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Mine is a word of warning.

Many years ago, a stalwart LDS man began posting as "Johnny-cat" on the FAIR message board, where he frequently bore witness of the truth of the gospel. But his efforts were often interrupted by terribly disrespectful anti-Mormon posters. One of the worst made an appearance as "joe_palmeto" and made it his mission to belittle every belief that Johnny-cat held sacred.

In post after post and PM after PM, Johnny-cat pleaded with joe to "lose the hatred" and be kind. Over the course of several months, they developed a strange friendship. Johnny-cat discovered that joe wasn't such a bad guy, and joe discovered that Johnny-cat wasn't a self-righteous dupe.

In the end, joe left the boards, and Johnny-cat followed suit not long after. They met later on RfM and resumed their friendship, both now former members of the LDS church. And more recently, they met again on the Mormon Discussions board, this time known as Runtu and Polygamy Porter.

Ezra Taft Benson was right to quote Alexander Pope:

Vice is a monster of so frightful mien,
As to be hated, needs but to be seen;
Yet seen too oft, with her familiar face,
We first endure, then pity, and then embrace.

Great account man. This puts things in good perspective.

This sounds a lot like me and William Schryver. :O

edit: (since Will is going to see this himself or be notified by someone) the first two paragraphs sound familiar. I'm not making any predictions.

I wonder what effect it has on the TBMs that most of the exmos and critics on this board either are now, or once were card-carrying TBMs? Ok, we've got CKSalmon for an exception, but for the most part, the rest of us all used to believe. I have to think the "even the elect will be deceived" rationale can only go so far. Do you suppose there's some element of fear in the hearts of some TBMs over there that they "could be next"? I mean, are any of them bothered by the possibility that maybe we know something they don't? Or is it possible for them to just chalk it all up to us having all been deceived? Or us all just wanting to sin? Or that we all just couldn't hack it?

It occurs to me that there's something innately curious about the fact that TBMs are always having to bear testimony that Joseph Smith was a true prophet, and that the Book of Mormon and the Church are true. I was so used to hearing them that I didn't think much of it, but with a bit of distance now, looking bad it's a bit odd. It's as if those things are being repeated constantly out of some kind of fear that, absent that repetition, they might cease to be true. It's as if the only thing keeping people believing is the constant repetition. Anyone get that feeling about it now?

Is Mercury the former some other poster?

Sethbag wrote:It occurs to me that there's something innately curious about the fact that TBMs are always having to bear testimony that Joseph Smith was a true prophet, and that the Book of Mormon and the Church are true. I was so used to hearing them that I didn't think much of it, but with a bit of distance now, looking bad it's a bit odd. It's as if those things are being repeated constantly out of some kind of fear that, absent that repetition, they might cease to be true. It's as if the only thing keeping people believing is the constant repetition. Anyone get that feeling about it now?

Yeah, I know what you're talking about.

About 2 weeks ago, my mom sent out an email asking everyone in the family if they were going to watch the PBS show. She then went on to say how she heard it would be critical of the church - and warned us all about that. She then said something like "But my faith is so strong, and my testimony of the church is rock solid, so nothing will faze me - so I feel safe in watching it."

Sethbag wrote:I wonder what effect it has on the TBMs that most of the exmos and critics on this board either are now, or once were card-carrying TBMs? Ok, we've got CKSalmon for an exception, but for the most part, the rest of us all used to believe. I have to think the "even the elect will be deceived" rationale can only go so far. Do you suppose there's some element of fear in the hearts of some TBMs over there that they "could be next"? I mean, are any of them bothered by the possibility that maybe we know something they don't? Or is it possible for them to just chalk it all up to us having all been deceived? Or us all just wanting to sin? Or that we all just couldn't hack it?

It occurs to me that there's something innately curious about the fact that TBMs are always having to bear testimony that Joseph Smith was a true prophet, and that the Book of Mormon and the Church are true. I was so used to hearing them that I didn't think much of it, but with a bit of distance now, looking bad it's a bit odd. It's as if those things are being repeated constantly out of some kind of fear that, absent that repetition, they might cease to be true. It's as if the only thing keeping people believing is the constant repetition. Anyone get that feeling about it now?

I have fear that I could be next if that helps. I think those that don't consider the possibility that they might leave are more likely to leave. In my experience the most rigid, dogmatic LDS who are convinced they will never leave....eventually leave.

The Nehor wrote:I have fear that I could be next if that helps. I think those that don't consider the possibility that they might leave are more likely to leave. In my experience the most rigid, dogmatic LDS who are convinced they will never leave....eventually leave.

It just depends. I had a mission companion who was extremely devout and was always after me to be more "faithful," which usually meant doing the more culturally rigid things that some Mormons think constitute following the gospel. Once he yelled at me because I "strayed from the manual" in my gospel doctrine class. He left the church several years ago. It took me a lot longer to go, but I was never rigid or dogmatic, at least I don't think so. I always said I'd follow truth wherever it took me.

Sethbag... the quote in your sig... was he being sarcastic when he wrote that, I hope?

CaliforniaKid wrote:Sethbag... the quote in your sig... was he being sarcastic when he wrote that, I hope?

Ha, i have a quote from him in my sigline as well. I'm beginning to think he was someone's fundamentalist Mormon sockpuppet.