Greetings,

Apparently some Mormons think they have loaded shotgun full of hard questions for the skeptics.

http://ldssmile.com/2014/07/03/unanswered-questions-critics-church-jesus-christ-latter-day-saints/

R,
I'm a Dinosaur

1st question:
"How did Joseph know so much about the Arabian Peninsula, including specific names and places that were not known in his day?"

Well, that drives right to the heart of the matter, doesn't it?

"How did Joseph know so much..."

Well, if you can't explain it through his book gathering, seeking out learned people, and hiring himself tutors well, by golly it must be God who beamed it into his head through a rock.

Makes perfect sense!

I almost commented on that page along the lines of "These kinds of things can only be DISproven, never PROVEN."

Maybe a comment directing them to cesletter.com and mormonthink.com would help. About half of the questions posted there are answered on those sites, plus more. It's not worth rehashing ... ugh!

Good grief. I want to vomit.

WHat a gem-

"How was Joseph able to accurately describe a natural disaster involving volcanic action, and then manage to have scientists later find evidence of massive volcanic action in a place and time compatible with the Book of Mormon?"

Believers using science to validate their claims is the ultimate admission of blissful ignorance. I find it deliciously hilarious and they don't understand why. WHich just makes it funnier. I guess I'm also laughing with joy because I now appreciate that my own thoughts are open, free, and trustworthy in contrast.

So good to be out.

...once again, these type questions will likely steer a number of TBM sheeple to alternative non-LDS sites.

Results:............Disaster.

Notice that all the questions are of the "when did you stop
beating your wife?" type. They all assume something and then
ask some "how" or "why" about what they have ASSUMED.

The point is not to start dialogue and research--the point is
not to look deeper into things, but to hornswaggle believers
into thinking the facts are different than they are.

"How did Joseph know so much about the Arabian Peninsula, including specific names and places that were not known in his day?"

Aside from the rampant logical fallacies involved... what does this even mean? As if place names are inherent and not created by man?
How can a place have a name that nobody knows about? Makes no sense.

Sorry for the TJ. Carry on.

"How could Joseph have known about ancient cement technology in the first century B.C. in Mesoamerica?"

...And yet, be so wrong about the horses?

Ha ha ha... I've got you exies now.

How did Joseph Smith write an awesome history of ancient America?
Why did Jesus love the Nephites so much that he made an awesome visit to North America?
Why are the General Authorities so awesome that they want what's best for your salvation?
Why is Mormonism so awesome?

Loaded questions, my statistics professor warned of those. Their little pamphlets are full of them. They were shocked when I told them this.

Oh. My. God. What a vomitous pile of crap. Just spew stuff like it's fact.

My own question might read: Since it is well known by now about the stone in a hat translation method, isn't it possible that the Book of Mormon is so hard to prove because it was brought forth by the same stone he used unsuccessfully to find treasure?

Went back to check on some of the conversations there. Apparently nothing "non-faith-promoting" allowed in the comments, as there seems to have been a massive purge.

How could Joseph had known how to manipulate people's beliefs so he could screw young girls? Now THAT takes inspiration from God!

How could Joseph know to start a book of revelations to get land, resources, obedience and women--er, I mean people to know what “God” wants them to do?

How could Joseph possibly know to use magician props to "translate" a book?

I don't know that we teach that. I don't know that we emphasize it.

I was told that. I like it.

Seriously, two questions? TWO questions!?! Oh hey I need to run to Bishop now! She sure showed me! THIS is the strength of their position?

This is the strength of my position:

Fossils/genetic link to Cro-Magnon man and Neanderthal man/Precambrian genetic link to plants
The cult of Yahweh and his Asherah
No global flood
The actual history of Israel through the new testament
The Smith family connection to freemasonry
First multiple visions/accounts of restoration of the priesthood appearing 15 years later including no mention in the book of commandments
seeing the plates with spiritual eyes
Sidney Rigdon writing most of the BoM
rock in a hat
polygamy/polyandry
Smith's boozing
Kinderhook plates
book of Abraham papyri translation being 100% wrong
blood atonement/Adam god/Moonanite quackers/Brigham's javelin
-Correlation cover up-
Some truths aren't very useful
September 6/strengthening membership committee
Mesoamerican chronology not matching
lack of coins/swords/breast plates/city earthworks/bones
king james translation errors in BOM not even matching JST Bible/ olives grow on trees not vines
DNA Amerindians/Polynesians
The not so immaculate conception
Mark Hoffman easily deceiving 15 prophets/seers/revelators
bizarre apologetic rewriting of BOM history/mental gymnastics/manipulate the doubter from asking more questions
Ezra Taft Benson admitting to congress that that he has received as much revelation as a good methodist
Zelph bulldozing the limited geography theory
Raising the Bar completely failing
The shady tactics behind Kate Kelly's excommunication
Utah is the most depressed state in the union


Get back to me when they have logical explanations for all of this.