'I'm A Mormon' billboards going up from coast to coast since late last year.

[onehandle]

I've seen them in Georgia, but I read that they are appearing in many states.

They portray Mormons as 'normal.' I know Mormons, and they are indeed 'normal.'

But I'm not the problem.

I wonder if they are in states where Romney's Mormonism is a 'problem' for him?

I wonder what exactly Romney's 'tithing' is paying for?

[ZombieHorde]

1. Sounds like a good message strategy. nt

[trof]

2. Been a lot of "I'm a Mormon" TV commercials too.

Gee, they look just like normal people.

[glinda]

36. They have been running for a year actually.

[Suich]

3. I've seen a lot of those TV ads in Seattle, too.

I have no idea why.

[onehandle]

6. To sell a Candidate?

Maybe?

[justiceischeap]

10. A Seattlite friend of mine was telling me about this

I wondered if it wasn't tied into their marriage issue but it makes much more sense that Romney and the Mormon church are paying for them.

[uppityperson]

22. An ancient relative watching Stl tv told me about them, it was obvious what they were for

to sell everyone on the idea that Mormons are just like you and me. The Ancient Relative is very liberal and rolled eyes at the ads.

[PSPS]

23. KIRO is owned by Bonneville Broadcasting, which is owned by the Mormon church.

The ads are obviously intended to boost Romney's candidacy.

[Suich]

28. Wow! I had no idea!

Next time, I'll pay attention to what channel runs the ads!

[HockeyMom]

4. I have seen their ads on buses in NYC

when we visited. I think there is a Broadway Play running whose theme is Mormanism.

I spent time as a child in Indiana and had a friend who was Morman. I have been a genealogist for over 30 years and have used their records. Not a single person have ever tried to convert me, unlike other Christian sects. So what is the problem? Just because Mormans are outside of what some people consider Christianity?

We have a major problem in this country when you not only have to be Christian, but the RIGHT KIND of Christian.

[JitterbugPerfume]

5. creepy!!

and here I thought they were from the planet Xenu ! What a relief!

[jmowreader]

35. Scientologists are from Xenu

Well...Xenu is the guy the Scientologists are trying to destroy.

And how will they destroy him? Simple, my friend: they'll hook him to an E-meter and keep auditing him until he has to sell body parts for milk money.

[JitterbugPerfume]

47. I ALWAYS get my crazy cults mixed up!

[Angry Dragon]

7. Gold tablets and magic underwear

They even had a hand in Wounded Knee

[HowHasItComeToThis]

8. GOOGLE AND I'M A MORMON.... GOOD SHOWS

VIZ

[TlalocW]

9. Great, and if I ever met one that was wearing a, I"m a Mormon, shirt

He or she gets two questions

1. Did you donate to/support your church's efforts in overturning gay marriage rights in California?
2. Are you wearing your magic underwear right now?

TlalocW

[aaaaaa5a]

11. They are all over Indiana.

I find it interesting. They try to make Mormonism multicultural. We have billboards on the HWYs in Indianapolis with black mormons, hispanic mormons etc.



Here is an example of what the billboards look like.





I wish there was another billboard which reminded people that Mormons didn't consider minorities people until 1978.

I wonder if those are real mormons or just models posing?

[GodlessBiker]

12. ~~~ I believe that God lives on a planet called Kolob. I believe that Jesus has his own planet ...~~

... as well.

And I believe that the Garden of Eden was in Jackson County, Missouri. ~~~

Oh, the Book of Mormon. Gotta believe.

[dimbear]

20. Those are great miracles, my friends, but perhaps the greatest miracle is that Mitt Romney,

one time bishop in the church, now knows nothing whatever about Mormonism.

Divine amnesia.

[FreeState]

42. Some corrections from a former Mormon

The LDS teach God lives near the planet Kolob, not on it.

Jesus doesn't have his own planet(s), yet.

[GodlessBiker]

44. Near Kolob? Like on another planet near Kolob? In the same solar system? Same galaxy?

[FreeState]

46. It could be a star

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kolob

Kolob is a star or planet described in Mormon scripture. Reference to Kolob is found in the Book of Abraham, a work published by Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. According to this work, Kolob is the heavenly body nearest to the throne or residence of God. While the Book of Abraham refers to Kolob as a "star",[1] it also refers to planets as stars,[2] and therefore, some LDS commentators consider Kolob to be a planet.[3] Other Latter Day Saints (commonly referred to as Mormons) consider Kolob to be a Christian metaphor.

[grantcart]

55. Jesus doesn't have his own planet yet?

Christ! What does a guy have to do to get his own planet?


I did not know that.


Would make me think twice about getting in line for that gig.

[grantcart]

56. Jesus doesn't have his own planet yet?

Christ! What does a guy have to do to get his own planet?


I did not know that.


Would make me think twice about getting in line for that gig.

[xmas74]

45. They believe that about the Garden of Eden

until they visit Jackson Co. Once they've been there it's obvious that their calculations were incorrect.

[HeiressofBickworth]

13. When I first saw the ads on TV

I immediately understood their purpose. It's not to get new members for their church (although they wouldn't turn them down) but instead the ads are to take the edge off the negative view of Romney being a Mormon. It's all about power and money. And don't forget, Mormons have a policy that it's ok to Lie for the Lord.

The people in the ads probably aren't Mormons anyway. More of their lies.

I, too, am a genealogist and have used their records. Not all of the records are accurate, however, they do have microfilmed/microfiched copies of public records from around the world. Easier to use their resources than to go to the location. I appreciate them for that, however, my feelings are that Mormons, like other religions, should stay out of politics and if they engage in politics, they should be taxed like any other organization.

[murielm99]

14. Do ancestry.com, or any of the other popular online genealogy websites have an affiliation

with the LDS church?

I have seen that TV program "Who Do You Think You Are?" They are sponsored by ancestry.com.

It is so much easier to do geneaology searches these days.

[HeiressofBickworth]

17. I looked up the history of Ancestry.com

It apparently was founded by a couple of mormons, but it appears to be publicaly traded at this time. I would venture to guess that their majority shareholders are either the church as an entity or other mormons, either individually or as a group. Ancestry also owns Rootsweb.com, Genealogy.com, Footnote.com and MyFamily.com. There are others. See Wikipedia for the whole history.

Yes, as I've admitted before, these on-line resources make researching much easier. It's becoming easier to research but harder to find FREE resources to search. When I started nearly 40 years ago, public records were accessed either in person or by letter writing, including a check. Networking with other researchers was done primarily through the publication Genealogy Helper.

I've been to many courthouses, cemeteries and libraries across the country putting together my tree. There's a break between the in-person research I've done in this country and using other on-line sources for other countries. I can't afford to travel there and couldn't read the record in another language (including early English!) even if I could travel there. Others have done the hard part for which I am heartily grateful.

[Voice for Peace]

15. I'd prefer to see "I'm a Merman" billboards.

[BumRushDaShow]

18. I thought you were going to post

[Dulcinea]

16. Lots of those billboards in Atlanta.

I've been seeing them for about a year. Romney's Mormon faith is definitely a problem for him here in the Bible Belt.

[Drahthaardogs]

19. I travel a lot. They are everywhere in the South and Midwest.

I also lived a few hours from Salt Lake City at one time. The Mormon religion is very cloistered. I can assure you as a Catholic in a Mormon community, I was not invited over for too many dinners. I am not really anti any religion; however, when a group of people make it very clear that they are only interested in "their own", it makes it very hard to have good feelings about them.

[libodem]

21. Mormon church

Prophesy predicts that in America the constitution will be hanging from a thread and a US President who is LDS will have to be elected to save the country. Everyone is busy in all the religions preparing for Jesus to come back and set all the liberals on fire.

Even this whole Israel/ Iran debacle plays into Revelations paranoia about the end of the world and Israel being the mythical battle field. How much is realife influenced by such unreasoning illusions.

[FreeState]

27. You know this isn't a real actual prophacy right?

For something to be a prophecy in the LDS faith it has to be scripture and sustained by the general membership. (The "white horse prophecy" is not in the scriptures nor was it given as such to the church, it has never been anything but a faith promoting rumor, in fact most members do not even know about it.) Sure there are members who believe it, but its not the church leadership.

[jberryhill]

30. Does that include changes to the temple ceremonies?

[FreeState]

43. They never explain that, no general membership votes, however when there is a change they do

Read a letter in the Temple about it, that stated it was revealed to the prophet and upheld by the leadership. (This was the case in 1990, not sure of changes after as I'm no longer a member).

[highplainsdem]

39. It might not be an official prophecy but there's evidence it was applied to Romney by his classmates

at BYU:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002237275

So he grew up aware of the prophecy, and aware others believed he'd fulfill it.

That was lies megalomania.

I'd love to know to what extent any belief in the White Horse prophecy -- his belief and/or others' -- has fueled his presidential bid.

[Gold Metal Flake]

24. What is the attraction of Mormonism?

Why would someone pick it over another Christian sect?

[TBF]

31. They are especially family orientated and send out missionaries to recruit -

I've met them right here in south Houston. Perhaps for folks who didn't grow up in one of the other sects it is the sense of community.

That's the best I can tell you based on what I've seen - I was raised Methodist myself.

[comercaca]

50. Why pick mormonism over other christian sects? The answer is easy!

Mormon chicks are hotter! End of story!

[siligut]

57. The milk before the meat

The missionaries tell you all about the advantages. Advantages in business, finding a spouse, instant friends and community. Then, after you are in and know that all of it can be taken away if you leave, you get the meat. The crazy meat.

[aaaaaa5a]

25. I wonder what will happen when the public finds out about Mitts grandfather?

He had several wives. He later even left the country when told having multiple wives was against U.S. law.


I guess the Romney family doesn't love America.

[comercaca]

52. what will happen when the public finds out about Mitts grandfather?

hmmm - they will probably ignore it as inconsequential blather, much like the people here do about you. mormons have many wives anyways, why should romney's gpops be any different?

[aaaaaa5a]

53. Mormons also didn't consider minorities actual people until 1978.

It essentially took pressure from outside groups including the Federal Government to get them to recognize all people as human.

Of course to you... this is probably inconsequential blather too.

[FreeState]

26. They started airing these after Prop 8 n/t

[demosincebirth]

29. Why don't the tell us about their magic underwear. What does it protect them from?

[unkachuck]

32. "I know Mormons, and they are indeed 'normal.'"

....they've always seemed to be a little weird to me....remember Mountain Meadows....

[highplainsdem]

38. I suspect most people haven't even heard of the Mountain Meadows massacre.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Meadows_massacre

http://www.archaeology.org/online/news/mormons.html

[comercaca]

51. Hey Mormons - Remember Mountain Meadow?

These are always funny to see. Especially when they come from Catholics (Remember the Crusades?), white people (Remember Slavery), atheists (Remember Stalin?), or Jews (Remember Jesus?).

And if you are really that bent on the Mountain Meadows Massacre, I hate to break it to you, but I am pretty sure all the perpetrators of that are dead, and if you feel bad enough why don't you just pee on their graves? And donate to the Arab, Slave, Jew, and christian reparations for unethical acts done to every group of people done in the past years. That should make you feel better about yourself. .... big baby...

How bout - we just remember Gandhi: All the religions of the world, while they may differ in other respects, unitedly proclaim that nothing lives in this world but Truth.

[JI7]

33. his religion is the only reason i can come up with as to why he is running for President

he hasn't been consistent on any issues. as someone else said if it's true that it's ok to lie in the religion in order to further their agenda we shouldn't be surprised how he so easily flip flops on any issue.

[GoneOffShore]

34. Those are all over YouTube as well.

I alert on them every time.

[donheld]

37. They are all over the Denver area.

[highplainsdem]

40. Earlier topic on what the advertising costs, & what Romney has given to his church:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002192097

[Snarkoleptic]

41. Probably meant to raise acceptance of Mittens while recruiting in a down cycle.

Need to keep up the revenue stream.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is losing a record number of its membership. A new report quotes an LDS general authority who said more members are falling away today than any time in the past 175 years.

--snip--

Elder Jensen told the news outlet times have changed, and "attrition has accelerated in the last five or 10 years." Some church members ABC 4 talked to said they see the faithful leaving.

http://www.abc4.com/content/news/top_stories/story/Number-of-faithful-Mormons-rapidly-declining/rvih3gOKxEm5om9IYJYnRA.cspx

[Ron Obvious]

48. Their missionaries are so bloody earnest.

Whenever they come to my door, I want to say something like this to them: "Here, you wholesome little shits, here's $100. Now go out, find a cheap hooker, some drugs, a seedy motel room and come back here tomorrow Maybe then we can talk further about life."

There's a reason they travel in pairs, like diplomats from behind the old iron curtain. It's so they can each prevent the other from escaping. {sigh}

[RebelOne]

49. I'm in Georgia and those Mormon ads are on TV every day. n/t

[lifesbeautifulmagic]

54. I'm not a Mormon and you can't make me.

I seriously hate packaged religion. Yes, it is a personal problem.

[siligut]

58. The exception proves the rule

People will wonder why Mormons are going out of the way to appear normal.