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LDS Historian casts doubt on Russell M. Nelson Doors Of Death story...unwittingly
Posted: Tue May 25, 2021 7:17 am
by IHAQ
In an article that chides members for believing fantastical faith promoting stories Keith A. Erekson, the director of the Church History Library, explains how to sniff out a tall tale...
“The facts are one layer of history, and how they are presented, how they are put together, is another,” Erekson said. “‘Real vs. Rumor’ is really about this other layer — how people take things out of context, how they manipulate it, how they tell part of the story. Those are the things that everybody can learn to recognize. As soon as you see those kinds of distortions, you know this stinks, this doesn’t smell right.”
Erekson has outlined what he calls the “sniff test” — “clues that something just isn’t right” — and other resources in a new book titled “Real vs. Rumor: How to Dispel Latter-day Saint Myths,” which is on sale now from Deseret Book.
The book explores myths, rumors, legends and lore related to Latter-day Saint history as a way to teach others how to think critically and navigate through misinformation to identify truth.
“The sniff tests are clues that something just isn’t right. The thinking habits are skills that combine study and faith,” he said. “Both need to become reflexes that help us make sense of the world around us.”
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/latte ... ar-AAKls6z
Hi gives some examples of tall tales that turned out not to be true, for instance...
Elvis Presley’s Book of Mormon
In the case of Elvis and the light blue Book of Mormon, the sniff test was that the donor told multiple conflicting stories about the book, the author said.
“Elvis’ father wanted the book destroyed, Elvis’ father wanted the book given to the Osmond family, or the book was sent to an auction house that decided not to sell it,” Erekson said. “All of those could not be correct at the same time.”
One thinking habit is connecting the stories to the historical context.
“The donor said Elvis read the book the last two weeks of his life, which meant he would have read and marked hundreds of pages of scripture while hosting his 9-year-old daughter, preparing to go on tour, and reeling from the publication of a damaging exposé,” Erekson said. “So those things not adding up prompted a more comprehensive investigation.”
I bolded a part I think is significant. Multiple First Vision stories anyone?
Back to considering the Doors Of Death tale by Russell M. Nelson...
When you understand the concept of a sniff test, you don’t need to know every fact to recognize the warning signs, the author said.
“Real vs. Rumor” includes an appendix with four key points:
Survey the situation.
Analyze the contents.
Connect to the context.
Evaluate significances.
Erekson also urged Latter-day Saints to verify the accuracy of stories before sharing them in church settings. His book includes strategies for verifying information and finding the best resources.
“Pause and think before you share a story,” he said. “If you decide to share it, as teachers or speakers, it’s our responsibility to verify the information that we share.”
Let's hope Russell M. Nelson and Sheri Dew are paying attention, along with members everywhere.
This book is a very real threat to the Church, getting members to think critically doesn't usually end well.
Re: LDS Historian casts doubt on Russell M. Nelson Doors Of Death story...unwittingly
Posted: Tue May 25, 2021 6:29 pm
by Sledge
How many new, low quality threads to you start per day, IHOP?
Re: LDS Historian casts doubt on Russell M. Nelson Doors Of Death story...unwittingly
Posted: Tue May 25, 2021 6:49 pm
by Chap
IHAQ wrote:
In an article that chides members for believing fantastical faith promoting stories Keith A. Erekson, the director of the Church History Library, explains how to sniff out a tall tale...
It is hard for the church to talk sense without undermining its fundamental truth claims ... a stark choice confronts them.
Re: LDS Historian casts doubt on Russell M. Nelson Doors Of Death story...unwittingly
Posted: Wed May 26, 2021 4:27 am
by Philo Sofee
Essentially, Bayes Theorem... use it, it might just shock the lovin HELL out of you how naïve and simpleton your faith is Mormons... Wow, Mormons finally coming around to practicing some skepticism?! Dang, just when I thought miracles have passed for good... I wonder if someone at Interpreter will write a book review of it... might make things interesting around there.
On the other hand, that can't possibly be comfortable for the Brethren...
Re: LDS Historian casts doubt on Russell M. Nelson Doors Of Death story...unwittingly
Posted: Wed May 26, 2021 7:09 pm
by drumdude
Sledge wrote: ↑Tue May 25, 2021 6:29 pm
How many new, low quality threads to you start per day, IHOP?
How many high quality threads do you start? Or comments for that matter.
Re: LDS Historian casts doubt on Russell M. Nelson Doors Of Death story...unwittingly
Posted: Wed May 26, 2021 8:21 pm
by Sledge
drumdude wrote:
How many high quality threads do you start? Or comments for that matter.
That's right. Whataboutism is the answer when you can't address the problem, comrade.
Re: LDS Historian casts doubt on Russell M. Nelson Doors Of Death story...unwittingly
Posted: Wed May 26, 2021 8:51 pm
by drumdude
Sledge wrote: ↑Wed May 26, 2021 8:21 pm
drumdude wrote:
How many high quality threads do you start? Or comments for that matter.
That's right. Whataboutism is the answer when you can't address the problem, comrade.
Contribute then, lest the forum become empty. But then again, that's exactly what DCP wants.
He's the master of daily low-effort posts, by the way. Copy and paste a couple sentences, attach them to an announcement of the latest sheet of toilet paper from The Interpreter. Wash, rinse, repeat.
Re: LDS Historian casts doubt on Russell M. Nelson Doors Of Death story...unwittingly
Posted: Wed May 26, 2021 8:56 pm
by DrW
Sledge wrote: ↑Tue May 25, 2021 6:29 pm
How many new, low quality threads to you start per day, IHOP?
Are you referring to threads like the
Russell M. Nelson Doors of Death that IHAQ posted on March 29, which attracted 729 posts by May 10, fell off the first page with about 13,500 views some 40 days later and has been receiving an average of more than 100 views per day since then - weeks after the last comment was posted, and is now on page 3 with 14,855 views and still going strong?
Isn't that the thread that definitively exposed the head prophet of the LDS Church as a prevaricating teller of yet another fantastical faith promoting tall tale featuring himself as the heroic centerpiece and teaching no lesson except "look at me"?
That "low quality" thread?
Give me strength.
Re: LDS Historian casts doubt on Russell M. Nelson Doors Of Death story...unwittingly
Posted: Wed May 26, 2021 11:31 pm
by Philo Sofee
DrW wrote: ↑Wed May 26, 2021 8:56 pm
Sledge wrote: ↑Tue May 25, 2021 6:29 pm
How many new, low quality threads to you start per day, IHOP?
Are you referring to threads like the
Russell M. Nelson Doors of Death that IHAQ posted on March 29, which attracted 729 posts by May 10, fell off the first page with about 13,500 views some 40 days later and has been receiving an average of more than 100 views per day since then - weeks after the last comment was posted, and is now on page 3 with 14,855 views and still going strong?
Isn't that the thread that definitively exposed the head prophet of LDS Church as a prevaricating teller of yet another faith promoting tall tale featuring himself as the heroic centerpiece and teaching no lesson except "look at me"?
That "low quality" thread?
Give me strength.
Grandslam!