tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6428079.post116031798996346180..comments2023-11-05T04:48:40.828-07:00Comments on Mormon Chronicles: Net must deal with 'Joseph' questionClair Barrushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11537853381222533640noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6428079.post-20616575435136548642007-12-16T14:02:00.000-07:002007-12-16T14:02:00.000-07:00The number of "pro"-LDS sites decreased dramatical...The number of "pro"-LDS sites decreased dramatically when the church implemented a policy that eliminated most existing pro-LDS sites.<BR/>All local ward and stake sites were shut down as well as many other<BR/>home-brewed sites. In some instances, friendly sites were contacted<BR/>by the church's legal department. The effect of that policy was to<BR/>shift the number of pro-voices down, and give dominance to more<BR/>critical voices.<BR/><BR/>What replaced those sites was lds.org and a few other officially<BR/>sponsored websites. While the church has done a good job marketing<BR/>themselves on the internet (such as crafting it's sites to make sure<BR/>the they make it nearly to the top of certain google queries, or<BR/>providing excellent genealogy services, or providing tools that<BR/>provide a basic, correlated understanding of the church) it does not<BR/>provide the kind of information many are looking for.<BR/><BR/>As Jeffery Nielson put it last week in his Tribune Editorial, " We can<BR/>no longer afford to teach only what is useful and hope people won't<BR/>discover what is true. In this day of easy Internet access, a person<BR/>can find more real history of the LDS Church in 30 minutes online than<BR/>the same person would in a lifetime studying approved church<BR/>materials."<BR/><BR/>Who can trust that the church will give a complete view of Joseph<BR/>Smith (for example)? If the church is not willing to provide a<BR/>complete view of him, people will search elsewhere to those who are<BR/>willing to fully disclose his life, (or other aspects of the church).<BR/>Nielson's plea for more openness is needed if church's materials are<BR/>to be taken seriously by those who would rigorously investigate the<BR/>church.<BR/><BR/>Not too long ago, the church of Scientology church tried to control<BR/>information on the internet and began suing individuals who were<BR/>divulging information they were not comfortable with. I suspect their<BR/>efforts were futile in the face of the power of the internet. Just as<BR/>protestantism was able to successfully "protest" against the catholic<BR/>church because of the power of the printing press, the internet will<BR/>not allow the control or partial disclosure of information.<BR/>Maintaining an image through the control of information or obscurity<BR/>is no longer an option.<BR/><BR/>I suspect the church may need to change it's approach as internet<BR/>usage continues to increase, particularly among the younger generation<BR/>and foreign countries. Controlled, "correlated" information is no<BR/>longer be the sole source of information people receive about the<BR/>church. The gap between what is learned at church and what is found on<BR/>the internet is too wide. The church must shift it's approach to<BR/>accommodate a more full view of the church's history and the it's<BR/>issues, IMHO.Clair Barrushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11537853381222533640noreply@blogger.com