Four steps of the Serious Apologist

[_tojohndillonesq]

Credible Apologists follow the same basic path:

1) Explain what they really believe, in a clear and concise fashion. (This gets REALLY difficult, if not impossible, if you have secret beliefs.)
2) Explain how you derived those beliefs from sacred texts. Explain why and how your sacred texts have led to your doctrines.
3) Defend the INTERNAL evidence; the consistency of the texts in terms of doctrine. Where are the apparent inconsistencies? How do you reconcile them? (No good apologist will wait for others to point out the problems; he will point them out and explain his position. If he does not, he is dodging rather than explaining.)
4) Defend the EXTERNAL evidence. What do the sacred texts say about history, people, places, things, etc. Do the statements in the text(s) line up with known fact? If not, what is your explanation?

Of course this external evidence thing can get into very esoteric issues, like the Spalding/Rigdon theories. (Perfectly valid discussion, but only applicable to a piece of the overall argument.) Another position is to say that all apparently historic material was intended to be symbolic or metaphorical. Ordained Buddhist priests acknowledge that the "Life of Siddhartha" is a myth.

I read once, several years ago, that a group of highly placed Mormon scholars attempted a serious book of apologetics and concluded that the Book of Mormon was stricly metaphorical... like the Life of Siddhartha. And that they were excommunicated for their efforts. Does anyone know the name of this book or if it is even available? I am NOT interested in book that debunks Mormonism; I am interested in a book that attempts to defend it, and that does not hide from the severe difficulties inherent in this position.

Scott
ECC, Boise



As an example I would point out books like "Mere Christianity" by CS Lewis, or "The Jesus I Never Knew" by Phillip Yancey, or "The Case for Christ" by Lee Strobel. Anybody know of anything comparable on Mormonism? Something readable preferred.

[_Inconceivable]

Credible Apologists follow the same basic path...

I read once, several years ago, that a group of highly placed Mormon scholars attempted a serious book of apologetics and concluded that the Book of Mormon was stricly metaphorical... like the Life of Siddhartha. And that they were excommunicated for their efforts. Does anyone know the name of this book or if it is even available? I am NOT interested in book that debunks Mormonism; I am interested in a book that attempts to defend it, and that does not hide from the severe difficulties inherent in this position.

Scott
ECC, Boise

Tojo,

You are about to get all kinds of responses here.

First of all, I would strongly disagree that there is such a thing as a "credible" apologist. I would define the apologist as one that is aware of the deceptions of the society in which he belongs - unlike the rank and file of it's members that I term the deceived. I think the more correct definition would be a "propogandist". An apologist by nature, justifies the truth of the matter by attempting to prove that it is not what it is.

Secondly, the reason for any "highly placed" Mormon "scholars" to be excommunicated would be because their work would be considered by the presidency as debunking Mormonism - or in other words, faith destroying. They went too far - they crossed over and they are no more apologists, but anti Mormon.

Who "highly placed" them? What does that mean anyway? "Scholars" as in trained for the ministry by those that have been trained for the ministry?

If you have been excommunicated for publishing a book, you are not an apologist anymore. You are outside. You have lost the credibility of those that remain firm to the currently accepted doctrine (whatever it is).