Case Reflection 9: Ponderize

This week's case study about Devin Durrant was a story that I had never heard of before. Prior to reading the case and researching more information about what happened, I had no idea what General Conference was, let alone the word Ponderize. From the links and description of what General Conference is and what it represents to the widely popular LDS Church. Devin Durrant did a fine job with his testimony about pondering and memorizing different verses in the bible. I thought that his testimony topic alone was very inspiring and positive to listen to. Where, in my opinion, the Durrant's went wrong was the fact that they had created several different websites promoting their "brand". The fact that Devin, who knows about entrepreneurship and how to create a financial profit, was using a platform where he knew he would be heard and listened to promote himself is terrible.

Different people and different articles had varying opinions on the situation. In my opinion, the Durants knew what they were doing. Devin had already planned the website to sell shirts and wristbands so that he could make a buck off of the public. Devin also knew that at General Conference everyone, or at least the majority of the Mormon church, would be watching his testimony, and therefore wanting to purchase his product. Maybe the Durrants had good intentions going into this. They wanted to be able to raise money for the missionary fund. They wanted to promote reading, memorizing, and then pondering a verse. Even with these potentially good intentions, the internet took it and ran it right to the negative.

One of the additional articles I read talked about how consumerism has taken over religion. We no longer see religion as a way of life, but as a brand of some sorts. For example, the author talks about how Christians, some people may just want to be branded as a Christian so as to be seen as a better person. That person may want to branded as Christian, but isn't willing to take on the true lifestyle and values that a Christian has. We are more focused on the way people see us and think of us.

http://kutv.com/news/local/lds-church-leader-apologizes-for-ponderize-merchandise-website

http://www.christianitytoday.com/pastors/2006/july-online-only/from-lord-to-label-how-consumerism-undermines-our-faith.html