Religion and Social Media Survey

Friends,

Did you know I am working on one of the biggest, most important, and most challenging projects I've ever set out on?
It's true. I've been thinking about it for ages now, and have been making many small wheels in motion, and have recently gone public with my huge project.
I'm writing a [non-fiction] book on how religion is shared and received via social media. This book is requiring a ton of research, documentation,and writing. It's an exciting challenge for me to write something like this without someone else holding me accountable. (I write pretty tough e-books for my employer that require research and documentation all the time. But I've got a lot of people holding me accountable for that.) This one is all on me, if I want to make it happen.
I'm sure we've all seen some really bad uses of social media to share religious (or political) views. And you may have even seen some good uses of it. But I have this theory that a lot of people think they are doing excellent missionary work, or evangelizing, when really they are just preaching to the choir, whilst alienating their target audience.
I'm not setting out on this project just to point out all the annoying and bad uses of social media (think Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest primarily), but also to help educate and improve the use of social media. If you really want to evangelize and get your message to the right audience, there are certain things you need to be doing. And I want to write that book that helps teach those important things.
But I also think there is a lot to be said for just analyzing and understand why people do what they do on social networks. I think there will probably be some really fascinating statistics out there on this subject.
But here's the problem- there aren't any really fascinating, professional studies done yet. I've found some very biased and sponsored studies that don't prove anything. But no one has done the research I need (yet).
So I'm doing it myself.
I've started my own semi-professional survey on how people are, or in many cases are not, using social media to share their beliefs, and how other people perceive and receive those efforts.
I invite you to take my survey on social media and religion - even if you've never tweeted, Facebooked, or pinned in your life. All users and non-users are relevant here.
I won't be closing the survey until I've received over 1,000 responses. (And I've only barely broken 100 so far.)
Please feel free to share the survey everywhere and anywhere, if you feel so inclined. The more diverse the responses, the better.
Click here to take the survey - https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ReligionSocialMedia

I really do appreciate any and all responses to the survey. It is completely anonymous, although there are some important demographic questions in it.

If you still need some convincing think of this way- if you have ever unfollowed or unfriended someone online because they post too many annoying things about their religious view (or political - much of this will apply both ways) online, this new book and project could help eliminate that. But first I need more data and insights into how and why people say and share what they do online.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ReligionSocialMedia

Russia v. US

Vladimir Putin wrote an op-ed for The New York Times regarding the "conflict" in Syria.

This has been met with some very mixed reactions, including one member of Congress to say it made him "sick to his stomach" to read it. 

Putin attempts to remind and school Americans about diplomacy, what the Pope thinks, and almost inexplicably- democracy.
 
He goes on to say, "We need to use the United Nations Security Council and believe that preserving law and order in today’s complex and turbulent world is one of the few ways to keep international relations from sliding into chaos. The law is still the law, and we must follow it whether we like it or not. Under current international law, force is permitted only in self-defense or by the decision of the Security Council. Anything else is unacceptable under the United Nations Charter and would constitute an act of aggression. "

Vladimir Putin is telling Americans to follow current international law?!?

But before you start to think the man has a point, he then continues on to say that yes, gas was used on the Syrian people, but not by Assad's regime. He suggests the rebels did it to themselves to invoke sympathy.

And then this "former" KGB hack makes this gem of a statement, "force has proved ineffective and pointless."

And don't miss the part where on 9/11 Vladimir Putin in all sincerity asks Americans to recall the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"The world reacts by asking: if you cannot count on international law, then you must find other ways to ensure your security. Thus a growing number of countries seek to acquire weapons of mass destruction. This is logical: if you have the bomb, no one will touch you."

Be sure to stay to the end, where Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, former KGB agent, the man who turned off gas to his own people in the middle of a freezing winter, possible Chechnyan war criminal, persecutor of gays, and human minotaur, says in response to President Obama's address to the nation:

And I would rather disagree with a case he made on American exceptionalism, stating that the United States’ policy is “what makes America different. It’s what makes us exceptional.” It is extremely dangerous to encourage people to see themselves as exceptional, whatever the motivation. There are big countries and small countries, rich and poor, those with long democratic traditions and those still finding their way to democracy. Their policies differ, too. We are all different, but when we ask for the Lord’s blessings, we must not forget that God created us equal.

Again, "it is extremely dangerous to encourage people to see themselves as exceptional."

And that, my friends, is what defines the difference between Russia and America.

Now I understand why the congressman was sick to his stomach.

Do you know what a "looming fiscal cliff" is and why it is important?

So the question of the day is, how many of you know what "Taxmageddon" or the "fiscal cliff" really means? It is a word that has been tossed about in the news media for nearly 6 months now. Has it just sounded like a scary word about taxes? Or do you know what it actually means? 

In my new novel, "You Heard It Here First," the main character, Haley, finds herself in the middle of a political scandal regarding taxes. When I wrote it- more than 6 months ago- I had never heard the terms "fiscal cliff" or  "taxmageddon." You can only imagine my surprise when I began to research those terms a few weeks ago, and discovered that the completely fictitious storyline in my book, is actually a real life scenario right now (minus the political subterfuge and bad guys plot). 

Just like my character in the book, I'm starting to see a need more and more for women to learn and understand financial responsibility. I wrote a blog piece for the Motley Fool ("5 Ways to Protect Yourself from the Looming Fiscal Cliff") that hopefully explains what is going on right now, and why it is so important. And hopefully I wrote it in plain enough language that anyone could follow along.

Normally I just post pieces and say, hey, go check out my latest article! But today I'm going to ask you to check it out because I really do believe it is important to understand. The "fiscal cliff" or "taxmageddon" (which, btw, are the same thing) is not only very real, it is a very real threat to you personally, and to the economy. And once you understand the reality and severity of the situation, you'll see why those 2 names are not just for dramatic effect. The potential fallout of the current situation really would be a financial Armageddon!

Famous for Being Mormon? Or a Famous Mormon?

I'm starting to get a little tired of how the media and non-Mormons out there assume and pronounce that Mitt and Ann Romney are important to Mormons.

This is the line that got me going, "Ann Romney is now the most famous Mormon on Pinterest—but far from the first." It came from Gawker.com "Why Do Mormons, Including Mitt Romney's Wife, Love Pinterest?"**
 
Um, first, let's start with the obvious. A lot more people than just Mormons like Pinterest. Second, is it our fault if we were there first? Trust me, knowing social media like I do, if I wanted to launch a social networking site, I'd try and get the incredibly social and networked Mormons into it too!

Last week a Nobel-laureate Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel got in an uproar over baptisms for the dead. I'm not going to discuss the actual issue over what happened. I'm just going to jump to the stupid thing that he said. He demanded that Mitt Romney do something about it. He said that since Mitt Romney is an influential Mormon, he should make the church stop. The parts where that is so not how a religion operates, and how God is at the head of the Church, and we take orders from him, and not angry rabbis or Mitt Romney aside, this irritated me to no end. Mitt Romney is a famous politician who happens to be Mormon. And yes, right now, he is famous to Mormons. And he is also a famous Mormon. But guess what he's not? Important as a Mormon. (I wonder how Elie Wiesel would feel if I demanded that Ben Stiller or Adam Sandler tell Jerusalem that Jews should start eating bacon now because there are pig farmers not making enough money? Because quite frankly, it IS an equal comparison.)

Also, he's not a famous Mormon to Mormons. This is getting harder and harder to explain. Yes, many, not all, but many Mormons really like him right now. But we don't look to him AT ALL as a religious leader. In fact, if he were to go on a nutter and suddenly make announcements to or on behalf of Mormons, I can promise you here and now, Mormons would turn their backs on him in a heartbeat.

I've heard the media more than once point out that Romney was once a member of the church "hierarchy," because he was a stake president and bishop. How insignificant is that to us? There are 28,660 bishops worldwide right now, and roughly 4,095 stake presidents. So no, we the real Mormons, don't think of him as hierarchy, not at all.

Is Ann Romney important to us? I bet most Mormons couldn't identify a picture of her standing alone. No, she is not that important to us. Is she important to Romney for President fans? Absolutely. But she's no one to Mormons.

Who is important to Mormons? I can tell you that if Frances Monson started a Pinterest account, every Mormon housewife with a computer would follow her. And if Sherri Dew kept a blog, a lot of us would read it. But I seriously doubt Gawker.com know who either of those women are.

It may be one of the best things about Mormons really- we don't celebrity worship. Sure, we have a soft spot for Jimmer and Donny Osmond. But we don't take our spiritual cues from them. We put God at the head of our church, and only God. And we don't apologize for that. Ever.





**One thing that REALLY bugs me about that article is actually in the header image for it. In theory, they are all pictures of things interesting or related to Mormons. The SLC Temple, Ann Romney, Christ, Shawn Bradley (what? Jimmer was too cool?), a french braid drawing (what? they couldn't get on pinterest for 2 seconds and at least pull a picture of the 50 ways to braid your hair using socks and chopsticks?), and in the top corner a picture of girls in Wholesome Swimwear. Yes, wholesome swimwear, something I never, not once, seen a Mormon wear. Wholesome Swimwear was made notorious a few years back when the Duggar Family was seen wearing it. And I think both the Duggars and most Mormons would like to make it clear, the Duggars are not Mormon. 
But back to the picture- seriously? A boring french braid and wholesome swimwear? Way to try and make us look like the FLDS. And way to go, writer, for not knowing the difference.

Sometimes I think Chuck Norris would make a better POTUS

I think this will be one of the few times I put up a clip of Obama. (I just don't find him inspiring or charismatic enough to repeat him. Ever.) But this one was just too good. I love the Lolly Pop Guild at the end.
Also, I find it totally unclassy that in a public interview the POTUS sais "ass to kick." Seriously, I have a hard time with that guy being a role model and world leader. Think it, just don't say it.

What I Don't Get

In today's Washington Post there is a quick recap of the John Bloxham conviction for murdering Todd Rogers. You can read it here. It is actually on page 2 of the recap.

On that same page there is a recap of the conviction of a man who murdered a cab driver. He received a 73 year sentence for first degree murder. Presumably robbing and murdering a cab driver, is not pre-meditated. (For those who are about to argue that he brought a weapon, and therefore it is pre-meditated, please stop and realize that pre-meditation requires intent to kill a specific person in a specific way. Presumably, he did not specifically target this exact cab driver.)

But John was only given 35 years for what was an elaborately planned and executed plot over several months to stalk, slander, libel, and eventually murder. It was most certainly pre-meditated.

Does this bother anyone else? One person gets 73 years for what is perceived to be a crime of selfish convenience, while the person who set out with an agenda to ruin lives for selfish jealousy, only gets 35?

What Web 2.0 Technology Do You Have to Have?

My new job requires that I use a lot of Web 2.0 technology that I had only passingly experienced before. Some technology, such as RSS feeds, Google Blog Search, Technorati, and a few others I was already dependent on. But in the past month I've learned to love Del.icio.us, Google Page Rank, Google Analytics, and others as well. Oh, and Facebook is my new best friend. I live on Facebook. (And you are all welcome to add me on there! Just know that I use it for work and you will get invites to support my clients. And that I will eat you on the Oregon Trail and beat you at Scrabilous. Just ask me for my screenname in the comments section below, and I'll "moderate" it later.)

So I want to know- what technology, sites, widgets, buttons, gadgets, etc., can you not live without? What do you have to have? I need to expand my horizons and I'd love to know what you use.

Digg? Sphere it? (also one of my new favorites) MySpace? Classmates? What about news feeds? Who do you love? Where do you find new blogs? And how often do you click on banner ads or Google ads?

Lawrence O'Donnell, Hatred, Big Love, McLaughlin, Pat Buchanan, and Mormons

Simply put, I have a new and abiding fierce dislike for Lawrence O'Donnell. Who is Lawrence O'Donnell? Good question. He is a very liberal political commentator and analyst, and sometimes actor and TV show writer. He's currently a small character on Big Love. And apparently that is what makes him an expert on Mormons. He's played an attorney to a fake Mormon on TV. Education by HBO. God help us all.

To all you people who will find this blog today by way of Google and keywords, I am here to tell you, Mr. O'Donnell is full of crap. I am a Mormon and the man is off his rocker.
Watch this clip and you'll soon see why.



First and foremost, let me say this and correct his complete ignorance. Joseph Smith was in no way pro-slavery. Mormons are not racists. It is in no way our doctrine. Who are you going to believe, me- the actual Mormon, or the guy who plays one on TV?

Second, I am just a tiny bit annoyed at Pat Buchanan. I used to work for Pat. I know what a very good man he is. I also happen to be on a first name basis with his sister, Bay. I also worked for Bay Buchanan. She is one of my personal role models, and someone I look up to in every way. She's a Mormon convert of over 20 years. Her family, including her brother, are all devout Catholics. I am not surprised Bay has not been at the forefront of the Mormon debates lately, as she is the campaign manager for Tom Tancredo. But Pat does know a lot more about Mormons and while he did stand up a little for them, it bothers me that he didn't stand up more for them. Not that O'Donnell gave him much of a chance.

Third, if you want a real education about Mormons and Christianity, one of the best articles I have ever read on the subject ran in today's Washington Post On Faith section. It was entitled, "Are Mormons Christians?" And was written by an actual Mormon. Not just any Mormon, but by our church's public affairs office. In other words, someone who actually knows what to say and how to write. It is very well written and explains things beautifully. (Of course, I am a little biased.) If you want to know about Mormons, ASK A MORMON. (you may need a free registration/account with the Post to read that article.)