"cinepro"]I think "Holding Fast" is better than the original title:
cinepro wrote:I think "Holding Fast" is better than the original title:
"Holding Back to the Tide with a Teaspoon: Dealing with Doubts in the Latter Days"
It must be really difficult to write one of these books. I mean, you can't be too specific or you'll end up cataloging all the reasons people should leave the Church, and someone who just doubted based on one single thing will suddenly find themselves with many more reasons.
"Chapter 1: What to do if you're doubting because of Polygamy
Chapter 2: What to do if you're doubting based on the Book of Abraham
Chapter 3: What to do if you're doubting based on Joseph Smith's treasure seeking and unusual translation method
etc."
Peterson says one of the most common issues he addresses is the attempt to discredit the witnesses of the Book of Mormon. While the old notion that they were dishonest or insane has "pretty much gone out the window," Peterson said, the modern argument contends the witnesses were unable to distinguish fantasy from reality. Not likely, says Peterson, who finds it difficult to believe that individuals who spend their time in air-conditioned offices staring at computer screens have a better grasp of reality than those who spent their days laboring on farms.
Another issue critics often use to attack the church is "human deification," or the LDS doctrine that individuals can become like God. Peterson points out that the anti-Mormon film "The God Makers" ridiculed the church for teaching "wildly blasphemous doctrine." However, Peterson says the concept, called "theosis" in scholarly literature, is "common across early Christianity."
"It turns out, we're not the ones with the problem on that issue," he said. "Our critics are. We win."
Peterson finds humor in some attempts to discount Mormonism. For instance, some have suggested the use of the word "adieu" at the end of the Book of Jacob discredits the Book of Mormon, because the French language did not exist at the time the account takes place.
"There's English in the Book of Mormon, too," Peterson said. "This is a translation. That probably seems to be the single dumbest argument I encounter."
truth dancer wrote:I'm thinking he could come up with a series:
Holding Fast: Dealing with Doubt is Scientology
Holding Fast: Dealing with Doubt in Jehovah Witness
Holding Fast: Dealing with Doubt in Catholicism
Holding Fast: Dealing with Doubt in Islam
Holding Fast: Dealing with Doubt in Krishna
Holding Fast: Dealing with Doubt in the Fundamental Latter Days
Holding Fast: Dealing with Doubt in Ralianism
Holding Fast: Dealing with Doubt in the People's Temple
Holding Fast: Dealing with Doubt in Evangelism
Etc, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc,....
Peterson says one of the most common issues he addresses is the attempt to discredit the witnesses of the Book of Mormon. While the old notion that they were dishonest or insane has "pretty much gone out the window," Peterson said, the modern argument contends the witnesses were unable to distinguish fantasy from reality. Not likely, says Peterson, who finds it difficult to believe that individuals who spend their time in air-conditioned offices staring at computer screens have a better grasp of reality than those who spent their days laboring on farms.
Boaz & Lidia wrote:How so?
Perhaps the attempt of Millet and those of his apologetic authoring ilk is to merely retain members such as you have been retained?
You are a fine example of a member full of doubt, cynicism, and tithing. Just keep paying tithes and allowing your children to be brainwashed by the leaders which you trust.
truth dancer wrote:I'm thinking he could come up with a series:
Holding Fast: Dealing with Doubt is Scientology
Holding Fast: Dealing with Doubt in Jehovah Witness
Holding Fast: Dealing with Doubt in Catholicism
Holding Fast: Dealing with Doubt in Islam
Holding Fast: Dealing with Doubt in Krishna
Holding Fast: Dealing with Doubt in the Fundamental Latter Days
Holding Fast: Dealing with Doubt in Ralianism
Holding Fast: Dealing with Doubt in the People's Temple
Holding Fast: Dealing with Doubt in Evangelism
Etc, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc,....
The methods one would use to hold fast to a particular belief are exactly the same methods to hold onto any faith based belief:
Expand the paradigm, don't question, have faith, trust in your leaders (apologists?), immerse yourself in your particular organization, devote your time, money, and energy to your religion, hang around other like minded individuals, remain faithful even if there are questions, read your religious texts continuously, pary to remain a believer, hold fear in your mind and heart of the consequences of disbelief, discuss your testimony often, demonstrate your faithfulness and devotion to others, etc. etc.
There are people the world over losing belief in their particular religion/cult/belief system, the LDS believer is no different than anyone else.
~dancer~
At the end of the month, LDS Inc does not give a rodents rear end whether you are happy being lukewarm, ice cold, or boiling hot about their club. All they care about is your continued 10% of your income and allowing your children to be brainwashed into thinking they are part of something important and special enough to carry into their income earning and therefore tithe paying adulthood.cinepro wrote:Boaz & Lidia wrote:How so?
Perhaps the attempt of Millet and those of his apologetic authoring ilk is to merely retain members such as you have been retained?
You are a fine example of a member full of doubt, cynicism, and tithing. Just keep paying tithes and allowing your children to be brainwashed by the leaders which you trust.
Nice try, but a little wide of the mark. My continued attendance isn't related to any apologetic argument (and in many ways is in spite of many apologetic arguments). If Millet were to focus on people of my disposition, it wouldn't be a book about "Holding Fast", it would be a book arguing for all the other reasons to continue attending even if your doubts won't go away. It would be something along the lines of "The Baby and the Bathwater: Keeping the Good after Throwing Out the False and Untrue Beliefs and Traditions of the Church"
But I don't think Millet or any author published by Deseret could ever acknowledge that people could find themselves happily lukewarm in the gospel, so I'm not holding my breath.
