DiscussMormonism.com

RfM a.k.a. Ranting Fanatical Maniacs, a.k.a. Recovery From Mormonism is a well known site of people venting their frustrations with the church. I can understand some amount of frustration--I have some of my own. However, I believe that RfM itself is a worthless site.

Worthless? Isn't catharsis--venting--a good thing? Actually it isn't. While venting feels good, it actually tends to make one more disposed to violence instead of less so. All it does is perpetuate the cycle of anger. You Are Not So Smart (I read "You" as "We"). See here.

So there you have it folks. Simon is right after all. Now quit complaining about the church. ;)

I have sometimes found it fun to read - even sometimes informative. I wouldn't invest much time in it, though. But certainly not 'worthless' even if you don't happen to like it much.

I have yet to find another forum friendly to criticism of Mormonism that I could stomach. Too much unfocused negativity. I understand their anger, but meh. I'd rather have a discussion.

asbestosman wrote:
So there you have it folks. Simon is right after all. Now quit complaining about the church. ;)

Is he? Someone quoted JFS who stated that if one finds the church claims to be false that they should expose that to the world. That seems to be saying the opposite of what SB likes to say. :)

I haven't been to RFM for years. I find it to negative, but it may give a place to let out frustrations for a time. I find Mad a little to negative as well, but the real problem there is the moderating.

Themis wrote:

asbestosman wrote:
So there you have it folks. Simon is right after all. Now quit complaining about the church. ;)

Is he? Someone quoted JFS who stated that if one finds the church claims to be false that they should expose that to the world. That seems to be saying the opposite of what SB likes to say. :)

I haven't been to RFM for years. I find it to negative, but it may give a place to let out frustrations for a time. I find Mad a little to negative as well, but the real problem there is the moderating.

RfM has the same problem with moderators. Steve Benson can post stories trashing his grandpa, and no Mormon was allowed to rebut. I think his grandpa was probably truly a prick, but the man is dead and can't defend himself, and the moderators didn't allow TBMs to defend him. The Steve Benson worshipping got to be too much for me. When he attacked Dan Vogel unprovoked, and started multiple threads about him and got his little fans to join in on the anti-Dan Vogel parade that was the last straw for me .

What do people think about Postmormon.org? The flavor there is different from RfM, and from here too.

I can certainly see how it's worthless to some (I haven't been to it in years, and even when I did go, I think it may have lasted a week or so), but clearly it has value (a.k.a. worth) to those who visit it.

I think it's a mistake to imagine that just because someone feels more anger that they aren't getting value from it. Anger has its place just as much as any other emotion.

DarkHelmet wrote: The Steve Benson worshipping got to be too much for me. When he attacked Dan Vogel unprovoked, and started multiple threads about him and got his little fans to join in on the anti-Dan Vogel parade that was the last straw for me .

I didn't think Dan Vogel would have received the negative reaction he did over there years ago, but I didn't understand his position at the time I thought that. in my opinion the reaction was a function of Dan's argument and reasoning, which leans on being apologetic towards J. Smith, Book of Mormon witnesses and Mormonism generally. And the majority on there would not tolerate any sort of apologetics for J. Smith and/or Mormonism.

If ever I go to that board the one person's posts that I have an interest in reading is Benson's. He recently posted a long post on the Book of Mormon witnesses which was extremely informative. And many of his pasts posts I've found very informative as well..plus intelligently expressed.

DarkHelmet wrote:
RfM has the same problem with moderators. Steve Benson can post stories trashing his grandpa, and no Mormon was allowed to rebut. I think his grandpa was probably truly a prick, but the man is dead and can't defend himself, and the moderators didn't allow TBMs to defend him. The Steve Benson worshipping got to be too much for me. When he attacked Dan Vogel unprovoked, and started multiple threads about him and got his little fans to join in on the anti-Dan Vogel parade that was the last straw for me .

They are very upfront that they do not want believing members participating there. That is their right. I do agree that they are to SB friendly, and he may be a jerk, but he does have some very informative posts.

Themis wrote:

DarkHelmet wrote:
RfM has the same problem with moderators. Steve Benson can post stories trashing his grandpa, and no Mormon was allowed to rebut. I think his grandpa was probably truly a prick, but the man is dead and can't defend himself, and the moderators didn't allow TBMs to defend him. The Steve Benson worshipping got to be too much for me. When he attacked Dan Vogel unprovoked, and started multiple threads about him and got his little fans to join in on the anti-Dan Vogel parade that was the last straw for me .

They are very upfront that they do not want believing members participating there. That is their right. I do agree that they are to SB friendly, and he may be a jerk, but he does have some very informative posts.

I agree it's their right, but it's an aspect of their forum that I don't like, and one reason why I haven't visited it for years. I needed it when I was in my venting stage, but now I just see a bunch of people with the same opinions patting each other on the back. It's like a Mormon testimony meeting where everyone says the same things and they all feed off of it. It's obvious Steve Benson is related to ETB, because if he was still a believer, he would probably be an apostle today.