Doctor Scratch wrote:6. Don Bradley Gets Re-Baptized Longtime Church critic Don Bradley stunned both sides of the Mopologetic/Critic divided when he announced that he was getting re-baptized into the LDS Church. In general, he was congratulated, and he seemed happy about his choice, though some critics probed rather deeply into his reasons and motives. His main justification for his decision: the Church makes him "a better person."
I was definitely concerned about his motives, and probed a bit. Mainly because I'd been through the same scenario, with poor results. One thing, however, I am convinced of is that Don Bradley is a sincere person, and a "seeker of truth". His flirt with atheism was a reflection of how he felt at the time. He was upfront and honest all the way, virtually pouring his heart out for all to read. Perhaps one minor misjudgment was when he "predicted" the downfall of this board. I can only hope that this "mopologetic" spirit of revenge never overtakes him, as it momentarily seemed to do with this rash prediction, and that he can eventually be a voice of reason in the Mormon community. Heaven knows we need them, and Don, being an exmo, should understand us better than all the mopologists put together.
God speed, my friend.
Thank you oh so much, Ray. :)
by the way, I don't recall when I predicted the downfall of MDB. I expect it to remain in operation for the foreseeable future.
Don
"I’ve known Don a long time and have critiqued his previous work and have to say that he does much better as a believer than a critic." - Dan Vogel, August 8, 2011
Runtu wrote:Don told me that it was more that he found spiritual value in the church and had never really stopped believing in it. That it made him a better person was just gravy.
You're right, Runtu. It is certainly more than that it makes me a better person (which it does and is nothing to sniff at for someone who cares what kind of person he is). But I think I said that the testimony of my life's experience--if I'm to trust that--has always said that it's true, which is different than saying I always believed it was true. I long didn't believe it was true, but that was precisely because I trusted other things over and against my own personal experience.
Cheers,
Don
"I’ve known Don a long time and have critiqued his previous work and have to say that he does much better as a believer than a critic." - Dan Vogel, August 8, 2011
Doctor Scratch wrote:Later, Brent Metcalfe revealed that the Ogden Fax was not even an original document. It appeared, instead, to be text written for an entry in the Encyclopedia of Mormonism. In spite of all this, both Bill Hamblin and Daniel Peterson continued to insist that there existed--somewhere, at sometime--a "real" 2nd Watson Letter, written on FP letterhead--a letter which supposedly post-dated the 1st Watson Letter and which supposedly reproduced the exact same text featured on both the Ogden Fax and in the Encyclopedia of Mormonism entry. This marked one of the most embarrassing moments in Mopologetic history, and it is doubtful that the apologists will ever be able to live it down.
9. The Apostasy of Darth J. The apologists created one of their most formidable new enemies in the form of the poster known as Darth J. Stunningly erudite, and with an encyclopedic knowledge of apologetic issues seeming at his fingertips, Darth J. has made mincemeat out of every apologist who's been stupid enough to confront him. Dr. Darth J., a professor at Cassius University, has noted that the aptly named MADboard played a pivotal role in leading him out of the LDS Church.
Was Darth posting on MAD under another name as an apologist? What was his screen name?
when believers want to give their claims more weight, they dress these claims up in scientific terms. When believers want to belittle atheism or secular humanism, they call it a "religion". -Beastie
yesterday's Mormon doctrine is today's Mormon folklore.-Buffalo
9. The Apostasy of Darth J. The apologists created one of their most formidable new enemies in the form of the poster known as Darth J. Stunningly erudite, and with an encyclopedic knowledge of apologetic issues seeming at his fingertips, Darth J. has made mincemeat out of every apologist who's been stupid enough to confront him. Dr. Darth J., a professor at Cassius University, has noted that the aptly named MADboard played a pivotal role in leading him out of the LDS Church.
Was Darth posting on MAD under another name as an apologist? What was his screen name?
I was never an apologist, but I was a believer with some questions when I joined MADB a year ago this month. My MADB screen name is also Darth J.
Darth J wrote:I was never an apologist, but I was a believer with some questions when I joined MADB a year ago this month. My MADB screen name is also Darth J.
Yet you were pegged as an already-decided, hardened apostate as soon as you appeared, If I recall correctly.
Darth J wrote:I was never an apologist, but I was a believer with some questions when I joined MADB a year ago this month. My MADB screen name is also Darth J.
Yet you were pegged as an already-decided, hardened apostate as soon as you appeared, If I recall correctly.
You do RC. I was legitimately looking to talk about questions and what answers other people had come up with. Oh, the irony!
Darth J wrote:You do RC. I was legitimately looking to talk about questions and what answers other people had come up with. Oh, the irony!
For some reason, that's happened to a lot of people who have stumbled across MADB. When I first met zeezrom, he was genuinely trying to rebuild his faith, but the MADB folks were having none of it.