The Mormon University on the Mount of Olives: a Case Study in LDS Public Relations
This article explores the use of media by small anti-missionary organizations in Israel to block construction of Brigham Young University's Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies on the Mount of Olives in the mid-1980s. These groups defined Mormons in the public square as aggressive proselyt...
| Published in: | Journal of media and religion |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Routledge, Taylor and Francis Group
[2013]
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| In: |
Journal of media and religion
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| Online Access: |
Volltext (Resolving-System) |
| Summary: | This article explores the use of media by small anti-missionary organizations in Israel to block construction of Brigham Young University's Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies on the Mount of Olives in the mid-1980s. These groups defined Mormons in the public square as aggressive proselytizers with no regard for law or Jewish sensibilities. They felt that Mormons were enemies to Judaism because of their purported interest to convert Jews. The anti-missionary groups were highly organized and effectively employed communitarian arguments couched in spiritual and concrete conceptions of Judaism. To counter these attacks, Mormons hired an Israeli public relations firm to redefine public perceptions of Mormons among Israelis. They created a campaign that focused on public reasons (the appeal to arguments that resonate across sectarian lines) over faith-based justifications for the Mormon construction project. The campaign was based in historicity, political expediency, and legalism. In this way, Mormons successfully argued their position and completed construction of the Jerusalem Center. This high-profile media campaign continues to inform Mormon public affairs efforts today. |
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| ISSN: | 1534-8415 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Journal of media and religion
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1080/15348423.2013.852032 |