Petitioning New York Times: Rewrite Thomas Monson Obituary

[Latter-day Patriot]

There is a petition currently gaining a tremendous amount of momentum to have the New York Times rewrite the one-sided obituary they published about President Monson. Please take a second to sign the petition if you feel so inclined (you can opt to sign anonymously). Also, share it with anyone who may be interested. Take the time to read some of the signers' comments as well.

I, personally, think this is important.

https://www.change.org/p/new-york-times ... /537486107

[mes5464]

I didn't notice anything in the obituary that wasn't true. Furthermore, the petition doesn't suggest any specific changes. While the petitioners think the obituary is negative, I find it refreshing as it accentuates the church's position of support for traditional marriage, the sin of homosexuality, and men holding the priesthood.

[Fiannan]

Ben Shapiro's recent article should be enough for Mormons to never trust the New York Times ever again:

https://www.dailywire.com/news/25411/ne ... en-shapiro

[Fiannan]

I didn't notice anything in the obituary that wasn't true. Furthermore, the petition doesn't suggest any specific changes. While the petitioners think the obituary is negative, I find it refreshing as it accentuates the church's position of support for traditional marriage, the sin of homosexuality, and men holding the priesthood.

Obituary for Moses if the New York Times had been around:

"Lawbreaker and murderer Moses died yesterday in the desert at age 120. While raised in a life of privilege and luxury he turned against his adopted family and their traditions by murdering a peace officer. While shown clemency by the Pharaoh and exiled rather than executed he became more entrenched in his cultist devotion to the people who abandoned him at birth and returned to exact revenge on Egyptian society. Upon ripping people away from a relatively peaceful existence within society and marching thousands to their deaths due to starvation and plague he undertook a series of genocidal wars against indigenous peoples in the region."

All literally true as well.

[mes5464]

I liked the article by Ben Shapiro.

When I read the NTY's obituary about the prophet, I admit it is trying to be negative, but we can turn that around a stand a little taller and say, "you are right! He didn't give in on any of those topics". President Monson's record is one to be proud of, even if they are trying to make it sound bad.

[LeastDisplayOfMind]

I liked the article by Ben Shapiro.

When I read the NTY's obituary about the prophet, I admit it is trying to be negative, but we can turn that around a stand a little taller and say, "you are right! He didn't give in on any of those topics". President Monson's record is one to be proud of, even if they are trying to make it sound bad.

The offense is that the NYT -- and NPR, I might add -- used the death of our beloved prophet to attack his good name and our faith. It appears that most members interpreted it similarly. That's all that matters.

People eulogize their friends and demonize their enemies. The maltreatment of President Monson's passing is a wake-up call for less political and liberal members of our church that the MSM despises us for our core beliefs about family and eternal order. I have had conversations with two liberal, millennial mormons who are suddenly very interested in hearing my perspective on politics and modern American culture. I expect my friends are not the only two members for whom this may represent a turning point.

Another angle to consider is that Trump has earned some goodwill with mormons, arguably the most anti-trump conservative constituency, after tweeting this reaction. It was certainly written by a staffer, perhaps even Rob Porter, but it is respectful of what his passing means to Mormons while the MSM are using it to write yet another hit piece against our faith. This won't be forgotten, and will probably pay dividends in 2020.

All that said, I won't sign this petition. First of all, I don't engage in slacktivism. The NYT is not going to change their obit regardless of the petition's success. More importantly, am not going to hand my private info over to progressive corporations like change.org. They can rot.

[gardener4life]

I didn't notice anything in the obituary that wasn't true. Furthermore, the petition doesn't suggest any specific changes. While the petitioners think the obituary is negative, I find it refreshing as it accentuates the church's position of support for traditional marriage, the sin of homosexuality, and men holding the priesthood.

Obituary for Moses if the New York Times had been around:

"Lawbreaker and murderer Moses died yesterday in the desert at age 120. While raised in a life of privilege and luxury he turned against his adopted family and their traditions by murdering a peace officer. While shown clemency by the Pharaoh and exiled rather than executed he became more entrenched in his cultist devotion to the people who abandoned him at birth and returned to exact revenge on Egyptian society. Upon ripping people away from a relatively peaceful existence within society and marching thousands to their deaths due to starvation and plague he undertook a series of genocidal wars against indigenous peoples in the region."

All literally true as well.

This was clever and funny. Thumbs up.

Except for one line. I don't like that you said it was literally true. You do have to consider the 'hate venom' factor and extreme bias as no longer true. You are a nice guy and I'm just pointing this out for sake of what I see in society. If you have correct facts but do have hate or 'venom' against someone then it's still not true even if you get the facts straight because people are led to believe that person is a villain.

I know you were showing a point. So don't worry this isn't because of what you did. But in schools I noticed they think hey its right if you have the facts straight even if you are teaching someone to villainize someone. One of the reasons I was bringing this up was how recently a few months ago people were taking down George Washington statues back east because 'he's a slaveowner'. Abraham Lincoln statues were also targetted and a few others. All in the name of...well the facts are true Washington was a slave owner so let's get rid of anything good now for a few haters.

[Bronco73idi]

I'm sorry but I laughed at the issues they have with our beloved prophet, let the world know!! If you don't stand for something you will fall for anything or everything!!

[LeastDisplayOfMind]

The outrage has prompted a response. True to form, they claim innocence and double down. Excerpts:

"I think the obituary was a faithful accounting of the more prominent issues that Mr. Monson encountered and dealt with publicly during his tenure. Some of these matters — the role of women in the church, the church’s policy toward homosexuality and same-sex marriage, and more — were widely publicized and discussed, and it’s our obligation as journalists, whether in an obituary or elsewhere, to fully air these issues from both sides."

How they can claim "both sides" were well represented with is beyond me. Faithful perspectives were absent for most every issue brought up. They are either deeeeeeep in the liberal bubble, or they are trying to cover their tracks.

"I think we also gave due credit to Mr. Monson’s achievements: his openness to new work by scholars of the church, “allowing them,” as we said, “remarkable access to church records”; his expansion of the church’s global missionary force and his doubling the number of young women in the missionary ranks; and his embracing humanitarian causes, often in collaboration with Jewish, Muslim and other Christian groups."

Note that they do not include holding fast to our doctrines despite liberal antagonism as an achievement.

"We’re not in the business of paying tribute. We’re journalists first and foremost."

Again, I am not sure if these folks actually believe they are being objective "journalists" or if that is just their cover. Thoughts?

"We also understand that these audiences [mormons, in this case] will be more sensitive than most to how we portray someone known to them. Some may have an agenda of some kind, wanting us to portray someone as they want that person to be remembered, perhaps in a light that best serves their interests. We can’t bend to that, of course. We have to let the facts of the life paint the picture. In my experience, when we do that fairly and accurately, there are few complaints."

This might be my favorite part. Almost sounds as if they are finally admitting bias and inaccuracy.

[gardener4life]

You know it's ironic. This is the Last Days OF the Last Days. Think about that and what it means. Can we expect any less?

And when the events that bridge the gap between the last days and the Millenium and the cleaning up in between. This will show exactly where those people stand. It will be a testimony against them that their acts are works of darkness and not good fruits of the vineyard.

Their words are full of lies. Like others, the scriptures say it will be to their shame on the judgment. The words of Nephi in the Book of Mormon come to mind, "...and Jeremiah have they cast into prison..." Look what happened to them after that. If they villainize and persecute the prophets their doom is fixed. Economic murder and killing someone's reputation and character are every bit persecution as the more traditional forms.

[Fiannan]

Except for one line. I don't like that you said it was literally true. You do have to consider the 'hate venom' factor and extreme bias as no longer true. You are a nice guy and I'm just pointing this out for sake of what I see in society. If you have correct facts but do have hate or 'venom' against someone then it's still not true even if you get the facts straight because people are led to believe that person is a villain.

Actually it is literally true what I wrote about Moses...if someone wants to employ the apparent NYTs method of reporting.

And if you think the members of the elite, especially the media, like Mormons then you are mistaken. We are villains as we reject the agenda they are trying to impose on all of western society. We can try to pretend they like us, but you may as well cuddle up with a scorpion and pretend he is your friend since maybe he hasn't stung you yet.

[Rand]

"We’re not in the business of paying tribute. We’re journalists first and foremost."

If the Times writers are journalists first and foremost, they should do it more often and more consistently then. The were not so journalistic with Castro and others of his ilk.

[Fiannan]

"We’re not in the business of paying tribute. We’re journalists first and foremost."

If the Times writers are journalists first and foremost, they should do it more often and more consistently then. The were not so journalistic with Castro and others of his ilk.

More like propagandists nowadays. No respect for NYTs.

[Original_Intent]

I'm against the petition. Let the current obit stand and condemn the author and the editors who allowed it to be published.

A petition would just be forcing them to be decent, and I'd rather their true and un-coerced position be allowed to stand.

[gardener4life]

"We’re not in the business of paying tribute. We’re journalists first and foremost."

If the Times writers are journalists first and foremost, they should do it more often and more consistently then. The were not so journalistic with Castro and others of his ilk.

"We're not in the business of paying tribute, BUT instead receiving TRIBUTE and bribes for the highest bidder..." is what I think that is partly saying. We're receiving the things of Caesar for liberals first and foremost."

[Sunain]

I don't agree with the tactics or the way they wrote the obituary but this does tell me one thing, that there are a lot of people that dislike the gospels teachings that a Prophet of God teaches. Jesus was disliked by the world and in-turn so was President Monson, so in my mind, we're on the right track!

Another article on the subject if you guys want to read. Not very flattering but it shows what the world is currently thinking.
https://newrepublic.com/article/146589/ ... isis-faith

The media is really trying to paint religion as a bad thing. Satan is working overtime!