I have a question wrote:MG's response seems to be.
"I believe in them so they can't be stupid because that would make me stupid and I'm not stupid."
I feel for people in the church who are grasping for some reason to be OK with this policy. Seems to me MG is one of them. That he can't come up with a better reason than "they're not stupid" indicates just how difficult this policy is for most people to accept. Essentially, statements like his are another way of saying, "I'm going to put that on the shelf because I can't make sense of it."
consiglieri wrote:Or maybe, "It must be inspired because there is no rational basis for any marginally intelligent person to do it."
What has been awful for me is the absolute hatred being spewed by some people who are fully on board with all this. Most of you know the poster "Abulafia" who is one of the kindest, gentlest people I know. Some Mormons have been demonizing her on her Facebook feed simply because she linked to an article that said calls to an LGBT suicide hotline in Utah have spiked in the last week.
To me, this policy has become, intentionally or not, a test whether people are going to abdicate their moral responsibility and give it unquestioningly to an authority figure. As I said elsewhere, I'm gratified that most of my friends, in and out of the church. have expressed their moral objections to this irrational policy.
fetchface wrote:It's so stupid that it *must* be the will of God. That sounds bad but I swear that is what people are saying sometimes.
That's what is meant by "God's ways are not man's ways." That is the universal excuse for defending a religious belief or practice that makes no rational sense.
I have a question wrote:MG's response seems to be.
"I believe in them so they can't be stupid because that would make me stupid and I'm not stupid."
I feel for people in the church who are grasping for some reason to be OK with this policy. Seems to me MG is one of them. That he can't come up with a better reason than "they're not stupid" indicates just how difficult this policy is for most people to accept. Essentially, statements like his are another way of saying, "I'm going to put that on the shelf because I can't make sense of it."
I think that people who's entire lives are based on a philosophy (any philosophy, not just LDS) find it extremely difficult to toss aside. It means having to go back to their childhood and start pulling out the building blocks that their existence rests on.
It's understandable. Some, like yourself, are able to manage it through great strength. Most cannot. Any explanation they can find that will help them avoid the pain of a total re-evaluation sounds appealing. I think this is why apologists (no matter how illogical their apologies are) have a big following.
This, or any other post that I have made or will make in the future, is strictly my own opinion and consequently of little or no value.
"Faith is believing something you know ain't true" Twain.
annie wrote:I don't know whose idea it was, but they're in a bit of a tight spot publicity-wise at the moment. I've been thinking that one way out of it would be to emulate Moses:
1. Tear up this new policy (maybe literally - that would make a nice moment on TV).
2. Blame the members for its failure: they weren't ready to do things the Lord's way.
3. As a result of the members' failure to sustain the prophet, announce that the Lord has revealed a replacement policy or a "lower law."
4. Reveal the watered-down version of the policy.
5. State that once the members can demonstrate exact obedience and absolute faith in their leaders (ie. when they have stopped wandering in the wilderness) the Lord will deign to issue further edicts.
Ok annie, I give ... you win! These are all so perfect for the solution.
Runtu wrote:That's what is meant by "God's ways are not man's ways." That is the universal excuse for defending a religious belief or practice that makes no rational sense.
Its important for the cog-dis relief to add ... "and this is not important to my salvation"
I have a question wrote:MG's response seems to be.
"I believe in them so they can't be stupid because that would make me stupid and I'm not stupid because I believe in them therefore they aren't stupid."
"it is by all means to be believed, because it is absurd".
Zadok: I did not have a faith crisis. I discovered that the Church was having a truth crisis. Maksutov: That's the problem with this supernatural stuff, it doesn't really solve anything. It's a placeholder for ignorance.