God can write straight with crooked lines.

[Everybody Wang Chung]

But He hasn't, right? So what is one to do in that instance? Are you only going to be satisfied if and when God literally comes through your front door carrying a sign that says, "I've got a plan!" Without even knocking and asking permission?

Regards,
MG

Fibber,

Is this a serious question?

[Marcus]

That is a key point, in my opinion. It's one of the "strengths" of the LDS church. I put strengths in quotation marks because in my opinion, the early isolation in the West allowed quick growth of bic membership where people were trained in that trust from birth, so the strength was in promoting growth. That isolation slowly fell apart, and then started moving extremely quickly with the advent of the internet. The "strength" turned in to a weakness when one could investigate for oneself rather than 'just believe,' and the facts didn't match the story. It's a weakness now as people feel betrayed by the dishonesty of being asked to trust in something that cannot be logically supported. Someone in another thread, If I recall correctly, suggested Mormonism looks, from the outside, like another version of a flat earth society. I agree, and it's difficult to find that out from the inside. The erosion of trust is a significant burden.

So many stories are available these days of people who stay in the LDS church not because of trusting the old version of the truth, but because of not wanting to upset family, or lose familial benefits, including monetary ones. Even our mentalgymnast here has admitted he stays because of his family connections. It's the last vestige of that trust in others, in my opinion, holding a church together, and the damage continues to accumulate.

It’s a sad indictment of Mormonism that people stay out of fear of losing family connections, because they know their family/social circle will drop them like a hot potato the moment they stop attending Church. I believe it’s the primary reason Don Bradley returned to Church activity, for the community connection, not the religious belief.

It is definitely a sad indictment. Family, social life, vacation time, schooling and even employment seem inextricably intertwined in certain geographical areas. Living further away seems to help a little.

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

Someone in another thread, If I recall correctly, suggested Mormonism looks, from the outside, like another version of a flat earth society.

*cough*

I’d like to think that I’m not that forgettable, Marcus.

Harumph.

- Doc

[Marcus]

Someone in another thread, If I recall correctly, suggested Mormonism looks, from the outside, like another version of a flat earth society.

*cough*

I’d like to think that I’m not that forgettable, Marcus.

Harumph.

- Doc

My apologies!! No you are not. It was you and your analogy was spot on:

The clearest evidence is the plagiarised KJV Bible content in the Book of Mormon. Including errors, including syntax.

The clearest evidence is *looks around, waves arms wildly* literally everything. Mormonism is absurd on the level of flat-eartherism. It’s an obvious absurdity that dupes, the brainwashed, the socially/economically compromised, or clever people “believe.” Not-idiots who have no connection with it see it for the obvious nonsense that it is.

I especially liked the "waves arms wildly" as an indication of how literally everything in one's life experience can provide such evidence. Literally. Everything.

[MG 2.0]

It might be interesting at this point in the thread to explore how people interpret seemingly “crooked” evidence differently depending on whether they are inside or outside a movement. In particular, inside or outside the LDS Church.

What are the 'roots', if any, that contribute to that?

Regards,
MG

[Limnor]

It might be interesting at this point in the thread to explore how people interpret seemingly “crooked” evidence differently depending on whether they are inside or outside a movement. In particular, inside or outside the LDS Church.

What are the 'roots', if any, that contribute to that?

Regards,
MG

I tend to lean towards Sorites reasoning.

[malkie]

It might be interesting at this point in the thread to explore how people interpret seemingly “crooked” evidence differently depending on whether they are inside or outside a movement. In particular, inside or outside the LDS Church.

What are the 'roots', if any, that contribute to that?

Regards,
MG

I tend to lean towards Sorites reasoning.

[Limnor]

I tend to lean towards Sorites reasoning.

[MG 2.0]

Here we go again. Learning at the feet of those with formal training in heap theory. Just don't repeat yourselves.

How does one LOL stand up against three if the one LOL is from a believer and the three LOL's are coming from a non-believer. This may get really deep, really fast.

Gotta' factor in the dude with the shades too.

Regards,
MG

[Limnor]

Here we go again. Learning at the feet of those with formal training in heap theory. Just don't repeat yourselves.

How does one LOL stand up against three if the one LOL is from a believer and the three LOL's are coming from a non-believer. This may get really deep, really fast.

Gotta' factor in the dude with the shades too.

Regards,
MG

No formal training required. Just basic probability and an interest in ancient treasure stories.