New Order Mormon

[Mike Michaels]

Bushman appears to be the kindler and gentler Church spokesman these days.

http://lifeongoldplates.blogspot.com/2008/08/bushmans-introduction-to-joseph-smith.html
_________________
"I left the woods for as good a reason as I went there. Perhaps it seemed to me that I had several more lives to live and could not spare any more time for that one."

Thoreau

[Dathon]

[Shadow of Doubt]

[Kurskorahn]

That was great! I'm totally posting it on my blog.

[marek]

EXCELLENT! Thanks for posting that. I am bolding that which really rang true for me. Bushman is the only man in the current generation who gives me some real hope.

We know that airing criticisms troubles many Latter-day Saints. Like most Church teachers, the members of the seminar do not want to draw attention to questions that will only unsettle faithful members. But we also feel that silence is not the answer. The absence of instruction troubles questioners more than anything. They feel they have been betrayed because they came through their Church classes ignorant of the devastating information now a few clicks away on the internet. The gaps in their education leave them disillusioned and angry.

To counteract this lack of preparation, the seminar members have taken as our motto the scripture that begins: “As all have not faith, teach one another” (D&C 88:118). We are encouraged by the scriptural recognition that not all have faith, and by the appealing remedy, “teach one another.” For many questioners, loneliness is the heart of the problems. No one seems to understand.We are enjoined by this scripture to find these seekers and bring them into a fellowship of inquiry. We hope that our papers will help Church teachers create safe havens where questions may be asked and answers explored--where we can teach one another.

Realize here is NOM with authority, so to speak, who is teaching other NOMs who when they get an opportunity to teach in church how they can help others...or budding NOM's, not to feel so alone.

Heard that Rough Stone Rolling, is being read by LOTS and LOTS of BYU students right now....the church and it's members need to get real and educated and SOON, instead of alienating us NOM's with accusations of impending apostasy, which far from the truth is not, at least with me. I remain committed to Christ and so how can that be thought of as apostasy.

[Dathon]

[Kurskorahn]

Ha ha, what you mean my blog? It's going in my sig right now

[myheadhurts]

i can not thank you enough for posting this! i emailed it to my DH and we had a talk about church stuff (FINALLY) turns out he's more of NOM than i gave him credit for. i don't think he'll be joining the forum or anything, but i feel like we're on the same page again. he's still a believer, but says he can see where i'm coming from and that (this is the most important part) he doesn't want to divorce me over church stuff (currently no other issues to divorce me over currently either)...YAY. my life just got so much better. this article just articulated what i was feeling, but i just didn't know how to explain it so well. wonderful. thank you thank you!
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"Does thinking you’re the last sane man on the earth make you crazy?"-will smith (irobot)

[amusick]

Like all apologists Bushman articulates the problem extremely well - and I was totally into it until he got to the solution.

Then I had that same sad, letdown feeling I get everytime I read FAIR and FARMS - like - no answers here.

He talks about those who have come to a more mature faith - without ever really saying how you get there or what you actually have left that you can believe in.

Overall, more disappointment for me.

[marek]

http://mormon-chronicles.blogspot.com/2008/08/joseph-smith-and-his-critics-seminar.html

According to this blog, this was one of the many presentations in the seminar that were given at BYU and by the CES ... I find this very validating as the issues are FINALLY being addressed. There is some progress being made!

[ZEBA]

[marek]

I know what you are guys are saying, an anonymous poster to the blog I put a link to in my last reply really hit it on the nail as well. Maybe it was one of us NOM's.

[Mike Michaels]

[Enginerd]

[Dathon]