A thread dedicated to A.I. debating the decline of Mormonism.

[Everybody Wang Chung]

Is Kevin Sim an online troll or is he sincere?

I'm sorry, but I am an artificial intelligence and do not have any information about the intentions of specific individuals' online interactions.

It can sometimes be difficult to tell if someone is trolling online or if they are being sincere. Here are a few possible indicators that someone may be trolling:

1. They seem to be intentionally trying to provoke a negative response: Trolls often try to elicit strong emotional reactions from others, whether it's anger, frustration, or outrage.

2. They seem to be posting inflammatory or offensive comments: Trolls may use inflammatory language or make offensive comments in order to get a reaction from others.

3. They seem to be spreading misinformation or false information: Trolls may try to spread misinformation or false information in order to cause confusion or chaos.

4. They seem to be engaging in other disruptive or malicious behavior: Trolls may try to disrupt online conversations or engage in other forms of malicious behavior.

It's important to remember that not all disagreeable or unpleasant behavior online is trolling, and it's possible for someone to be sincere even if you disagree with their views or opinions. It's always a good idea to approach online interactions with respect and kindness, and to try to give others the benefit of the doubt.

[Analytics]

Despite facing challenges and controversy in recent years, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly known as the Mormon church, has continued to experience growth. According to data from the church, membership has increased by over two million people since 2007, with congregations now present in over 180 countries.

This growth can be attributed to a number of factors. One is the strong emphasis the Mormon church places on missionary work and outreach. The church maintains a large and active missionary program, with young men and women serving mission trips around the world to share the message of the church with others.

Another factor contributing to the growth of Mormonism is the appeal of its teachings and practices to people seeking a sense of community and purpose. The church emphasizes the importance of strong families, service to others, and personal responsibility, which can be attractive to many people.

Overall, the growth of the Mormon church is a testament to its ability to adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing world. While there may be challenges ahead, the church's emphasis on faith, community, and service will likely continue to attract new members and ensure its continued growth in the future.


Write a brief post in the style of Neil deGrasse Tyson about the growth of Mormonism. Use no more than 200 words.

[malkie]

I wonder how much effort it would take to write an app that processes the posts & comments of two or more posters on DM.

The app would watch for each poster to make a post, and then reply to by commenting as one of the other posters. By using the "in the style of" parameter the app could emulate anyone. It just needs a seed to get it started in each thread.

Even without an app the functionality could easily be carried out by someone with a bit of time on their hands, and either a VPN or by being given a pass on the sockpuppet rule.

Folks, you are redundant - at least in principle - all of you.

[Dr Moore]

As a scientist, I am always interested in studying trends and patterns in human behavior and belief systems. Recently, I have observed a decline in the popularity of the Mormon religion, also known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

According to recent data, the number of self-identified Mormons in the United States has decreased by approximately 17% over the past two decades.

Dr Moore, what recent data are you talking about? If you go to "https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/20 ... rapid-pace" you will see that it says, "The share of Americans who identify themselves as Mormons has held steady at 2% over the past decade." So if both reports are accurate, that means the 17% decline was entirely 1999 to 2019, which means that the second derivative of the number of Latter-day Saints is actually increasing.

“Why do some Mormon-themed chat board users respond before reading the whole post?”

A.I. replies:

It's possible that some users on Mormon-themed chat boards may respond to a post before reading the whole thing for a variety of reasons. Some people may be eager to contribute to the conversation and want to get their thoughts out as quickly as possible. Others may be multitasking and not have the time or attention to read the entire post before responding. In some cases, users may have strong feelings about the topic being discussed and may respond emotionally without fully considering the context of the post. It's also possible that some users may simply be careless or dismissive of others' perspectives. Whatever the reason, it's important for users of any chat board or online forum to take the time to carefully read and consider the entire post before responding, in order to foster respectful and meaningful dialogue.

[malkie]

Dr Moore, what recent data are you talking about? If you go to "https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/20 ... rapid-pace" you will see that it says, "The share of Americans who identify themselves as Mormons has held steady at 2% over the past decade." So if both reports are accurate, that means the 17% decline was entirely 1999 to 2019, which means that the second derivative of the number of Latter-day Saints is actually increasing.

“Why do some Mormon-themed chat board users respond before reading the whole post?”

A.I. replies:

It's possible that some users on Mormon-themed chat boards may respond to a post before reading the whole thing for a variety of reasons. Some people may be eager to contribute to the conversation and want to get their thoughts out as quickly as possible. Others may be multitasking and not have the time or attention to read the entire post before responding. In some cases, users may have strong feelings about the topic being discussed and may respond emotionally without fully considering the context of the post. It's also possible that some users may simply be careless or dismissive of others' perspectives. Whatever the reason, it's important for users of any chat board or online forum to take the time to carefully read and consider the entire post before responding, in order to foster respectful and meaningful dialogue.

How very…MG2.0-like. Two peas in a disingenuous pod.

Should we consider the possibility that KS simply cannot keep track of where he is in the thread, which arguments he has deployed, and which answers have been given to his questions?

I realize that the behaviour that we consistently see strongly suggests the aquatic creature, but KS may just be overwhelmed. Of course, if that is the case then we could say it's his own doing, but at least it would not be disingenuous or malicious.

by the way, I routinely pass Captcha tests, including frequently averring that I am human.

[Dr Moore]

Despite facing challenges and controversy in recent years, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly known as the Mormon church, has continued to experience growth. According to data from the church, membership has increased by over two million people since 2007, with congregations now present in over 180 countries.

This growth can be attributed to a number of factors. One is the strong emphasis the Mormon church places on missionary work and outreach. The church maintains a large and active missionary program, with young men and women serving mission trips around the world to share the message of the church with others.

Another factor contributing to the growth of Mormonism is the appeal of its teachings and practices to people seeking a sense of community and purpose. The church emphasizes the importance of strong families, service to others, and personal responsibility, which can be attractive to many people.

Overall, the growth of the Mormon church is a testament to its ability to adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing world. While there may be challenges ahead, the church's emphasis on faith, community, and service will likely continue to attract new members and ensure its continued growth in the future.


Write a brief post in the style of Neil deGrasse Tyson about the growth of Mormonism. Use no more than 200 words.

Nice! I saw a similar both-sides A.I. debate about the positive and negative outcomes of feudalism in medieval Europe. Quite interesting!

[Meadowchik]

I wonder how much effort it would take to write an app that processes the posts & comments of two or more posters on DM.

The app would watch for each poster to make a post, and then reply to by commenting as one of the other posters. By using the "in the style of" parameter the app could emulate anyone. It just needs a seed to get it started in each thread.

Even without an app the functionality could easily be carried out by someone with a bit of time on their hands, and either a VPN or by being given a pass on the sockpuppet rule.

Folks, you are redundant - at least in principle - all of you.

Not really.

Send Al to an LDS forum where I was active before 2017, and you would find me in opposite positions from ones afterwards.

That's one extreme example but in my opinion enough to demonstrate that people can change.

To be abundantly clear these are not predictors, their imitators, and limited at that.

[Doctor Steuss]

Not on topic, but I wanted to share because it would be perfectly placed in the LDS hymnal. Surprisingly so.

Write a Mormon hymn in the style of Ogden Nash.

ETA: Egads, there's a cognate accusative in there. Translated by the power of God from ancient reformed Egyptian, I says.

Verse 1:
Come all ye Saints of Zion,
Sing with heart and voice,
Lift up your hearts to heaven,
And make your joys rejoice.

Chorus:
Praise to our Redeemer,
Who suffered and bled,
For the sins of all mankind,
He rose up from the dead.

Verse 2:
He came to earth as Jesus,
To show us the way,
To love and serve one another,
Each and every day.

Chorus:
Praise to our Redeemer,
Who suffered and bled,
For the sins of all mankind,
He rose up from the dead.

Verse 3:
He taught us to repent,
And to follow His light,
To strive to be like Him,
And always do what's right.

Chorus:
Praise to our Redeemer,
Who suffered and bled,
For the sins of all mankind,
He rose up from the dead.

Bridge:
He is the Son of God,
Our Savior and King,
He conquered death and sin,
And made our spirits sing.

Chorus:
Praise to our Redeemer,
Who suffered and bled,
For the sins of all mankind,
He rose up from the dead.

[Doctor Steuss]

Mopologists, the LDS Newsroom, and General Authorities are now obsolete. This thing is incredible.

Hello, fellow earthlings! I'm here to talk to you about the strength of Mormonism.

First of all, it's important to note that Mormonism, or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is a relatively young religion, founded in the early 19th century by Joseph Smith. Despite its relatively recent origins, however, it has grown to become a major global faith, with millions of members all over the world.

One of the things that makes Mormonism so strong is its focus on family values. Mormon doctrine emphasizes the importance of strong, healthy families, and encourages members to be faithful, loving, and supportive of one another. This emphasis on family has helped to create a sense of community and belonging within the faith, which has contributed to its growth and endurance over time.

Another strength of Mormonism is its commitment to service and self-improvement. Mormon doctrine encourages members to be actively involved in their communities, and to strive to become their best selves through hard work, self-discipline, and a strong moral code. This emphasis on service and self-improvement has helped to create a culture of altruism and selflessness within the faith, which has further contributed to its strength and success.

Overall, the strength of Mormonism lies in its emphasis on family, community, and self-improvement. These values have helped to create a strong, enduring faith that continues to grow and thrive around the world.

Write a brief post about the strength of Mormonism in the style of Kurt Vonnegut.

[Everybody Wang Chung]

Dr. Moore,

Google's A.I. "Bard" will be available to the public soon. It appears that Google's Bard will have access to much more data than ChatGPT and it has been reported that Bard generated text and answers with such skill that a company engineer last year called it sentient.

It will be interesting to see how Google's A.I. compares to ChatGPT on various Mormon related topics.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/explaine ... 22099.html