Editing the Official History

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_rcrocket

Post by _rcrocket »

VegasRefugee wrote:I see your ad hominem "information" but all i hear is BLAHBLAHBLAHBLAH.
'

I don't really see it possible to engage in an hominem argument against an anonymous person.

When dealing with anonymous posts, all one has to go upon is the four corners of the post. Harmony chooses to put exclamation points upon her malcontent posts with the statement: I am a temple recommend holder and temple attender.

By choosing to repeatedly make this claim, which I think is quite effective against the stupid when one writes as well as Harmony, she really does expose her argument to a rejoinder. And the rejoinder I have made is the only one possible.

Now, take your case. Your posts are poorly written, ungrammatical, and display lack of reading skills. But, at the least you are what you are -- an apostate. Do I condemn your apostacy? No. You are what you are and are not hypocritical about it. I can't counter your posts with the statement: You are an apostate and thus wrong. There is no logic in that.

But there is indeed logic in responding to Harmony's posts that her positition connotes a lie somewhere in the fabric. For one who continues to blow the trumpet of deception and lies, her position is particularly weak. Kinda like Bill Clinton talking to school kids about morality.


rcrocket
_harmony
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Post by _harmony »

What I see is that you cannot address the subject of a thread without first targeting the author of a post. You are consistently overstepping your stewardship, Plu. Try to rein in your animosity.

Of course, this argument is completely undercut by your repeated statements that you hold a current temple recommend and that, you indeed, attend the temple. To secure a temple recommend you must state your affirmance that the Church is led by God. So, either you are lying today; you are lying about your recommend status; or you are lying to your bishop and stake president. Any alternative does not reflect well upon you. You are in a position different than most of the other malcontents and unhappy people here; they don't claim to have current temple recommends.


And this addresses the current topic how? And this is your business how?

I never lie. Keeping track of lies requires too much energy and I have little excess. As far as I am concerned, the Church of Jesus Christ is led by God. I have no doubt of that. And as far as the LDS church being led by God, I'm sure he'd like to, but the 12 often thwart his best efforts, just as they have in the past (we have documentation of that thwarting, in the history of the priesthood ban). A group of men that will not listen to his promptings cannot lead as he'd like them to. I am entitled to my personal inspiration regarding any counsel or policy put forth by our leaders in SLC. That I think the leaders are thwarting God's intentions on many issues is a product of my personal revelation. Neither you nor the leaders can interfere in my relationship with God. Pres Benson said the church was under condemnation. Perhaps that should be expanded to include the leaders.

In any event, regarding the editing of official history:

1. The art of historography really did not develop until the late 19th Century, and then wasn't really understood except at the nation's most prestigious universities. Even H.H. Bancroft and William Prescott were guilty of changing the meaning of sources and ignoring critical sources when they didn't really fit the story they were trying to tell.


So you're saying none of the historical record can be trusted? I'm not sure that helps your argument.

2. The Church's archives are required to edify and sanctify the Saints, and not to satisfy the curiousity of academics. Anything the Church publishes is fair game to support that mission, really. The text of the Book of Mormon may be changed. The endowment may be changed. The text of the D&C may be changed. All as the Lord may command.


And how does changing the historical record edify and sanctify the Saints? Surely the church, as the keeper of all truth and God's own authority available on the earth, would be even more circumspect when it comes to the historical record than anyone else?

3. You have repeatedly accused the brethren of being "arrogant" and lacking integrity. Again, your Temple Recommend interview completely undercuts that argument one way or another. You are required to affirm in your interview to the contrary.


I am not required to refrain from calling a spade a spade, simply because I am required to sustain the leaders of my church. I can still sustain them, even though I think they are arrogant (at least some of them) and some of them lack integrity.

Nonetheless, although the Church may publish its histories as its sees fit, with few exceptions its archives are completely open to researchers to challenge and contest the Church's publications. This is completely different, for instance, than the canonical libraries of the Vatican and its U.S. churches, which are generally closed to researchers. When I have been in the archives, looking for sensitive material, I have never been asked to display my temple recommend or even affirm that I am a member of the Church. Whereas I dislike the policies in place against copying material, I have had complete freedom to transcribe on a computer what I have been provided. (I note that these policies are similar to those of the Huntington Library.)


And yet surely the leaders would prefer to have an accurate historical record, not a whitewashed or edited version. Anything less shows a marked lack of personal and institutional integrity.
_Mercury
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Post by _Mercury »

rcrocket wrote:
VegasRefugee wrote:I see your ad hominem "information" but all i hear is BLAHBLAHBLAHBLAH.
'

I don't really see it possible to engage in an hominem argument against an anonymous person.

When dealing with anonymous posts, all one has to go upon is the four corners of the post. Harmony chooses to put exclamation points upon her malcontent posts with the statement: I am a temple recommend holder and temple attender.

By choosing to repeatedly make this claim, which I think is quite effective against the stupid when one writes as well as Harmony, she really does expose her argument to a rejoinder. And the rejoinder I have made is the only one possible.

Now, take your case. Your posts are poorly written, ungrammatical, and display lack of reading skills. But, at the least you are what you are -- an apostate. Do I condemn your apostacy? No. You are what you are and are not hypocritical about it. I can't counter your posts with the statement: You are an apostate and thus wrong. There is no logic in that.

But there is indeed logic in responding to Harmony's posts that her positition connotes a lie somewhere in the fabric. For one who continues to blow the trumpet of deception and lies, her position is particularly weak. Kinda like Bill Clinton talking to school kids about morality.


rcrocket


Anonymous? I clearly see Harmonys name right there in the post author field.

You bring nothing to the table.
And crawling on the planet's face
Some insects called the human race
Lost in time
And lost in space...and meaning
_Mercury
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Post by _Mercury »

rcrocket wrote:Now, take your case. Your posts are poorly written, ungrammatical, and display lack of reading skills. But, at the least you are what you are -- an apostate. Do I condemn your apostacy? No. You are what you are and are not hypocritical about it. I can't counter your posts with the statement: You are an apostate and thus wrong. There is no logic in that.


You just attacked her with an ad hominem construct so popular among those with nothing constructive to say. Do you actually have a counter to the points raised?
And crawling on the planet's face
Some insects called the human race
Lost in time
And lost in space...and meaning
_Jason Bourne
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Post by _Jason Bourne »

In any event, regarding the editing of official history:

1. The art of historography really did not develop until the late 19th Century, and then wasn't really understood except at the nation's most prestigious universities. Even H.H. Bancroft and William Prescott were guilty of changing the meaning of sources and ignoring critical sources when they didn't really fit the story they were trying to tell.


So did these people do wholesale editing to change the meaning of something? And so what if this was done by others. I am sure you know of other editing, as do I, that changes things out right. One change writes into Joseph Smith's mouth a prophecy that BY will lead the Church. Joseph Smith never said that.

2. The Church's archives are required to edify and sanctify the Saints, and not to satisfy the curiousity of academics. Anything the Church publishes is fair game to support that mission, really. The text of the Book of Mormon may be changed. The endowment may be changed. The text of the D&C may be changed. All as the Lord may command.


Wow. Do you really believe that? So in my example above, on order to make BY look like Joseph Smith's chosen successor it was OK to write in a prophecy that never happened, a lie essentially, because is supports the mission of the Church. All IF THE LORD COMMANDS. Well how do we know the Lord commands? And would he God lie to further His mission? Is this called lying for the Lord and thus are you promoting an ethic that I really find hard to believe you would sanction under any other circumstances. Either I misunderstand you or I am really dismayed that a man that seems as intelligent as you could sanction such a position. Vegas basically said you would say something like this. I am astounded!

3. You have repeatedly accused the brethren of being "arrogant" and lacking integrity. Again, your Temple Recommend interview completely undercuts that argument one way or another. You are required to affirm in your interview to the contrary. Nonetheless, although the Church may publish its histories as its sees fit, with few exceptions its archives are completely open to researchers to challenge and contest the Church's publications. This is completely different, for instance, than the canonical libraries of the Vatican and its U.S. churches, which are generally closed to researchers. When I have been in the archives, looking for sensitive material, I have never been asked to display my temple recommend or even affirm that I am a member of the Church. Whereas I dislike the policies in place against copying material, I have had complete freedom to transcribe on a computer what I have been provided. (I note that these policies are similar to those of the Huntington Library.)


SO the Church can lie if it sees fit? And are the archives really this open? I thought they clamped down on this some time ago.
_Who Knows
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Post by _Who Knows »

Jason Bourne wrote:SO the Church can lie if it sees fit?


Sorry man, that's the only explanation that fits - if you want to stay faithful. ;)
WK: "Joseph Smith asserted that the Book of Mormon peoples were the original inhabitants of the americas"
Will Schryver: "No, he didn’t." 3/19/08
Still waiting for Will to back this up...
_rcrocket

Post by _rcrocket »

Jason Bourne wrote:So did these people do wholesale editing to change the meaning of something?


Yes; often; usually unintentionally to fit their understanding of events. Which they believed was an accurate rendition.

And so what if this was done by others. I am sure you know of other editing, as do I, that changes things out right. One change writes into Joseph Smith's mouth a prophecy that BY will lead the Church. Joseph Smith never said that.


I looked in the post above and frankly see no reference to this in our discussion.

Either I misunderstand you or I am really dismayed that a man that seems as intelligent as you could sanction such a position. Vegas basically said you would say something like this. I am astounded!

SO the Church can lie if it sees fit? And are the archives really this open? I thought they clamped down on this some time ago.


My words stand as I have stated them; not as you have re-cast them. It is pretty easy to make somebody look foolish by simply foolishly restating an argument. I won't bite.
_Jason Bourne
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Post by _Jason Bourne »

quote="Jason Bourne"]
So did these people do wholesale editing to change the meaning of something? [/quote]

Yes; often; usually unintentionally to fit their understanding of events. Which they believed was an accurate rendition.


Is it your position that the Church changes were done with this intent?

And so what if this was done by others. I am sure you know of other editing, as do I, that changes things out right. One change writes into Joseph Smith's mouth a prophecy that BY will lead the Church. Joseph Smith never said that.


I looked in the post above and frankly see no reference to this in our discussion.



I was bringing up another example. Why are you so obstinant. My questions are sincere. If this is the best you can do to help it is a sad reflection on you.

Either I misunderstand you or I am really dismayed that a man that seems as intelligent as you could sanction such a position. Vegas basically said you would say something like this. I am astounded!

SO the Church can lie if it sees fit? And are the archives really this open? I thought they clamped down on this some time ago.

My words stand as I have stated them; not as you have re-cast them. It is pretty easy to make somebody look foolish by simply foolishly restating an argument. I won't bite.


Uhhh.... let's see, I said I may be misunderstanding you. Why are you being such a jerk? If I did then clarify. If not then I am dismayed. I am not trying to set you up but interested in good responses and answers. Typically you post in an elusive and coy way. You are doing it here. Can you not do better?
_Mercury
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Post by _Mercury »

rcrocket wrote:Yes; often; usually unintentionally to fit their understanding of events. Which they believed was an accurate rendition.


So essentially the first person acount was edited by someone else in order to correct the original authors "misconceptions"?

This has transitioned out of apologetics bull and meandered into outright lying for the lard. Do you further any response that does not involve either a "so what" attitude, personal attack or plain old turning the world upside down to fit your messed up worldview?
And crawling on the planet's face
Some insects called the human race
Lost in time
And lost in space...and meaning
_rcrocket

Post by _rcrocket »

Jason Bourne wrote:
Why are you so obstinant. My questions are sincere. If this is the best you can do to help it is a sad reflection on you. Why are you being such a jerk? Typically you post in an elusive and coy way. You are doing it here. Can you not do better?


I've answered your questions; my answers stand. I'm sorry to be such a jerk and having such a sad reflection.

rcrocket
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