Apostates understand Mormonism better than Mormons

[_Buffalo]

It takes two separate perspectives to have depth perception. Being totally immersed in the Mormon faith and then being totally deprogrammed from it gives you that depth perception. A frog swimming in a shallow pool doesn't know how shallow the pool was until it leaves the pool and hops up into a tree and gains a larger perspective. Regardless of whether Mormons or ex-Mormons are right or wrong, it's the ex-Mormons who have a deeper, more complete understanding of Mormonism.

[_stemelbow]

It takes two separate perspectives to have depth perception. Being totally immersed in the Mormon faith and then being totally deprogrammed from it gives you that depth perception. A frog swimming in a shallow pool doesn't know how shallow the pool was until it leaves the pool and hops up into a tree and gains a larger perspective. Regardless of whether Mormons or ex-Mormons are right or wrong, it's the ex-Mormons who have a deeper, more complete understanding of Mormonism.

How myopic. A generalization I find rather untrue, overall. That's not to say I find all current LDS as all that well-informed

[_Buffalo]

It takes two separate perspectives to have depth perception. Being totally immersed in the Mormon faith and then being totally deprogrammed from it gives you that depth perception. A frog swimming in a shallow pool doesn't know how shallow the pool was until it leaves the pool and hops up into a tree and gains a larger perspective. Regardless of whether Mormons or ex-Mormons are right or wrong, it's the ex-Mormons who have a deeper, more complete understanding of Mormonism.

How myopic. A generalization I find rather untrue, overall. That's not to say I find all current LDS as all that well-informed

I've been where you are. Have you been were I am? If not, how can you call my perspective and experience myopic when it includes and supersedes yours?

[_Themis]

I think they do over the average member, since most do not know much about some of the troubling issues. The average member tends to know what the church teaches as well as apostates, and they tend to agree with each other. It's only the apologists who have to ignore what the church actually teaches in order as part of their desperate attempts to defend the church. :)

[_Some Schmo]

Without as doubt. If you're not willing to look at something critically, you'll never fully understand it. If you only look at one sidfe of a coin... well, the other side is a mystery, isn't it?

I remember the first time I watched Monty Python's Life of Brian, I felt like the movie was written specifically for me, because I'd just left the church. I thought a Mormon couldn't enjoy it because it was so critical of religion, but a person who didn't know anything about religion wouldn't get half the jokes (I was young and obviously didn't realize at the time that it made fun of all Jesus based religions, not just moism).

[_stemelbow]

I've been where you are. Have you been were I am? If not, how can you call my perspective and experience myopic when it includes and supersedes yours?

The attitude that your experience somehow includes mine and then supersedes mine pretty much defines what is myopic, Buffalo.

[_EAllusion]

The argument is in the OP is not well thought out, but I would expect apostates* on average to know more simply because apostasy often involves a more intense examination of the faith before it occurring.

*I'd define an apostate as leaving more than nominal belief, and I think that's important for my guess.

[_Buffalo]

I've been where you are. Have you been were I am? If not, how can you call my perspective and experience myopic when it includes and supersedes yours?

The attitude that your experience somehow includes mine and then supersedes mine pretty much defines what is myopic, Buffalo.

But it does. I was where you are now two years ago.

Have you been in my place?

Myopia means: a lack of foresight or discernment, or a narrow view of something.

That's you, Stem. Not me. My view is wider than yours.

[_stemelbow]

The argument is in the OP is not well thought out, but I would expect apostates* on average to know more simply because apostasy often involves a more intense examination of the faith before it occurring.

*I'd define an apostate as leaving more than nominal belief, and I think that's important for my guess.

That makes far more sense. But, sadly, I don't think that's necessarily true either. Afterall DCP obviously knows more than Buffalo--the depth of the chasm between the two can by itself make up any deficiencies any ignorant TBM has. This was meant to be fun-loving teasing of Buffalo and nothing more. But I do question whether EA's conclusion is true, even if it can come off as reasonable.

[_stemelbow]

But it does. I was where you are now two years ago.

That simply is not true, Buffalo. You have never been where I am. You don't' even know where I am to make the conclusion.

Have you been in my place?

Of course not.

[/quote]Myopia means: a lack of foresight or discernment, or a narrow view of something.

That's you, Stem. Not me. My view is wider than yours.[/quote]

Your view is not wider than mine. To think you know my view at all smacks of a myopic outlook, sadly.