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The Church Newsroom has published an excellent response to Kenneth Woodward’s unhelpful op-ed in Monday’s NY Times answering some of its curious claims such as our “clannishness†and being “secretive.”Â
Although I thought Woodward’s article did more to add to the confusion, the Church’s release artfully uses his piece to emphasize that the best way to evaluate its effect on politics is to “review the church’s record.”Â
As frustrating as the constant rehashing of the “Mormon Moment” has been, I believe that the Church and the public at large will be better off for it. Although it won’t be easy or come soon.Â
As the release (charitably) interprets Woodward’s conclusion:
He seems to be suggesting, at least in this case, that fears and concerns will work out with experience, accurate information and patience
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12 April 2007 at 1:08 pm
Dave
That’s a nice response at the LDS site. It seems like there is a new willingness to respond directly to misleading or merely uninformed public commentary on the Church. But I expected a little better from Woodward. He really sounded out of touch when talking informally about the LDS Church in the the Hewitt interview. It shows how effectively good media writers can paper over their ignorance on a particular topic by using stereotypes, generalities, and platitutdes to fill in a story. Facts? Empirical data? That’s someone else’s problem.
12 April 2007 at 1:25 pm
David
Very well said, Dave.
I agree that the Church is showing a greater willingness to respond, even with an editorial of its own.
And I got the same sense from the Woodward interview. He typified the old media reporter who was didn’t like to be challenged and seemed satisfied that his views were legitimate because he merely said so. Although I give him credit for at least being willing to be interviewed. That is more than many.
It’s unfortunate that his prominence allowed him access to the NY Times Op-Ed page to carry on his lazy opinions.
But as the Church’s response concludes, it should get better with patience and some effiort.
12 April 2007 at 1:28 pm
APJ
It seems like the LDS response to Woodward’s article was to largely agree with him. I thought the article was well done. It had a generally positive message (Romney, for better or worse, is going to have to address this, simply because so many people consider his religion a negative), but was dealing with the reality that many people distrust Mormons, as shown by poll numbers (empirical data, anyone?). Living in a largely non-LDS area of the country, I agree generally that those 3 things he mentions (clannishness, different vocabulary, and loyalty to leaders), in addition to general ignorance (and we always fear the unknown), are pretty common for non-members, from my anecdoctal experience. To me, it is a sad commentary that so many LDS bloggers are so quick to get defensive about this article, and shows that the persecution complex has long outlasted the persecution of the Saints. Frankly, it was refreshing to see an outsider address more than just the soundbytes that are typical when addressing “Romney’s Mormonism,” and do so in a respectful way that also addresses the reality of the situation, i.e., people’s perceptions and prejudices.