I know that that may sound like an insulting question. But it is not meant to be. Many of you know ALOT about church history, doctrine, scriptures, church culture and the evolution of all of those that have taken place since the church began. Plus many of you are well versed in psychology, phylosophy, sociology and other sciences. If, and this is a big if, you could psychologically picture yourself as you, still under the spell of belief, knowing what you now know, could you be a convincing defender? Please don't flame me up. Just a thought I had the other day. Myself? The thought scares the shit out of me. Mainly because I know people that KNOW it is a farce! But due to their advanced degrees, overall high intelligence and a good healthy dose of cog dis and position, can dupe the hell out of people. Thoughts? Now remember, your suppose to still be under the belief spell.

I was, for 15 years. Makes me sad to think of the people I've convinced to stay.

Me too. I started posting on alt.religion.mormon way back in 1995, and then I migrated over to the FAIR/MAD board around 2001 or so. In 2005, I finally acknowledged that I didn't believe anymore, and at that point I became a hateful anti-Mormon, or so I was told. Then I got banned from that board.

So, yes, I could do it easily because I know the stock answers and the techniques for spinning things. It kind of makes me ashamed I was ever involved in that.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/03/2012 04:07PM by runtu.

Usually when I'm trying to explain something to someone I just end up confusing them....

... so, I guess the answer is yes.

:)

Lol...that would be me.

Don't think so. I'm not that capable when it comes to mental gymnastics, and I think one would have to be an Olympic champion of such to do what those folks do. They have to be inventive and willing to create all kinds of crazy illogical mental structures and then try to support them with equally crazy beliefs. In fact, maybe there should be some sort of award system for those who come up with the craziest explanations for things.

I want to be on the judging panel.

Bad apologetics piled up inside my brain for Years.
But, when I expressed my questions/doubts, I was put down like a dying dog; that's the TBM 'First Line of Defense' when facing a Fact that Doesn't Fit.

the chief result of Spin is Dizzyness.

Apologists NEVER resolve anything, their job is to provide alternatives; the one that comes to mind now regards Kolob & sharing it's light/energy with the Sun.
100% WormPoo, but: You / no one can prove that Kolob DOESN'T exist, can they?

"Convincing apologist"

Isn't that an oxymoron?

I think what they meant is can you sufficiently write in long sentences without using any or minimal punctuation, talk in circles, use lots of words that people have to pull out their dictionaries to see what they mean, write long and boringly so that most people will never bother to read to the end, use lots of misdirection in never addressing the question at hand, but instead answering questions that they should have asked, so that by the time that someone gets to the end (if ever, see above about making the whole thing long and boring) they will have completely forgotten what you were originally writing about and if you conclude what is written with an authoritative statement as "that conclusively proves (or disproves as the case may be) that [whatever point you want to make]" and then bare your testimony that you know the Book of Mormon is true, Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God sent to restore the church, and that some things just have to be accepted on faith (thereby disallowing any argument based on facts or rational beliefs) then you will have done your job as an apologist and the Cult members will say when anyone brings up that topic that "well, you know that is just old news, is anti-mormon, bigoted against mormons and has already been addressed by church apologists so I don't have to understand or think about what they wrote as they have addressed this so just go and read it for yourself."