Who's left?

[_Bazooka]

EAllusion, why do you think that someone who accepts Mormonism (as I do) must be "ignorant, stupid or insane"? Why do you think that Mormonism "is not rational"? Do you think that I am "not thinking about it clearly enough"? And if you do, why do you think so?

Kevin, let me ask you a question by way of illustrating the point.

If I, Charles Ponzi, came to you and asked you to give me a shed load of your cash because I have a brilliant investment scheme that will earn you a fortune - would you give it to me based on just taking my word for it? No? Would you give me all that money if I asked you not just to take my word for it, but to pray and if you feel good about it then you should give me the cash? No? What would you require before you would give me a lot of your money to put into my investment scheme?

[_maklelan]

No, 'ignorant' as in unnecessarily dismissive of posters or their points.

Can you point to an example of me being "unnecessarily dismissive"? I tend to think I give everyone a fair shake, and am only dismissive when it's clear that same courtesy is not being extended to me. If you think that's not true, please show me a pattern that fits with your characterization above.

Fanatic:
A person marked or motivated by an extreme, unreasoning enthusiasm, as for a cause.
Informal - a person devoted to a particular hobby or pastime; fan a jazz fanatic

I'd say Maklelan (online postings) fits with that of a fanatic as defined above.

The formal sense or the other? If the other, I'd invite you to point to an example or two of me showing "extreme" and "unreasoning enthusiasm" for Mormonism. I think you'll find if you actually read through my posts that I am willing to be quite reasonable and measured in my positions. Again, you're welcome to prove me wrong.

Would he, if asked by the Prophet, become a suicide bomber for Mormonism....not sure, I doubt it, but I'm not sure.

You're not sure whether or not I would kill myself on behalf of the Church? Are you serious? Have you sincerely paid so little attention to what I post here?

[_maklelan]

I don't consider mak very reasonable, however. Dude seems more concerned with people thinking of him as a mature grown-up than making reasonable arguments, and flees when things go south for him.

I think you'll find if you go back and look at threads I've abandoned that I don't leave because "things go south," I leave when I'm being unreasonably attacked or when I've asked for responses to concerns and am refused over and over again. There's really no reason for me to hang around a thread if it's obvious to me that my concerns are not being heard. Do you disagree? It's certainly easy to then turn around and insist I ran away with my tail between my legs, though, and you've repeatedly availed yourself of that luxury.

On the other hand, I am also quite busy and travel quite a bit. My activity is not consistent here, and I hope I can be forgiven if I don't go back to stalled threads and try to resurrect them just so people don't think I've run off to hide. I suppose since I am trying so hard to have people think of me as a grown-up, I might as well start doing that.

[_Some Schmo]

I think you'll find if you go back and look at threads I've abandoned that I don't leave because "things go south," I leave when I'm being unreasonably attacked or when I've asked for responses to concerns and am refused over and over again. There's really no reason for me to hang around a thread if it's obvious to me that my concerns are not being heard. Do you disagree? It's certainly easy to then turn around and insist I ran away with my tail between my legs, though, and you've repeatedly availed yourself of that luxury.

I'm not sure about your discussions with others, but it's certainly been the case with me. I heard your concerns and commented on them in the few times we've discussed things.

It's easy to turn around when your argument goes south and claim you weren't being heard (which is code for "people don't buy your often outrageous premises"), but the timing of your exits suggests otherwise.

On the other hand, I am also quite busy and travel quite a bit. My activity is not consistent here, and I hope I can be forgiven if I don't go back to stalled threads and try to resurrect them just so people don't think I've run off to hide. I suppose since I am trying so hard to have people think of me as a grown-up, I might as well start doing that.

My activity isn't regular either, but I will always finish a conversation in which I'm involved.

And nobody but you cares how much of a grown-up you are. You could save yourself some effort there.

[_NorthboundZax]

My apologies Maklelan. I thought using you as an example of a clearly informed person that is and will likely remain TBM would help show the silliness of the OP. However, when 'dismissive' became interchangeable with 'ignorant', I figured there was little point pursuing the conversation.

[_BartBurk]

The way things are going, within a few years the only people who will be left in the church will be the fanatics, the insane, and the ignorant.

We see that already on this board: the only LDS posters we have here regularly are nut jobs like Tobin, the ignorant nut jobs like ldsfaqs and fanatics like bcspace. If they are the wave of the future the church is in serious trouble.

Name calling by exmormons helps the Mormons.

[_Bazooka]

You're not sure whether or not I would kill myself on behalf of the Church? Are you serious? Have you sincerely paid so little attention to what I post here?

Would you, or wouldn't you?

If the Prophet needed suicide bombers and you got a spiritual witness that it was indeed required, would you do it?

[_maklelan]

I'm not sure about your discussions with others, but it's certainly been the case with me. I heard your concerns and commented on them in the few times we've discussed things.

From what I recall, those "comments" amounted to snarky rhetorical jabs and insults. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but you preferred rhetoric to actual dialogue far more often than not. It was a rare post that had any sincere or helpful statements in it.

It's easy to turn around when your argument goes south and claim you weren't being heard (which is code for "people don't buy your often outrageous premises"), but the timing of your exits suggests otherwise.

Feel free to provide an example.

My activity isn't regular either, but I will always finish a conversation in which I'm involved.

I don't have that luxury when I spend weeks at a time in places with spotty internet access and lots of other things to do.

And nobody but you cares how much of a grown-up you are. You could save yourself some effort there.

Maybe your assumptions about my motivations are just inaccurate.

[_maklelan]

Would you, or wouldn't you?

If the Prophet needed suicide bombers and you got a spiritual witness that it was indeed required, would you do it?

I don't think I'm going to waste anymore time trying to force you to listen to reason on this board. Clearly you've got an agenda with which that goal entirely conflicts.

[_Bazooka]

Would you, or wouldn't you?

If the Prophet needed suicide bombers and you got a spiritual witness that it was indeed required, would you do it?

I don't think I'm going to waste anymore time trying to force you to listen to reason on this board. Clearly you've got an agenda with which that goal entirely conflicts.

Is that a yes or a no, because it seems like you're avoiding the question.

By the way, I wouldn't be a suicide bomber for the Church (any Church), God could show up in person and tell me Himself it was needed and I'd still say no.