It's almost a given that once someone starts questioning the doctrines, dictates, and pronouncements of the mormon church, they find problems. Troubling issues. Outright lies. Things that accelerate the tumble of cracking shelves.

But what works best, in your experience, to start the questioning? So many TBMs are stuck in a feedback loop: the church is true, so there aren't any problems, because if there were any problems, the church wouldn't be true, and it is.

What's been the best way you've found to put that first little chink in the armor? To put an exit point in that feedback loop?

this only ever worked for me once so far: 'what ever happened to the papyri the Book of Abraham was written on?'

The person I asked was BIG on research and was excited because I was showing interest in the church again. They resigned the very next day.

The trouble Hie is that it's a rabbit hole. One search leads to another and another. What I am going to do is stick with reputable historians.

Also, I may be crazy, but it seems that the morg has successfully scrubbed the internet of documentaries that seem "anti-mormon." Nowhere on Netflix can anything pertaining to MMM can be found, nor "Under The Banner of Heaven" etc. None of it. Try finding the City Confidential episode on Hofmann. Nada. So, I'm just ordering books. I think the record of these things will disappear.

Anyway, I wanted to use some of these to start a dialogue w friends.

One approach (not my invention, but suggested by an exmo who has had good success in getting people out) is the "Help me understand!" plea:

"I'm having trouble understanding this problem... Can you help me see how it's not a problem?"

Of course you cannot accept the "pray about it," "ask the bishop about it" or such as a helpful answer. Keep it personal: "How do YOU deal with it?"

RPackham Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Of course you cannot accept the "pray about it,"
> "ask the bishop about it" or such as a helpful
> answer. Keep it personal: "How do YOU deal with
> it?"

That's good advice -- keep it personal. Yes, we know what the leaders have said, but how do YOU deal with it?

I haven't found one "magic bullet" that works for everyone. I wish there were such a thing. But keep 'em coming :)

You might want to first print out the Mormon Church's new essays at mormonessays.com.

Then ask the TBM/missionaries/etc., "Can I get your help on a gospel question?
I was reading this essay from the church's own website and it raised a couple questions
I was wondering if you could help me with......First, you'll notice on this particular essay
(highlight the important part in yellow) it says......That really confused me
because I had never hear that before and was wondering if you could clear that up for me?"

Perhaps living a happy, drama-free life without the "blessings" of Mormonism.

"Golly, Stray Mutt hasn't ended up in the gutter. How is that possible?"