacking which usually mention LDS among others.

Wonder if the woman (can't remember her name) thinks those are overkill as well?

[Scott Lloyd]

It would be interesting to know how much money is being poured into the countercult ministries in comparison to what the Church spends on spreading a positive message.

We basically have one massive site, but there are multitudes of church backed websites for attacking which usually mention LDS among others.

Wonder if the woman (can't remember her name) thinks those are overkill as well?

Drescher said: "Online isn’t just a technology; it’s a place to go. It’s a landscape. It’s as though you looked down the street and all you saw were LDS churches,It’s a way to triumph over democracy. To me, it’s freaky.”

Could it be that she is using the term democracy as a buzz word for anti-Mormonism? If so, she may be right. Effective use of the Internet by the Church could be a way to triumph over it..

[Calm]

More likely equating democracy with diversity, but it would be interesting to know whether she would miss the synagogues and mosques if Protestant churches were the ones dotting the landscape.

[Bill “Papa” Lee]

I thought this statement was pretty funny-

"Elizabeth Drescher, who advises mainline Protestant groups on using digital technology, was critical of the Latter-day Saints for pouring money into steering people to the church’s Web site.

“Online isn’t just a technology; it’s a place to go. It’s a landscape. It’s as though you looked down the street and all you saw were LDS churches,” Drescher said. “It’s a way to triumph over democracy. To me, it’s freaky.”

Considering what her job is, i'd say she sounds a bit jealous. I think describing successful use of the internet as a 'way to triumph over democracy' might be a bit overly dramatic.

I was read an Article in “Christianity Today”…to paraphrase “The Mormons use a lot of printed material such as magazines and books to promote their doctrine”. I was reading this from a magazine while standing in a very large Christian Bookstore. I had stopped by to get some color making pens had saw the cover story I read it in line. Oh and the article called us “sheep-stealers’. A number of Churches stop by from time to time at my home to encourage me to attend their congregation.