MetaFilter posts tagged with LDS

God Created Man in His Own Image.

ericb — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 16:59:14 -0800

Last year saw the launch of the first 'Men on A Mission' calendar -- featuring 'beefcake' photos of young Mormon men recently returned from their two-year missions. Church elders were not pleased. As a result, calendar creator Chad Hardy was excommunicated from the Church of Latter Day Saints. The church also revoked his "BA degree in Communications Studies at Mormon-owned Brigham Young University." Hardy has just released the 2009 Men on a Mission Calendar. Again, the church ai'nt too happy. [Photos- 1, 2 click-through to Java-based slideshow]. 'Men on A Mission's' take on Prop. 8. Hardy is working on the 2010 calendar. It will feature "sexed-up" Mormon moms.

Mormon Musical.

ericb — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 09:53:09 -0800

Trey Parker and Matt Stone, creators of South Park, "are planning to stage a Broadway musical based on the lives and (many) loves of typical members of the Church of the Latter Day Saints." They - "along with Robert Lopez, the co-writer of 'Avenue Q' - have finally settled on a script and are workshopping their new production aptly titled, 'Mormon Musical.'" They've had fun with Mormons before: South Park episode: All About the Mormons? Full episode [21:37]. Clip [08:40]

Mormon vampires?

Artw — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 23:05:30 -0800

LDS Sparkledammerung IS HERE! The crypto-mormonism of Stephanie Myers' Twilight series. (Spoilers, image heavy, extreme derisiveness)

The Genealogical Revolution Will Be Digitized

Knappster — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 12:37:11 -0800

For decades, the LDS church microfilmed old records of genealogical interest and stashed them in the Granite Mountain Record Vault for safekeeping. Copies could be ordered and viewed at local Family History Centers. Now, through massive digitization and volunteer indexing efforts, those records are starting to come online. It was once thought that it would take 120 years to scan the 2 million+ microfilm rolls housed in the vault, but by 2006 it was estimated that "much" of the collection would be digitized in "as little as 10 years" (some technical details here and here (both PDF)). A double-blind volunteer indexing project was launched, with 140,000 people signing up by May 2008. The fruits of their labor may be seen (and searched) on the FamilySearch Record Search pilot site. Partnerships with commercial companies and archives large and small will add to the collection records freshly digitized from the source, some of which may be indexed online but free to view only at Family History Centers and the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. The resources collected by the Mormons are available to genealogists of all faiths. There is no proselytizing at the Family History Centers, though church members will answer questions about Mormonism if asked. The Mormons' interest in genealogy stems from their belief in baptizing the dead by proxy—a practice disturbing to some people of other faiths. The LDS church has been criticized for baptizing Holocaust victims, and the Vatican recently directed Catholic dioceses not to allow Mormons access to parish registers. Mormons counter that the dead are only offered the option of baptism, and are permitted to decline.

Sexy Mormon Men

ericb — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 18:56:14 -0800

Sexy Mormon Men -- "For the first time ever, twelve of the hottest and hunkiest former Mormon Missionaries have dared to pose bare-chested in the first-ever Mormons Exposed calendar." They're trying to "help get rid of stereotypes." Previously mentioned

Polygamy in the Heart of Texas

May Kasahara — Thu, 07 Apr 2005 18:18:23 -0800

Who is Warren Jeffs? A look inside the Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints, who have built what is believed to be the first polygamist temple in Texas. Led by a doomsaying prophet, the members of the FLDS are taught that wives are expected to be completely submissive, and outside cultural influences are forbidden (links via this post on LiveJournal's exmormon community).

Saints and Indians

BrodieShadeTree — Tue, 21 Dec 2004 16:25:05 -0800

" Fifty years ago, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, or Mormon Church, began a foster care program for American Indian children. Between twenty and fifty thousand children, mostly Navajo, participated in what was called the Indian Student Placement Program....Through Placement, children had the opportunity to grow up in families – white Mormon families – while attending day schools in Utah and across the West. Placement also had a theological motivation. Championed in the ‘50s by an LDS Church leader named Spencer W. Kimball, Placement grew from a sense of commitment to the Indians – then regarded as descendants of the original people of the Book of Mormon. Listen to the amazing story, full of first hand accounts from both sides here

Interactive Church Music Player

oissubke — Sun, 16 May 2004 08:06:26 -0800

Interactive Church Music Player The LDS Church has created a cool new tool for exploring its hymnbooks: a Flash application that not only shows the sheet music, but allows transposition, tempo changes, part selection, and all kinds of other nifty things.

aaronshaf — Wed, 09 Oct 2002 22:41:55 -0800

Sorry, Big Brother. Appeals court says Mormon Church can't restrict speech on sidewalks of Salt Lake City Plaza. "The city cannot create a 'First Amendment-free zone." This comes punctually after allegations that LDS security harrassed evangelical volunteers.

aaronshaf — Tue, 09 Apr 2002 20:32:01 -0800

Two men arrested for handing out anti-Mormon literature. "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' and Salt Lake City's restrictions on behavior they deem "offensive" on the plaza are now the subject of an American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit before the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver." ... "The deed made it clear it [the plaza] was not a First Amendment forum..." Does the ACLU have a good case?

silusGROK — Fri, 14 Sep 2001 10:55:43 -0800

For the Mormons here at MeFi -- and, of course, anyone else -- the Church is broadcasting a Memorial Service nationwide, that is also being streamed (requires Windows Media Player). I'm sure other national religious organizations are doing the same... so if you know of others, post them here.

raysmj — Tue, 17 Apr 2001 13:56:16 -0800

Theocracy in America? Specifically, in Utah, according to the writer of this Washington Monthly piece, who grew up there. Is the article too harsh, though, given the author's apparent lingering bitterness regarding her upbringing?

silusGROK — Sat, 31 Mar 2001 09:35:15 -0800

A prophet speaks online... A link for the religiously inclined: General Conference for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons). I'll give a little background in the thread.

holgate — Thu, 11 Jan 2001 17:20:11 -0800

A modern Dr Bowdler... (yeah, I know it's Salon, but...) A video-rental store in Utah offers "cleaned up" versions of modern films. First thought: is it legal? Post-DeCSS, one would think not: after all, the MPAA has done its best to protect its right to control the manner of reproduction. But are the studios not jumping to litigate, because they're happier to alienate Linux users with DVD drives than the LDS contingent in UT?