From My Informant: Did Brian Hauglid Betray Schryver?

[_Doctor Scratch]

I don't know whether or not Hauglid posts here. I'm quite certain that, at the very least, he reads some of the things that appear on MDB. And he had a short but noteworthy posting career over at FAIR/MAD.

[_RayAgostini]

Yes, MDDB certainly is an echo chamber. It's too bad Nevo prefers one.

Way to solve the problem, Shades. I once nominated Nevo as the most fair and balanced "apologist" on message boards, and he puts a great deal of thought into his posts, and hasn't been reluctant to even challenge his fellow Mormons on some issues, to which there was resounding clapping here. Now that he's made a judgement of MDB, I supposed he's "biased". Yep, I get it.

[_Kishkumen]

Well it's obvious you're not inclined to do an evaluation, or even think for one moment that there could possibly be something wrong here. That's not what I call being open-minded, nor considering other viewpoints.

Ha! Wow. Ray, agreeing with Nevo is not a requirement for being open-minded. The respect I showed to Nevo and his ideas on a regular basis when he posted here is. See the difference?

[_RayAgostini]

Ha! Wow. Ray, agreeing with Nevo is not a requirement for being open-minded. The respect I showed to Nevo and his ideas on a regular basis when he posted here is. See the difference?

It's not just Nevo, Kish. Have you asked Don what he thinks of "this place"? Do report back to me when you have an answer.

[_Dr. Shades]

Now that he's made a judgement of MDB, I supposed he's "biased". Yep, I get it.

Have you made a judgment of MormonDiscussions? Are you biased?

[_Kishkumen]

It's not just Nevo, Kish. Have you asked Don what he thinks of "this place"? Do report back to me when you have an answer.

We have already had this conversation, Ray. Don is not the gold standard for determining whether this place should exist as it does. He has his reasons for not participating here. I understand them. What I try to do, instead of browbeating and castigating people for not playing nice, is to be who I am, which, I think, is someone who actually endeavors to be fair-minded and understanding on occasion. In the end, I believe this is more effective than being Simon.

[_RayAgostini]

Have you made a judgment of MormonDiscussions? Are you biased?

I've made a judgement similar to Nevo's, and similar to all of the Mormons who have voted with their feet, in regard to "this place".


If you want to keep going downhill at bobsled pace, and keep enlarging your echo-chamber, please yourself. I don't "have" to say anything, and could just watch this place eventually lose all credibility, but I've chosen, for now, to say something.

[_RayAgostini]

We have already had this conversation, Ray. Don is not the gold standard for determining whether this place should exist as it does. He has his reasons for not participating here. I understand them. What I try to do, instead of browbeating and castigating people for not playing nice, is to be who I am, which, I think, is someone who actually endeavors to be fair-minded and understanding on occasion. In the end, I believe this is more effective than being Simon.

You have a great capability to be understanding. Some of the best, and fairest post I've ever seen here, have come from you. No kidding, and no lie. Then you seem to fall under Scratch's hypnotism, or DarthJ's.

[_Kishkumen]

You have a great capability to be understanding. Some of the best, and fairest post I've ever seen here, have come from you. No kidding, and no lie. Then you seem to fall under Scratch's hypnotism, or DarthJ's.

Well, how openminded would I be if I were only open to the pro-LDS position? Is that truly openminded?

Darth J and Scratch make some really good points. That said, I have fundamental differences with them. One of the key reasons that I seem more aligned with them, however, is that most apologists I know demand more conformity in favor of Mormonism than people like Darth J and Scratch demand my conformity against it. This makes it much easier to be friendly with them. Granted, Nevo and asbestosman have been pretty tolerant too, but take a look at most of the others, and I think it is no mystery why I don't spend a lot of time yukking it up with them. They feel compelled to attack me because I am who I am and say what I say. That just doesn't endear us to each other.

[_Carton]

"Echo chamber", anyone?

I agree there is a commonality of perspectives among many people that post on this message board, but why should that be something that is criticized? When it comes to the question of whether or not Mormonism is what it claims to be, in the final analysis, the answer is very simple, isn’t it?

This is the place where a large number of the most intelligent and most highly educated ex-mormons happen to congregate. Why should it be that much of a surprise that they happen to agree on lots of points? You call it an echo-chamber. I call it a consensus of opinion based on logic and reasoning. And when it comes right down to it, logic and reason often produce more real charity and Christian-like behavior than you see from hypocritical religionists.