Things that apostates can learn from apologists

[_DarkHelmet]

Joseph Smith only had "1" wife, if by "1" you mean "27."

[_MCB]

Joseph Smith only had "1" wife, if by "1" you mean "27."

No, he only had one wife (the rest were concubines).

[_DarkHelmet]

Joseph Smith only had "1" wife, if by "1" you mean "27."

No, he only had one wife (the rest were concubines).

Good point.

[_harmony]

At least one witness saw the plates with his "spiritual" eyes.

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

Hello,

I'm amused that Mormons use the word "translate" to actually mean "thought it up in his mind and convinced others God inspired him". Then I'm subsequently amused that Mormons use "inspired" when in actuality it's just "he made it up".

V/R
Dr. CamNC4Me

[_Tchild]

I am morally chaste because I do not "masturbate", "lust", nor have I ever had "sex" with other married persons during "swinger" parties.

SH**, had I known how this ad hoc word rationalization works, I wouldn't have been held back six months from my mission for "heavy petting".

[_Trevor]

Darth J, you have quickly risen to the top of MDB's slate of comedic sages.

[_schreech]

Apologists have many theories. The reason they have so many theories is that "theory" sounds better than "self-serving ad hoc assumption." But in any case, what apologists are good at doing is showing how the restored gospel is totally compatible with the evidence, and there are many principles of how they make (force) this to work that can be helpful for apostates in learning to how reconcile their unbelief with their continued membership in the LDS Church. I thought maybe some of us could share how we use these apologetic techniques in our religious lives.

One thing that I have found helpful is words. I have learned from apologists that something can still be true by simply changing the meaning of words! Much like their "theories," apologists are very good at finding self-serving, ad hoc ways to define words in order to prove that the restored gospel is true. Here are some examples of the more common words whose meanings apologists like to change in order to prove that the gospel is true:

translate
Egyptian
horse
steel
chariot
elephant
gold (as in "golden plates")

Thus, the Church is true, because Joseph Smith really did "translate" "Egyptian," and the Nephites really did have "horses" and "chariots" and "steel" "swords," for example.

Using this principle, I have found out that despite the critics saying that I am apostate, I am actually a TBM. That's because you shouldn't necessarily assume that what I mean by certain words is what other people mean. Here are some examples of the kinds of words I am talking about:

testimony
restored
gospel
obey
tithing
prophet (subsumes "seer" and "revelator")
scripture
sustain

Now I'll demonstrate how the apologist technique of words not necessarily having their plain, ordinary meaning whenever it is necessary can be used to give honest answers to important questions for believing members of the LDS Church:

--I "sustain" the Bretheren as "prophets," "seers," and "revelators."
--I "obey" the Word of Wisdom.
--I have a "testimony" of the "restored" "gospel."
--I have a "testimony" that the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price are "scriptures."
--I pay a full "tithing."

Please feel free to share some of the ways you have been able to incorporate apologist techniques to show that apostates are devout and faithful members of the Church.

Darth...that OP was "awesome"...






and by "awesome" i mean awesome....

[_Dwight Frye]

[_Inconceivable]

Darth J, you have quickly risen to the top of MDB's slate of comedic sages.

Thanks Darth. I'll second that.