is that they can't agree on anything.

They go into that game because they want to defend their personal religious feelings. Then, because there are no real answers, they develop weird personal interpretations that they must cultivate to preserve their egos. And, since they know more than most Mormons, their family and friends think they're really smart anyway. Explanations that go nowhere make them look smart, at least.

So each of them develops something like a personal gospel, supported by massive yet irrelevant knowledge. They tiptoe around their conflicts with each other, confident that they all feel the right feelings.

I tend to respect their knowledge more than most of you, I think. But they rarely even try to make a logical case for anything. Ego gratification makes it unnecessary to do so, and ego preservation prevents them from vigorously defending themselves. In some sense they're surviving, but it's a sad way to live.

Being an apologist means never having to say you're sorry.

<slow clap> :)

Which is ironic because the term apologist has apology right in there.

There are those of us here who figured out LDS Inc. decades ago, and we realize, as I've said, "all reasonable roads of inquiry lead out of the church."

They are forced into an artificial paradigm where "The church is true!" Any evidence to the contrary, no matter how powerful, must be rejected.

That creates a classic "double bind," and the result is the "cognitive dissonance" they put on display.

Martha Beck was one of the early people who described this in her father, calling it "Nibley's Disease."



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/16/2018 09:04PM by SL Cabbie.

The problem with apologists of all kinds is they have the theory before the facts. Then they try to fit the facts to the theory.

The true scientist gathers data first and then formulates a theory to explain the facts.

The Mormon Church just has too many facts that don't support its truth claims. Must drive apologists crazy.

Ditto, ditto, and ditto. You guys have all hit the nail straight on the head! I know one of these apologists and his readings and knowledge make him sound informed. But he's so far removed from the truth I can't stand listening to him.

Yes they contradict LOL

I remember the arguments defending the Endowment ritual against
accusations that it was ripped off from Masonry. They went like
this:

1) There's no similarity at all between the Endowment and
Masonry.

2) Masonry is descended from Solomon's temple so of course there
would be similarities.

3) Although Masonry is not descended from Solomon's temple,
Joseph Smith used Masonic symbolism, with which he was familiar,
to convey sublime truths which were given to him by revelation,
so it's true anyway.

How do we know the symbols were Masonic? They could have been inspired by the lay of Fanny Alger’s pubic hair.

There are many apologists tempted to be deceitful. This bothers me. Thus I try to post what TBM's ought to be really saying if they are truthful. If you have found my posts to be very non-delusional then maybe you should become TBM :)

Apologists are "special". One of the classic apologist arguments goes something like this: Somewhere in the Middle East an inscription was found on a rock. With a bit of convoluted reasoning that inscription matches one Book of Mormon verse. Therefore, it doesn't matter that no archeological or DNA evidence has ever been found anywhere in the Americas to support the book. That book is true!

1. Even IF Joseph Smith stole all those wives, it does
NOT matter because he was The Prophet! God told him to!

2. Just pray about it and you will SEE its true! Thats the
classic excuse because it FORCES folks to admit to
feeling or thinking something that they have no idea what?

3. The CON-ARTIST idea about "Priesthood" is nothing more
than some Get out of jail Free type of promotion!

4. The ENTIRE Temple ceremonies. Its like this so secret
place of worship when in all reality, its this ridiculous
hiding place of insane quotes and absurd chants.