Posted on 02/01/2012 3:38:25 AM PST by Colofornian
Richard L. Bushman...wrote in 2005 "Rough Stone Rolling..." "I first became aware of the problems shortly after 'Rough Stone Rolling' came out...I thought I was getting these emails asking for help..."
Then Bushman heard that many other scholars were also being beset with queries from members of the LDS Church who had encountered something on the Internet that had shaken their faith. He began to hear the same thing from ordinary Mormons who had friends or family who were having problems. He also heard from people at BYU how it was a problem there as well. People were encountering things about church history and losing their faith...
"I've been aware that the LDS Church has been concerned about this for quite a while," he said...
Reuters recently wrote about a question and answer session at Utah State University with LDS Church historian Elder Marlin K. Jensen. Jensen acknowledged some people are surprised and troubled by what they read...
SNIP
He told Reuters there have been more attrition over the last five or ten years..."I think we are at a time of challenge," he told Reuters...
SNIP
John Dehlin...executive director of the Open Stories Foundation. The foundation conducted a survey that Dehlin said suggests disaffections have trended upward the last three to six years...like Peterson and Bushman, Dehlin said the number of people contacting him about having doubts has "grown exponentially."
SNIP
Peterson said...that people discover this or that historical fact they had never heard before. They then feel like the church had been hiding the fact and so lose a sense of trust.
Bushman said it is important that people in the church do not reject those who have questions. "That is the problem," Bushman said. "They think nobody in the church thinks about anything..."
(Excerpt) Read more at deseretnews.com ...
Yes
MITT ROMNEY has arrived for just this time, to save the day for the LDS. If Mitt is elected president, people will FLOCK to LDS, just for the curosity of the cult. Just sad, robot minds.
Yes, with a caveat:
If Romney becomes the nominee, 2012 will have the most negative press of any one year. (The MSM alone will see to that)
This means...
...more internet "surprises" for Lds members...
...more casting a Biblical light on Mormonism by Christians...(always a good thing)
...even more turning away from Mormonism -- perhaps more than even the hemorrhaging the Mormon church has seen the past half-dozen years or so
So...there'll be a dual effect...an Lds POTUS would allow Lds, Inc. to ramp up its PR.
I forecast that eventually religious freedom will take a big hit if Mitt becomes the POTUS. What do I mean?
#1 The spirit of Nauvoo is still alive & well among Mormons. The censorship of the Nauvoo Expositor still wanders corridors thru that spirit.
Mormons, more than ever, will try to censor religious expression about Mormons.
#2, Romney supporters & allies will find themselves up a creek. Once they support him & wind up in bed with him, hey, they'll be responsible for "enabling" him and for being linked with him reputationally. Romney's rep is their rep.
In fact, the entire future of the GOP would be at stake.
Their heavy hitters will come in and use liberal multi-cultural tactics applied in heavy-handed ways.
The group in FL that gave Romney his biggest % was what one news outlet called the "electability" voters...really, all that group is are voters who's #1 criteria is to beat Obama.
This group includes voters who are the least aligned with a "pro" position they hover over...their vote is more "anti" than "pro" anything.
If they perceive you as being "in their way" of their "anti" stance, then you become part of the problem and they will go after you.
It's time for people to stand up for what they believe...and stop tiptoeing thru the tulips.
You right about the #1 criteria voters to beat Obama, but they know not what they are doing.
Thank God I am not in that crowd. As for me and my house We will serve the one true GOD, through the son Jesus Christ.
This is the day of enlightenment. I sometimes think that Christ is already putting his boots on. What a glorious day that will be. Every knee shall bow, even Obama/romney.
That is very evident on Facebook since December '11. Christian pages ministring to mormons have been hit time and again by 'flag' attacks, where the page and posters are 'flagged' for abusive content anomolously and there is no defense for the poster or page - in FB world they are guilty until proven innocent and oh btw, there is no way to prove one's innocence.
From another related thread I posted on...
Yes, they’re doing this by scrubbing the internet of the facts and truth that contradict their “teachings” and missionary efforts.
IOW, attempting to revise their history, censor those who persist in posting factual information about the sordid church doctrines and rituals.
I guess they’re playing a game of “averages”, eradicate enough of the factually correct negative information and mitigate what’s left by flooding the internet with the SLC approved version.
Pathetic liars, pawns of satan.
No it won't be suppressed and there has been plenty of push back. Attacks are decreasing and we are holding the line. The false teachings of mormonism must be confronted where encountered with the truth of Jesus Christ.
That may be the attempt, but it doesn't seem to be working.
Like any “resistance”, the more the oppressor tries to squelch dissent, the stronger and more determined the resistance becomes.
You are so right I would add that Reid and Romney will work together to advance their main reason for being there in the first place the LDS take-over of America They will have to kill me cause they will never silence me or convert me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUELr1roiBY&feature=related
The Crabb Family - If There Ever Was A Time HD
Ping for when I have time to discuss the 1890 Manifesto and Mohammed incidents.
I think just the opposite. When the general election campaign turns negative, the MSM and the Obama campaign with its billion-dollar warchest will totally demonize Mormonism. (Ironically, demonizing a religion of demons.) By the end of this, most people will never look at Mormons the same way again. As we Inmans know, the truth of Mormonism is not pretty. I feel bad about how this might affect my Mormon friends who I don't consider evil, just deceived but ultimately we will all rejoice if these revelations turn them to salvation through the TRUE Gospel of Jesus Christ.
I don't see Mitt as the type to draw a lot of people to Mormonism. Most of my friends describe Mitt as phoney and smarmy. Richard Nixon, when he was popular before Watergate, didn't lead a groundswell in the Quaker Church.
As I indicated in post #22, yes to the above -- but this will only describe 2012. (And that's likely all that would matter anyway)
I firmly believe Mitt can't win.
But...if he does, 2013 could be that turning point Mormon PRists are looking for.
I don't see Mitt as the type to draw a lot of people to Mormonism.
Mitt wouldn't have to be. He'd be a 100% figurehead -- and the church would just hope he doesn't do anything scandalous or screw up the world.
The Lds church would...
(a) ramp up their PR budget ... perhaps 5 to 10 times its annual designation;
and (b) recruit missionaries as never before -- even if it's retirees...
I think they figure if they can do that, they can hoodwink the world for good...
They are trying to make the PR statement: "Now, if Mormonism were a cult, American voters wouldn't put a cultist in the WH, would they?"
Very good point: just another way of say "Tolerance", see mormonism is not so bad, next step ISLAM.
I don't think that Mitt would work as a figurehead if he is an unpopular President.
Given that Mitt Romney only served one very disappointing term as governor (refusing to run for re-election because he knew he couldn't win), I don't believe that Romney has any chance of being successful as POTUS. There is nothing in his life experience to suggest that he would be a good CIC. Because his support is mostly anti-Obama rather than pro-Romney, his support could evaporate quickly at the first sign of disappointment.
That's a new one.....
Wow!!
Pretty good post.....
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