'The LDS Church tracks about 6,500 anti-LDS Web sites'

[_harmony]

Hi Rollo...

The thing is, though, does the CHURCH actually do as Plutarch suggests? Does the church interpret the D&C as Plutarch asserts?

I read the D&C as do you and even if the church interprets it as does Plutarch I think it is nonsense but still...

I'm curious why Plutarch thinks (or knows) the church is collecting material and what that material contains?

For example, does it contain information about Joseph Smith showing his behavior was less than stellar? If it is true why would it be held against someone?

In other words, is the church angry at those sharing truth because it is less than faith promoting? And if so, why is the church not collecting material from apologists who certainly share this same information?

Ya know? I'm just confused here! :-)

~dancer~

Some truths are not useful.

[_MormonMendacity]

Hi Rollo...

The thing is, though, does the CHURCH actually do as Plutarch suggests? Does the church interpret the D&C as Plutarch asserts?

I read the D&C as do you and even if the church interprets it as does Plutarch I think it is nonsense but still...

I'm curious why Plutarch thinks (or knows) the church is collecting material and what that material contains?

For example, does it contain information about Joseph Smith showing his behavior was less than stellar? If it is true why would it be held against someone?

In other words, is the church angry at those sharing truth because it is less than faith promoting? And if so, why is the church not collecting material from apologists who certainly share this same information?

Ya know? I'm just confused here! :-)

~dancer~

Some truths are not useful.

Some activities are not useful. But I guess that's the point of this thread.

What completely baffles me is the notion that the Church needs to do this "...to use as a testament in the hereafter." I find the justification based upon the need for an omniscient God to have some physical evidence to call on quite ridiculous.

This is the God created in 1st Century superstitious texts that a 19th Century public modernized to include this "requirement". 21st Century people should question and reject this kind of nonsense.

[_Roger Morrison]

Is the suggestion in all of this, LDSism is in an honest state of awareness leading to remedies of the rapid-out-flow and slow-in-flow of its members?

If "yes," then AN HONEST response would be for them to admit they have been a competing entity in the ancient marketing of an intangible product... Pasted below is from a post i put in the "Celestial Kingdom". Silly me i should have known there are more folks in da "Terrestrial"...

think LDS folks might shift to a similar more liberal tolerant state as they admit the fallibility of their "Pope" and see the fablism that bases Mormonism, and religion as the big picture. I think there is an inordinate demand for truth in religion that religion was never intended to impart...

Religions are about hope for the hopeless, faith for the fearful, rewards for the faithful/obedient, answers for the frightened and a reason to be diligent in commitment to ecclesiastic powers seen as representing a deity. Non of which need "truth" to impact individual, or group disposition and the consequent pay-backs, whatever they might be.

When discussing/considering religion we make a BIG mistake to think of it in terms as we would've any branch of science or engineering. Religion does not have to be provable to be usable. IMSCO, that is.

I'm beginning to have respect for LDSism, and Religion in general, as a genre of choice in the broad spectrum of philosophy, entertainment, amusement, arts, past-times (like forum lurking:-) that satisfies individual wants and needs. "Truth" plays little in comfort, feeling good, and being satisfied.

Truth seekers (or Dancers ;-) will find little but frustration, or fun depending on their psyche, probing religion for ultimate truth. One product in the show case is as good as another to the person who chooses "theirs".

Enjoy the Season, in whatever light You perceive it... Warm regards, Roger

[Nomomo]

I'm beginning to have respect for LDSism, and Religion in general, as a genre of choice in the broad spectrum of philosophy, entertainment, amusement, arts, past-times (like forum lurking:-) that satisfies individual wants and needs. "Truth" plays little in comfort, feeling good, and being satisfied.

I think a possible missing element in your assessment are those who are indoctrinated into all or part of these philosopies before they have a chance to make a reasonable assessment as to the worth these things will have for them.

There is where my major problems arose -- and I suspect many who left the church(es) feel the same way. If it is drilled into your head that there are dire consequences for failing to follow these philosophies -- and yet you still want to follow "truth" -- you can be left with very traumatic experiences as you seek to understand, balance, choose, reject and guide the essesence of your life.

I do not begrudge those who want religion in their lives. What I have come to resent more is the wholesale marketing of these philosophies using fear, uncertainty, doubt and very poor reasoning.

Truth seekers (or Dancers ;-) will find little but frustration, or fun depending on their psyche, probing religion for ultimate truth. One product in the show case is as good as another to the person who chooses "theirs". (my emphasis)

That's the rub and the distinction between rational people standing in front of the cornucopia of philosophies and "choosing" the philosophy that suites them, and those who are only getting selected information fed to them...they may not even see the Cornucopia of Knowledge but just the selected portions being fed to them by those with a vested interest.

Enjoy the Season, in whatever light You perceive it... Warm regards, Roger

Best to you, too.

[_harmony]

Motive seems to be an important factor in this. Living a life based on fear is not the same as living a life based on promised rewards. Fear produces a different Mormon than promised rewards does.

[_MormonMendacity]

Motive seems to be an important factor in this. Living a life based on fear is not the same as living a life based on promised rewards. Fear produces a different Mormon than promised rewards does.

I agree.

I don't think that there are only black and white Mormons motivated by rewards and fear. Or it may also be true that "The rewards reel you in and the punishments keep you hooked."

[_Phaedrus Ut]

Only recently I started tracking visits to my blog. It's not a public blog but mostly a exercise in writing for me and recording time, events, my thoughts etc..

Well ever since I started doing this the most common vistor to my blog is . . . . . dun dun duummm! The downtown headquarters for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Maybe 1 out of 5 posts is anything related to the church or me being Mormon. Very strange in my opinion.


Phaedrus

[_MormonMendacity]

Only recently I started tracking visits to my blog. It's not a public blog but mostly a exercise in writing for me and recording time, events, my thoughts etc..

Well ever since I started doing this the most common vistor to my blog is . . . . . dun dun duummm! The downtown headquarters for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Maybe 1 out of 5 posts is anything related to the church or me being Mormon. Very strange in my opinion.


Phaedrus

That's a hoot! They're leaving EVIDENCE! I wonder why they don't use a proxy host to keep this a secret. Oooops! Now I've done it...they're all going to disappear so they can do it surreptitiously now.

[_Jason Bourne]

But, nobody is employed to read or act upon what is copied and deposited in the archives.

The Strengthening The Membership Committee certainly acts upon what is copied and deposited in the archives. Just ask the September Six.

At any rate, there are two more utterly priceless quotes in that article. Can you find them?

Please tell us the quotes, Shades!

Okay, with the caveat that what's priceless to me may not be priceless to others. But these are the two which stood out:

"Potential converts are abandoning the missionaries once they consult the Internet for more information."

Critics have speculated for years about whether this is the case. Here, at long last, is a church organ officially admitting it!

"Finally, as the world grows increasingly more dangerous, middle- and upper-class people are retreating to gated communities, places that are difficult for missionaries to enter."

WTF?? Aren't there enough lower-class people to keep the missionaries busy for centuries to come? Do lower-class people need salvation any less than middle- and upper-class people?

If middle- and uppper-class people are moving to gated communities, God forbid the missionaries spend their time with lower-class people, apparently!

Tsk, tsk, Shades. This is directly linked to tithing. Rich and middle class people pay more tithing than unemployed or underemployed poor people do. And if the books were open, we'd know this.

Of course. The books do not need to be opened to know this-even thought hey should be opened.

But in my experience, the missionaries spend lots of time preaching to the poor. Most of our converts in our ward and lower middle class or down right poor. And we actually do welcome them in. Poorer people seem more receptive to the missionaries.

[_harmony]

Poorer people seem more receptive to the missionaries.

It has always been that way. Remember the rich man who was told to sell all he had and follow Christ? And he just couldn't bring himself to? And the oft repeated camel/eye of the needle than a rich man to enter into heaven. Which brings us back to Recommend Ridge, million dollar homes, and GA's being paid while the rest of us are required to volunteer. Perhaps they haven't read their Bibles lately. It does seem to be a book out of fashion.