Originally Posted By Ivan im a bit country so please give this good old boy a chance to explain his side our of thngs not all all of us think man has to be with his wife.....only the heathens in our town thinklike that laugh laugh laugh it is funny
Originally Posted By TomSawyer <a href="http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/1239638148802.gif" target="_blank">http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp...8802.gif</a>
Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder <a href="http://gifs.gifbin.com/1239024473_squirrel-catapult.gif" target="_blank">http://gifs.gifbin.com/1239024...pult.gif</a>
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt <a href="http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/webdr01/2012/12/13/14/anigif_enhanced-buzz-7804-1355426438-3.gif" target="_blank">http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/stati...38-3.gif</a>
Originally Posted By oc_dean Speaking of religion, superstition, and delusion ... I found this to be a very interesting 'listen' about the Church of LDS: And this one of those things you have to watch all the way through ... it's 1 hour 21 minutes ... so pick a time when you know you got an hour and 20 of time on your hands - No interruptions, No distractions: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ac_fLUHiBw" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v..._fLUHiBw</a>
Originally Posted By utahjosh And if you want some real answers about what we really believe, how we live our lives, and what matters most to us, you can chat with one of us right now: <a href="http://mormon.org/chat" target="_blank">http://mormon.org/chat</a>
Originally Posted By ecdc Well...that's not responding to the issues raised in the video. (I have zero interest in watching the video and suspect it's plenty biased.) But the average Mormon isn't even aware that Joseph Smith had 30+ wives while he was alive. The average Mormon I can chat with probably isn't aware that early revelations were changed after the fact to conform to changing Mormon practices (creating two priesthoods, for example). So while it's grand that the LDS Church has ways those who are interested in it can reach out, it's no way to help those, especially those in the faith, who have tough questions that they stumble onto because no one in church talks about them. (It also doesn't help when Mormon historians are told to hush up and threatened with punishment if they speak out.)
Originally Posted By oc_dean I was expecting Josh to have that kind of answer .. so - I'm not surprised. And the only other people who wouldn't watch it .. are those who've already made an informed opinion on the Church of LDS .. and don't need to hear anymore. Or for those ... who's time is too short .. with work, other distractions, obligations. But for me - An Agnostic with some time on my hands, and wanting to get a few answers that Mormons do not want to answer ...... I found it a very informative piece to watch and listen. >> (I have zero interest in watching the video and suspect it's plenty biased.) << How do you know it's "biased" if you don't watch it? And biased to whom? Do you think the video was made by atheists?? The answer surprised me!
Originally Posted By ecdc >>How do you know it's "biased" if you don't watch it?<< Because I'm more than familiar with garden variety anti-Mormonism, and this is it. You know, if it walks like a duck and all that. Case in point: I jumped ahead to problems with Book of Mormon authorship. The video suggested it was possible Sidney Rigdon helped write the Book of Mormon, yet there's no evidence Rigdon traveled from Ohio to New York prior to the book's publication, let alone as Joseph was writing it between 1829-1830. There's no evidence he met or knew or corresponded with Joseph prior to the book's publication. It also retreads familiar old ground by asserting Ethan Smith's "View of the Hebrews" may have been inspiration for the Book of Mormon. No serious Mormon scholar, believer or otherwise, entertains either the View of the Hebrews or the Spaulding manuscript theories anymore. See what I mean? A video like this can sound awfully impressive, as if it's giving you the "real story," when you don't know the details. The thing is, I suspect I agree with most of the points they make. I just have zero patience for those who attack one religion for being silly or scientifically untenable or far-fetched. It's all silly - time just manages to give a nice patina to the older ones. Who on earth takes the time to make a 90 minute video about something they don't believe? I just know too many people like this - they leave Mormonism but are still defined by it, except now they're defined by the fact that they aren't Mormon. Their entire existence becomes, "Hey everybody, I'm not Mormon!" When you've seen it as much as I have, it's just tiresome.
Originally Posted By mawnck >>See what I mean? A video like this can sound awfully impressive, as if it's giving you the "real story," when you don't know the details.<< In other words, blind acceptance of wrong information, as long as it leads you to the conclusion you want. Imagine that! I endorse post 92. And I feel the same way about 75% of the Atheist "exposés" I see as well. ;-)
Originally Posted By oc_dean >>Because I'm more than familiar with garden variety anti-Mormonism, and this is it. You know, if it walks like a duck and all that. << Hey ecdc Surely, not every youtube video covering the subject of the Mormons is going to be the “all you need to know” video of them all. It wasn’t my first read. Nor will it be my last. As I’m sure for you, you didn’t get to know the Mormon’s in one “convenient” source, but hundreds of various bits and pieces, over many years, that have formed your knowledge on the Mormons. What anyone can get out of it, though – Is an “opener,” TO QUESTION all sorts of points on the very fundamental structure of the religion. It wasn’t some “immature” tirade, but a more methodical point-by-point “listen”. >>See what I mean? A video like this can sound awfully impressive, as if it's giving you the "real story," when you don't know the details.<< Oh sure. As I said, you surely didn’t learn everything you knew in one video off of youtube, and if I thought I could – I’d say, I’m just as gullible, as the gullibility of those who believe in invisible things around them, that they can’t verify. >>The thing is, I suspect I agree with most of the points they make. << Good! >>I just have zero patience for those who attack one religion for being silly or scientifically untenable or far-fetched. It's all silly - time just manages to give a nice patina to the older ones.<< Had you not written your second sentence, I would have had to say – WHAT? But no need to – You said it right there – ‘It’s all silly.” But I see what you are saying – One could loose interest in reading one “anti” story or another against someone or something else. If it goes on about it – in a childish manner. And then we immediately begin to wonder how much validity there is to the “piece.” For the most part – I didn’t get that, in that 1hr-20m video. >>Who on earth takes the time to make a 90 minute video about something they don't believe? << I don’t expect to learn what I want to know about the Mormons in nice little convenient 5 minute “snap shot” Youtube videos designed for “ADD 21st Century” citizens. ;-) I suspect it will take time, and more reading. Just as it took for you, ecdc. At one stage in my life – I didn’t pay any mind to just about every religion on planet Earth. I just focused on making a life for myself. Then as time went on, I began seeing how they all keep quoting their books, that gay people are BAD. Just bad! I left them alone for years and years. But they couldn’t leave me alone. So, I’m taking time to learn why they are making such a fuss. And the more I educate myself, the more I realize, all religions have their BOOKS. And that’s pretty much all they have. A BOOK. Books they claim written by the creator of the universe. Some of it sounds okay, till you get to parts that really defy logic. Passages that sound like they were written by MAN of different time periods. When mankind was more barbaric. With all sorts of bigoted, and hateful crap. One of my favorites – Is from the New Testament – Timothy 12-12. Pure barbaric crap written by MAN. So, I take time to learn what Mormons actually believe in. And it's actually strange, when I read of Mormons who don't want to read and understand their own entire religion. What are they afraid to find? Something they might actually question???? I can think of one Mormon here ... "la,la,la,not listening, not listening" Well those Mormons crossed the line one too many times, on their foolish beliefs. And the latest, crossing the line from Utah to California – dropping 22 million dollars to declare me – a second class citizen, over who I can marry, and who I can’t. It’s war as far as I’m concerned. But not just not them. But to other cults, especially the Scientologists. All religions on Earth - They can all hold their precious books up as high as they want. But I’m not buying any of it. They are ALL fiction. If the “God” they have created in their heads is real – Then tell my why god lets all sorts of atrocities happen? Like, children being killed in Oklahoma’s latest deadly tornado? And then people ask for prayers. Doesn’t work. Never works. I can send my heartfelt feelings to those – which is going to do more good, than so-called “prayers”. My last line for the Mormons today: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mh9kLK7fFqs" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...kLK7fFqs</a>
