The problem is that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

The pictures painted by the apologists are masterpieces to the TBMs. The perspective may be as off as a Picasso, the information given look as melted as a Salvador Dali, or the details as smushed as a Francis Bacon, but, again, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

blueorchid Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The problem is that beauty is in the eye of the
> beholder.

This is why I wanted to know what you thought of in discriminating between the grand illusionists of Mormonism.

The Givens's are really good at saying "the Church is false" and
making it sound like a proof that it's true.

In all our lives we shall never see
a bullshitter as gifted as Nibley



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/28/2015 11:57AM by ladell.

Nibley is the epitome of old school apologetics. He tried to make Mormonism fit into a legitimate academic realm of scholastic reality.

Today's Mormon apologists have less credulity to work with...

...with Joseph Fielding Smith being a close second. Also-rans: BH Roberts, William Berrett, Bruce R. McConkie, Gordon B. Hinckley, Daniel Peterson.

B.H Roberts was certainly not a bullshitter. He was probably the most honest Mormon I've ever heard of and the only one to admit that Joe could have written the BofM.

"B.H Roberts was certainly not a bullshitter. He was probably the most honest Mormon I've ever heard of and the only one to admit that Joe could have written the BofM."

Regardless of that, Roberts' "faith-promoting" version of the History of the Church makes him one of the worst apologists. A lot of the falsehoods which have been repeated by church leaders, books, articles, and lesson manuals over the last 100+ years originated from Roberts.

I hope this won't hijack the thread, but a related question might be:

If Christian apologestics were an art form...?

My immediate answer would be: C. S. Lewis

RPackham Wrote:
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> I hope this won't hijack the thread, but a related
> question might be:

It isn't.

> If Christian apologestics were an art form...?
>
> My immediate answer would be: C. S. Lewis

Mine too. What I find interesting about him is how appealing he is to Mormons. He seems a bit "works" heavy though the whole reason for Jesus is "grace." I like his take on demons, devils, and Satan. The Screwtape Letters was very good in my opinion. Like intelligent beings were behind the scenes creating discord among the living to get them to fail into Hell.

For people who understand everyone has demons I guess a big difference is where your demons originate from - inside or outside. Taking responsibility for creating your own is probably really hard. At least for me it is.

With Goofy as the amusement park tour guide



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/01/2015 12:52AM by steve benson.

Jackson Pollock. Throw a lot of stuff on the canvas and let the viewer see whatever he wants.

Bushman can take a pile of steaming horseshit in somebody's kitchen sink and make it seem as if the sink was incomplete without the horseshit.