Net Effect of Apologetics on Leadership and Membership

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_StructureCop
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Re: Net Effect of Apologetics on Leadership and Membership

Post by _StructureCop »

Henry Jacobs wrote:Another effect is some BAD information being reinforced in the membership by people who are seen as "men smarter than you".

An example from a recent visit by our HT. He tells a story of his friend who had doubts about the Book of Mormon because of the mention of elephants. This TBM HT got slightly worried until he want to FARMS, found an article that reassured him that there were indeed American elephants in Book of Mormon times, and so now all is well in his mind again. "My friend had been misled by anti material".

Oh dear.
Part of FARMS' net effect is the dumbing down the saints.

I'm not sure it is dumbing down, necessarily, since some Saints weren't all that bright to begin with.
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_harmony
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Re: Net Effect of Apologetics on Leadership and Membership

Post by _harmony »

Scottie wrote:I believe one of the functions of apologetics is so that the members can say, "smarter men than you know about these issues, have addressed them all and they still believe!!"


They obviously haven't read William, Droopy, whyme, or my personal favorite... the Wench... lately.
(Nevo, Jan 23) And the Melchizedek Priesthood may not have been restored until the summer of 1830, several months after the organization of the Church.
_Scottie
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Re: Net Effect of Apologetics on Leadership and Membership

Post by _Scottie »

harmony wrote:
Scottie wrote:I believe one of the functions of apologetics is so that the members can say, "smarter men than you know about these issues, have addressed them all and they still believe!!"


They obviously haven't read William, Droopy, whyme, or my personal favorite... the Wench... lately.

LOL

"The Wench" is in the category of smarter men??
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_harmony
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Re: Net Effect of Apologetics on Leadership and Membership

Post by _harmony »

Scottie wrote:"The Wench" is in the category of smarter men??


Smart... or the lack thereof... isn't gender specific, so the Wench fits in really well with William and Droopy and company.
(Nevo, Jan 23) And the Melchizedek Priesthood may not have been restored until the summer of 1830, several months after the organization of the Church.
_Daniel Peterson
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Re: Net Effect of Apologetics on Leadership and Membership

Post by _Daniel Peterson »

Henry Jacobs wrote:Part of FARMS' net effect is the dumbing down the saints.

LOL. Great stuff.

People who read the sort of things found here

http://mi.BYU.edu/

would find more intellectual stimulation by spending their time with People magazine, watching Entertainment Tonight, and monitoring the gossip on Britney Spears.

I love it.

May I suggest four pieces that might prove especially effective at dumbing readers down?

http://mi.BYU.edu/publications/review/? ... cat_id=488

http://mi.BYU.edu/publications/books/?b ... chapid=208

http://mi.BYU.edu/publications/review/? ... m=2&id=590

http://mi.BYU.edu/publications/books/?b ... chapid=258

I didn't choose them quite at random, but there are many other similar pieces on the same website.
_Henry Jacobs
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Re: Net Effect of Apologetics on Leadership and Membership

Post by _Henry Jacobs »

Doohh! There's one of those tell-tale DCP reactions that let you know you've struck a nerve.

Just saying, if your concern is for education of the Saints, that they may appear to have at least a fraction of your intellect, stop printing things that they will repeat to their friends and get laughed at for.

Unless education is secondary to the job of giving guys like my HT an means of shelving his questions?
Oh yes, books disturb people. . . Guy Montag.
_Daniel Peterson
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Re: Net Effect of Apologetics on Leadership and Membership

Post by _Daniel Peterson »

A predictably condescending non-response response, HJ.
_Henry Jacobs
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Re: Net Effect of Apologetics on Leadership and Membership

Post by _Henry Jacobs »

A predictable deflection from the guy who needs to always feel like the smartest guy in the room, or else he finds a reason to split.

Thanks for the link, though. That's the same place my HT learned that there were Elephants in America 3,000 years ago, and now happily testifies to the fact to anyone who listens. You're having a profound effect on the world's perception of Mormon intellect.
Oh yes, books disturb people. . . Guy Montag.
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