Comments on Life On Gold Plates: "Born-Again Mormon" Review, Part 3: McCraney's Apo...

I'd like to add something from a friend for my...

2012-01-23T12:42:21.253-07:00

I'd like to add something from a friend for my own future reference, who made this comment in regards to some nice members of the church who ended up leaving over doctrinal concerns:

"They sound like many good people that I know that have left the church. I think they are the victim of their own CES mentality (I think that is why I get so depressed with CES's approach) in which black and white thinking is how the world is approached. It's not the facts (history, evolution, etc.) that causes people to leave, it is their inability to deal with ambiguity, open questions, and doubt in a healthy way. They think of the gospel and the church is a kind of Jenga stack that if they pull out too many sticks the whole thing comes down. In reality, it is an ecosystem: organic, complex, multifaceted, and if you pull on things its never clear what the effect will be, but it is likely to heal and be restored if time and patience are added to the mix. Their belief system is stiff and fragile and easily shattered because they have no where to bend in their rigid and brittle world. Things are true or false, right or wrong. The sad thing is this is the problem with CES. It creates this kind of fragility which ossifies rather than redeems."

Anonymous, I think that is a big reason Shawn talk...

2011-01-02T14:35:31.740-07:00

Anonymous, I think that is a big reason Shawn talks about his sins as well, it's a standard Protestant narrative. But I think a problem arises when Shawn then complains about people taking his words literally. For instance, when he claims to have been an alcoholic and then complains when someone else (me) very briefly mentions that claim. See here: http://www.lifeongoldplates.com/2010/02/correction-for-my-review-of-shawn.html.

ps- you'll notice that my comment guidelines ask that people use a name or consistent pseudonym rather than "anonymous." Thanks for the comment.

I believe that Shawn was trying to put forth the m...

2011-01-02T07:25:28.251-07:00

I believe that Shawn was trying to put forth the message that anyone can be saved by Jesus. He does not want people to think that Shawn is any more or less a sinner than themselves only to have that person not seek Jesus because "they are not as bad as Shawn was" or "Shawn is a much bigger sinner than I".

Updated footnote with new information from an inte...

2010-02-18T08:34:19.972-07:00

Updated footnote with new information from an interview of Shawn by John Dehlin.

Updated a post script.

2009-08-04T11:35:27.635-06:00

Updated a post script.

McCraney's narrative has some fascinating elem...

2009-06-24T10:53:51.709-06:00

McCraney's narrative has some fascinating elements. While the book on the whole is rather awful (in terms of writing style, editing, organization, coherence, etc.) there are interesting things to glean by the way. For instance, in this part of the review I was struck by his explanation that he found the gospel “intellectually stimulating,” which to him meant “there was an answer or doctrine for nearly every problem or situation that rose up under the theological sun.” Think of the implications of that statement.

This is such an interesting post. I'm fascinat...

2009-06-24T10:47:47.172-06:00

This is such an interesting post. I'm fascinated at how our past changes based on the lenses we wear in the present. I'm also fascinated that McCraney has had such a different experience than myself with the Church. Thanks for writing this series.