The Gullible Mind

[_beastie]

Dan has quoted me - partially - in his sig line, admitting that I've always been gullible. Of course, my real statement was that I've always been gullible, which is why I joined the Mormon church.

But it's interesting that he thinks this constitutes a "gotcha". All human beings are gullible. Our minds almost seem designed for that very purpose, but it's really just a kluge, the unintentional flaws that developed because the region of our higher reasoning evolved from our more primitive brain.

From the book Kluge - a must read -

"... But the truth is that without special training, our species is inherently gullible. Children are born into a world of "revealed truths," where they tend to accept what they are told as gospel ..."

174

"... Moreover, evolution has left us distinctly gullible, which smacks more of evolutionary shortcut than good engineering. All told, though the systems that underlie our capacity for belief ..."

41

I think it's important to recognize, and admit, that we are all gullible. Being aware of the problem is half the battle. In fact, I would even guess that those who refuse to consider the possibility that they are gullible are the most gullible of all.

This is why science and the rules of logic are so important. We aren't naturally designed to be logical. We aren't designed to think in a disciplined fashion about our world. We have to learn to do so.

So I fully embrace the fact that I tend to be gullible - like all other human beings. But if Dan is going to quote me in his sig line, I would like it to be accurate. That omission of crucial information is what apologists always accuse critics of doing.

[_Daniel Peterson]

But it's interesting that he thinks this constitutes a "gotcha".

Actually, you don't know what I think.

I'm teasing you.

You're not against teasing, are you?

[_Ray A]

Everyone is gullible to some extent. Hofmann made sure of that.

In 1983, Hofmann sold the Church, through its then defacto head Gordon B. Hinckley, an 1825 Joseph Smith holograph letter confirming that Smith had been treasure hunting and practicing black magic five years following his First Vision. Hofmann had the signature confirmed by Charles Hamilton, the contemporary "dean of American autograph dealers," sold it to the Church for $15,000 and gave his word that no one else had a copy of the letter. Then Hofmann leaked its existence to the press, after which the church was virtually forced to release the letter to scholars for study, despite previously denying it had it in its possession.

To make this sudden flood of important Mormon documents seem plausible, Hofmann explained that he relied on a network of tipsters, had methodically tracked down modern descendants of early Mormons, and had mined collections of nineteenth-century letters that had been saved by collectors for their postmarks rather than for their contents.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Hofmann

In 1984, Jerald and Sandra Tanner, noted critics of the LDS church, became the first to declare the letter a forgery despite the fact that it, as well as other Hofmann's discoveries, would have strengthened the Tanners' arguments against the veracity of official Mormon history.

From the Ensign:

“Like other document collectors throughout the nation, the Church has followed time-honored professional practices and relied on competent authorities in document acquisition and with others has been a victim of the deceit and duplicity which Hofmann has acknowledged....“Such commentary also has largely ignored the Church’s earlier caution that the authenticity of the documents was yet to be confirmed. We now know from the Salt Lake County Attorney interviews released today that all of the documents of major public interest linked to Mark Hofmann were products of his fraud, forgery, and counterfeiting.

The Ensign, October 1987

[_Gadianton]

Dan has quoted me - partially - in his sig line, admitting that I've always been gullible

Imagine what they're saying on Skinny-L about this. I'm sure it's much worse.

[_Daniel Peterson]

Imagine what they're saying on Skinny-L about this. I'm sure it's much worse.

You can imagine all you like. Not a word has been spoken on Skinny-L about this. Almost nobody there has heard of this message board. Virtually nobody there participates on any message board at all. If anybody there, besides me, has heard of beastie, I would be surprised. Nobody there cares.

This board is not the center of the universe. And Scartch literally doesn't know what he's talking about when he dreams his deliciously fevered and fantastic dreams about a private list to which he has no access.

Paranoia strikes deep.
Into your life it will creep.
It starts when you're always afraid.
Step outta line, the men come, and take you away.

[_Boaz & Lidia]

Kinda late for a bishop isn't it BISHOP P?

Get to bed you addict.

[_Daniel Peterson]

Kinda late for a bishop isn't it BISHOP P?

Get to bed you addict.

Do you hide your laptop under your blankie after Mumsy has tucked you in?

[_Gadianton]

I would wager *everyone* on Skinny-L has "heard of" this message board.

And most likely from you.

[_Daniel Peterson]

I would wager you're wrong.

[_CaliforniaKid]

There's a difference between gullibility and irrationality. Gullibility occurs when an untrustworthy person is trusted without question. Irrationality occurs when, after an investigation of the facts of a case, an improbable solution is favored over a probable one due to personal emotional investment. Gullibility requires that little real investigation has been made; irrationality requires that investigation has been extensive but that its results have ultimately been discarded. Beastie's conversion to Mormonism fits the parameters of gullibility; her deconversion does not. In neither case is she guilty of irrationality. The same cannot be said for certain FARMS apologists who shall remain nameless (and who, in fact, would have no audience at all if not for human gullibility, and so should not belittle the gullible masses).