L. Tom Perry’s Comment about Internet Conversation

I read the bolded part as talking about participating with a spirit of love and sacredness (of gentle, meek sincerity) – and I agree wholeheartedly with that idea. I’ve stopped reading the comments sections of every article about the Church in the Salt Lake Tribune, specifically because the MEMBERS who comment in response to the anti-Mormon crowd are every bit as bad as the anti-Mormon crowd – and that saddens me MUCH more than the anti-Mormon comments do. (Frankly, I think his description was focused much more pointedly at those types of comment threads – but I might be wrong about that. I just think those threads sadden the leadership about as much as anything that occurs online – and I have no doubt whatsoever that they are aware of them.)

I really liked his talk – and I’m glad he validated so clearly online discussions about the LDS Church and our views of it. I think it takes a bit of “reading between the lines” to find major fault with it, and all of you know how much I don’t like to read between the lines.

What we do here is very different than most of the “open discussions” his talk addresses – but I think we still follow the same general spirit of his remarks. We aren’t here to bash the Church; we aren’t here just to gripe and vent; we aren’t bickering and encouraging dissent and bile and vitriol and anger; we are working for reconciliation (to whatever degree is possible for each individual) and peace and understanding; we discuss difficult issues openly and honestly, which includes exasperation and some venting – but we also try to do it in a way that is “sacred” in a way. Sure, I wouldn’t have these literal discussions in the temple – but I do try to be very respectful, gentle, calm, etc. while I participate here (even when I am talking of things that I would love to see change).

Not everyone is where I am with regard to internal peace and overall activity, so not everyone comments exactly like I do – but that’s fine and dandy and GOOD. If I wanted unanimity of thought, I’d be commenting somewhere else; if I want a wonderful environment to discuss very difficult things in a respectful way with people who don’t think exactly the same way, I participate here – and I participate here MUCH more regularly than anywhere else.

So, yes, I think this site fits what Elder Perry described – even if most members probably wouldn’t think so.

Just wondered what everyone thought about this quote from L. Tom Perry in October 2011 Conference:

The growing visibility and reputation of the Church presents some remarkable opportunities to us as its members. We can help “disabuse the public mind” and correct misinformation when we are portrayed as something we are not. More important, though, we can share who we are.

There are a number of things that we can do—that you can do—to advance an understanding of the Church. If we do it with the same spirit and if we conduct ourselves in the same way we do when we host a temple open house, our friends and our neighbors will come to understand us better. Their suspicions will evaporate, negative stereotypes will disappear, and they will begin to understand the Church as it really is.

With some of the things we’ve written, and the “under the hood” look many of us give about the Church, I wonder what you think of L.Tom Perry’s directive here — are we a good example or no, focusing on the bolded part in the quote above?

I think Church leaders are becoming increasingly aware that the Church has a perception problem with many outsiders that currently look at Mormons with suspicion or wonder how we could possibly believe some of these LDS doctrines. Personally, I think they are in denial about the primary source of this problem and best possible solutions or reactions to it. Basically, it looks like they think the Church is completely blameless and dismiss any negative opinions as undeserved persecution so now they want members to try harder to promote and sell the Church as it is and hope simple PR efforts like the “I’m a Mormon” advertising campaign will help show that Mormons are people too (we don’t have horns).

In my opinion, these outside ideas about the Church aren’t always misconceptions and as far as I’m concerned the Church deserves to be viewed with a healthy amount of suspicion as long as they continue to emphasize highly questionable claims such as being the only true Church led by living prophets. My guess is that many outsiders see Mormons almost exactly the same way most Mormons view the JWs and why wouldn’t they? These basic perceptions are not something we can really change through overly optimistic apologetics and PR work if they are mostly a product of the established doctrines, policies, and culture of the Church more than a case of some members behaving badly and giving the Church a bad name entirely on their own.