Posted on 03/29/2009 2:35:03 PM PDT by Jim Robinson
I understand there is a new anti-freeper site started by disgruntled former and present Mormon FReepers and it is their intention of bankrupting FR during the coming Freepathon by withholding their donations and disrupting our activities. Well, all I can say is, if they feel that badly against FR, by all means they should withhold their donations and drop out of FR. But it they attempt to disrupt our operations I will guarantee they will no longer be members of FR. If that is their wish, so be it.
I'm not going to try to defend FR from their claims of religious persecution, but I will say that Mormons have and always have had free reign to post their threads on FR just as all other religious groups have enjoyed. Free Republic defends the right to freedom of religion and has always welcomed religious discussion and always will. And Mormons have always been welcome here. I have absolutely nothing against Mormons.
If you are one who has left or is leaving, I wish you well, but disruption of FR is not welcome and will not be tolerated.
And this is not the first time such activity has been attempted by groups of disgruntled former FReepers. Good luck with that. There is always some group that feels FR should be bent to their way of thinking and end up saying my way or the highway. Well, I don't know about you, but I'm not changing so I guess it's the highway. Is it Feb 8 yet?
God bless.
I read my Bible. I truly don’t need such a judgemental person as yourself to tell me to do so.
That was Mitt uncle Mitt father was Marion Brother!
Do you think that helps, restornu?
You previously expressed agreement with Post 305; I would invite you to read it again, especially the part about Mormons misbehaving.
Sure, why not. We all know your opinion is the only one that matters. Are there any other subjects that should be forbidden from discussion on Free Republic? Just let us know and we'll eliminate them for you, right away.
I'm sure you'll get a big laugh out of this thread!
What a Christlike attitude you are displaying there.
Is that your idea of how to show Christ's love to others- slamming the door in their face?
Because you told me to search it on the computer.
Fair enough, smarty pants. ALL zealots.
Do you not read or understand the threads that you post on? But good non-answer answer. Kudos....
And as far as being hostile or rude, show me where I have ever come out and unprovoked attacked anyone’s church or beliefs.
LOL!!....are you a lawyer?
What I do, however, is respond in kind whenever the Mormon church or its beliefs are attacked on FR. I would rather not discuss the subject, but I refuse to sit by and not respond when others are so insulting or misstating the facts.
Yeah...it's attacking when someone say's, "I think Romney isn't POTUS material." Or, someone quotes B. Young's, J. Smith's writings...that doesn't fit your church's current "template".......Another good answer.
I have no desire to write about religion.
Then quit.
I would rather the discussion stick to our political situation. That is what is urgently needed at present. That is what is on my mind. I think that is what FR is for.
FR has long as I can remember been a place that discussed generally everything.
I am disgusted by the fact that there is so much hatred in some people's minds that they can't help themselves.
Me too..and why you can't see that in the mormon founders is beyond me.
They inject the religious discussion “out of the blue” into the threads.
I know.......So, have you any contact with this Greg West guy, or not?
I disagree.
CP was much more amusing to read than the pinch-faced screeds I read over on that other site.
That's hypocrisy that you're thinking of.
I'm sure Jesus would approve of those who treat others like that and make baseless assumptions about their behavior (aka judging them).
“Oh, brother, let me tell ya...I stand 6’4” at 270lbs.”
You know what I would call you to your face???
Sir.
And I’d say it loudly... And then I would be very deliberately conservative.
My daddy didn’t raise no dummy.
I ask that not because I want an answer, because I don't, but you attend some church that belongs to a particular faith, or perhaps you decided all are not worth considering and worship God in some other fashion.
You decided to do this because you judged these other faiths and churches to not be to your liking. Therefore you have been judgmental.
You also have also judged others hearts by deciding that their debate is with individuals and not a faith or systems of belief as a whole.
Perhaps it is time to adjudicate your own motives and words...
Oh. So as long as a porn company "goes public" then a Mormon CEO of that company is A-OK by church standards?
Listen, the Marriotts certainly have less influence on the chain than they used to...we can agree on that. But it appears to me that when Bill M. could have used his moral influence on the chain to a greater degree on this issue, it (for some reason) didn't kick in. I was talking directly to LDS about the Marriott chain's connection to porn in 1991. They were surprised then.
Anyone who invests in the stock market is automatically tied in with all kinds of improprieties.
First of all, we're talking about all known improprieties. Secondly, if we take this statement of yours at face value, then you'd be telling me that Mormons don't see anything wrong with investing in the porn, abortion, or gambling industries. (Is that true?) Third, we're talking about leader-influencers who could actually diminish or knock off prominent "improprieties." I mean, you're not saying a Mormon CEO of a gambling business is OK? Or are you?
What you are showing is in NO WAY Christs love. You are judgmental and hateful. So yes, I do slam the door upon your face.
I see a bunch of Devotional and Caucus threads for Catholics and other faiths, and I think it’s great that there’s a place for them to discuss these things in a non-hostile atmosphere. I haven’t seen nearly as many Mormon devotional threads, I wish there were more. If it’s an LDS thread and it’s not Caucus or Devotional, I won’t even click on it, because in my experience they all turn nasty almost immediately. I have enough ugliness in my life to have to see it on FR as well.
That's rich. You call me judgmental when you determine, without knowing me, whether or not I read my Bible.
Try reading the Beatitudes again then. You know, Matthew chapters 5-7
Elsie, ColorCountry, You two are two of the three persistent, strongest “anti-Mormon” voices on FR, but you know of what you speak (or at least are very convincing), and you persistently and soundly support what you say, and criticize Mormonism in an intellectual and experiential that is heart-felt yet rational, and entirely appropriate in a forum which seeks healthy, informed, enlightening debate.
Restornu, you have an admiraable passion. I confess that on occasion I’ve let people get my blood hot, myself. I have to tell you this though:
My initial attitude towards Mormonism when I started Freeping was generally positive. If asked my impression of Mormons, I’d probably would have said, “eccentric, but they seem like good people. I don’t like their theology, but they seem to do very well with impressing strong, good values on people.”
When pinged to check out who was on the anti-Mormon, I wasn’t sure I wasn’t on it, though. In any controversy, I always seem to end up on the other side, except once in a while when Catholicism seems to get struck in the crossfire. I have to say that in both style and substance, Elsie cleans you clock, over and over and over.
I walk away from some of the debates having to remind myself “No, Mormons are good, decent people.” And it’s not because Elsie or cc have slandered you or Mormonism. It;s because you either do a lousy job of defending Mormonism, or get pulled into arguments you can’t win. And I’m writing you not because you’re the worst, but you’re the most prolific, or at least the most memorable.
Some tips:
1. It seems that the early Mormon “prophets” and presidents said a lot of things which comes off sounding pretty dumb. Let it slide. You continually and other Mormons deny or questionably “contextualize” the statements, only to elicit ten times more and even better quotes. I know that a sense of reverence can make you desire to defend them, but you only provoke a far more devestating response. Let the decency of Mormonism be their defense.
2. Understand that Mormonism is going to come off kooky. Mormonism’s best sales pitch is “try it, you’ll like it.” If your faith in the peculiar tenets of the Mormon faith are based on the Holy Spirit working in your heart, then try to recognize where the arguments seem illogical. Joseph Smith comes of like a con man to a lot of people because, frankly, he comes off like a con man. Some FR Mormons use the assertion that the Holy Spirit opens the mind as if it were reasonable within an argument, however. That just comes off as someone being incompetent to win an argument resorting to an appeal of “I understand it because I’m holier than thou.” It does not go over well, and it’s arguing the point of “try it, you’ll like it,” but missing the point at the same time.
3. Don’t make opponents needlessly. Tennessee Nana, ColorCountry and Elsie probably have very strong disagreements with my faith, Catholicism. I say this because I get the vibe that they’re fundamentalist protestants. But I couldn’t swear that they aren’t Catholic. Like I said, sometimes Catholicism gets hit in the crossfire, but not from them. Yet you routinely make arguments which are patently offensive to Catholicism. Hey, I know I make statements which are very counter-Mormon, my point isn’t to accuse you of anti-Catholicism. And I don’t mind sparring with you. But you’ve got something far more counter-productive going on. You offend Catholicism without even trying. And I’m sure you do it to loads of other beliefs. You’re like the guy in the food fights who misses his target and hits a table full of curiously pie-hungry non-combatants. You seek no common ground.
Is that what passes for thinking and reasoning for you?
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