Is it possible for Chapel Mormons to post on the Internet?

[_Dr. Shades]

What got me started down the rabbit hole was an innocent question regarding whether or not Joseph (my hero) and Emma (the hym book and relief society founder) had any surviving children.

No, none of their children are surviving. Joseph was murdered in June 1844, so even if they conceived a child the night before, the kid would've been born in early 1845, which was a full 162 years ago. That's about 40 years longer than the oldest person on record, so no, none of their children are surviving.

[_Jason Bourne]

On this crazy thing called the Internet, information is pretty much unlimited. Sure one site may provide a certain set of facts, but another site is just as likely to provide a different set of facts. The odds are that eventually you'll run into something you didn't expect to find out. Sometimes it's lies, and sometimes it's the truth. Most of the times it's something inbetween. But if you go looking for information, odds are you'll find more than you originally thought was out there.

I think most everyone would agree that "control of information" has lessened in the past 10-15 years that the Internet has existed. As more and more people get connected to the Net, you have to believe that more and more people will become informed about things they previously had less information about. Concentrating on the religious issues brought about by this "Information Revolution" we're currently a part of, I have to ask if "Chapel" Mormons (or any part of a religious sect that's more traditional) can survive on the Internet? Can "Chapel" religious anythings avoid the possibly damaging stuff their ancestors weren't previously exposed to? I don't think so.....one trip to google and typing in "Joseph Smith" may produce some "anti" (read: truth speaking) site....and as many people know, it's all down hill from there for some people.

Just a thought,

Bond

The number of Mormons that post on web pages that debate the religion is limited. Most active members will avoid negative criticism and not engage in it.

[_Jason Bourne]

On this crazy thing called the Internet, information is pretty much unlimited. Sure one site may provide a certain set of facts, but another site is just as likely to provide a different set of facts. The odds are that eventually you'll run into something you didn't expect to find out. Sometimes it's lies, and sometimes it's the truth. Most of the times it's something inbetween. But if you go looking for information, odds are you'll find more than you originally thought was out there.

I think most everyone would agree that "control of information" has lessened in the past 10-15 years that the Internet has existed. As more and more people get connected to the Net, you have to believe that more and more people will become informed about things they previously had less information about. Concentrating on the religious issues brought about by this "Information Revolution" we're currently a part of, I have to ask if "Chapel" Mormons (or any part of a religious sect that's more traditional) can survive on the Internet? Can "Chapel" religious anythings avoid the possibly damaging stuff their ancestors weren't previously exposed to? I don't think so.....one trip to google and typing in "Joseph Smith" may produce some "anti" (read: truth speaking) site....and as many people know, it's all down hill from there for some people.

Just a thought,

Bond

I'm married to a Chapel Mormon. It would never occur to him to google anything related to the church. Why would he? He already knows everything he needs to know. In the almost 40 years that I've known the guy, he's never once questioned anything to do with the church... never. Not once. I suspect there are millions like him.

Harm

You mean you have never discussed any of your issues about the Church with him?

[_Danse Macabre]

On this crazy thing called the Internet, information is pretty much unlimited. Sure one site may provide a certain set of facts, but another site is just as likely to provide a different set of facts. The odds are that eventually you'll run into something you didn't expect to find out. Sometimes it's lies, and sometimes it's the truth. Most of the times it's something inbetween. But if you go looking for information, odds are you'll find more than you originally thought was out there.

I think most everyone would agree that "control of information" has lessened in the past 10-15 years that the Internet has existed. As more and more people get connected to the Net, you have to believe that more and more people will become informed about things they previously had less information about. Concentrating on the religious issues brought about by this "Information Revolution" we're currently a part of, I have to ask if "Chapel" Mormons (or any part of a religious sect that's more traditional) can survive on the Internet? Can "Chapel" religious anythings avoid the possibly damaging stuff their ancestors weren't previously exposed to? I don't think so.....one trip to google and typing in "Joseph Smith" may produce some "anti" (read: truth speaking) site....and as many people know, it's all down hill from there for some people.

Just a thought,

Bond

Hmmm - new here.

Seems to me your living in a bit of a fantasy land. I haven't looked around the site much - this being one of my first threads but I can't imagine that there's any subject here that isn't known and 'not worried about' by the "Chapel" Mormons I know.

This stuff seems tired and pedestrian.

[_barrelomonkeys]

Hmmm - new here.

Seems to me your living in a bit of a fantasy land. I haven't looked around the site much - this being one of my first threads but I can't imagine that there's any subject here that isn't known and 'not worried about' by the "Chapel" Mormons I know.

This stuff seems tired and pedestrian.

Hi, and welcome. :)

I can tell you that I have a few members of my family that are LDS that are completely unaware of much of Church history. They believe most of the stuff you find "tired and pedestrian" are actually lies created by anti-Mormons. It's unfortunate really that they are not aware of the history. I don't seek to hurt their testimony, or their faith, but I think it's important they understand the truth and not assume other people hate them when they do speak the truth.

Again, welcome to the board.

[_barrelomonkeys]

On this crazy thing called the Internet, information is pretty much unlimited. Sure one site may provide a certain set of facts, but another site is just as likely to provide a different set of facts. The odds are that eventually you'll run into something you didn't expect to find out. Sometimes it's lies, and sometimes it's the truth. Most of the times it's something inbetween. But if you go looking for information, odds are you'll find more than you originally thought was out there.

I think most everyone would agree that "control of information" has lessened in the past 10-15 years that the Internet has existed. As more and more people get connected to the Net, you have to believe that more and more people will become informed about things they previously had less information about. Concentrating on the religious issues brought about by this "Information Revolution" we're currently a part of, I have to ask if "Chapel" Mormons (or any part of a religious sect that's more traditional) can survive on the Internet? Can "Chapel" religious anythings avoid the possibly damaging stuff their ancestors weren't previously exposed to? I don't think so.....one trip to google and typing in "Joseph Smith" may produce some "anti" (read: truth speaking) site....and as many people know, it's all down hill from there for some people.

Just a thought,

Bond

Hey Bond. When my husband tried to talk to his son about the faith (step-son was brought into LDS by my husband's ex when she married LDS man) he assumed my husband had gone to anti-Mormon sites. All the information my husband tried to talk to his son about came directly from FAIR. I wonder, is this something that is talked about? Are members discouraged from looking online at anything? It was rather shocking for us to discover that an 11 year old (at that time) felt that the entire world was out to get him and hated his religion.

[_Danse Macabre]

Hmmm - new here.

Seems to me your living in a bit of a fantasy land. I haven't looked around the site much - this being one of my first threads but I can't imagine that there's any subject here that isn't known and 'not worried about' by the "Chapel" Mormons I know.

This stuff seems tired and pedestrian.

Hi, and welcome. :)

I can tell you that I have a few members of my family that are LDS that are completely unaware of much of Church history. They believe most of the stuff you find "tired and pedestrian" are actually lies created by anti-Mormons. It's unfortunate really that they are not aware of the history. I don't seek to hurt their testimony, or their faith, but I think it's important they understand the truth and not assume other people hate them when they do speak the truth.

Again, welcome to the board.

Thank you for the welcome.

I can only go by those that I know best... my mother and siblings, my wife, my children, my local Elder's Quorum, my LDS friends, etc - they don't all know all the same things but they know as much as they care to and aren't bothered by what some here seem to think is potentially harmful (to the orthodox).

I don't know if it's important that they "understand the truth" as you put it. I personally find it interesting but it doesn't make or not make me a better person.

[_harmony]

I'm married to a Chapel Mormon. It would never occur to him to google anything related to the church. Why would he? He already knows everything he needs to know. In the almost 40 years that I've known the guy, he's never once questioned anything to do with the church... never. Not once. I suspect there are millions like him.

Harm

You mean you have never discussed any of your issues about the Church with him?

I've discussed several of my issues with him. He just brushes them off. No big deal to him. He's content with what he learns from official church sources (Sunday School, seminary, the lessons he gives the Deacons, the Ensign). He's never even opened Rough Stone Rolling that I gave him for Christmas, even though he knows I bought it at the bookstore. He's simply not interested.

[_barrelomonkeys]

Thank you for the welcome.

I can only go by those that I know best... my mother and siblings, my wife, my children, my local Elder's Quorum, my LDS friends, etc - they don't all know all the same things but they know as much as they care to and aren't bothered by what some here seem to think is potentially harmful (to the orthodox).

I don't know if it's important that they "understand the truth" as you put it. I personally find it interesting but it doesn't make or not make me a better person.

I don't believe the truth is every single bit of history, or even the parts that are controversial. In my case it is simple things. For instance my step-son was in a tizzy because someone on a school yard said some things about LDS. He told his father about these things (they mentioned sacred things) and he told the bullies, as well as his father that these things were all lies. Well here I go to FAIR and see that this sacred rites, ceremonies are not lies but something, at some point, if not yet, my step-son will witness himself. That is pretty odd. So I wondered why he would believe this. Come to find out that he, his mother, and his step-dad believe there are anti-Mormons everywhere (and now we're labeled as such) that are out to lie about LDS.

He talks to my daughter about Joseph Smith (my daughter watched the PBS special) quite a bit. My daughter asked him why did he think Smith had so many wives. He freaked out on my daughter and told her she was a liar and those were lies. That's a bit scary to be honest with you. I feel as though I (a complete outsider) worry more about him believing these things then those in the Church. I do believe it is important to understand polygamy to understand why the saints were persecuted and Smith was murdered. I was really surprised that step-son didn't know about this. It isn't really my place to tell him any of this. I just am fearful that when he discovers that the people he called liars were not liars that he'll become one of these angry, disillusioned, young men you see on this board sometimes. I worry about it.

I understand a fireside is going to occur where some of these issues are raised with the youth. I think that is wonderful.

[_Danse Macabre]

Thank you for the welcome.

I can only go by those that I know best... my mother and siblings, my wife, my children, my local Elder's Quorum, my LDS friends, etc - they don't all know all the same things but they know as much as they care to and aren't bothered by what some here seem to think is potentially harmful (to the orthodox).

I don't know if it's important that they "understand the truth" as you put it. I personally find it interesting but it doesn't make or not make me a better person.

I don't believe the truth is every single bit of history, or even the parts that are controversial. In my case it is simple things. For instance my step-son was in a tizzy because someone on a school yard said some things about LDS. He told his father about these things (they mentioned sacred things) and he told the bullies, as well as his father that these things were all lies. Well here I go to FAIR and see that this sacred rites, ceremonies are not lies but something, at some point, if not yet, my step-son will witness himself. That is pretty odd. So I wondered why he would believe this. Come to find out that he, his mother, and his step-dad believe there are anti-Mormons everywhere (and now we're labeled as such) that are out to lie about LDS.

He talks to my daughter about Joseph Smith (my daughter watched the PBS special) quite a bit. My daughter asked him why did he think Smith had so many wives. He freaked out on my daughter and told her she was a liar and those were lies. That's a bit scary to be honest with you. I feel as though I (a complete outsider) worry more about him believing these things then those in the Church. I do believe it is important to understand polygamy to understand why the saints were persecuted and Smith was murdered. I was really surprised that step-son didn't know about this. It isn't really my place to tell him any of this. I just am fearful that when he discovers that the people he called liars were not liars that he'll become one of these angry, disillusioned, young men you see on this board sometimes. I worry about it.

I understand a fireside is going to occur where some of these issues are raised with the youth. I think that is wonderful.

Not making light of your post here - but so what. The world is full of all sorts of people, the sophisticated, the naïve, the orthodox, the dogmatic, seekers, critical thinkers, etc. Being Mormon or Jewish or whatever doesn't dismiss one from the human race.

Last year Richard Bushman and a few BYU professors did a Saturday Joseph Smith symposium at one of our local Stake Centers. Joseph Smith polyandry and sexual relationships within plural marriage was freely discussed, (among other interesting material) and no one batted an eye. The Church, like the world, is full of bright, inquiring minds.