At what point does a Mormon question become an "attack" and cease to constitute simple "criticism" and inquiry

Question

I have recently asked roughly a dozen mormon questions. I have gotten some feedback that some of them may be offensive and attacking.

My position: Each question is just that: a question. The questions relate to obscure, little-known facts about Mormon doctrines, history, and leaders that have been forgotten, as a result of simple passing of time or due to repression of documents by the Church. I am bringing truth to light while at the same time checking my conclusions for inaccuracies.

LDS position: Many doctrines are no longer practiced; since the church is led by revelation, God adapts His counsel to the needs of his people as times change. bringing up old things is useless and needlessly offensive. some of the doctrines I brink up are considered sacred, and it is offensive to them for me to make light of them.

I am considering re-evaluating my tactics. What are your suggestions for asking more constructive questions without sacrificing open speech and the quest for truth?

Laura- I thought I was asking for clarification, but I guess that anything coming from a penguin in a tux could likely be construed as sarcastic. Point well taken.

KKingS- I will try doing the "this isn't meant to be offensive, I just want an answer" thing. It'll probably help some. Thanks!

Answer 1

I looked through a lot of your questions and I can see why some people would find them upsetting.

Almost all of them deal with stuff Mormons may or may not have done some time ago. In some cases, more than a hundred years ago. Since there aren't too many people alive who can answer for what happened a hundred years ago, I find that your questions sort of have a 'so what?' sense to them. In other words, you seem to be saying a lot more than you're saying... whether you are or not.

If I may draw an analogy, it might be like asking Latinos to account for aspects of human sacrifice carried out by the Aztecs. Or perhaps calling white people on the carpet for the legacy of slavery in America. People who are alive today know just about as much about such things as you do because they generally only learn about them in the same way as you do - through records left by others rather than any actual experience or personal involvement.

So if you want to make your questions more engaging and less accusatory, deal with things that are happening NOW and that aren't so private that nobody but critics are likely to want to have a conversation about it. Try looking for responses to your questions in the same way you found some of the questions themselves... I found a site from Mormons dedicated to responding to the other site you frequently referred to for evidence rather easily (link 1).

And if you think YOU'VE had trouble, try asking a serious question about your penis some time.

Answer 2

Unfortunately, I've found the same thing when I ask questions about a particular religion I am trying to get informed on (particularly Mormons---even though I attended for many years, I still don't know half of what I could about the religion.) I really can't suggest any other tactic, except to skip over those answers that aren't genuinely trying to answer the question. I try adding..."this is not meant to be offensive, I just want an answer," but that doesn't stop people from spewing garbage from their fingertips.

Answer 3

I have answered several of your questions and only found one offensive... you may have noticed by the way I answered. What you call "little-known facts" about the gospel, or what we teach, aren't in most cases facts at all, but more slander, misconceptions and half-truths...sorry. That is probably why we find them offensive and tiring because we usually hear the same 5 questions over and over and over...and no answer we give seems to ever be good enough...that is why it is frustrating. It's like, we are specifically asked "Mormons: blah blah blah?" Give our answer. Then, others say, "well that's not what you really believe"...it's at the least frustrating.
I was just listening to a wonderful talk given by Robert Millet, in which he stated: The nearer a person comes to God and his purposes, the greater the power of the adversary, who is satan of course, will be manifest to thwart God’s purposes.
I believe that is so about the LDS church, in which the gospel promises peace, love, joy, answers to who we are, where we came from and where we can go, eternal life with God, eternal marriage, becoming perfected (not in this life) through Christ, the power of prayer, repentance...all the wonderful things that Satan wishes to keep from us. No wonder the church is fought so hard against!
I do have to say some of your questions sound very "attacking" but I always try to answer them to the best of my ability... just please remember, get your "facts" from the source... would you trust a Nazi on his opinion of a Jew? I hope not.

Answer 4

First, don't A$$/U/ME that you know the answer before you even ask the question. Don't assume that the anti-Mormon web sites know what Mormons believe, and Mormons don't. I mean, I don't know what good it does to try to deceive people just to get them to join our church. I would rather have someone say that they don't want to join than to have them join for the wrong reasons.

To us, being baptised and all that, is a very big, important step; it's making a SACRED covenant with God. It's better to never make such a covenant, than to make it then break it.

If it seems like we are not in total agreement on something, then it's probably because it's not something that is important in the grand scheme of God's plan. It seems like anti-Mormons put WAY too much emphasis on what just isn't that important.

Answer 5

Personally I do not find your questions attacks. I feel attacked when people come on yahoo answers saying things like "your mormon your going to hell". I also do not like when people simply go to exmormon.com to get their so called facts. I read that you actually own the Book of Mormon and have read it. I think you should ask questions like, "Theoretically lets say Joseph Smith was an alcoholic, how would that make you feel? What if it is true?" Then state what you think.Sometimes I find your questions are more like what you consider facts rather then questions.
Also it may seem like an attack when most of your questions are only directed at Mormons.

Answer 6

Hey, I'm LDS - and obviously there's some room for interpretation by each individual if a question is an attack or not. These are just some thoughts - of the top of my
individual head (meaning others may not see it the same as me) on the subject:

1) It usually takes me some time to tell if a person on YA is just out to bash or sincerely know or not - usually the defining factor for me is noting what they're picking as their best answer, and their response to these answers.

2) It helps a lot if you show you're open to multiple sources of information, not just the "anti-Mormon" websites - refer to wikipedia, or Mormon.org, or a friend, or book, some other places as well. Meatbot for example, only refers to one anti-website over and over again, which makes it pretty clear he's not open to any other source (sad, he used to be).

3) State your reason for wanting to know - what does "bringing truths to light" mean to you? Does it mean disproving us? If so, why? What does that do for you as an individual?

4) Also show that you understand that what you're asking about may or may not be a truth - there are lots of misconceptions about us floating around out there, lots are false, and lots are true, but pulled so far out of context they're scarcely recognizable. Who will you trust in clarifying these misconceptions?

Okay, that's all I got for now. For what it's worth, to me, this question seems pretty honest - your choice of best answer (doesn't have to be mine) will help me know for sure.

Thanks.

Answer 7

Are you the best person to bring so-called "obscure, little known facts" (and the term "facts" can be subjective) to light? By assuming personally perceived responsibility of taking on this task, you also take on the role of being an attacker and it moves far away from giving "simple criticism."

An academician giving pure inquiry and information does so upon a neutral, fair minded, unbiased position and gives both sides of the story. They share both the "official" position of the group and from that of its detractors.
You do not do this. Your "simple inquire" appears all to one sided, biased and as such it is indeed, representative of an "attack."

Answer 8

May I add that sometimes there is a fine line between asking question(s) here in Y, and criticizing. It can be a matter of perception by differtent people also. There can also be matters that a person would actually prefer for an event to not occur but is virtually 'forced' to defend.

Answer 9

No win situation. See some of other mormon related questions. Ask them about the massacre in 1800's.

Answer 10

It is all in how you say it. I have not check ed your questions, but people need to feel that their beliefs are respected, or they are likely to get offended. I would advise, that instead of trying to prove them wrong, ask them how to explain a difficult doctrine. You will get much more receptive responses that way.