Comments on: Early Christians in Disarray http://www.mormonandcatholic.org/early-christians-in-disarray/ Wed, 07 Jan 2009 02:21:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Defensor Veritatis » Blog Archive » The return of functionality http://www.mormonandcatholic.org/early-christians-in-disarray/comment-page-1/#comment-811 Defensor Veritatis » Blog Archive » The return of functionality Wed, 09 Aug 2006 17:39:34 +0000 http://www.mormonandcatholic.org/2006/08/06/early-christians-in-disarray/#comment-811 [...] - Mormon and Catholic has a couple of new topics.  First, the book Early Christians in Disarray, which has been on my “Currently Reading” list since early this year.  I’m most of the way through it, I just kinda stalled.  Maybe it’s because I know that when I finish, I’m going to go back through it and write a review.  I ought to work on that.  Anyway, there’s also a question from a lady who’s dating a Mormon guy.  John in MN answers her with, IMO, some sound advice.  I was struck by one thing he says: When the Mormon faith falls, there is nothing but wreckage. There is nothing left but degrees of fear, cynicism, and hurt. So much of the Mormon faith is devoted to testimony-building that when it collapses, they feel betrayed. Not just betrayed by the Mormon Church, but by anyone who lays claim to the Truth. [...] [...] - Mormon and Catholic has a couple of new topics.  First, the book Early Christians in Disarray, which has been on my “Currently Reading” list since early this year.  I’m most of the way through it, I just kinda stalled.  Maybe it’s because I know that when I finish, I’m going to go back through it and write a review.  I ought to work on that.  Anyway, there’s also a question from a lady who’s dating a Mormon guy.  John in MN answers her with, IMO, some sound advice.  I was struck by one thing he says: When the Mormon faith falls, there is nothing but wreckage. There is nothing left but degrees of fear, cynicism, and hurt. So much of the Mormon faith is devoted to testimony-building that when it collapses, they feel betrayed. Not just betrayed by the Mormon Church, but by anyone who lays claim to the Truth. [...]

]]> By: Seth R. http://www.mormonandcatholic.org/early-christians-in-disarray/comment-page-1/#comment-774 Seth R. Mon, 07 Aug 2006 19:46:15 +0000 http://www.mormonandcatholic.org/2006/08/06/early-christians-in-disarray/#comment-774 Mormon apologetics has been a bit spoiled throughout the twentieth century. Thus far, the only people who have bothered to respond to the Mormon position, are amateurs, ideologues, and dedicated countercultists. Their work has always been sloppy, inflamatory, and often gets its facts completely wrong (or blatantly distorts them). It has been a simple matter for FARMS and other Mormon apologetics to discredit them. The result is that Mormons have a false sense of cockiness about the strength of their theological and historical position. Like a victorious elementary school kid who gets cocky after he successfully fights a kid two years younger who challenged him to an after-school fight. I do hope that my religious community gets more opportunities to engage and debate with the truly serious scholars of Roman Catholicism, Evangelism, and others. So far, such luminaries have either failed to notice Mormonism, or have considered it unworthy of engagement. It's a loss for all of us. Mormon apologetics has been a bit spoiled throughout the twentieth century.

Thus far, the only people who have bothered to respond to the Mormon position, are amateurs, ideologues, and dedicated countercultists.

Their work has always been sloppy, inflamatory, and often gets its facts completely wrong (or blatantly distorts them). It has been a simple matter for FARMS and other Mormon apologetics to discredit them. The result is that Mormons have a false sense of cockiness about the strength of their theological and historical position.

Like a victorious elementary school kid who gets cocky after he successfully fights a kid two years younger who challenged him to an after-school fight.

I do hope that my religious community gets more opportunities to engage and debate with the truly serious scholars of Roman Catholicism, Evangelism, and others. So far, such luminaries have either failed to notice Mormonism, or have considered it unworthy of engagement. It’s a loss for all of us.

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