Bonnie
Super Member
on why it is so hard to get Mormons on here to engage with us Christians about their beliefs and history, and why they must deflect, obfuscate, ignore, and then repeat the same talking points, over and over again. He wrote this over 2 years ago on here, about 2 boards ago, lol!
------------------
Hey Bonnie, what i am about to write is very important to understand about LDS folks.
If we are going to use the "word" admonish, it needs to be qualified. Mormons generally are good people, like most Christians...folks just trying to deal with life the best they can. It is not like there are these arch-villain type of teachers teaching the folks what to say. Mormons all the way from the top down simply do not have the answers, nor are they equipped to deal with question that are beyond the "talking point theology" we were instructed in. There is nothing deep or exhaustive about LDS theology. I have a few LDS commentary and they are a joke...there is no inductive reasoning within them.
if anything they are instructed more to walk away from a debate than to engage. Back in the day , about 10-15 years ago there was a forum one could debate the top LDS apologist...folks like Daniel Peterson, Ben McGuire, Lou Midgely, and others. These men and women had no better answers than the folks we engage with here. Like those here, most often it came down to ad hom remarks to avoid a direct objective conversation. My current request for a conversation about the BoM standing alone, would be dodged just as it is here.
Of all the Mormons I have debated with, which are many over the years, including those I mentioned above and more...the most open and honest apologist was, and you know him, Daniel MaClellan. At least he makes you dig in and think out your arguments in many cases, and he in one of few that actually know what the Christian faith teaches and what we basically believe.
those days are gone, some fired from their position a the NMI at BYU. The churches "try" at apologetic's failed miserably, the GA reeled them in and there is no longer a discussion with these folks.
My point is that LDS theology is "shallow"...it is based on bits and pieces of truth mixed with JS home made theology that has absolutely no roots in reality making it impossible to dig deep. It is like digging deep in to a fiction novel, at some point it dead ends with the mind of the author.
------------------
Maybe this is why we see these debate "tactics" from Mormons on here so much:
1. Attempt to deflect from the OP
2. Change the subject--often drastically
3. Repeat the same old questions, over and over again, and....
4. Pretend we have not answered their questions or dealt with their points, to make it appear that they have won the debate
5. Ignore our points and Bible verses that put their quoted bible verses into proper perspective, that show that they have misinterpreted and/or misunderstood what the Bible was talking about
6. Make ad homs against us. So far, this has not happened on these new boards, but it has in the past. I know, because I have been the receiver of such remarks, by one or two Mormons on here, though 2 have not been on here for over a year or more. However, this tactic IS rare, and strikes me as being a last resort when the other tactics don't work.
So, ,I hope we all on here will turn over a new leaf, answer each other's questions honestly and promptly, stick to the subject at hand, and not attempt to change the subject and move the goalposts. I am not holding my breath, however, as I have already seen evidence of some of the things being done on my list. Sad.
They avoid discussions here about their theology not because they don't want to have conversation, but because they can't ...once the surface is scratched...they are lost.
Think about this...have you ever, and I mean ever seen OC, or DB or any other members here present a LDS position, lay out a premise, and follow it through? No, and you never will, their prophets and apostles couldn't do it either simply because their theology is nothing more than repeated talking points.
This is why theology is not important inside the church walls. It is why members sleep in class, in church, or google an shop in sacrament. ( a common discussion on LDS forums.)
Last edited: