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SALT LAKE CITY -- The "I'm a Mormon" media campaign launched by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints last year, expanded into 13 cities this week.
In a news release, the church said media ads are running through March 2012 in the following cities:
- Phoenix, Arizona
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Denver, Colorado
- Spokane, Washington
- Seattle, Washington
- Austin, Texas
- San Antonio, Texas
- Omaha, Nebraska
- Lincoln, Nebraska
- Indianapolis, Indiana
- Fort Wayne, Indiana
- South Bend, Indiana
- Brisbane, Australia
A separate "I'm a Mormon" campaign ran this summer in New York City. The campaign includes TV spots, billboards, and ads on buses and on the Internet meant to give a glimpse into the lives of Latter-day Saints from all over the world. It refers people to the mormon.org website for profiles of tens of thousands of Mormons, live chat with church representatives, and dozens of videos about church members.
"Our missionaries are known for knocking on doors to share the gospel of Jesus Christ," said Elder David F. Evans, executive director of the church's Missionary Department. "Mormon.org gives people the opportunity to knock on our door through the Internet and ask members questions about our faith."
The church says more than a million people a month visit the website, which went online in 2001. The "I'm a Mormon" media campaign has significantly increased those numbers. The church says in some cities where the ads have aired, website traffic is up as much as 300 percent.
In other religion news
- The largest gay rights group in California says it won't try to have that state's Proposition 8 overturned next year. Equality California Executive Director Roland Palencia tells the Huffington Post the time isn't right to undertake a risky and expensive ballot fight, while the voter-approved ban on same-sex unions is still making its way through the courts. The paper reports the group instead will launch what it calls an educational campaign.
- Conservatives who care deeply about social issues, like abortion and gay marriage, will gather in Washington DC this weekend for the Values Voters Summit. They'll hear from GOP hopefuls Rick Santorum, Rick Perry, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, Michele Bachmann, Ron Paul and Mitt Romney. Some observers say if his rivals manage to split this segment of the GOP base, Romney could benefit.
- Rental car company Hertz indefinitely suspended 34 Somali Muslim shuttle drivers at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport for praying on company time, according to the Associated Press. The workers' union is trying to put them back in the driver's seat after what it calls a sudden policy change. The drivers are required to clock out, under the terms of a settlement two years ago with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, a Hertz spokesman said.
