Comparing and rethinking

By looking at the comments and responses to comments on the Mormon Messages videos, “Choose this Day” and “A Testimony of the Book of Mormon” I was struck by the diversity of the comments left by non-members and the uniformity of the LDS responses to those comments.

I think we gain valuable insight when we look at the anti-Mormon comments that did not get any response. In fact, I in some ways what isn’t said is more telling than what is said. Take the comments of “truthdottcom” from “Choose This Day” as an example.

This shows two very different responses from non-members. Castheman1050 is a non-member but appreciates the message and draws a lot of similarities between Catholicism and Mormonism. Out of all the comments from non-members this kind is the most common and gains the most “likes”. For the video “Choose This Day” The two top comments are from non-members one from a Buddhist that got 115 likes and Castheman1050’s comment with 74 likes. Most people are kind, loving, and open albeit sometimes heavily misinformed. Even though the focuses of my study are the non-members who are more critical, it’s important to not forget the goodness.

Through Truthdottcom’s  reaction to Castheman1050’s comment we see two contrasting ends of the spectrum. Truthdottcom brings up the issues quite frequently brought forth in Anti-Mormon literature and evangelical campaigns against the LDS (and apparently Islam and Jehovah’s Witness as well) He received one response, but it is difficult to judge whether the responder was LDS or not and received 0 likes. As I pointed out last week the juvenile or outright vicious comments don’t get much of a response, especially those who don’t ask a question.

A major finding of my case study has been: if you want an answer, then ask a question. It seems really simple but it is something I had overlooked before. I attributed the lack of response to the aggressiveness of the comment and did not even realise that those comments that were very vicious or juvenile usually had no question attached. Even the questions that had elements of criticism or accusation tied into them received answers. The doctrine is not secret, and members are very willing teach others about it.

Questions are important because they give members an opportunity to share the gospel. What is at the centre of every LDS response to non-member comments has been focused on proselytizing and directing people to the Book of Mormon.

I had concluded last week that the comments from the Book of Mormon video did not show a better understanding of the Church and I stand by that but if we look at it from a different angel, from an angle of who is more open to learning more about the Church instead of  who already knows more about the church it is different. Going back to the example of truthdottcom v. Castheman1050 neither show a willingness to learn more. By assuming that Catholicism and Mormonism are basically the same Castheman1050 shows just as much willingness to learn more about the Gospel as truthdottcom. Though some were a rudely framed, the questions from the video of Holland’s testimony of the Book of Mormon opened the door to let members teach.

There has been a huge push for missionary work in the church. This time last year at General Conference President Monson announced a lowering of missionary age. Males would be eligible at 18 (down from 19) and females at 19 (down from 21). This summer it was announced that Missionaries would be able to use Social Media on their missions and members are also encouraged to be more outgoing in sharing the gospel online.

My case study has evolved a bit from when I started and I’ve been looking more at the responses of members to non-member comments in general and not just those that seem anti. How do members share their faith and encourage others in the gospel through YouTube.

I will continue my research next week by looking at a Mormon Messages video from the Prophet. This time,  instead of looking at a video that delves deeper into doctrine and it's effect on the openness of non-members, I will instead focus on the impact of a video that pulls from higher authority.