Peterson, Hamblin, Schryver Online Antics: Request for Help

[_Bob Loblaw]

It just goes to show that a different approach is needed.

Some of it is downright embarrassing. When people ask me about Joseph Smith and polygamy I send them to Sam Katich's article. Every single person who I've sent that article has seen it for what it is. Utter BS.

[_Kishkumen]

Some of it is downright embarrassing. When people ask me about Joseph Smith and polygamy I send them to Sam Katich's article. Every single person who I've sent that article has seen it for what it is. Utter b***s***.

Agreed. Some of it is embarrassing. A lot of it, in fact. But nothing quite so shameful as the dog-pilings visited on Mike Quinn and Grant Palmer, or Greg Smith's hit pieces. It is one thing to fall short in the defense of one's beliefs, but quite another to beat on members of your own Church.

I suppose it was effective in one of the primary missions of Mopologetics:

Pruning off the saints apologists don't like or agree with.

[_Bob Loblaw]

Agreed. Some of it is embarrassing. A lot of it, in fact. But nothing quite so shameful as the dog-pilings visited on Mike Quinn and Grant Palmer, or Greg Smith's hit pieces. It is one thing to fall short in the defense of one's beliefs, but quite another to beat on members of your own Church.

I suppose it was effective in one of the primary missions of Mopologetics:

Pruning off the saints apologists don't like or agree with.

They are really stupid, aren't they? What kind of person defends their religion by kicking out the faithful?

[_Kishkumen]

They are really stupid, aren't they? What kind of person defends their religion by kicking out the faithful?

Today I attended an LDS meeting for the first time in a while. In the High Priests Group, the lesson was on missionary work. One wise fellow noted that they were having trouble getting adults to ferry kids to activities. He said that when so many kids fail to go on missions, and 70% of youth will end up as inactive adults, it would be a good idea to focus more effort on the members they already have.

FARMS has, but unfortunately too much of it has been the wrong kind of attention. The kind that hastens alienation.

[_Doctor Scratch]

And the purpose of the snipe hunt is....

... to divert attention away from the fact that the apologists have only snake oil to sell.

No, in this case, I'm inclined to think that the diversion is aimed elsewhere. Perhaps Will/Ludd will be along to clear the air, though I suspect that he's going to "take a break" from the board.

[_Doctor Scratch]

They overlook, of course, the conflicting evidence that a good number of apologists are respected and have not excited such a negative reaction.

Where are Kevin Barney's Malevolent Stalkers?

Anyone? Anyone?

Or Richard Bushman's. Or Teryl Givens's. Or Kathleen Flake's. Or Richard Turley's. Or Mike Quinn's. Or, hell, even Louis "Woody" Midgley's.

[_Yoda]

They are really stupid, aren't they? What kind of person defends their religion by kicking out the faithful?

Today I attended an LDS meeting for the first time in a while. In the High Priests Group, the lesson was on missionary work. One wise fellow noted that they were having trouble getting adults to ferry kids to activities. He said that when so many kids fail to go on missions, and 70% of youth will end up as inactive adults, it would be a good idea to focus more effort on the members they already have.

This is an excellent observation, Kish. I have thought for a long time that missionary "re-activation" projects would do a whole lot more good in providing stalwart active members than simply "looking for new blood".

[_Yoda]

They overlook, of course, the conflicting evidence that a good number of apologists are respected and have not excited such a negative reaction.

Where are Kevin Barney's Malevolent Stalkers?

Anyone? Anyone?

+10000000000000000000

[_Yoda]

No, in this case, I'm inclined to think that the diversion is aimed elsewhere. Perhaps Will/Ludd will be along to clear the air, though I suspect that he's going to "take a break" from the board.

Any speculation on exactly what that diversion is, because I, for one, am really confused.

[_malkie]

They are really stupid, aren't they? What kind of person defends their religion by kicking out the faithful?

Today I attended an LDS meeting for the first time in a while. In the High Priests Group, the lesson was on missionary work. One wise fellow noted that they were having trouble getting adults to ferry kids to activities. He said that when so many kids fail to go on missions, and 70% of youth will end up as inactive adults, it would be a good idea to focus more effort on the members they already have.

This is an excellent observation, Kish. I have thought for a long time that missionary "re-activation" projects would do a whole lot more good in providing stalwart active members than simply "looking for new blood".

It depends on who they try to reactivate, I suppose.

A while ago I posted about the sudden interest that the missionaries had shown in talking to me, and about how they wanted me to "act the part of an investigator so that a greenie could practise his discussions".

I offered to participate on the understanding that I could also provide relevant information to them, based on what I've learned about the church in the time I've been inactive, and advised them that their mission president might prefer them not to have the information - they should check before we started.

A week or so later I invited them for dinner, and when they were leaving I repeated the offer.

That was a couple of months ago. They have never come back, called, or asked my wife or daughter about me.

Did I just disqualify myself from the Focus 15 program, or whatever it's called?