Did This SP Go Too Far?

[SoonerCoug]

Originally Posted by non sequitur

How can you say that it is a silly thing to lose ones faith over? If one is objective and one reads the unsanitized version of Church History, it is not at all difficult for one to come to the conclusion that Joseph Smith was little more than a whore-monger who invented polygamy to cover-up his philandering. Why would you expect an objective person to come to any other conclusion?

People have faith that the Mormon Church is true because they like being Mormon. That's why it's a silly thing to lose one's faith over. It's not about whether JS was 100% legit, 90% legit, or 0% legit. Being Mormon instead of Methodist is like preferring chocolate ice cream to vanilla.

[non sequitur]

Originally Posted by SoonerCoug

Being Mormon instead of Methodist is like preferring chocolate ice cream to vanilla.

But if you suddenly found out that chocolate ice cream was made from dolphin shit and that it caused cancer, you might rethink your preferences.

[SoonerCoug]

Originally Posted by non sequitur

But if you suddenly found out that chocolate ice cream was made from dolphin shit and that it caused cancer, you might rethink your preferences.

Except that Mormons have much lower cancer rates than non-Mormons. So you might argue against non-Mormonism if we're talking about cancer.

[SoonerCoug]

Originally Posted by non sequitur

But if you suddenly found out that chocolate ice cream was made from dolphin shit and that it caused cancer, you might rethink your preferences.

I guess you think MLK should be discredited and ignored because he was an adulterer?

[Tex]

Originally Posted by Goatnapper'96

Has nothing to do with apostacy and everything to do with ensuring those who speak for the Church are authorized, or at least accurate. Certainly one definition of apostacy is false teachings, and those are in the aforementioned book.

Well, as I recall, the book DID cause quite a stir for that very reason. But comparing him to an apostate is just unserious. The man was an apostle. I realize that doesn't count for much around here, but come on.

[UtahDan]

Originally Posted by non sequitur

How can you say that it is a silly thing to lose ones faith over? If one is objective and one reads the unsanitized version of Church History, it is not at all difficult for one to come to the conclusion that Joseph Smith was little more than a whore-monger who invented polygamy to cover-up his philandering. Why would you expect an objective person to come to any other conclusion?

I think we are talking past each other. I said it was a silly reason to lose FAITH. You have responded with an argument which misses the point by talking about how it makes it hard to add up logically.

My point was that if you have faith enough to believe the other claims the church makes, it is not that big of a stretch to have your faith account for this. If your membership is based solely or primarily on reason then it could be a problem for you.

[non sequitur]

Originally Posted by SoonerCoug

I guess you think MLK should be discredited and ignored because he was an adulterer?

I wouldn't dismiss what he had to say concerning civil rights, but If he claimed to be a prophet of God and was also banging his housekeeper, I would be a little suspicious of those claims.

[non sequitur]

Originally Posted by UtahDan

I think we are talking past each other. I said it was a silly reason to lose FAITH. You have responded with an argument which misses the point by talking about how it makes it hard to add up logically.

My point was that if you have faith enough to believe the other claims the church makes, it is not that big of a stretch to have your faith account for this. If your membership is based solely or primarily on reason then it could be a problem for you.

At what point does faith give way to common sense? I would think at some point you have to reconcile your faith with reality.

[SoonerCoug]

Originally Posted by non sequitur

I wouldn't dismiss what he had to say concerning civil rights, but If he claimed to be a prophet of God and was also banging his housekeeper, I would be a little suspicious of those claims.

So you expect JS to be perfect, and I don't. I believe God can inspire all kinds of people, including those who bang their housekeepers.

[UtahDan]

Originally Posted by non sequitur

At what point does faith give way to common sense? I would think at some point you have to reconcile your faith with reality.

That's true, and I don't know where the line is. For me it would not be over this. On the other hand, I have advocated being more open about these things. I think that as is true with anything, there is much more to be feared from covering up or appearing to cover up than there is to be from the truth.