Apropos Image of the day

[_LifeOnaPlate]

A joke? Why?

I mean, now that the precedent has been established for taking care of these kinds of problems in the body politic, I say carry it to its logical conclusion. Let's excise the tumor before the malignancy grows any further. It was bad enough to see a Mormon make such a potent play for the presidency this year. If something isn't done soon, it will be too late.

Seriously, what's the big difference between the FLDS and the LDS? Sure, the FLDS sometimes marry off 14 year olds, but the LDS essentially imprison women for life with a program that keeps them bound to childbirth and ignorance. And besides, the deal in Texas isn't about 14 year old (or 16 or whatever) brides at all. I mean, the famous phone call that justified the initial raid was shown to be a hoax before the kids were even separated from their mothers. You don't need a "crime" to justify the good they're doing in Texas. All you need is public acquiescence. And I'm pretty sure we can count on that. Except in Utah of course. You might need a couple National Guard units to help out there. But you could start in Texas right now. They're all ready down there for this sort of thing. And if I'm not mistaken, I think there's a couple hundred thousand Mormons down there, so it would make a good trial run for the rest of the country.

While I mostly agree with you, the problem is that mainstream moism is more insidious about its brainwashing. That actually makes it the more dangerous evil of the two, because your scenario will never happen, and the victims will just keep piling up.

Gobsmacked.

Indeed. With comments like these, I wonder who is the brainwashed one.

Is it me?

[_Wheat]

Now what we really need is for the government to do the same thing to mainline LDS families. Take those poor kids out of the brainwashing environment until they're 18, and the power of the cult will be destroyed in a single generation.

I hope the above is a joke.

A joke? Why?

I mean, now that the precedent has been established for taking care of these kinds of problems in the body politic, I say carry it to its logical conclusion. Let's excise the tumor before the malignancy grows any further. It was bad enough to see a Mormon make such a potent play for the presidency this year. If something isn't done soon, it will be too late.

Seriously, what's the big difference between the FLDS and the LDS? Sure, the FLDS sometimes marry off 14 year olds, but the LDS essentially imprison women for life with a program that keeps them bound to childbirth and ignorance. And besides, the deal in Texas isn't about 14 year old (or 16 or whatever) brides at all. I mean, the famous phone call that justified the initial raid was shown to be a hoax before the kids were even separated from their mothers. You don't need a "crime" to justify the good they're doing in Texas. All you need is public acquiescence. And I'm pretty sure we can count on that. Except in Utah of course. You might need a couple National Guard units to help out there. But you could start in Texas right now. They're all ready down there for this sort of thing. And if I'm not mistaken, I think there's a couple hundred thousand Mormons down there, so it would make a good trial run for the rest of the country.

While I mostly agree with you, the problem is that mainstream moism is more insidious about its brainwashing. That actually makes it the more dangerous evil of the two, because your scenario will never happen, and the victims will just keep piling up.

All the more reason to act NOW! Texas is showing us the way. We should strike while the iron is hot, or whatever they say. There is never going to be a better opportunity to put an end to the madness. Of course "mainstream moism is more insidious." Everyone here knows that! It's just that you're one of the few who will come right out and admit it. We could at least start by getting rid of all the seminary/institute/brainwashing classes that high school and university students are permitted to engage in. Allowing formal indoctrination of cultish philosophies on the campuses of our institutions of secondary and higher learning is absolutely unconscionable in a modern, pluralistic society like ours. We should follow the Texas example, take the LDS children out of their homes, and then convert their seminary and institute buildings into "reprogramming" centers where we can, in an institutional setting, begin to reverse the years of indoctrination they have received at the hands of their brainwashed parents. Offer all the kids an iPod and 100 free iTunes downloads at the end of the course, and they'll be filling the seats voluntarily. These kids want to escape, they just need to be given a good opportunity. Like the one Texas is giving the FLDS kids right now.

[_Mike Reed]

A joke? Why?

I mean, now that the precedent has been established for taking care of these kinds of problems in the body politic, I say carry it to its logical conclusion. Let's excise the tumor before the malignancy grows any further. It was bad enough to see a Mormon make such a potent play for the presidency this year. If something isn't done soon, it will be too late.

Seriously, what's the big difference between the FLDS and the LDS? Sure, the FLDS sometimes marry off 14 year olds, but the LDS essentially imprison women for life with a program that keeps them bound to childbirth and ignorance. And besides, the deal in Texas isn't about 14 year old (or 16 or whatever) brides at all. I mean, the famous phone call that justified the initial raid was shown to be a hoax before the kids were even separated from their mothers. You don't need a "crime" to justify the good they're doing in Texas. All you need is public acquiescence. And I'm pretty sure we can count on that. Except in Utah of course. You might need a couple National Guard units to help out there. But you could start in Texas right now. They're all ready down there for this sort of thing. And if I'm not mistaken, I think there's a couple hundred thousand Mormons down there, so it would make a good trial run for the rest of the country.

While I mostly agree with you, the problem is that mainstream moism is more insidious about its brainwashing. That actually makes it the more dangerous evil of the two, because your scenario will never happen, and the victims will just keep piling up.

Gobsmacked.

Indeed. With comments like these, I wonder who is the brainwashed one.

Is it me?

Nope. I don't think so.

[Reflexzero]

Nope. I don't think so.

If you don't think so Mike, then it is obviously you who is brainwashed.

(Off topic, but I don't want to dig up the thread... any response regarding the identity of Brown?)

[_Scottie]

Now what we really need is for the government to do the same thing to mainline LDS families. Take those poor kids out of the brainwashing environment until they're 18, and the power of the cult will be destroyed in a single generation.

I hope the above is a joke.

A joke? Why?

I mean, now that the precedent has been established for taking care of these kinds of problems in the body politic, I say carry it to its logical conclusion. Let's excise the tumor before the malignancy grows any further. It was bad enough to see a Mormon make such a potent play for the presidency this year. If something isn't done soon, it will be too late.

Seriously, what's the big difference between the FLDS and the LDS? Sure, the FLDS sometimes marry off 14 year olds, but the LDS essentially imprison women for life with a program that keeps them bound to childbirth and ignorance. And besides, the deal in Texas isn't about 14 year old (or 16 or whatever) brides at all. I mean, the famous phone call that justified the initial raid was shown to be a hoax before the kids were even separated from their mothers. You don't need a "crime" to justify the good they're doing in Texas. All you need is public acquiescence. And I'm pretty sure we can count on that. Except in Utah of course. You might need a couple National Guard units to help out there. But you could start in Texas right now. They're all ready down there for this sort of thing. And if I'm not mistaken, I think there's a couple hundred thousand Mormons down there, so it would make a good trial run for the rest of the country.

Good God! The LDS church is NOTHING like the FLDS in terms of abuse!

At least the LDS church attempts to be charitable (although not as much as I'd like to see). When was the last time the FLDS did anything that wasn't absolutely self-serving?

[Guest]

Now what we really need is for the government to do the same thing to mainline LDS families. Take those poor kids out of the brainwashing environment until they're 18, and the power of the cult will be destroyed in a single generation.

I hope the above is a joke.

A joke? Why?

I mean, now that the precedent has been established for taking care of these kinds of problems in the body politic, I say carry it to its logical conclusion. Let's excise the tumor before the malignancy grows any further. It was bad enough to see a Mormon make such a potent play for the presidency this year. If something isn't done soon, it will be too late.

Seriously, what's the big difference between the FLDS and the LDS? Sure, the FLDS sometimes marry off 14 year olds, but the LDS essentially imprison women for life with a program that keeps them bound to childbirth and ignorance. And besides, the deal in Texas isn't about 14 year old (or 16 or whatever) brides at all. I mean, the famous phone call that justified the initial raid was shown to be a hoax before the kids were even separated from their mothers. You don't need a "crime" to justify the good they're doing in Texas. All you need is public acquiescence. And I'm pretty sure we can count on that. Except in Utah of course. You might need a couple National Guard units to help out there. But you could start in Texas right now. They're all ready down there for this sort of thing. And if I'm not mistaken, I think there's a couple hundred thousand Mormons down there, so it would make a good trial run for the rest of the country.

While I mostly agree with you, the problem is that mainstream moism is more insidious about its brainwashing. That actually makes it the more dangerous evil of the two, because your scenario will never happen, and the victims will just keep piling up.

All the more reason to act NOW! Texas is showing us the way. We should strike while the iron is hot, or whatever they say. There is never going to be a better opportunity to put an end to the madness. Of course "mainstream moism is more insidious." Everyone here knows that! It's just that you're one of the few who will come right out and admit it. We could at least start by getting rid of all the seminary/institute/brainwashing classes that high school and university students are permitted to engage in. Allowing formal indoctrination of cultish philosophies on the campuses of our institutions of secondary and higher learning is absolutely unconscionable in a modern, pluralistic society like ours. We should follow the Texas example, take the LDS children out of their homes, and then convert their seminary and institute buildings into "reprogramming" centers where we can, in an institutional setting, begin to reverse the years of indoctrination they have received at the hands of their brainwashed parents. Offer all the kids an iPod and 100 free iTunes downloads at the end of the course, and they'll be filling the seats voluntarily. These kids want to escape, they just need to be given a good opportunity. Like the one Texas is giving the FLDS kids right now.

I'm really, really hoping this is sarcasm. If not, you missed the boat. McCarthy and Stalin are dead. If you pull it off, don't forget the Hindus with their caste religion, the Christians for their anti-science, the Muslims with their terrorist book, and agnostics for just being indecisive bastards.

[_Sethbag]

I look at that picture and it just makes me sad. The joke is lost in looking at their faces. I know that because of their age, the damage cannot be undone. They never had a chance. Unfortunately, neither did their parents. The worst thing about mankind is these miserable ideas that keep echoing through generations and cannot be stopped.

Exactly. It's not these girls' fault that they will soon be deflowered by some 40 or 50 year old guy with a handful of women in his family already. They never had a chance, as shielded and isolated from the real world, and as focused inwardly on what their parents and church leaders wanted them to believe, as they are. And, to a very large extent, you're right, their parents never had a chance either.

This is an insanely strong evidence of exactly what Dawkins is talking about. These people are all victims of a particularly virulent strain of mind virus. And I think that one of the reasons LDS get so upset about these kinds of statements is because the FLDS demonstrate as clearly as the noon-day sun the very fact that a group of people can in fact be held in the thrall of false beliefs and a false worldview. They are living proof of it, and the uncomfortable thing is that they are such good examples of people infected with a mind virus, who also happen to believe in the Book of Mormon, bear LDS-like testimonies, hold up Joseph Smith and Brigham Young as true prophets of their faith, etc. In other words, it all strikes way too close to home.

LOAP, I recognize that the picture in the OP is crass, and makes light, in some ways, of a situation that deserves more gravitas. I don't miss that fact. What I also don't miss is that Joseph Smith did the exact same thing, and you seem to have no problem with it.

Joseph Smith started all of this, LOAP, with his wildly inappropriate sexual liaisons with young women and girls who were not his legal wife. He manipulated them, he seduced them, he coerced them spiritually, he imposed upon them, and then he screwed them. And he lied to his wife, and to the world, about it all.

Joseph Smith was wrong, LOAP. This is something that you need to know. You need to stop excusing him. I know it's hard, coming from the faith position that you're in, to see your founding Prophet in this way, but you need to try.

[_Scottie]

All the more reason to act NOW! Texas is showing us the way. We should strike while the iron is hot, or whatever they say. There is never going to be a better opportunity to put an end to the madness. Of course "mainstream moism is more insidious." Everyone here knows that! It's just that you're one of the few who will come right out and admit it. We could at least start by getting rid of all the seminary/institute/brainwashing classes that high school and university students are permitted to engage in. Allowing formal indoctrination of cultish philosophies on the campuses of our institutions of secondary and higher learning is absolutely unconscionable in a modern, pluralistic society like ours. We should follow the Texas example, take the LDS children out of their homes, and then convert their seminary and institute buildings into "reprogramming" centers where we can, in an institutional setting, begin to reverse the years of indoctrination they have received at the hands of their brainwashed parents. Offer all the kids an iPod and 100 free iTunes downloads at the end of the course, and they'll be filling the seats voluntarily. These kids want to escape, they just need to be given a good opportunity. Like the one Texas is giving the FLDS kids right now.

And then what? Once we'd rid the world of the evils of Mormonism, do we now turn on the whole of Christianity? Or should we try and weed out those horrible, brainwashed Muslims next? Or should we just focus on the smaller "weird" churches? JW's and Scientology?

[_Sethbag]

Guys, I don't believe that Wheat is for real. I think he's trying to push an extreme view on purpose to try to make some kind of point against the critics, by going way over the top, as it were.

Don't feed the trolls.

[_Mike Reed]

Nope. I don't think so.

If you don't think so Mike, then it is obviously you who is brainwashed.

LOL! Then I wouldn’t be able to “Wonder,” would I? :) With comments like Wheat's, it is hard to know if he/she is really serious. Maybe he/she isn't. I hope not.

(Off topic, but I don't want to dig up the thread... any response regarding the identity of Brown?)

Nah. The guy has posted on different threads, but has (so far, it seems) entirely disappeared from the thread where I dropped the question. Maybe someone should *bump* it.