Complex?

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Marcus
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Re: Complex?

Post by Marcus »

I Have Questions wrote:
Sat Jul 12, 2025 10:11 pm
Everybody Wang Chung wrote:
Sat Jul 12, 2025 12:35 am
But where would all these people go?

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Those are the words a coercive controlling spouse would use to coerce and control their downtrodden and gaslit partner.
It's hard to imagine any circumstances where a person would justify the use of that kind of abusive and controlling language, religious setting or not, let alone think it was a wonderful thing.

Giving a cult permission to treat you and your loved ones badly simply because you 'believe' is easier, I suppose, than thinking for oneself, but that's an incredibly dangerous path, in my opinion. Why teach your children that you are okay with inappropriate language like that?
I Have Questions
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Re: Complex?

Post by I Have Questions »

When Mormon parents allow their kids to go on missions, they are submitting their kids to extreme coercive control by the Church. Isolating them from family and friends. Making them financially dependant on the Church. Taking their passports away etc. They are being brainwashed into seeing the Church’s coercive control of their lives as “normal”.

In some respects, I can see MG 2.0 as a victim. He’s been conditioned to accepting that coercive control his whole life. And he wasn’t mentally strong enough to break through it. He will read those quotes and think it’s entirely normal and reasonable behaviour from Church leaders.
Premise 1. Eyewitness testimony is notoriously unreliable.
Premise 2. The best evidence for the Book of Mormon is eyewitness testimony.
Conclusion. Therefore, the best evidence for the Book of Mormon is notoriously unreliable.
MG 2.0
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Re: Complex?

Post by MG 2.0 »

I Have Questions wrote:
Sun Jul 13, 2025 8:18 pm
When Mormon parents allow their kids to go on missions, they are submitting their kids to extreme coercive control by the Church. Isolating them from family and friends. Making them financially dependant on the Church. Taking their passports away etc. They are being brainwashed into seeing the Church’s coercive control of their lives as “normal”.

In some respects, I can see MG 2.0 as a victim. He’s been conditioned to accepting that coercive control his whole life. And he wasn’t mentally strong enough to break through it. He will read those quotes and think it’s entirely normal and reasonable behaviour from Church leaders.
As though that was the only or most reasonable choice?

When you 'broke through it' what were the results?

Regards,
MG
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Everybody Wang Chung
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Re: Complex?

Post by Everybody Wang Chung »

Here's what the greatest 19th century American author had to say about the Book of Mormon's complexity and consistency:

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"I'm on paid sabbatical from BYU in exchange for my promise to use this time to finish two books."

Daniel C. Peterson, 2014
MG 2.0
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Re: Complex?

Post by MG 2.0 »

Everybody Wang Chung wrote:
Sun Jul 13, 2025 11:56 pm
Here's what the greatest 19th century American author had to say about the Book of Mormon's complexity and consistency:

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This comment seems to demonstrate that Twain may have perused the Book of Mormon but possibly failed to recognize some of the complexities that Grant Hardy has written a whole book about.

I don't think it is reasonable to simply take Mark Twain at his word in this respect.

Mark Twain wasn't a theologian. I doubt he spent much time digging deep in that regard.

I like his fiction though! Read it when I was a young lad.

Regards,
MG
Marcus
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Re: Complex?

Post by Marcus »

Everybody Wang Chung wrote:
Sun Jul 13, 2025 11:56 pm
Here's what the greatest 19th century American author had to say about the Book of Mormon's complexity and consistency:

Image
Interesting. That's pretty close to William Davis' take, in his recent paper.
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Moksha
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Re: Complex?

Post by Moksha »

MG 2.0 wrote:
Sun Jul 13, 2025 9:29 pm
When you broke through it, what were the results?

Regards,
MG
I was confused as to why the adults abandoned the Santa story and kept the Joseph Smith story—it seemed easier when the goal was to be nice rather than naughty. Those who broke through were able to save a lot of tithing money.
Cry Heaven and let loose the Penguins of Peace
I Have Questions
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Re: Complex?

Post by I Have Questions »

Interestingly, Dianetics is viewed as being complex, and it contains chiasmus.
Premise 1. Eyewitness testimony is notoriously unreliable.
Premise 2. The best evidence for the Book of Mormon is eyewitness testimony.
Conclusion. Therefore, the best evidence for the Book of Mormon is notoriously unreliable.
MG 2.0
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Re: Complex?

Post by MG 2.0 »

I Have Questions wrote:
Mon Jul 14, 2025 10:50 am
Interestingly, Dianetics is viewed as being complex, and it contains chiasmus.
Examples?

Regards,
MG
I Have Questions
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Re: Complex?

Post by I Have Questions »

MG 2.0 wrote:
Mon Jul 14, 2025 3:29 pm
I Have Questions wrote:
Mon Jul 14, 2025 10:50 am
Interestingly, Dianetics is viewed as being complex, and it contains chiasmus.
Examples?

Regards,
MG
Yes. Here’s a simple example from the book "The individual is the product of his environment and the environment is the product of the individual." This is Hubbard discussing the relationship between mind and body. I suggest you do your own research using this book.
Premise 1. Eyewitness testimony is notoriously unreliable.
Premise 2. The best evidence for the Book of Mormon is eyewitness testimony.
Conclusion. Therefore, the best evidence for the Book of Mormon is notoriously unreliable.
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