Discussion Group

[Grunt]

Does anyone know of a discussion group of actual active, practicing Saints to dive a little deeper into questions, scripture, or ask questions and get Saint-based answers to questions?   We don't have anything like that in my ward.   I've found a few online, but they either aren't very active or aren't moderated strictly enough to keep out fakes or trolls.

[NeuroTypical]

You mean a group that bans any critics?  Thirdhour in it’s prime was a good example.  Maybe the Nauvoo forum, but it’s sort of quite too these days.  The FARMS Review of Books archive is a golden treasure- let me know if you’re interested and I’ll find the link.

 All the ones I’ve seen on Facebook are, well, vapid echo chambers of sweet sounding platitudes, sorry to say. No depth.

 Saints Unscripted videos are probably our most active apologetic arm to the people.  The Interpreter Foundation does the most scholarly publications, but I don’t know of any discussion forum for them.

 Problem is, we basically won all the arguments and addressed all the criticisms, like ten years ago.

[Grunt]

5 minutes ago, NeuroTypical said:

You mean a group that bans any critics?  Thirdhour in it’s prime was a good example.  Maybe the Nauvoo forum, but it’s sort of quite too these days.  The FARMS Review of Books archive is a golden treasure- let me know if you’re interested and I’ll find the link.

 All the ones I’ve seen on Facebook are, well, vapid echo chambers of sweet sounding platitudes, sorry to say. No depth.

 Saints Unscripted videos are probably our most active apologetic arm to the people.  The Interpreter Foundation does the most scholarly publications, but I don’t know of any discussion forum for them.

 Problem is, we basically won all the arguments and addressed all the criticisms, like ten years ago.

Not necessarily bans critics, because criticism with intent to learn initiates conversation sometimes, but gives faithful answers and shuts down those that aren't.   It's hard to learn when people on the surface act as faithful members but aren't even close.  It's easy to get misled.   Probably something I desire doesn't exist and would be hard to put together.  Perhaps on Facebook, where there is less anonymity.

[NeuroTypical]

If you're ok with the critics and faithful meeting, the Saints Unscripted facebook group occasionally has a good discussion.   And mormondialogue.org is always happily exploring every nook an cranny of LDS thought 24/7.

Edited November 28, 2021 by NeuroTypical

[Grunt]

31 minutes ago, NeuroTypical said:

If you're ok with the critics and faithful meeting, the Saints Unscripted facebook group occasionally has a good discussion.   And mormondialogue.org is always happily exploring every nook an cranny of LDS thought 24/7.

Thanks.  I'll take a look.   Maybe I do need a group made up of only faithful members.  As a convert, if I can't tell the followers from the fakers, it can be difficult.

[Fether]

38 minutes ago, Grunt said:

Thanks.  I'll take a look.   Maybe I do need a group made up of only faithful members.  As a convert, if I can't tell the followers from the fakers, it can be difficult.

I’m on MormonDialogue. It’s extremely active. Most posts hit 2 pages within a day. You can’t really keep up with the entire conversation without quitting  your job haha.

There is a large variety of members. Active and inactive, orthodox and unorthodox, faithful and anti, Latter-day Saints and Christians. They also do a great job of moderating it all.

I like it.

 

Edited November 28, 2021 by Fether

[Grunt]

1 minute ago, Fether said:

I’m on MormonDialogue. It’s extremely active. Most posts hit 2 pages within a day. You can’t really keep up with the entire conversation without quitting  your job haha.

There is a large variety of members. Active and inactive, orthodox and unorthodox, faithful and anti, Latter-day Saints and Christians. They also do a great job of moderating it all.

I like it.

 

Thanks!   I've been doing a bit of studying lately and sometimes struggle with answers.   I'd really like to be able to toss out questions and topics, knowing the answers I get are from faithful Saints.   I'll check it out, though!

[Fether]

2 minutes ago, Grunt said:

Thanks!   I've been doing a bit of studying lately and sometimes struggle with answers.   I'd really like to be able to toss out questions and topics, knowing the answers I get are from faithful Saints.   I'll check it out, though!

You will absolutely get some antis and skeptics commenting. They tend to be faster, but you will get a good range or responses.

Look up Midnight Mormons and StoneXVI. They are aimed more at millennials and gen Z age people, but they are great sources for in depth faithful discussions on some of these topics. They are relatively new but they will be around for a while

You can also look up a few of the articles or YT interviews with Jim Bennett. I love his commentary on the gospel!

Edited November 28, 2021 by Fether

[Grunt]

20 minutes ago, Fether said:

 

Look up Midnight Mormons and StoneXVI. They are aimed more at millennials and gen Z age people, but they are great sources for in depth faithful discussions on some of these topics. They are relatively new but they will be around for a while

You can also look up a few of the articles or YT interviews with Jim Bennett. I love his commentary on the gospel!

Are Midnight Mormons and StoneXVI groups?  Forums?  A cursory search only showed mention of them.   Also, do you know Jim Bennett?  Do you know if he volunteered at the Family History Center in SLC?

[Fether]

54 minutes ago, Grunt said:

Are Midnight Mormons and StoneXVI groups?  Forums?  A cursory search only showed mention of them.   Also, do you know Jim Bennett?  Do you know if he volunteered at the Family History Center in SLC?

Midnight Mormons and StoneXVI are YouTube channels. Midnight Mormons is the superior of the two, and Stone XVI seems to have been eaten by it (as two of Stone XVI members are pretty much co-running it)

Jim Bennett may have volunteered at the family history center. He seems like the kind of guy that would be there.

[Jane_Doe]

2 hours ago, Grunt said:

Thanks!   I've been doing a bit of studying lately and sometimes struggle with answers.   I'd really like to be able to toss out questions and topics, knowing the answers I get are from faithful Saints.   I'll check it out, though!

MormonDiagloue... I'm on there, but wouldn't recommend it.  

Honestly I've been on +30 religious forums of various types over the internet.  They have many good qualities but I cannot recommend any for deep style questions-- trolls, or even just members that have a different view than you and don't get along.  For deep discussion, I find the best thing really is just a close friend or two to talk with it.  I've PM'd with several people on here with that purpose.  

[Grunt]

2 minutes ago, Jane_Doe said:

MormonDiagloue... I'm on there, but wouldn't recommend it.  

Honestly I've been on +30 religious forums of various types over the internet.  They have many good qualities but I cannot recommend any for deep style questions-- trolls, or even just members that have a different view than you and don't get along.  For deep discussion, I find the best thing really is just a close friend or two to talk with it.  I've PM'd with several people on here with that purpose.  

Thanks!   I don't mind different views as long as they are faithful views.  

[Fether]

43 minutes ago, Grunt said:

Thanks!   I don't mind different views as long as they are faithful views.  

Dialogue has a lot of mixed. You will definitely come across people who are not faithful

[Jane_Doe]

1 hour ago, Grunt said:

Thanks!   I don't mind different views as long as they are faithful views.  

Majority on MormonDialoge are not, or at least is seems that way.

Also, there is a wide variety among personalities, views, etc amount faithful members.  I'd consider yourself and MormonGator/LDSGator to be two examples of this.  I consider variety to generally be a good thing, but can certainly create clashes.  

[Anddenex]

This is the only forum I have been apart of, so I wouldn't know one way or the other. I think here is a great place to ask questions. You can always direct message people and have a great conversation.

[Jane_Doe]

18 minutes ago, Anddenex said:

This is the only forum I have been apart of, so I wouldn't know one way or the other. I think here is a great place to ask questions. You can always direct message people and have a great conversation.

Agreed, I'm always down for that!

[Grunt]

8 hours ago, Fether said:

Dialogue has a lot of mixed. You will definitely come across people who are not faithful

Yeah.  If only they were honest about that up front.  

[Grunt]

7 hours ago, Jane_Doe said:

Majority on MormonDialoge are not, or at least is seems that way.

Also, there is a wide variety among personalities, views, etc amount faithful members.  I'd consider yourself and MormonGator/LDSGator to be two examples of this.  I consider variety to generally be a good thing, but can certainly create clashes.  

I wouldn't.  

[Grunt]

7 hours ago, Anddenex said:

This is the only forum I have been apart of, so I wouldn't know one way or the other. I think here is a great place to ask questions. You can always direct message people and have a great conversation.

I've accomplished more through DM here than public discussion.  There are a few posters that I really enjoy reading and have learned a lot from.  Sadly, I've been soured by some of the ExMos and fakers here.  Some that are quick to reach out privately are the wolves in sheep's clothing.  

Edited November 29, 2021 by Grunt

[NeuroTypical]

Yeah, Mormondialogue is an interesting place.  One of the posters works for the church, as the head of the church's translation department.  He also has a TikTok.  Reading and watching his egg-heady large-words stuff on scripture and history and whatnot, has done more to weaken my testimony in the last 6 months, than the sum total of everything all critics have told me in the last quarter century.   (It hasn't weakened by much, but it's fascinating to hear the stuff coming out of such a highly-placed church employee, who does some of his videos from his home office.)

[Grunt]

14 minutes ago, NeuroTypical said:

Yeah, Mormondialogue is an interesting place.  One of the posters works for the church, as the head of the church's translation department.  He also has a TikTok.  Reading and watching his egg-heady large-words stuff on scripture and history and whatnot, has done more to weaken my testimony in the last 6 months, than the sum total of everything all critics have told me in the last quarter century.   (It hasn't weakened by much, but it's fascinating to hear the stuff coming out of such a highly-placed church employee, who does some of his videos from his home office.)

That's unfortunate.   Thankfully, I haven't experienced that yet.  

[Fether]

2 hours ago, NeuroTypical said:

Yeah, Mormondialogue is an interesting place.  One of the posters works for the church, as the head of the church's translation department.  He also has a TikTok.  Reading and watching his egg-heady large-words stuff on scripture and history and whatnot, has done more to weaken my testimony in the last 6 months, than the sum total of everything all critics have told me in the last quarter century.   (It hasn't weakened by much, but it's fascinating to hear the stuff coming out of such a highly-placed church employee, who does some of his videos from his home office.)

Which one is this?

[NeuroTypical]

Heh - sorry @Fether - I made a deal with myself years ago that if something dings my testimony, I'm not going to burden anyone else with it.   Dude was easily findable the last time I was there.  I see you over there happily posting away though - good on 'ya!

[Fether]

6 minutes ago, NeuroTypical said:

Heh - sorry @Fether - I made a deal with myself years ago that if something dings my testimony, I'm not going to burden anyone else with it.   Dude was easily findable the last time I was there.  I see you over there happily posting away though - good on 'ya!

I have a hunch as to who you are talking about, but I’m new enough to not know everyone’s history

Good on you for that promise though!

Edited November 29, 2021 by Fether

[Traveler]

I do not think I would like to be an official member of a "doctrinal" group - especially in a religious setting.  That is with some exceptions.  I love discussing ideas and I enjoy this forum.  It is a personal belief of mine that we can learn more from someone that we disagree with than someone that thinks the same as we do.  I really do not know a reason to continue conversations primarily with those that we agree with.

But I would say that there are two things that I use as guide in my conversations.  The first is not so much what a person believes but why the believe what they do.  Many are interested is sources - but I am not so sure a source discloses much of why.  This includes thoughts on what experts or individuals of authority say.  I have great respect for our prophets and leaders but I am aware that even the most inspired individuals have flaws - in scripture is was not uncommon for Jesus (G-d) to criticize and correct his called and appointed prophets.  With very rare exception when discussing doctrine do I encounter someone that relies on personal revelation (logic) and the Holy Ghost.

The second guide is that of understanding things spiritual by - 1. Obedience to divine Law  2. Accepting Ordinances through a Proctor or Proxy of G-d.  3. Keeping the "Everlasting Covenant".

If someone does not know divine law - The temple is the proper place to be instructed (not a discussion group).  If someone does not appreciate entering into G-d's ordinances through a divinely appointed Proctor or Proxy - I am not so much concerned with their "ideas" on much of anything of religious nature.  If someone does not keep or have knowledge of the "Everlasting Covenant" there is little reason to hold their religious notions in much esteem.  

It is very unlikely that anyone experiencing anger in an discussion is achieving that anger through divine personal revelation, obedience to divine Law, is accepting ordinances through a divinely appointed Proctor or Proxy of G-d and is keeping the "Everlasting Covenant".  Especially if the anger is being generated within me - without repentance I cannot hear let alone espouse truth through the Holy Ghost.

 

The Traveler