Posts tagged LDS
New Horror Flick ‘Heretic’ Is More Religion-Friendly Than You’d Imagine

(REVIEW) It appears at first glance that “Heretic” is using religion merely as a springboard for horror, as movies often do. But “Heretic” has much more on offer, making for a surprisingly thoughtful and in-depth study about the nature of religion and faith. 

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Could These Schemes Save The American Newspaper Industry?

(ANALYSIS) A thumbsucker on the news business could review all those disheartening statistics about dying dailies and weeklies, declining ad and circulation income and shrinking newsroom staffs — all of which have escalated since the 21st century dawned.

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As Russell M. Nelson Turns 100, A Look Back At One Of The Words That Define His Legacy

(ANALYSIS) On Monday, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will host a broadcast to celebrate the “life and teachings” of Russell M. Nelson, its president and prophet. One of his initiatives made an impact that rippled far beyond the church. In 2018, he surprised observers by declaring the use of the word “Mormon” a “major victory for Satan.”

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Hollywood Offers Harmful And Misleading Latter-day Saints Portrayals

(OPINION) Hulu is releasing a docuseries in September called “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” and Hollywood is releasing a film called “Heretic” in mid-November. The Hulu series might attract voyeur types, but I’m hoping that more discriminating viewers will be repulsed by the sensational immorality featured in the program.

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Latter-Day Saints Come To Terms With The 126-Year Racial Barrier

(ANALYSIS) Extraordinary. That’s the word for “Second-Class Saints: Black Mormons and the Struggle for Racial Equality,” a 2024 book-of-the-year candidate written by Colorado State University historian Matthew L. Harris. He analyzes the restrictions that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints imposed upon members of Black African ancestry between 1852 and 1978, an issue that extended into the 21st century. 

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‘Motorhome Prophecies’ Highlights Some Of The World’s Most Pressing Social Challenges

(REVIEW) Carrie Sheffield is an accomplished Harvard-trained journalist and political commentator, but even though she’s written elsewhere about being raised by an abusive self-proclaimed Mormon prophet, I doubt that most of her fans and followers are aware of just how brutal her story really is. This remarkable memoir illuminates some of our most pressing social challenges with forthrightness, grace, and hope that can be missing in other memoirs often fueled by resentment and anger.

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‘Cult’ Classics: Best Documentaries Now Streaming About New Religious Movements  

There’s no denying the popularity of true crime media in the non-fiction genre. In addition to shows and novels, true crime makes up a massive portion of the podcast market and fuels content creation on social media.  Though there are more than a few ethical concerns that come with recounting the most gruesome details of crimes for a rapt audience, demand for this type of content is high — and there’s no shortage of it.

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LDS Lawsuits Raise Questions Over Mormon Tithing: Can Churches Invest Funds Members Believe Are For Charity?

(ANALYSIS) Three men have filed a lawsuit against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – also known as the LDS or Mormon church – and its investment arm, Ensign Peak Advisors, Inc. The men, at least one of whom remains an active member of the church, according to the lawsuit, allege that the church had fraudulently induced them into making donations.

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Behind Latter-Day Saint Church’s Wealth Are 2 Centuries Of Hits And Misses

(ANALYSIS) Revelations regarding The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ finances have raised questions concerning the ethics of a religious organization amassing such a large amount of wealth, and how it is balanced with charitable giving. But headlines often overlook the long and surprising history of the modern church’s financial success — as well as the continued anxiety surrounding its economic reserves.

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LDS Church And Investment Fund To Pay $5 Million To SEC For Failing To Disclose Equity Investments

The Securities and Exchange Commission announced Ensign Peak Advisers Inc. and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints agreed to pay $5 million in penalties to settle charges against the investment fund operating inside the nonprofit entity of the church.

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Whistleblower Details New Allegations About $100 Billion LDS Fund

A former employee of a $100 billion investment fund owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has submitted a memorandum to the U.S. Senate Finance Committee about the operations of the Salt Lake City, Utah, based Ensign Peak Advisors Inc. The 90-page memorandum obtained by ReligionUnplugged.com “summarizes evidence of false statements, systematic accounting fraud, private inurement violations of the Internal Revenue Code and other federal statutes and a ‘Klein conspiracy’ by Ensign Peak Advisors, Inc. (‘EPA’) and others.”

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A Literary Mystery: Who Wrote The Erotic Novel That Grapples With Fundamentalist Beliefs?

A new novel “Corinne” is an erotic romance that follows the life of a woman who was cast out of her fundamentalist religious group and, later, is brought back in contact with them. The book was published under a pseudonym, which has raised questions about who the author of the book may be. Suggestions include Stephanie Meyer of the “Twilight” series and others.

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Paradise On Wheels: Exploring Religious Oahu From The Mountain To The Sea

We visited one of the first churches in downtown Honolulu — Kawaiahao Church — that was made from white corral and dedicated in 1842. Nicknamed the “Westminster Abbey of the Pacific,” the church offers services in Hawaiian and English each Sunday. Unfortunately, my trip was from a Monday to Saturday, which meant I wouldn’t be able to visit a service. Everywhere we went in downtown and on the outskirts of Honolulu seemed infused with Houses of Worship and spiritual meaning.

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A Visit To The Latter-day Saints ‘Wizard of Oz’ Temple in Washington, DC

(ANALYSIS) One of the most sacred places in the Latter-day Saints temple in Washington is the Celestial Room on the sixth floor, where people come, sit quietly and pray. The Mormon leaders say this is a place to “feel close to and commune with God.” There are no ceremonies in this space.

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Ex-FLDS Women Describe Horrific Loss Of Freedom, Eventual Escape In ‘Keep Sweet’

“Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey” tells the story of Warren Jeffs’ rise in the FLDS church after the death of his father Rulon and the way women were treated as property under the practice of polygamy. ReligionUnplugged.com talked to Rachel Dretzin about the series and why she focused on the heart-wrenching stories of women who left the church.

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Andrew Garfield, Deconstructionist Extraordinaire: A Look At The Actor’s Faith-Based Roles

Andrew Garfield is a beloved actor of his generation, known for playing Spider-Man in the franchise’s first reboot and Eduardo Saverin in “The Social Network.” The majority of roles in his career have involved playing devout religious characters. We’ve taken a look back at the major ones.

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A Cloud Of Mystery Remains Over Whistleblower Complaint Against LDS Church

In response to reporting by ReligionUnplugged.com and The Washington Post in 2019, a prominent former LDS Church member filed a federal lawsuit last week against the LDS Church seeking to regain more than $5 million in tithing he gave the church. The 2019 reports exposed that the LDS Church had amassed a $100 billion secret investment firm and used member tithes without their knowledge. The IRS has not confirmed whether it is investigating the church.

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In True Crime Series 'Murder Among the Mormons,' LDS Church Reckons with Rewritten History

(REVIEW) New true crime series “Murder Among the Mormons” tells the story of 1985 Salt Lake City bombings connected to the LDS Church.

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A Slightly More Transparent LDS Church One Year After News Of A $100 Billion Fund

Ensign Peak Advisors, the investment firm connected to the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter-Day Saints, started filing a quarterly 13F form on Feb. 14, 2010, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which regulates publicly traded companies and other financial firms. Its initial filing revealed EPA had $38 billion in stocks and mutual funds at the end of 2019, including $1.5 billion in Apple and Microsoft. The firm had nearly $1 billion worth of shares in Amazon and Google’s parent company, Alphabet, as well.

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5 Interfaith Leaders Answer: Does Faith Conflict With Science During COVID-19?

The Ahmaddiya Muslim community in Alberta, Canada hosted its annual World Religions Conference last night. Faith leaders gathered to discuss one big question: whether faith is at odds with the science of COVID-19. Here’s their top insights.

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