Thursday, August 14, 2008

Learning About "the Mormons" on You Tube

Greg has recently taken to viewing and replying to all manner of interesting "information" he is finding on you tube. He is having some great mini-discussions and is really enjoying it. This morning he told me that he's corresponding via email with some people* he met on youtube. He shows me some of the videos he watches. Sometimes I get a little too upset about them, but I'm now at a point where I can tell if something will bother me, and I don't watch it. This means that I can pretty safely sort through some of these videos and get an idea of how people view "mormonism." Comments that people leave to these videos are often even more insightful.

Now, I don't mean to advocate the perusal of these types of videos (for example, don't click on any of the suggested "related" videos that show up after you view the one I'm posting), most especially because your time could be far better spent sitting twiddling your thumbs, or staring out the window at your lawn. And once you get reading those comments, it's hard to stop. But I DO have one that I'd like to share. I like it because it reminds me of the first year after we moved from Utah to California and kids would ask me, if I was a mormon why was I eating potato chips, or tell me that mormons weren't allowed to paint their fingernails, etc. Oh, and because it's funny.



After watching so many lies/half truths/distortions spread on the Internet about my religion, it was kind of refreshing to listen (again) to Hugh Nibley's How to Write an Anti-Mormon Book. I totally recommend it for people who like Hugh Nibley, funny stuff (particularly satire) and who like to listen to talks/lectures. We're fans of all three so it's great for us. It's also available on you tube, but it's in like 68 (4?) parts, and there's no video to go with it, just a picture. But it's funny, if you take it for what it's meant to be.

*One of whom has taken a liking to Greg and has determined to prove to him that the mormon religion is false. Greg's been without people to hold frequent discussions like this with for a while, so he's happy to be at it again. I think it's an EXCELLENT way for some people to find some direction in their scripture study, etc. and to really come to a good understanding of why they believe what they do. Plus you can gain all kinds of interesting knowledge and have lots of testimony strengthening experiences. For some people, these kind of discussions are probably better avoided, but Greg's using it as one of his ways of Joining Internet Conversation about the Church as encouraged by Elder Ballard.

11 comments:

Jillybean said...

I've always loved that clip from Cheers. I giggle every time I see it. Thanks for posting.
I have a dear friend who refers to me as her "Token Mormon friend." She calls and asks me whenever she hears something about the church that she doesn't understand. It's sometimes funny to hear the misinformation that she gets (and we live in Utah)

Liz said...

Ha ha -what a great clip. Jon and I laughed out loud. Thanks for sharing!!!

Becky said...

Nice! The other day an investigator in our ward was getting all huffy about the missionaries having a cell phone, because she thought that was totally off limits. Um, noooo...

Erin said...

That video was hilarious! How strange that someone thought cell phones were off limits--it really does show that people don't know much about Mormons. I don't know if the Mitt Romney campaign was covered at all in Poland, but what I learned from the coverage is that most people are totally ignorant of even the basic facts. I am glad Greg is engaging in "internet conversation".

Lesley said...

Oh gosh, I loved Cheers! What a funny clip. I'm going to check out the Hugh Nibley link, sounds right up my alley!

Anonymous said...

That's awesome! I've never seen it. I don't know anything about being Mormon, except that I did go to prom with a Mormon guy when I was 17. It was like visiting another planet; going to his house, but that may not have had much to do with his being a Mormon and just more to do with a different family culture than what I was used to.

Melissa said...

That clip was hilarious! And thanks for commenting on my blog. I will have to come back to yours when I have more time. I love it!

Susan said...

very funny :) I DID click on one of the links below and highly suggest it for everyone: JFK on Mormons, it's so cool. They should play that if Romney goes for VP, not that'll really change born-again's views of us, but still...

Unknown said...

hahaha, that was a hoot to see that video clip, too. thanks for sharing. my buddy (half-past kissing time) pointed me to this.

g'day, kathleen in anchorage alaska

Unknown said...

**giggling**

Heather said...

That reminds me of a funny story my dad loves to tell about when I was little .My sister and I were playing with the neighbor boys and they wanted to pretend we were getting married and i said "Mormons can only marry Mormons." To which he replied, "No, more men marry more women!"