Is Md&D A Faith-Promoting Message Board?

[LDSToronto]

All,

This is a sincere inquiry, driven by what I have seen as an increasing lack of tolerance for posts and posters who have views that are in deemed to be in opposition to the church:

Is MD&D a faith-promoting message board? Or is it neutral on all topics Mormon?

H.

[Joshua M.]

All,

This is a sincere inquiry, driven by what I have seen as an increasing lack of tolerance for posts and posters who have views that are in deemed to be in opposition to the church:

Is MD&D a faith-promoting message board? Or is it neutral on all topics Mormon?

H.

My friend, surely you jest. Of course MD&D is not neutral. Nobody would ever make that claim. This board's mission is to promote the LDS faith.

[Tarski]

My friend, surely you jest. Of course MD&D is not neutral. Nobody would ever make that claim. This board's mission is to promote the LDS faith.

I am glad the definitive answer came from someone with such a long posting history.

[Joshua M.]

I am glad the definitive answer came from someone with such a long posting history.

I take it then that you agree with. me

[CARPE DIEM]

I am glad the definitive answer came from someone with such a long posting history.

I find it merely a Discussion board. Informative and sometimes interesting. Sorry I don't have much of a history either. I tend to read and learn rather than post!

[frankenstein]

At times it is. At times it is just a bunch of petty bickering.

[LDSToronto]

My friend, surely you jest. Of course MD&D is not neutral. Nobody would ever make that claim. This board's mission is to promote the LDS faith.

This is the board's raison d'etre:

People of all faiths are welcome to engage in gentlemanly discussion about topics related to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Says nothing about faith-promotion. Is it your impression, young as you are in board years, that this is a faith-promoting message board, and if so, why?

H.

[Joshua M.]

This is the board's raison d'etre:

People of all faiths are welcome to engage in gentlemanly discussion about topics related to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Says nothing about faith-promotion. Is it your impression, young as you are in board years, that this is a faith-promoting message board, and if so, why?

H.

LDS,

We have had this discussion many times before (just not on this board). MD&D clearly promotes the Gospel. Critics are not very welcome here and tend to find themselves taking an involuntary leave of absence.

There is nothing wrong this board promoting the Church, but please don't think for one minute that this board is neutral.

[selek1]

... driven by what I have seen as an increasing lack of tolerance for posts and posters who have views that are in deemed to be in opposition to the church:

I think that this perception- like beauty- is wholly in the eye of the beholder. By way of contrast, I don't see any evidence of "an increasing lack of tolerance" for non-LDS posters.

• Mudcat is still sharing his particular views on the Gospel.
  
• Valentinus continues to share the peculiarities of her personal theology.
  
• Rob Bowman is still here, bearing false witness against the Church on a regular basis.
  
• Cinepro continues to elevate sarcasm and cynicism to levels worthy of an NEA grant.
  
• Steve Dallas and others have not been censured for bearing their anti-testimonies (in this very thread and despite explicit rules to the contrary).
  
• Craig Paxton is continuing his personal crusade against religious belief
  
• You're still here tossing out random complaints and personal asides....
  

Yes, there've been a number of closings of particularly smarmy, egregious, and overtly combatative threads from certain postes- but that's par for the course.

So long as the threads and posters remain civil- that "gentlemanly discourse" you mentioned above- they seem to have quite a bit of latitude about what can be discussed and in what fashion.

Seems to me the board is ticking along pretty much as it always has.

Edited October 22, 2011 by selek1

[blackstrap]

Hear , Hear.... and may I add.....there there my friend.

[LDSToronto]

I think that this perception- like beauty- is wholly in the eye of the beholder. By way of contrast, I don't see any evidence of "an increasing lack of tolerance" for non-LDS posters.

• Mudcat is still sharing his particular views on the Gospel.
  
• Valentinus continues to share the peculiarities of her personal theology.
  
• Rob Bowman is still here, bearing false witness against the Church on a regular basis.
  
• Cinepro continues to elevate sarcasm and cynicism to levels worthy of an NEA grant.
  
• Steve Dallas and others have not been censured for bearing their anti-testimonies (in this very thread and despite explicit rules to the contrary).
  
• Craig Paxton is continuing his personal crusade against religious belief
  
• You're still here tossing out random complaints and personal asides....
  

Ah, tolerance at it's finest!

H.

[TAO]

Yes MD&D is biased, but it's generally a bit more respectful than most other boards that deal with this subject =P.

I really prefer respect over bias. Everyone disagree with you isn't such a bad thing - it's when they start insulting you because of it that it gets annoying =P.

Now of course, MD&D still has this problem alot of the time. But they do a much better job at maintaining respect for both sides than the other boards do, I feel.

[ldsfaqs]

This is a debate board about a subject that other than politics is most personal to people. As such LDSToronto, it's unfair of you to come in here high and mighty and expect perfection simply because it's an LDS board.

What you should be grateful for, is that of all the LDS boards on the internet that deal with controversial issues being freely discussed, this board is BY FAR the highest of quality, scholarship and respect.

Thus, it seems your judgmentalism is misplaced. I've been all over the net over the years, and no matter where I go, I always come back here.

There is no place like home.

BTW, this board does promote faith for those who are actually seeking answers. It helps providing answers and contrast. Obviously, to those who aren't seeking, or aren't prepared aren't going to have a favorable view of the board, like apparently you. It's not a board meant to provide "spirituality", it's designed to provide answers from different perspectives and experiences. The anti-mormon isn't going to view the mormon favorable still, and the mormon won't view the anti-mormon favorable. That's the nature of the beast.

Of course, only one has the truth and right on their side.

Edited October 22, 2011 by ldsfaqs

[selek1]

Ah, tolerance at it's finest!

H.

Indeed.

Have I called for you or any of these other worthies to be silenced, censured, banned?

Is there anything in my statement above that is factually untrue or personally abusive?

I have not.

There is not.

Have I responded to the posts of others with sarcastic, bitter, cynical remarks about "board years"?

I have not.

Have I personally attacked you, your integrity, or your intellectual capacity?

I have not.

And yet you respond to those who disagree with you with derision, with dismissal, and with contempt.

In point of fact, the evidence at hand would suggest that it is not "the board" which is growing intolerant.

[ldsfaqs]

Yep, factually identifying behaviors and attitudes are simply the facts, not intolerance etc.

[LDSToronto]

Indeed.

Have I called for you or any of these other worthies to be silenced, censured, banned?

Is there anything in my statement above that is factually untrue or personally abusive?

I have not.

There is not.

Have I responded to the posts of others with sarcastic, bitter, cynical remarks about "board years"?

I have not.

Have I personally attacked you, your integrity, or your intellectual capacity?

I have not.

And yet you respond to those who disagree with you with derision, with dismissal, and with contempt.

In point of fact, the evidence at hand would suggest that it is not "the board" which is growing intolerant.

You know, I asked a simple and sincere question based on my impression of lack of tolerance towards contrary views. Look what happens. You called the following remark sarcastic, bitter, and cynical:

Is it your impression, young as you are in board years, that this is a faith-promoting message board, and if so, why?

This remark was a *polite* way of commenting on the short amount of time that Joshua M. has been posting here. Are you allowing other perceptions to cloud your reading of a simple line of text?

H.

[LDSToronto]

This is a debate board about a subject that other than politics is most personal to people. As such LDSToronto, it's unfair of you to come in here high and mighty and expect perfection simply because it's an LDS board.

I didn't come in here "high and mighty and expect[ing] perfection". No less because it's an LDS board. I asked a sincere question. Odd that you would characterize me as "high and mighty" based on one question and a personal observation (which you are welcome to reject).

What you should be grateful for, is that of all the LDS boards on the internet that deal with controversial issues being freely discussed, this board is BY FAR the highest of quality, scholarship and respect.

I disagree regarding scholarship. Scholarship is routinely dismissed on this forum in favour of opinion, anecdote, and testimony. We can argue the merits of this approach if you'd like. As for posts with the highest standard of respect, well, a cursory search would yield a number of examples that would refute that notion soundly.

Thus, it seems your judgmentalism is misplaced.

It wasn't judgment, it was a question. As I said, you are welcome to reject it, but I'll ask you to respectfully stick within the bounds of my statements when making judgments regarding my motive and intent. I'd also ask that you show some of that scholarship by stating when you are expressing your opinion (eg high and mighty, judgmentalism[sic]) instead of objective fact.

H.

[Glenn101]

"I think that this perception- like beauty- is wholly in the eye of the beholder. By way of contrast, I don't see any evidence of "an increasing lack of tolerance" for non-LDS posters.

• Mudcat is still sharing his particular views on the Gospel.
  
• Valentinus continues to share the peculiarities of her personal theology.
  
• Rob Bowman is still here, bearing false witness against the Church on a regular basis.
  
• Cinepro continues to elevate sarcasm and cynicism to levels worthy of an NEA grant.
  
• Steve Dallas and others have not been censured for bearing their anti-testimonies (in this very thread and despite explicit rules to the contrary).
  
• Craig Paxton is continuing his personal crusade against religious belief
  
• You're still here tossing out random complaints and personal asides...."
  

Ah, tolerance at it's finest!

H.

Aren't you being a bit judgmental here? After all, Selek is pointing out that there are many people posting here with dissenting opinions, including your own, that are still posting. Of all the dissenting opinioners, Mudcat is my favorite. He remains respectful while being able to articulate a dissenting viewpoint.

I do not think that MADB is particularly faith promoting. But it does provide a forum for a balanced dialogue. You may disagree with the decisions of some of the moderators about their banning selections, but it is their domain. And I think that they do a pretty good job for the most part.

As another poster noted, this is probably the best overall board that I have found for LDS and non-LDS to discuss their opinions.

Glenn

[mercyngrace]

I don't think that listing the minority of dissenters on the board provdes substantive evidence of the board's general level of tolerance.

It sounds like a white man excusing his bigoted remarks by saying "I can prove I'm not a racist. I have this friend named Mike and he's black..." or a person who tells crude and insulting jokes about homosexuals excusing his boorish behavior by saying "I've got nothing against homosexuals - my Uncle Jim is gay."

A truer measurement of the board's nature would be, not the presence of minority posters who stay, intolerance notwithstanding, but the evidence of majority posters who are censured when they are boorish, bigoted, or intolerant of dissenting opinions.

(edited to address the OP)

I think participation on this board can be a faith-promoting endeavor just like any other life experience. We, not others, are the determining variable.

Edited October 22, 2011 by mercyngrace

[Storm Rider]

All,

This is a sincere inquiry, driven by what I have seen as an increasing lack of tolerance for posts and posters who have views that are in deemed to be in opposition to the church:

Is MD&D a faith-promoting message board? Or is it neutral on all topics Mormon?

H.

This board is hardly "faith promoting". I begin to wonder what your definition of faith promoting is. I have yet to see anyone LDS or otherwise be able to not discuss topics that would have no place on other boards. There are parameters on this board, but they seem beneign. I personally do not have patience for stupidity or the overly smarmy distribes that some individuals are thrown to add at regular intervals.

Posters cannot and should not attack leaders of the church directly, but they are free to address concepts; just stay away from personal attacks. Not too difficult for most posters.

[Deborah]

I don't think the purpose of this forum is to be faith promoting. If one wants faith-promoting talk to the missionaries or go to the official church websites. That isn't to say some people don't have their faith strengthened by some of the very intelligent counter-arguments to the anti mantra that has been around for over a 100 years. I've had my faith strengthened in many areas.

There are certainly many posters here whose intent is to tear down faith, not build it up. Many of these are wolves in sheep's clothing who purport to be faithful LDS but then put wedges in the beliefs of others. The out-right anti-Mormons are easier to recognize and deal with. Then there are those who are the true fanatic believers who do just as much harm by being over-zealous and judgmental of others who do not believe the same.

What is important about this board is that there are those who are able and willing to rebut in either situation.

[CV75]

All,

This is a sincere inquiry, driven by what I have seen as an increasing lack of tolerance for posts and posters who have views that are in deemed to be in opposition to the church:

Is MD&D a faith-promoting message board? Or is it neutral on all topics Mormon?

H.

Depending on how one uses it, it can be faith-promoting. But its designers clearly explain that its purpose is for people of all faiths to engage in welcome, gentlemanly discussion about topics related to the LDS Church, within the constraints of the moderators’ good-faith judgment. I think in this way it is neutral.

Is “gentlemanly” (chivalrous, courteous, honorable, genteel) necessarily the same as tolerant? I think it is very possible to be simultaneously very gentlemanly while being very intolerant.

Is “tolerant” (allowing the existence of opinions or behavior that one does not necessarily agree with) the same as faith-promoting? I suppose that can be a thread all by itself!

What do you see as the similarities between gentlemanly (the board's "value"), tolerant and faith-promoting qualities (the items addressed in the OP)?

Edited October 23, 2011 by CV75

[thesometimesaint]

The Board is not directly "faith promoting". As long as it doesn't devolve into personal attacks or gets too political pretty much we're left to our own devices.

Ps. I doubt many would even come close to my post count. I need to get a life.

Edited October 23, 2011 by thesometimesaint

[Damien the Leper]

• Valentinus continues to share the peculiarities of her personal theology.
  

Excuse me, Selek. I may be gay but I am definitely not a woman or any female pronoun of the sort.

Much love,

Valentinus

[Questing Beast]

This forum is faith-promoting in the same way that the book "Rough Stone Rolling" is a faith-promoting book. If a wider exposure to other views promotes faith, then this forum should not pose any problem....