On my lunch hour and started chatting with a couple people on mormon.org. In both cases I told them I was still on the records but had some serious questions about the church.

In the first one I just asked if it was possible to have a testimony of the Book of Mormon but not believe it was literal. The conversation quickly proved that the poor kid on the other end had no idea what the word “literal” even meant. He even claimed that there wasn’t an official church stance on whether the BoM was literal. When I challenged that he resorted to bearing his testimony about the value of the atonement but never answered the question.

In the next one I just asked why the church was putting Brandon Flowers up as an example of a mormon when he can’t hold a temple recommend. She dodged the question by asking me if I remembered what Christ said to the adulterous woman. She was trying to trick me into saying “let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” But that was what he said to the crowd. He told the woman to “Go and sin no more” So I asked her if Flowers was following that advice. She responded with something about diversity and not to judge. I then politely said I had no problem with Flowers. But if I engaged in the same behavior that he did the church would judge me as not worthy to enter the temple. Then she resorted to the testimony.

It’s like their flip cards are only three deep and the third one is always just “Bear your testimony”. I’m sorry, I don’t doubt your sincerity, but a story about how you feel doesn’t answer my question. After the second chat I thought for a second about the poor kids who got “called” on a mission who are sitting in front of terminals reading flip charts. Probably not exactly what they expected they’d be doing when they were singing those primary songs.

As a side note the chat script is written so you can’t cut and paste it into another program.

Sounds like a fun way to spend an evening. Think I'll have a go, after a couple of beers...

I received a message stating that they were too busy and would contact me via email. That was a week ago and have not heard from them.

I'm on now, speaking to Zayne (isn't that *ELDER* Zayne???) from Montana...

Asking him about the Book of Abraham.

(I had hoped for Sisters, but nevermind)

Zayne says (and I paraphrase because I can't copy and paste) "the evidence [that the BoA was made up bollocks by JS] is incomplete and skeptical. I trust what I know through God through prayer. Do you believe JS was a prophet?"

Me: I don't know if JS was a prophet or not.

Zayne: Do you know how you can figure that out.

(I can see where this is going...)

Zayne: The BoA is *additional* revelation, not the central book, ie. the Book of Mormon! Read the BoM, ponder it's message, ask God in faith if it is true.......

Me: The BoA papyri has been confirmed as part of the Book of the Dead and nothing to do with Abraham. Do you believe the experts are wrong?

Zayne: I have heard this argument before. A simple suggestion by others does not conclude the revelation from God to be false. If it was, every expert would agree and thus our church would fall. Your time would be better spent reading the Book of Mormon........

Me: What about JS and his 30 wives. Is it true that some of them were just 14 years old?

Zayne: Yes. Now back to the BoM: what does Moroni 10:3-5 mean to you?

Me: I am concerned about JS being a pedofile.

Zayne: There is no evidence of him having any children, nor was it against local customs. I suggest you be more concerned with the Book of Mormon.....

Me: But he had sex with them right?

Zayne: Every fiber of my being says no to that. Have you honestly read the BoM and asked with real intent if it is true?

(I think I've been rumbled....)

Me: I am being honest with you (I kind of am). WHy is the BoM described as being the "most correct book" and the "fulness of the everlasting gospel" when it has had over 3000 changes and doesn't contain any current core Mormon doctrine such as baptism for the dead, celestial marriage etc?



....shhhhh (5 minutes later, strangly quiet in Zion....)



Zayne: Your questions proves to me you have not read the BoM! (WTF!?!?!?! I have read it 20 times...) The promise of receiving an answer [Moroni 10:3-5] comes with conditions that include asking with a "sincere heart and real intent" not predisposing that everything is false and you already know the answers. [Bears testimony. Leaves.]



What a dick!! (excuse me). According to him, I haven't read the BoM because I haven't had a burning bosom, and I won't get that burnin bosom until and unless I already believe it to be true.

That's Mormonism in a nutshell people!



Edited 8 time(s). Last edit at 11/01/2011 05:42PM by freeman.

Ohh keep us updated!

Nice work! Good for him too, though, he was trying so hard to salvage your soul :) Maybe it'll get him to start questioning...

Everybody should go on at the same time and "love bomb" them!! hahaha

Foggy, please quit spamming this message across multiple threads.

That's what I've done several times now.

I think that I'm up to six or seven at this point.

I went on there a few times when I was still in TSCC, but having doubts. I just asked a few generic questions to see what they would say, but I learned that some of the people who answer chats are RMs, and they seem to be a little smarter and able to hold their own in discussions about controversial subjects. Don't you just love how the testimony is the solution to everything?