Nuance Hoe claims missionaries now using bait-and-switch "we're Christian" tactics

[Kishkumen]

What a bunch of crap.

[drumdude]

Related to the recent change of Mormons using the cross:

What is this “recent change of Mormons using the cross” of which you speak?

You may or may not already be aware, but the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has evidently been working for some time to improve its presence or visibility on Google Maps. One of the items that was chosen to improve the “findability” of Latter-day Saint chapels and services was to join the broader Google Maps category of ‘Christian Churches’ instead of being in a category all by ourselves.
Why did the Church make this Google Map pin move?

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is interested in findability, and always has been. We want people to find us (whether online or in-person, and to worship and serve with us). We discovered that Google had assigned Latter-day Saint chapels a custom Google maps pin that featured Moroni as the icon, while all other Christian denominations are visually identified by a cross. This visual and categorical distinction was limiting our findability for those looking for a Christian church. We are, after all. a Christian Church. By making this distinction in Google maps, all meetinghouse map pins were changed or will be changed to a cross.

The hope is that those searching for Christian churches will have the opportunity to find the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

All Google Map locations are assigned a “primary category.” This category determines which icon is used on the marker that appears on the map. Google creates these icons and there is no process by which a request can be made to change it.

Many years ago, Google assigned a Moroni-themed marker to the category “Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” This icon was neither requested nor approved by the Church. Of the fifty-plus Christian denomination categories, ours was the only one that was not assigned a cross-themed marker. After a thorough analysis of search data, it was determined that this visual and categorical separation was limiting the visibility of Church meetinghouses in search results for terms like “churches near me” and “Christian churches near me.”

With the approval of the Church Communication Executive Committee, meetinghouses are now assigned the primary category “Christian church” to increase their findability, with “Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” and “Religious organization” as additional categories. As a result, the Google-assigned icon changed from Moroni to the cross.

This change is specific to meetinghouses only. Other Church-owned properties may continue to display the Moroni marker, including temples or administrative offices.

[Kishkumen]

How dare the LDS Church do anything to attract more members! How dare they!

[Kishkumen]

I also have to laugh over this idea that Mormons identifying as Christians is some kind of bait and switch tactic, when it should more properly be called a refusal to accept marginalization due to widespread bigotry.

[Gadianton]

Sure, just like Donald Trump can hold up a Bible, the Mormon Leaders can hold up a cross. There's no law against it.

[Kishkumen]

Sure, just like Donald Trump can hold up a Bible, the Mormon Leaders can hold up a cross. There's no law against it.

Indeed. I mean, if Evangelicals can fall all over themselves to worship Trump, the idea of them rejecting Mormons as Christians is pretty damn hilarious.

[drumdude]

Sure, just like Donald Trump can hold up a Bible, the Mormon Leaders can hold up a cross. There's no law against it.

Indeed. I mean, if Evangelicals can fall all over themselves to worship Trump, the idea of them rejecting Mormons as Christians is pretty damn hilarious.

Especially when every flavor of evangelical has its own craziness. Do you want the one that says music in church is a sin? How about the one which handles snakes?

[Gadianton]

Indeed. I mean, if Evangelicals can fall all over themselves to worship Trump, the idea of them rejecting Mormons as Christians is pretty damn hilarious.

According to the article Drumdude cited, it was Google, not Evangelicals, using Moroni as a symbol instead of a cross for Mormon chapels. It was likely unreflecting given that Mormons for generations defined themselves against the cross, and put the angel Moroni on temples and the cover of the Blue Book of Mormons. There doesn't appear to have been any challenge to rectify the marketing problem. Church leaders paid Sylvester McMonkey McBean 50$ and the cross-on machine whirled up. All good.

[Kishkumen]

Especially when every flavor of evangelical has its own craziness. Do you want the one that says music in church is a sin? How about the one which handles snakes?

The glue holding mainstream Christianity together is the mutual agreement on creeds no one without a PhD in theology or philosophy even understands.

[Kishkumen]

According to the article Drumdude cited, it was Google, not Evangelicals, using Moroni as a symbol instead of a cross for Mormon chapels. It was likely unreflecting given that Mormons for generations defined themselves against the cross, and put the angel Moroni on temples and the cover of the Blue Book of Mormons. There doesn't appear to have been any challenge to rectify the marketing problem. Church leaders paid Sylvester McMonkey McBean 50$ and the cross-on machine whirled up. All good.

As a famous fallen angel once said, “You can buy anything in this world with money,” or something like that.