If Romeny runs in 2012...

[Tex]

Originally Posted by ERCougar

Tex "hand feeding" answers...lol

Both bluegoose and Solon have addressed the reasons why sometimes I get the feeling that I belong to a cult. I'll refer you to their posts.

Discussing blind obedience is fine ... the apostles and prophets even address it occasionally. They no more want robots in their church than you or I do.

But to pretend that the church in anyway resembles a cult--either top-down or bottom-up--is just silly and inflammatory.

[ERCougar]

Originally Posted by Tex

Discussing blind obedience is fine ... the apostles and prophets even address it occasionally. They no more want robots in their church than you or I do.

But to pretend that the church in anyway resembles a cult--either top-down or bottom-up--is just silly and inflammatory.

If we don't ever resemble a cult, why would the prophets or apostles ever address the issue? Never mind...

Why not try answering bluegoose's or Solon's posts above? You've got both a top-down and bottom-up example. Go to it.

[Tex]

Originally Posted by ERCougar

If we don't ever resemble a cult, why would the prophets or apostles ever address the issue? Never mind...

Why not try answering bluegoose's or Solon's posts above? You've got both a top-down and bottom-up example. Go to it.

I may. But I'm talking to you. Is this an example of you "answering the question" or "making the point"?

[ERCougar]

Originally Posted by Tex

I may. But I'm talking to you. Is this an example of you "answering the question" or "making the point"?

LOL. Talking to me but ignoring what I'm saying. Would it help if I cut and paste from their posts into this frame?

[BarbaraGordon]

Originally Posted by ERCougar

LOL. Talking to me but ignoring what I'm saying. Would it help if I cut and paste from their posts into this frame?

Sorry. We have a strict no-plagiarism policy here at the Guard.

[Tex]

Originally Posted by ERCougar

LOL. Talking to me but ignoring what I'm saying.

In an effort to get this a little back on topic, and off the insult track...

I think Solon's and bluegoose's points are overstated. I don't think there's any evidence of true inquisitions. If someone has some, please provide it. The only remote evidence of an "inquisition" are a few extreme cases that garner some news attention. Big whoop. In addition, they are clearly not looking for private political purity, but for public apostasy.

I have a hunch that if bluegoose sat down with most of the people who said "the prophet told me to" and actually had a conversation on the merits of Prop 8--maybe reviewed the church's press release on it--he'd find the larger share of them had been convinced that way.

I have family in California and have a weak finger on the pulse of their experiences. No, I'm not claiming to be an expert on what every CA Mormon thinks, I just find this "Prophet speaks; thinking stops" allegation implausible.

[bluegoose]

Originally Posted by Tex

In an effort to get this a little back on topic, and off the insult track...

I think Solon's and bluegoose's points are overstated. I don't think there's any evidence of true inquisitions. If someone has some, please provide it. The only remote evidence of an "inquisition" are a few extreme cases that garner some news attention. Big whoop.

I have a hunch that if bluegoose sat down with most of the people who said "the prophet told me to" and actually had a conversation on the merits of Prop 8--maybe reviewed the church's press release on it--he'd find the larger share of them had been convinced that way.

I have family in California and have a weak finger on the pulse of their experiences. No, I'm not claiming to be an expert on what every CA Mormon thinks, I just find this "Prophet speaks; thinking stops" allegation implausible.

You know, I'm right here in the room, Tex. Feel free to talk to, not at.

You may be right. Like I said, many of the people that I've spoken with may have voted "yes" regardless of the church's public stance.

I can only go on my own experience and the experiences of those I know with more than weak finger on the pulse of the voters in CA. I was up well past midnight the two nights leading up to the election talking on the phone with members of my own family discussing exactly this issue. You're going to have to trust me, the basis for their reasoning for voting "Yes" was little more than "The Prophet said to. We follow the Prophet". And these are well-educated, well-informed people.

Perhaps my experiences were different than others here on the board. But I live in a fairly "normal" LDS ward and my family members also live in strong LDS communities.

[Tex]

Originally Posted by bluegoose

You know, I'm right here in the room, Tex. Feel free to talk to, not at.

Sorry, I didn't meant to. ER retreated behind your apron, so I just answered it that way.

Originally Posted by bluegoose

You may be right. Like I said, many of the people that I've spoken with may have voted "yes" regardless of the church's public stance.

I can only go on my own experience and the experiences of those I know with more than weak finger on the pulse of the voters in CA. I was up well past midnight the two nights leading up to the election talking on the phone with members of my own family discussing exactly this issue. You're going to have to trust me, the basis for their reasoning for voting "Yes" was little more than "The Prophet said to. We follow the Prophet". And these are well-educated, well-informed people.

Perhaps my experiences were different than others here on the board. But I live in a fairly "normal" LDS ward and my family members also live in strong LDS communities.

No, you're probably right that there were some who were wholly opposed (or indifferent) except for the prophet's call. And I'm not sure that by itself, that counts as "cultish" behavior anyway. If these are well-educated, well-informed people, they have clearly made a decision to trust the judgment of someone they respect.

What I recoil from is this notion that Mormons are lemmings who just brainlessly do what they're told, and I really get chapped at members who appear to embrace that caricature.

[RockyBalboa]

So members of the church decided to make a faith based decision and follow the prophets counsel and vote for Prop 8.

So what?

I don't see what all the whining is about.

[bluegoose]

Originally Posted by Tex

Sorry, I didn't meant to. ER retreated behind your apron, so I just answered it that way.

No, you're probably right that there were some who were wholly opposed (or indifferent) except for the prophet's call. And I'm not sure that by itself, that counts as "cultish" behavior anyway. If these are well-educated, well-informed people, they have clearly made a decision to trust the judgment of someone they respect.

What I recoil from is this notion that Mormons are lemmings who just brainlessly do what they're told, and I really get chapped at members who appear to embrace that caricature.

I don't know of any who were wholly opposed to the Prop but voted "Yes" anyway. Those that I've spoken with that are opposed to it voted "No".

There are all sorts obviously. Certainly there are thoughtful people who fully support the Prop and have come to that conclusion on their own. I fully respect these people.

Many are indifferent, which is something I don't really understand, but whatever.

Many are simply underinformed, eating up everything stated on the website and the commercials without much thought or fact-checking. These folks drive me crazy and are the reason why I lost much sleep and developed hypertension and GERD the past 3 months.