The Turncoats

[_Kevin Graham]

Tolworthy's website that he stopped managing in 2006:

http://www.exmormon.org.uk/tol_arch/ato ... ormons.htm

[_Runtu]

Cool. I didn't know that. I was mostly involved in a.r.m. and reading SHIELDS at the time. Thanks for the information. I would love to read a history of Mopologetics in the digital age.

Speaking of a.r.m., one of its founders is a frequent poster on RfM.

[_richardMdBorn]

Tolworthy was one of the first online apologists to hit the scene and he quickly developed a sophisticated website that contained more informaton than FAIR had during its first few years in business. He was very much like Jeff Lindsay, but he was a little out in left field with respect to his theories on timelines and their significance.

Circa 2002-2003 i was arguing with him about "The Bible Says 1830" on ZLMB. From my study of Millerism, I knew that Tolworthy's end-time timelines were nonsense. He sent me an e-mail when he lost his LDS faith.

[_Calculus Crusader]

Over on PostMormon today, the poster known as StormWalker outed himself as Doug Marshall, one of the founders of SHIELDS.

Of course we have our very own Kevin Graham and Runtu/John W here. Who are some other notable apologists, especially those who have published, who have "switched sides"? And conversely, are there any notable critics who have returned to the fold?

Coming soon to SHIELDS: A page dedicated to smearing critic and co-founder Doug Marshall!

[_Runtu]

You know, I feel no joy at people like Marshall going through such a transition. After what I've been through, I don't envy anyone the pain and upheaval of figuring out what the church is.

I work with a couple of guys who are unbelievers but still maintain their activity and participation because they don't want to go through this kind of wrenching experience. It's too bad Will Schryver's not around to drive them out of the church.

[_Ray A]

It's too bad Will Schryver's not around to drive them out of the church.

Will is the perfect antidote for the blase, I'll give him that. I don't know why the Tanners even bothered publishing The Salt Lake City Messenger. So much anti-Mormon effort is just wasted. All that's needed is a few more thousand Will's in the Church, and all the anti-Mormons can retire.

[_Kishkumen]

Speaking of a.r.m., one of its founders is a frequent poster on RfM.

Who's that?

[_why me]

The LDS church has always had its share of turncoats. In the beginning the turncoats were the most vehement against the LDS church and some of the greatest persecutors against Joseph Smith. They riled up the gentiles against the church and helped burn homes and murder members. But the LDS church prevailed.

No different today. Some of the biggest persecutors of the LDS church are the turncoats and if these turncoats were alive during the mobbings most likely they would be leading the mobs. To be a critic of any religion is as easy as eating apple pie a la mode.

Over at the postmo site their greatest source of pleasure is in predicting the fall of the LDS church and in analysing why members stay members. I have never seen such an upside down Mormon site. Almost all their members seem like upside down Mormons and the postmormon site posters treats new postmo converts exactly how they say members of the LDS church are treated by eachother. Most of the postmos fit into their own sterotype of what they perceive Mormons to be. It is quite amazing.

[_John Larsen]

The LDS church has always had its share of turncoats. In the beginning the turncoats were the most vehement against the LDS church and some of the greatest persecutors against Joseph Smith. They riled up the gentiles against the church and helped burn homes and murder members. But the LDS church prevailed.

No different today. Some of the biggest persecutors of the LDS church are the turncoats and if these turncoats were alive during the mobbings most likely they would be leading the mobs. To be a critic of any religion is as easy as eating apple pie a la mode.

Over at the postmo site their greatest source of pleasure is in predicting the fall of the LDS church and in analysing why members stay members. I have never seen such an upside down Mormon site. Almost all their members seem like upside down Mormons and the postmormon site posters treats new postmo converts exactly how they say members of the LDS church are treated by eachother. Most of the postmos fit into their own sterotype of what they perceive Mormons to be. It is quite amazing.

There is some truth in that but it doesn't really pertain to the question at hand.

By the way, a few months ago on MAD Wade was bragging that he had started a support group, ala Post Mormon for ex-Mormons who were returning to the fold--ex-ex-Mormons if you will. He suggest that the tide was turning on the exodus and a counter exodus was taking shape. Does anyone have any information on this? My query to Wade was unanswered.

[_Ray A]

He suggest that the tide was turning on the exodus and a counter exodus was taking shape.

If he really thinks that's the case he is, as usual, dreaming. But anything is possible in "Wade's World".