"men On A Mission" Calendar

[Annabelli]

We have a missionary in our ward now who looks like Clark Kent. Loose those glasses and he could be in the 2009 calendar.

I wonder if they have been made aware of this calender? Will we get a calendar for the library?

[pushka]

In addition to that, they can't keep their stories straight.

On one hand, they claim its to open up dialogue and break stereotypes about missionaries.

Then in their youtube video, they claim the proceeds will go to help charities in their respective missions.

Why don't they just sell cigarettes to earn money for their charities?

Gimme a break, these absolute idiots just amaze me with their stupidity. I knew missionaries like this on my mission, and they were all idiots and hamstrung the Lord's work. They didn't then and they aren't now helping anybody.

Admit it! You guys are just jealous cos they didn't feature your bod on the calendar!

Never mind tho, there's always next year

I wouldn't mind a copy of that calendar for my office

[StrawberryFields]

Here is what they say about "giving back"

http://www.mormonsexposed.com/giving.php

Project Information by Chad HardyMen On A Mission15 September 2007The 2008 Men on a Mission calendar features twelve handsome returned Mormon missionaries from across the United States who, for the first time ever, have dared to pose bare-chested in a steamy national calendar.

Usually seen riding their bicycles and preaching door-to-door, these hunky young men of faith explode with sexuality on each calendar page. Hand-selected for their striking appearances and powerful spiritual commitment, the "devout dozen" are stepping away from the Mormon traditions of modest dress, and "baring their testimony" to demonstrate that they can have strong faith and be proud of who they are, both with a sense of individualism and a sense of humor.

The general public is largely unaware of the selflessness and

sacrifice of these missionaries. They have helped the poor, fed the hungry, built schools and homes, and provided service to many people in need. Theirs are stories that deserve to be told.

While the fact that twelve young returned missionaries are posing shirtless will certainly raise eyebrows, it may also help to sort out some common misconceptions of Mormons by celebrating the beautiful bodies, great looks and amazing stories of service of these deeply spiritual men. Intended to be a light-hearted spin on a social taboo, the Men on a Mission calendar is a tongue-in-cheek celebration of the selfless servitude of missionaries.

Donations to Worthy Causes

The Men on a Mission calendar will benefit a variety of worthy causes.

Each of the twelve missionaries will have the opportunity to donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the calendar to a cause in the area he served. Some of the charities supported will include the Red Cross, Salvation Army and Habitat for Humanity.

With General Conference just around the corner I wonder if there will be a talk about modesty and the way we represent the church?

[CrimsonKairos]

I'm selling my body ladies. $500 for sex. The proceeds will go to benefit charities in my mission. Through having sex with as many women as I can, I am demonstrating that I have a strong testimony and a sense of individuality. Plus, it goes to benefit a good cause. I will also be paying tithing on my filthy lucre.

p.s. All you smarty pants who are going to pounce with the, "Good luck getting any buyers," jokes, I've already anticipated that so

p.p.s. For what it's worth, my bod looks like those of the idiots in that calendar. I just don't put makeup on my pecks.

p.p.p.s. I'm not really for sale. Sorry ladies. The above post was satire, not solicitation. Besides, money can't buy my rockin' body.

[sixpacktr]

I'm selling my body ladies. $500 for sex. The proceeds will go to benefit charities in my mission. Through having sex with as many women as I can, I am demonstrating that I have a strong testimony and a sense of individuality. Plus, it goes to benefit a good cause. I will also be paying tithing on my filthy lucre.

p.s. All you smarty pants who are going to pounce with the, "Good luck getting any buyers," jokes, I've already anticipated that so

p.p.s. For what it's worth, my bod looks like those of the idiots in that calendar. I just don't put makeup on my pecks.

p.p.p.s. I'm not really for sale. Sorry ladies. The above post was satire, not solicitation. Besides, money can't buy my rockin' body.

I told my wife about these 12 dolts, and she was dumbfounded that supposedly 'strong' RMs would do something so obviously wrong. Then she told me of the SW Kimball lesson for tomorrow, I believe, where he states that men also should be modest and not display their body, i.e., walk around bare chested.

You know, this is why we keep hearing the same talks over and over again at conference, etc. The Lord doesn't want to damn us by giving us more because we can't keep what we have...

I guarantee this stupid stunt will do much more harm than good...

[CrimsonKairos]

Agreed.

[pam]

I'm selling my body ladies. $500 for sex. The proceeds will go to benefit charities in my mission. Through having sex with as many women as I can, I am demonstrating that I have a strong testimony and a sense of individuality. Plus, it goes to benefit a good cause. I will also be paying tithing on my filthy lucre.

p.s. All you smarty pants who are going to pounce with the, "Good luck getting any buyers," jokes, I've already anticipated that so

p.p.s. For what it's worth, my bod looks like those of the idiots in that calendar. I just don't put makeup on my pecks.

p.p.p.s. I'm not really for sale. Sorry ladies. The above post was satire, not solicitation. Besides, money can't buy my rockin' body.

Darn I was getting out my checkbook.

[CrimsonKairos]

Hey, hey, not so hasty...how much lettuce are we talkin' here?

[pam]

Hey, hey, not so hasty...how much lettuce are we talkin' here?

Ohhhh you want lettuce? No problem. I happen to know the distributor of produce to several grocery stores in the area. I'm sure I can get a REALLY good deal.

[CrimsonKairos]

Just remember, you get what you pay for...

[pam]

Just remember, you get what you pay for...

Heyyy I can get some really good lettuce.

[Moksha]

I'm selling my body ladies. $500 for sex. The proceeds will go to benefit charities in my mission. Through having sex with as many women as I can, I am demonstrating that I have a strong testimony and a sense of individuality. Plus, it goes to benefit a good cause. I will also be paying tithing on my filthy lucre.

p.

I too have difficulty distinguishing between the blurry lines of being an entrepreneur and a whore. I guess they are at some level essentially interconnected.

[CrimsonKairos]

To me it's pretty straightforward:

These 12 guys are asking people to pay them for a provocative glimpse of their bodies.

Whores don't have to have sex to be whores in my opinion.

These are RM's alright, but not Returned Missionaries...Ridiculous Monkeys.

[genevive]

yes, God must surely hate whores, and most certainly those who are the most horrible whores in the opinion of others.

[Maureen]

Okay, I've checked out the website and the men in their shirt-less poses. I don't know what the big deal is. I'm thinking that many of the naysayers are just jealous. If you met these guys at a public swimming pool would you be so disgusted with their handsomeness. Because that's all their showing, their good-looks. They are not selling sex, they are not being immodest; and they are definitely not nude. So what's the problem?

M.

[pam]

Okay, I've checked out the website and the men in their shirt-less poses. I don't know what the big deal is. I'm thinking that many of the naysayers are just jealous. If you met these guys at a public swimming pool would you be so disgusted with their handsomeness. Because that's all their showing, their good-looks. They are not selling sex, they are not being immodest; and they are definitely not nude. So what's the problem?

M.

Being at a pool and posing with "RM" attached to those poses are two different things.

[Maureen]

<div class='quotemain'>

Okay, I've checked out the website and the men in their shirt-less poses. I don't know what the big deal is. I'm thinking that many of the naysayers are just jealous. If you met these guys at a public swimming pool would you be so disgusted with their handsomeness. Because that's all their showing, their good-looks. They are not selling sex, they are not being immodest; and they are definitely not nude. So what's the problem?

M.

Being at a pool and posing with "RM" attached to those poses are two different things.

What's wrong with posing for pictures? Even attractive pictures. These men are after all human. They also seem to have not forgotten their sense of humour and funness. IMO, the negativity expressed here is overly exaggerated.

M.

[pam]

<div class='quotemain'>

<div class='quotemain'>

Okay, I've checked out the website and the men in their shirt-less poses. I don't know what the big deal is. I'm thinking that many of the naysayers are just jealous. If you met these guys at a public swimming pool would you be so disgusted with their handsomeness. Because that's all their showing, their good-looks. They are not selling sex, they are not being immodest; and they are definitely not nude. So what's the problem?

M.

Being at a pool and posing with "RM" attached to those poses are two different things.

What's wrong with posing for pictures? Even attractive pictures. These men are after all human. They also seem to have not forgotten their sense of humour and funness. IMO, the negativity expressed here is overly exaggerated.

M.

So I suppose pictures of attractive returned sister missionaries posing in bikinis would be okay too?

[john doe]

When I first heard of this on another board, someone else put words to my first thoughts when I saw a couple pictures from it. It seems to me like they would probably sell more copies per capita in San Francisco, CA than in St. George, UT.

[john doe]

Okay, I've checked out the website and the men in their shirt-less poses. I don't know what the big deal is. I'm thinking that many of the naysayers are just jealous. If you met these guys at a public swimming pool would you be so disgusted with their handsomeness. Because that's all their showing, their good-looks. They are not selling sex, they are not being immodest; and they are definitely not nude. So what's the problem?

M.

This is my question to the whole debate. Why is it okay and acceptable to some people to promote looking at bare-chested men, and at the same time look down our noses at men who look at pictures of women in various states of undress? What is the difference? If it is okay for a woman to buy a calendar with these guys and their six-pack abs showing, why is it not okay for her husband or son to buy a calendar of chicks with big chests in string bikinis? Or is it okay?

[pam]

<div class='quotemain'>

Okay, I've checked out the website and the men in their shirt-less poses. I don't know what the big deal is. I'm thinking that many of the naysayers are just jealous. If you met these guys at a public swimming pool would you be so disgusted with their handsomeness. Because that's all their showing, their good-looks. They are not selling sex, they are not being immodest; and they are definitely not nude. So what's the problem?

M.

This is my question to the whole debate. Why is it okay and acceptable to some people to promote looking at bare-chested men, and at the same time look down our noses at men who look at pictures of women in various states of undress? What is the difference? If it is okay for a woman to buy a calendar with these guys and their six-pack abs showing, why is it not okay for her husband or son to buy a calendar of chicks with big chests in string bikinis? Or is it okay?

Hey I like to look at bare chested men who are also gorgeous as well as any other woman. Now of course women in string bikinis are also showing alot more than shirtless men. My whole thing is having that title of "RM" attached to it. I think it gives the wrong message there.

[john doe]

Whatever do you mean? The men are naked from the waist up, the women in bikinis are clothed, to some extent, on top. I understand your being upset with the RM label, but that's just a prop in my mind. When guys look at less-clothed women, they don't think about whether she went to Harvard or not, and I suspect the same is true of when women look at less-clothed men. The RM part is a hook to try to legitimize it, to make it look acceptable, but it's still the same body whether he went on a mission or not. When I happen to see a poster of the current Makita Tools Girl, I don't think to myself that she must be a pretty good carpenter to hold a drill that way, I'm thinking of the same things women do when they see these guys half-naked. Okay not the exact same things, but gender-wise similar.

[CrimsonKairos]

Maureen, you may not see anything wrong with it. That's fine.

What they are admittedly doing is selling images of themselves meant to stir up sexual thoughts in the women (hopefully it's meant for women!) who view the pictures. The calendar doesn't feature quotes from the scriptures; it's not meant to point out the beauty of LDS beliefs; it's not intended to strengthen testimonies or bridge doctrinal gaps between religions.

Their sole purpose in posing for this calendar is to appeal to the carnal nature in all who view them.

Your pool analogy doesn't float (pun intended). First, because guys at the pool aren't charging people to peek at their bods. Second, because guys at the pool aren't covering themselves with makeup and oil and who knows what else to appeal to a more specific carnal appetite in viewers. Third, because most guys at the pool don't walk around in an unnatural "stretch" so that they can better flex their biceps while adopting a dreamy look in their eyes.

C'mon, you know the two situations aren't even close. Well, I'd hope you could see that. It's not just about content, but intent.

Anyway, the other major problem is that they are making such a big deal about their being RM's. The only reason they're doing that is to tap into the LDS market, because there are already a ton of male models out there who probably put them to shame. So they think, "Uh, let's invoke the title of 'RM' and we'll get lots of special interest business!"

It's a joke. The law of chastity is not just about only having sex with your legal and lawful spouse. It's about alot more. It is wrong to pose or act in ways that are specifically meant to stir desires and feelings in others that would lead to sin if they acted on those feelings.

Christ said if a man lusts after a woman in his heart, he has committed adultery. So what these 12 "spiritual" men are doing is giving lots of women reasons to commit adultery in their hearts, all in the name of religious tolerance and charity?

Gimme a freakin' break. Yeah, I can see Christ and his apostles distributing titillating drawings or sculptures of themselves to further their religious goals.

These 12 guys may have been recruited for their looks, but what they ended up displaying was not their bodies but their complete lack of respect for their temple covenants (chastity and all that jazz I just mentioned) and for the women they are targeting with their calendar.

Idiots.

[Annabelli]

Okay the LDS Talk banner has Jesus bare chested. Maybe he should have been January. Is it okay to have half naked pictures of Jesus? (it's pretty obvious that he is not on the cross.) And the artist gave him some muscle too.

Why isn't Jesus wearing his red robe and white shirt on the banner?

[CrimsonKairos]

First, Jesus didn't make that sculpture of himself. So there's the first problem with your analogy.

Second, the sculptor of the Christus statue did not create the statue to elicit sexual responses in others. That's the second disconnect between what you're comparing.

Third, Christ was pierced in his side by a lance or spear. After his resurrection, he always displayed the tokens of his unjust death to the Old World peoples and the New World Book of Mormon peoples. Christ's intent wasn't to titillate his disciples.

Christ would have revealed the wound in his side to testify of his atonement.

The 12 guys in the calendar aren't testifying of Christ's atonement by going without their shirts.

I'm really amazed that alot of you guys can't see the difference. Wow. I thought it was pretty simple and clear. The path to Hell is paved with justifications (and probably some cement for good measure).

I can hear the 12 posers now, saying: "Where exactly are we headed? And, what's with this handbasket?"