If one were to post fake apologetics to "the other boar

[_moksha]

One day, a person on FAIR was surfing RFM and came across one of these entries. Unfortunately for him, he took it completely seriously, thinking it was indeed a leaked entry from a FARMS apologist named Garloy P. Hendricks.

How could he not take it seriously with such a handsome picture posted by it?
Garloy P. Hendricks, Director of FAIR and noted author of The Donut Compendium.

[_harmony]

One regular poster? Me.

Hmmm... and who might you be?

[_Enuma Elish]

As entertaining as it must sound to ridicule others for their faith,

As I always say, comedic value is the only way to extract worth from Mormonism.

most seasoned LDS scholars take their careers a little more seriously than that.

Too bad for them that noone outside of Mormon apologetics does the same. Matter of fact its the opposite.

Really?!!! No one outside of Mormon apologetics takes the careers of LDS scholars seriously?! No one?!! In all honesty, your assertions continue to amaze! Could you please provide some of the evidence that supports your position?

Thanks in advance.

By the way, in case you haven't guessed, I'm really beginning to believe that comedic value may be the only way to extract worth from your claims.

Are you really even Jewish?

[_maklelan]

One regular poster? Me.

Hmmm... and who might you be?

I'm a pundit from the MAD board who prefers to keep his identity to himself, and I don't mind considering myself an apologist. With the abysmal level of respect and objectivity that festers in these boards I prefer to identify with those who are trying to build up rather than those whose most valuable use of time is found in ridiculing other people for their beliefs. The fact that those same people label others as apologists as if it were a disease and construct arguments that consist of only false inferences, assumptions and insults only serves to illustrate the uselessness and fallacy of their cause. Not everyone falls into that category, of course, but the most vocal usually do.

[_harmony]

One regular poster? Me.

Hmmm... and who might you be?

I'm a pundit from the MAD board who prefers to keep his identity to himself, and I don't mind considering myself an apologist.

Welcome to the board.

With the abysmal level of respect and objectivity that festers in these boards...

So your next sentence is an insult? Well, I guess that means you really are an apologist. *sigh*

... I prefer to identify with those who are trying to build up...

And you do this by starting out with an insult? Maybe we can help you with your concept of "building up"? It surely needs work.

... rather than those whose most valuable use of time is found in ridiculing other people for their beliefs.

Uh... I don't know what you've been told, but many of us here are LDS. We're here to comment, critique, debate, and discuss. Ridicule we generally leave to the apologists, like Dan Peterson and Juliann.

The fact that those same people label others as apologists as if it were a disease...

I've been here since this board's inception, and have posted on several other similiar boards and more than a few pro-LDS boards, and I can honestly say I've never seen anyone put apologists and disease in the same sentence, as if being an apologist means diseased. I don't know where you're getting that, but you're wrong.

... and construct arguments that consist of only false inferences, assumptions and insults...

Are you sure you aren't referring to the more virulent apologists among us? Although we do have a few who tend to be quite pithy, your "only" leaves little wiggle room. Many of us are quite frank, but rarely does a given poster "only" use false inferences, assumptions, and insults.

... only serves to illustrate the uselessness and fallacy of their cause.

If insults, assumptions, and false inferences have anything to do with uselessness and fallacy of the cause, the LDS apologists are in a world of hurt, because we get a lot of that here.

Not everyone falls into that category, of course, but the most vocal usually do.

Wow. What a concession: not everyone falls into that catagory. Well, I guess you fit right in to the Pundit's forum. Luckily for you, we don't have a Pundit's forum... we don't exclude anyone here. Anyone who registers can comment, discuss, debate, and critique. Including you.

[_maklelan]

Welcome to the board.

Thank you.

So your next sentence is an insult? Well, I guess that means you really are an apologist. *sigh*

Do you believe all discussion boards are free from what I described?

And you do this by starting out with an insult? Maybe we can help you with your concept of "building up"? It surely needs work.

I'm not insulting anyone in particular, I was just referring to the general presence of low-calibre debators on discussion boards. I'm sure you don't disagree that they tend to pop up in the places.

Uh... I don't know what you've been told, but many of us here are LDS. We're here to comment, critique, debate, and discuss. Ridicule we generally leave to the apologists, like Dan Peterson and Juliann.

I come and make two or three benign posts and I am immediately told by someone who doesn't even know me that making fun of Mormons is the only way to derive any good from Mormonism. This is the level of discussion I am criticizing. I haven't interacted with anyone else whose been disrespectful, but the gentleman who directed those remarks to me let me know that his kind populated this board as well as the others.

I've been here since this board's inception, and have posted on several other similiar boards and more than a few pro-LDS boards, and I can honestly say I've never seen anyone put apologists and disease in the same sentence, as if being an apologist means diseased. I don't know where you're getting that, but you're wrong.

My metaphor was meant to convey the general feeling of disdain for people categorized as such, as in these comments:

So your next sentence is an insult? Well, I guess that means you really are an apologist. *sigh*

Ridicule we generally leave to the apologists

Whether it is in defense or aggression, your feelings are clear.

Are you sure you aren't referring to the more virulent apologists among us? Although we do have a few who tend to be quite pithy, your "only" leaves little wiggle room. Many of us are quite frank, but rarely does a given poster "only" use false inferences, assumptions, and insults.

A generalization. My apologies for stereotyping.

If insults, assumptions, and false inferences have anything to do with uselessness and fallacy of the cause, the LDS apologists are in a world of hurt, because we get a lot of that here.

I bet.

Wow. What a concession: not everyone falls into that catagory. Well, I guess you fit right in to the Pundit's forum. Luckily for you, we don't have a Pundit's forum... we don't exclude anyone here. Anyone who registers can comment, discuss, debate, and critique. Including you.

I directed nothing at you. All you did was ask me an honest question. I apologize for making it sound as if you were the target of my remarks. I hope you will have found out by now that I was speaking about a certain type of poster, and not you. I am fully capable of admitting when I'm wrong and apologizing when I say somethign inappropriate. I apologize for being unclear with my post and I hope you'll allow me the opportunity to show you I'm fully capable of carrying on a respectful discussion with anyone willing to show me the same courtesy.

[_Enuma Elish]

Ridicule we generally leave to the apologists

This is certainly true. The critics on this board NEVER ridicule the LDS Church and its apologists. You will find, Maklelan, that with the exception of the apologists, this board is generally speaking a ridicule free zone. You should expect nothing but respectful discourse from the critics.

[_Mephitus]

Ridicule we generally leave to the apologists

This is certainly true. The critics on this board NEVER ridicule the LDS Church and its apologists. You will find, Maklelan, that with the exception of the apologists, this board is generally speaking a ridicule free zone. You should expect nothing but respectful discourse from the critics.

I dunno, i like to ridicule people all the time :) its fun! That doesn't mean im not doing it in...the most tactfull way i can think of (when i care).

[_harmony]

So your next sentence is an insult? Well, I guess that means you really are an apologist. *sigh*

Do you believe all discussion boards are free from what I described?

This is not "all discussion boards". This is MDB. We are not exempt from all that you describe, but there is more to us than insults. And why should we be held hostage for the sins of other message boards? At least give us a chance before branding us with an undeserved label.

And you do this by starting out with an insult? Maybe we can help you with your concept of "building up"? It surely needs work.

I'm not insulting anyone in particular, I was just referring to the general presence of low-calibre debators on discussion boards. I'm sure you don't disagree that they tend to pop up in the places.

And yet only those on this message board were seeing the insult. What good does it do to insult us, when you were referring to all discussion boards?

Uh... I don't know what you've been told, but many of us here are LDS. We're here to comment, critique, debate, and discuss. Ridicule we generally leave to the apologists, like Dan Peterson and Juliann.

I come and make two or three benign posts and I am immediately told by someone who doesn't even know me that making fun of Mormons is the only way to derive any good from Mormonism. This is the level of discussion I am criticizing. I haven't interacted with anyone else whose been disrespectful, but the gentleman who directed those remarks to me let me know that his kind populated this board as well as the others.

We have our characters, as any board does. And they add a certain flavor to our board, kinda like adding red pepper flakes to chili. We are not bland; we are not to everyone's taste, but then we move over and make space for everyone who wants to participate, and call everyone friend, even those with whom we vehemently disagree.

I've been here since this board's inception, and have posted on several other similiar boards and more than a few pro-LDS boards, and I can honestly say I've never seen anyone put apologists and disease in the same sentence, as if being an apologist means diseased. I don't know where you're getting that, but you're wrong.

My metaphor was meant to convey the general feeling of disdain for people categorized as such, as in these comments:

So your next sentence is an insult? Well, I guess that means you really are an apologist. *sigh*

Ridicule we generally leave to the apologists

Whether it is in defense or aggression, your feelings are clear.

You get what you fling here, as a general rule. I read one of your posts that looked like it painted us all with a pretty broad brush. If you insult us, you can be sure someone will insult you back. If you show us that you want serious discussion, we will do our best to provide that. Even our pithy characters have their moments of serious discussion. But you can't come in here, flags flying, firing across the bow, and expect us to show you the hand of friendship in return. We all get back what we put into this place. And so will you.

Are you sure you aren't referring to the more virulent apologists among us? Although we do have a few who tend to be quite pithy, your "only" leaves little wiggle room. Many of us are quite frank, but rarely does a given poster "only" use false inferences, assumptions, and insults.

A generalization. My apologies for stereotyping.

Thank you.

Wow. What a concession: not everyone falls into that catagory. Well, I guess you fit right in to the Pundit's forum. Luckily for you, we don't have a Pundit's forum... we don't exclude anyone here. Anyone who registers can comment, discuss, debate, and critique. Including you.

I directed nothing at you. All you did was ask me an honest question. I apologize for making it sound as if you were the target of my remarks. I hope you will have found out by now that I was speaking about a certain type of poster, and not you. I am fully capable of admitting when I'm wrong and apologizing when I say somethign inappropriate. I apologize for being unclear with my post and I hope you'll allow me the opportunity to show you I'm fully capable of carrying on a respectful discussion with anyone willing to show me the same courtesy.

[/quote]

Then welcome to the board. We are not FAIR/MAD, and thankfully we don't try to be. We are a unique group who welcome newcomers with fresh perspectives. I hope you feel welcome here.

[_Gazelam]

Ridicule we generally leave to the apologists

This is certainly true. The critics on this board NEVER ridicule the LDS Church and its apologists. You will find, Maklelan, that with the exception of the apologists, this board is generally speaking a ridicule free zone. You should expect nothing but respectful discourse from the critics.

I haven't laughed that hard in a week. Thanks Elish.