Americans views of Mormons Gallup poll

[MikeWaters]

It's true that SU wouldn't dare utter anything like unto anti-Semitism, but dang if he isn't like a pig in the slop when it comes to anti-Mormonism, where it is socially acceptable to sneer and mock them.

Like Jacob Weisberg.

The Jews had it right. I'm working on making anti-Mormon=anti-Semite.

[Detroitdad]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

This is quite possibly the stupidest thing I've seen written on this forum. Are you really incapable of reflecting that people might form perceptions of Mormons vs. Jews based on substantive facts rather than concerns about being perceived as bigoted?

How can one make the formation of a positive or negative impression of a group of people do so through substantive facts? By its very nature generalizing about a group of people is unrelated to substantive facts, based upon the lack of statistical significance of individual experience.

[YOhio]

Originally Posted by il Padrino Ute

A Jew is someone who practices Judaism, is it not? It's a religion. Just like Mormonism.

If I'm wrong, enlighten me.

Here are some fun facts to help enlighten you.

http://www.churchhopping.com/gods-chosen-people/


If you need more understanding of Jews, turn your television to either TBS or your local Fox affiliate any time after 9:00 p.m. to see how a young, single, Jewish man in NYC lives.

[YOhio]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

The Jews had it right. I'm working on making anti-Mormon=anti-Semite.

The Church should do commercials similar to the Geico caveman spots to emphasize our victimhood.

[Detroitdad]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

This is quite possibly the stupidest thing I've seen written on this forum. Are you really incapable of reflecting that people might form perceptions of Mormons vs. Jews based on substantive facts rather than concerns about being perceived as bigoted?

You will truthfully tell me that people report all of their prejudices? You think that everyone that who dislikes Jews will report it, knowing that voicing blanket dislike for Jews is racism? If so, then maybe there is no need for the Anti-defamation League or any other organization that monitors anit-Semitism.
There are a lot of people that privately hold racist and other bigoted attitudes, and yet, they don't like to tell other people about them because they are aware that it makes them look bad. In this same vein, Mormons and Muslims fall into a category that few people associate with racism or bigotry. So one need not lose face by saying "I don't like those people."

I will acknowledge that individual experience probably accounts for some of the difference. I cannot say how much, it may be a great deal. However, I am pretty suspicious of numbers such as these.

[SeattleUte]

There are real tangible reasons why people may think more highly of Judaism than Mormonism. Einstein was a Jew. A Jew invented the polio vaccine. Jews invented monotheism, gave us the Bible, Old Testament and New, public finance. Their culture is 3,000 years old. Jews have given us multiple Nobel Prize winners in literature, some of history's greatest composers and artists. In contrast, people here keep saying how they hate Mormon art and literature. Satruday's Warrior. In fact it is garbage pretty much without exception. Jews dominate the faculties at the world's finest universities, corporate board rooms, investment banks, movie studios, publishing houses, etc., etc., etc. I could go on and on and on. They in large part gave root to the culture that feeds you and nourishes you intellectually and spiritually and entertains you, and some of you here don't even know it!

Yes, there are countless reasons why somebody might rationally express a more favorable opinion of Jews than Mormons and not do it for fear of being called a bigot or because of bigotry.

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

It's true that SU wouldn't dare utter anything like unto anti-Semitism, but dang if he isn't like a pig in the slop when it comes to anti-Mormonism, where it is socially acceptable to sneer and mock them.

Like Jacob Weisberg.

The Jews had it right. I'm working on making anti-Mormon=anti-Semite.

I should be entitled to critique specific instances of Mormon bad behavior or lunacy or bad taste without being called anti-Mormon. Is it anti-Catholic to talk about the Inquisition or call the Shroud of Turin a fraud? I would critique Orthodox Judaism in much the same way. Your whines of victimhood don't impress me and your attempt to equate the persecution you purport to feel to Jews' suffering is really quite offensive.

I criticized Il Padrino and Detroit for assuming people rate Judaism higher than Mormonism because of peer pressure. I gave some objective reasons why people might think more highly of Judaism than Mormonism. Maybe instead of playing the victim card you should be reflecting about the source of some of those negative perceptions. I think we are seeing some evidence of it here.

[All-American]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

There are real tangible reasons why people may think more highly of Judaism than Mormonism. Einstein was a Jew. A Jew invented the polio vaccine. Jews invented monotheism, gave us the Bible, Old Testament and New, public finance. Their culture is 3,000 years old. Jews have given us multiple Nobel Prize winners in literature, some of history's greatest composers and artists. In contrast, people here keep saying how they hate Mormon art and literature. Satruday's Warrior. In fact it is garbage pretty much without exception. Jews dominate the faculties at the world's finest universities, corporate board rooms, investment banks, movie studios, publishing houses, etc., etc., etc. I could go on and on and on. They in large part gave root to the culture that feeds you and nourishes you intellectually and spiritually and entertains you, and some of you here don't even know it!

Yes, there are countless reasons why somebody might rationally express a more favorable opinion of Jews than Mormons and not do it for fear of being called a bigot or because of bigotry.

Hmm. A second ago, "Saturday's Warrior" was unfairly maligned. Now it is "garbage pretty much without exception."

Is bigotry acceptable so long as the group being discriminated hasn't earned exemption? Should we discriminate against gays, for example, because there aren't enough gay nobel prize winners or cultural gurus? Maybe you could tell us where the acceptable threshhold lies. Or better yet: why don't you admit that this particular discussion has nothing to do with reason or pertinent fact, but everything to do with your personal vendetta against the LDS Church?

Seattle, this isn't a good argument for you to get in.

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by All-American

Hmm. A second ago, "Saturday's Warrior" was unfairly maligned. Now it is "garbage pretty much without exception."

Is bigotry acceptable so long as the group being discriminated hasn't earned exemption? Should we discriminate against gays, for example, because there aren't enough gay nobel prize winners or cultural gurus? Maybe you could tell us where the acceptable threshhold lies. Or better yet: why don't you admit that this particular discussion has nothing to do with reason or pertinent fact, but everything to do with your personal vendetta against the LDS Church?

Seattle, this isn't a good argument for you to get in.

What incited this argument is the tawdry spectale of some here blaming these negative poll numbers for Mormons on a Jewish conspiracy. I'm trying to help, enlighten, educate.

Surely you caught the irony in my Saturday's Warrior thread.

[Detroitdad]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

There are real tangible reasons why people may think more highly of Judaism than Mormonism. Einstein was a Jew. A Jew invented the polio vaccine. Jews invented monotheism, gave us the Bible, Old Testament and New, public finance. Their culture is 3,000 years old. Jews have given us multiple Nobel Prize winners in literature, some of history's greatest composers and artists. In contrast, people here keep saying how they hate Mormon art and literature. Satruday's Warrior. In fact it is garbage pretty much without exception. Jews dominate the faculties at the world's finest universities, corporate board rooms, investment banks, movie studios, publishing houses, etc., etc., etc. I could go on and on and on. They in large part gave root to the culture that feeds you and nourishes you intellectually and spiritually and entertains you, and some of you here don't even know it!

Yes, there are countless reasons why somebody might rationally express a more favorable opinion of Jews than Mormons and not do it for fear of being called a bigot or because of bigotry.

Maybe I did not make myself clear, and if so I apologize. I do believe that people having a blanket dislike for Jews is both more prevalent, more virulent, and more dangerous. I also believe that these types of feelings are underreported for the above stated reasons.

I also think that many of the above reasons, whether they are true or not (what constitutes dominating, etc.) are reasons they are disliked by people, more than they are admired for their cultural achievement. My brother in law is jewish and he has given me this same argument, usually coupling it with the inferiority of Mormon culture. The argument has some merit, but I think that it fundamentally misjudges the depth of historical knowledge of the public at large, and the visceral nature of opinion formation.