Latter-Day Saints in Popular National Periodicals 1970-1981
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Brigham Young University BYU ScholarsArchive Theses and Dissertations 2003-08-01 Latter-Day Saints in Popular National Periodicals 1970-1981 Adam H. Nielson Brigham Young University - Provo Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd Part of the Communication Commons, and the Mormon Studies Commons BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Nielson, Adam H., "Latter-Day Saints in Popular National Periodicals 1970-1981" (2003). Theses and Dissertations. 4983. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/4983 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. LATTERDAYLATTER DAY SAINTS IN POPULAR NATIONAL periodicals 197019811970 1981 by adam H nielson A thesis submitted to the faculty of brigham young university in partial fulfillment ofthe requirements for the degree of master of arts religious education brigham young university august 2003 BRIGHAM YOUNG university GRADUATE COMMITTEE APPROVAL of a thesis submitted by adam H nielson this thesis has been read by each member of the following graduate committee and has been found satisfactory JQUMU L 0 JO date 0 richard 0 cowan chair ik 220329033 4 1 date I mary jagejape bodgeroodger y date w- W BRIGHAM YOUNG university As chair of the candidates graduate committee I1 have read the thesis of adam H nielson in its final form and have found that 1 its format citations and bibliographical style are consistent and acceptable and fulfill university and department style require- ments 2 its illustrative materials including figures tables and charts are in place and 3 the final manuscript is satisfactory to the graduate committee and is ready for sub- mission to the university library Q 20zo coutucouwu mrle 20.202 00 datemrl00J richard 0 cowan chair graduate committee accepted for the department a bm Ddkellyogdenkellykeily ogden graduate coordinator accepted for the college andrecandre C skinner dean of religious education ABSTRACT LATTERDAYLATTER DAY SAINTS IN POPULAR NATIONAL periodicals 197019811970 1981 adam H nielson religious education master of arts the public image of the church ofjesus christ of latter day saints is the product of several factors this thesis investigates that image as presented in national periodicals from 1970 to 1981 during this time Morcormonsmormonsmons and mormonism was a popular topic as the religion gained notoriety and as an awareness of its peculiar beliefs and practices increased the rationale for using national magazines to assess public image is the assumption that they reflect prevailing points of view and help formulate public opinion since popular attitudes are one of the factors that influence how the church is accepted in the world this study will enhance the readers understanding pertaining to the factors that molded those views this study was preceded by a thesis covering the same subject from 196119701961 1970 by dale P pelo and a doctoral dissertation covering 185019611850 1961 by richard 0 cowan acknowledgments my wife stacy was a tremendous help in every aspect ofthis project she helped collect articles input information edit material and drive me forward in times of discouragement and stress dr richard cowan my committee chairperson was also very helpful and patient always building me up and encouraging me to press forward dr cowan was consistently available any time I1 needed his help others that have assisted in editing and improving this project were my mother tawna nielson and two committee members drs mary jane woodger and robert freeman I1 also thank each of these people for their time patience and helpful suggestions my brother in law cory carrigan deserves recognition and my gratitude for helping with the graphs and tables in chapter 8 with his knowledge of microsoft excel and statistics we were able to represent the data clearly for the reader TABLE OF CONTENTS acknowledgments v LIST OF TABLES viii LIST OF FIGURES ixIX chapter 1 introduction I1 methodology review ofprevious studies 2 revelation ON THE priesthood 10 the setting explanation of church practices the possibility of change the 1978 revelation effects of race and priesthood on image 3 LATTERDAYLATTER DAY SAINT BUSINESS AND WEALTH 27 admiration for successful latter day saint business leaders the financial holdings ofthe church effects of wealth and business on image 4 THE CHURCH AND POLITICS 4343.43 church and state ezra taft benson former united states secretary of agriculture political stands taken by the church effects of church and politics on image 5 CHURCH PROGRAMS AND PRACTICES 7070.70 to every nation kindred tongue and people missionary work the welfare program family home evening temple building genealogy ancestral name collecting health practices viVI the origins of polygamy effects of programs and practices on image 6 LATTERDAYLATTER DAY SAINT PAST 96 origins persecution of the early saints brigham young the pioneers and salt lake city autographs and architecture challenges to the origins ofthe latter day saints effects of latter day saint past on image 7 LATTERDAYLATTER DAY SAINT PEOPLE AND CULTURE ilolio110 doctrines and beliefs general characterization of church members the importance of education brigham young university the mormon tabernacle choir effects of people and culture on image 8 conclusion 121 overall treatment ofthe church in national periodicals comparison to the first two studies SOURCES CITED 144 viivilvn LIST OF TABLES I11 articles and ratings by magazine 125 2 image by theme all studies 136 3 rating trend percentages from 1851 to 1981 142 viiivillvin LIST OF FIGURES I11 number of articles and average rating per year 123 2 direction of the periodicals image 197019811970 1981 123 3 references and ratings of race 127 4 references and ratings of socioeconomicsocio economic 127 5 references and ratings of hierarchy 129 6 references and ratings of programs 129 7 references and ratings of rites 131131.131 8 references and ratings ofpolygamy 131131.131 9 references and ratings of origins 133 10 references and ratings of theology 133 11 references and ratings of people 134 12 references and ratings of cultural 134 13 public image according to periodicals 137 14 relative emphasis given by national periodicals to themes 185119501851 1950 139139.139 15 relative emphasis given by national periodicals to themes 195119611951 1961 139 16 relative emphasis given by national periodicals to themes 196119701961 1970 140 17 relative emphasis given by national periodicals to themes 197019811970 1981 140 18 rating trend percentages from 195119811951 1981 142 ixIX CHAPTER I11 introduction this thesis reveals how articles in widely circulated popular national periodicals portrayed the church of jesus christ oflatter day saints and its members from 1970 1 through 19819811 the rationale for using national periodicals for a determination of public image centers on the assumption that they both reflect prevailing points of view and help formulate public opinionopirtion 2 popular attitudes are one of the factors influencing how the church is portrayed in the world since the organization ofthe church in 1830 its public image has shifted in positive or negative directions at different times furthermore over the years various aspects of the churchschurchedoctrines and practices have attracted varying degrees ofpublic attention A doctoral study at stanford university by richard 0 cowan assessed the churchschurche public image as presented in national periodicals from 1850 to 1961 dale P pelo continued the study through the 1960s as a masters thesis at brigham young university the present work continues this study from 1970 through 19819811 and also provides a historical summary of the issues contributing to the churchschurcheimage in this critical decade the church of jesus christ of latter day saints will hereafter be referred to as the church or the religion 2richardarichard2 richard 0 cowan Monnonmormonismism in national periodicals phd diss stanford university 19613iggi1961 3 methodology this study considers articles from magazines such as time newsweek and even sports illustrated to avoid bias it excludes latter day saint publications and other religious periodicals 35 it does include periodicals catering to a general national audience the prime means of identifying articles for study was the readers guide to periodical literature an index of periodical articles the most useful category was Morcormonsmormonsmons and mormonism but items were also found under the headings brigham young university polygamy Morcormonsmormonsmons and the negro as well as under nainesnames of prominent latter day saints etc 4 unfortunately the readers guide was not comprehensive in registering all articles written on mormonism therefore as articles were gathered and read careful attention was paid to references about other topics articles and resources computer databases accessed through CARS computer aided research service in the harold B lee library at brigham young university were another resource yielding twenty seven additional articles information gathered was analyzed in a manner consistent with the previous studies by cowan and pelo each article as a whole was assigned to the following categories obviously biased anti mormon writing unfavorable 0 neutral approach favorable description blatter3latter3 latterlanterlanner day saints is a term