Bob, in an earlier post, you attempted to side track the issue with the popular anti-Mormon-Atheistic-early to later anti-Christian tactics you borrowed from these earlier critics, by, (as they do), bringing up
human weakness & "crimes" done by different religious groups, (in this case earlier Mormons). This tactic is often used to vilify the whole group. If there's some bad apple in the barrel, then all the apples must be bad. All religious groups, including non-religious, have those who do evil things. The 3000 slaughtered by "the word of Moses" the prophet, as done by the Levites, (Ex 32:25-28). This example was one in many used for the purpose of showing how the Bible prophets, which
7th Day Adventists (like Bob Ryan), & Christian-Mormons believe in, wouldn't be able to pass the same types of strick tests that Bob is shooting at Mormons with. Other examples might be ones like: Was Moses meek? Num.12:3 vrs 31. Had Midran been destroyed or not? Num.31:7-17 vrs. Jud. 6:1. How many Benjamites were killed? Judges 20:35 vrs. Jud. 20:46. Had the Amalekites been destroyed or not? 1 Sam. 15:6-8 vrs. 30:1:2. (The intent is not to try to justify what some Mormons have done in the past, such as Mountain Meadows, as distorted by Bob here in his vilification tactic, combined with a shot gun tactic (bringing up numerous issues at once, like a scatter-gun, to get in so many issues, it makes it hard to respond to all of them). Bob's use of these tactics is to be noted here as an attempt to bring in a separate issue, (with reference to
Mountain Meadow), that's only a side track off the Solomon Spalding
borrowing issue he keeps harping on).
The continual listings of Mormons'
weaknesses, (in bringing up long lists of "crimes" claimed to be done by Mormons, as critics like Bob often do, is a
vilification tactic, plain & simple). The answer to these types of tactics were given by LDS Apostle, Boyd K. Packer, in his General Conference talk, "
Judge Not According to Appearance," April 1979 Conference on Temp. Sq. in SLC Ut. (May 1979 Ensign, p.79-81). He points out that when different members do wrong things, they're acting against the teachings & principles of the Church. And that there are some who seem to want to blame the Church for the different problems that people have. But perhaps in some way we Mormons have brought on some of these charges, because some of us (including myself), do make mistakes, sin, and are in as much need of repentance & Christ's atonement as the next religionists too. As the bible prophets & peoples' actions could be vilified, so also could the
vilifiers be too, cause no group, in this mortal life, is made up of purely perfect souls.
What Bob has done here is the same as how the critics (atheists, & "Christian" anti-Mormons & others), will & have done, in jumping at any report, such as
Mountain Meadows, & blow them out of proportion, as the horrors & crimes of "the Mormons." While, the
slaughter of Mormons as Hawns Mill, the anti-Mormon mob attacks, rapes, burnings, tar & featherings, robbings of properties, & other crimes against Mormons are often not mentioned by critics. Nor are the crimes & murders done by their own fellow critics, often not mentioned too. Atheists like to list the crimes & murders done by religionists, but don't like to mention how
Communists-Atheists & other tyrants, have
murdered millions of people.
Horror stories contests done, (where different ones contend to see who can come up with the longest lists of horror stories against their rivals), that many different religionists & non-religionists pass back & forth,
does not solve the problems. What does is living Christ's like teachings, or at least the golden rule, love, kindness, honesty, respect, tolerance, etc. Those basics, if lived by all, would solve a lot of problems before they get started. But these are not often mentioned as those needing to be done, for the critics in doing these
vilification tactics against their rivals, are often done out of meaness & are hypocritical. Bob in brining up
Mountain Meadows, hasn't pointed out how his own religionists,
7th Day Adventists, aren't perfect either, how some have also been
accused or perhaps done murders & crimes too! Under Bob's tactics, 7th Day Adventists could also be vilified with stories about
David Koresh, who "was very convincing to every single one of his followers, but if they had exercised critical thinking skills they would have avoided moving to the Waco compound entirely." A
simple search on the internet could also show SDAs, aren't perfect either. The point here is to not be anti-SDAs, but to point out that Bob's use of bringing up shots at Mormons for their weakinesses, past & present, is only a
vilification tactic that critical thinking exposes as being only mean spirited here.
Tell them what I've been saying for years----Only by the grace of God!!!!!
