Mormon Myth-ellaneous

[snopes]

The new DVD "Mormon Myth-ellaneous: Amazing True Mormon Stories -- And Some That Should Be" (Covenant Communications, Inc., $16.95) examines urban legends with a Mormon twist.

So which stories are true and which aren't? Here are a few of the myths and opinions presented in "Mormon Myth-ellaneous."

http://www.standard.net/live/features/147378/

[DadOf3]

Okay, these two confuse me:

MYTH: Rock star Alice Cooper is Mormon.

EVIDENCE: "His real name, before he took his stage name, was Vincent Furnier, and his father's name was Ether Moroni Furnier," said Eliason.

Ether and Moroni are names from the Book of Mormon. Cooper's family belonged to The Church of Jesus Christ, also known as the Bickertonite church, an offshoot of the church organized by Joseph Smith. They also read the Book of Mormon.

"His father was an elder, and his grandfather was an apostle," Eliason said.

CONCLUSION: BUSTED

If his father has two Mormon names and was an elder, and his grandfather was an apostle, and it specifically says "Cooper's family belonged to the Church" then how is this myth busted? I can accept that he may have left the Church, but this article doesn't say that at all.

MYTH: A Japanese aviator tried to drop a bomb on the LDS temple in Hawaii during the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941, but couldn't because of a mysterious equipment malfunction. He later joined the church.

EVIDENCE: "It seems preposterous that one of the Japanese bombardiers was going to drop a bomb on the temple, when they had very specific targets they were going for," said BYU librarian Hunter.

Hunter says folks have tried to check this story out, with no luck.

"Mitsuo Fuchida was ... the captain of a group of bombardiers who were going to bomb Pearl Harbor. He's the one that said, 'Tora, tora, tora.' ... Later, he went around telling his story in speeches, about why he converted to Christianity. I'm pretty sure the story of bombing the temple got mixed in with that story," Hunter said, adding that Fuchida was never a member of the LDS church.

CONCLUSION: PROBABLY TRUE

The whole story says that it's preposterous, likely got mixed up with another story, and that Fuchida was never a member of the LDS Church, so why is it "Probably True"?

[GenYus]

Originally Posted by DadOf3

If his father has two Mormon names and was an elder, and his grandfather was an apostle, and it specifically says "Cooper's family belonged to the Church" then how is this myth busted? I can accept that he may have left the Church, but this article doesn't say that at all.

According to several sources, the Bickertonite church is an offshoot of the LDS church and does not consider themselves part of the LDS church. So the author probably considers his family to not be members of the LDS church. Usually Mormon refers to the LDS church.

The whole story says that it's preposterous, likely got mixed up with another story, and that Fuchida was never a member of the LDS Church, so why is it "Probably True"?

The author tried to type "Probably False", but there was a mysterious equipment failure.

[DadOf3]

Originally Posted by GenYus

According to several sources, the Bickertonite church is an offshoot of the LDS church and does not consider themselves part of the LDS church. So the author probably considers his family to not be members of the LDS church. Usually Mormon refers to the LDS church.

Okay, that makes sense, and now that you mention it the word "offshoot" is used in the article.

The author tried to type "Probably False", but there was a mysterious equipment failure.

[snopes]

Originally Posted by DadOf3

The whole story says that it's preposterous, likely got mixed up with another story, and that Fuchida was never a member of the LDS Church, so why is it "Probably True"?

Who can say? Crazier things have happened.

[BatmanBeatles]

I remember overhearing someone talk about the vanishing hitchhiker story involving the three Nephites. The either asked if you were prepared for the second coming or if you have a year's supply of food stored up.

[surfcitydogdad]

Ay, caramba; I can't believe I never spotted this thread before. What a subject: Mormon folklore. I've studied it a bit. It's clear that many Mormons subscribe to the Paul H. Dunn school of "truth," which is nothing but lies and "faith-promoting rumors."

I adhere to the Snopes definition of truth vs rumor (yay, Dave and Barbara!). Give me names, dates, places, context, and verifiable facts; otherwise it's just a rumor, or even a deliberate lie. Mormons, like others, are gullible when it comes to glurge, faith-promoting rumors, and stories they wish were true, but only the real truth shall set you free; the rest is counter-productive.

What you hear, what you read - including "news" and "history," and especially "scriptures" - take it all with a pillar of salt, and don't believe everything you think you see, either!