Subject: TBC Today - Bogus Beliefs
 

[TBC: It has been reported in the past how the Mormon Church has invested
huge sums of money to change their public image. Instead of fresh scrubbed,
enthusiastic young men appearing at your door without warning, they are
proceeded by hours of "public service" commercials dealing with family
issues. As the following report shows, their strategy has worked.]

The reason for their success lies in strategic advertising. Before Mormon
missionaries appear at anyone's door, the church's high-tech public
relations organization moves in with its sophisticated advertising
techniques, electronic broadcasting, satellite dishes, print media,
telecommunications, motion pictures, and radio. With $550 million set aside
worldwide, including $100 million for the U.S., they are determined to see
that their message reaches every home. And, what is their message? Not that
individuals can become gods, or that temple rituals are required for full
salvation, or that heaven can only be gained through the certification of
Joseph Smith--these doctrines and others are concealed. Rather, they bombard
the public with Christian values. More specifically, that happiness and
family solidarity can be gained by following the teachings of Jesus Christ
as contained in the Book of Mormon, the latter offered free through an 800
number.

But, recently, they have devised a better strategy. Instead of a free Book
of Mormon, they are now offering a free Bible. What greater way to avert the
public's attention away from their unbiblical theology! The free Bibles are
then delivered by enthusiastic missionaries intent on telling people how the
Bible has been so mistranslated that it is untrustworthy; but the Book of
Mormon is the pure word of God. In third world countries, rather than
portraying family values, their advertising may focus on health and hygiene,
law and order, or obedience to authority--whatever is applicable to that
country's situation. Even sports are used. In South America, BYU basketball
games were broadcast free for five years. When the Mormon missionaries were
finally sent in, they were instructed to look only for houses that had TV
antennas. Introducing themselves as BYU students, they inquired if anyone in
the household had seen the games. It was an automatic door opener.
Advertising in foreign countries requires time and perseverance. For
example, the church had to invest ten years of broadcasting in the Dominican
Republic before they were able to organize a mission. But it worked. They
attributed the first one thousand baptisms to their advance publicity
(Hutchinson, "Strategies of the Mormon Church,
http://www.apologeticsindex.org/m01.html).