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Jackpine Radical

(45,274 posts)
Thu Dec 5, 2013, 12:04 PM Dec 2013

Mormon Bishop Posing As Homeless Man Rebuffed by Congregation


Fri Nov 29, 2013 at 06:25 AM PST
Mormon Bishop Posing As Homeless Man Rebuffed by Congregation

by ProgLegs


Whoever gives to the poor will not want, but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse.

Proverbs 28:27


A bishop in a Mormon church outside Salt Lake City has shined a light on the hypocrisy and selfishness of members of his church by dressing as a homeless man and gauging their reactions to him.

David Musselman had a makeup artist transform his face and donned an unkempt wig, fake beard, and glasses. He then entered the church last Sunday and approached churchgoers to see what they would do. He found many of them did not practice what he preached:

"Many actually went out of their way to purposefully ignore me, and they wouldn't even make eye contact. I'd approach them and say, 'Happy Thanksgiving.' Many of them I wouldn't ask for any food or any kind of money, and their inability to even acknowledge me being there was very surprising."

Most of Musselman's church members ignored him, although five of them actually asked him to leave.


http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/11/29/1259046/-Mormon-Bishop-Posing-As-Homeless-Man-Rebuffed-by-Congregation?detail=email#
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MineralMan

(146,308 posts)
5. Sounds like yet another version of the "homeless pastor"
Thu Dec 5, 2013, 12:38 PM
Dec 2013

story. Details can be found on Snopes:

http://www.snopes.com/glurge/homelesspastor.asp

It's notable that the video on the dailykos site is no longer available, with youtube having terminated the account of whoever posted it. I'd say this is probably a hoax, based on the Snopes link.

This story pops up with different ministers from different churches several times a year.

herding cats

(19,564 posts)
6. I think it was real. I saw it on several news sites around Thanksgiving.
Thu Dec 5, 2013, 12:48 PM
Dec 2013

Here's an actual news story, complete with videoed interviews, covering the event.

http://www.kutv.com/news/top-stories/stories/vid_8383.shtml

cbdo2007

(9,213 posts)
7. I would do the same thing if someone strange came into my church.
Thu Dec 5, 2013, 12:52 PM
Dec 2013

We belong to an Episcopal church in a very conservative city....which has played a part in robbery and vandalism at the church, just in the past couple of years that we have been going there. Especially with the prevelance of these mass shootings, anyone new who comes through the door will be looked at with somewhat questioning eyes.

woofless

(2,670 posts)
10. How does one define "strange"?
Thu Dec 5, 2013, 03:12 PM
Dec 2013

Is someone different from me strange? Is it just that I don't recognize someone that makes them strange? Someone who dresses differently? What criteria are we to use to judge other people? Oh, right. We are not to judge others. Never mind.

cbdo2007

(9,213 posts)
15. Haha, wow, talk about a literal interpretation of the Bible...
Thu Dec 5, 2013, 04:51 PM
Dec 2013

Why not just let some accused serial killers stay in my house, right? After all, who am I to judge!!?? *rolls eyes*

Love it when DU gives me litmus tests for both my liberalism AND my religious beliefs.

el_bryanto

(11,804 posts)
13. Yeah - I agree - it is a fantasy to expect people to be kind and charitable
Thu Dec 5, 2013, 03:27 PM
Dec 2013

People are assholes. That's just the way it is.

Bryant

cbdo2007

(9,213 posts)
14. LOL....
Thu Dec 5, 2013, 04:46 PM
Dec 2013

oh yeah, Christianity is collapsing all over the place! *rolls eyes*

The end is nigh!! hahahahaha

Tanuki

(14,918 posts)
9. I wonder if the good bishop voted for his fellow Mormon, Rmoney,
Thu Dec 5, 2013, 01:26 PM
Dec 2013

in the last presidential election and if he has supported other candidates whose economic and social policies contributed to homelessness and to the increasing desperation of the poor in this country. If so, this was nothing but a grandstanding stunt.

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