GameOver wrote:I recently came across a new TBM 'response in the face of facts conflicting with beliefs' the other day. Do they send these down from Headquarters? Let me see if I can adapt it to this case..
"Well, I wasn't there in person to see first hand what Joseph Smith was doing when he was all alone, so I can't really comment as to whether he was actually plagiarizing from his Bible, therefore it wouldn't be appropriate for me to conclude that he did.
Moving on
I'm convinced that the reason members dismiss the overwhelming evidence that Smith was a fraud and the Church isn't "TRUE", is because they are more concerned about what other people will think of them (as an apostate), rather than wanting to know and follow where the truth leads. They want to be seen as stalwart and faithful, which has it's rewards given to them by other members, and no doubt from God also, because many of the Mormon life principles are good and correct.
The higher walk and path, in my opinion, is to seek, learn and accept the truth about any and all things, including Mormonism. I don't view it as honorable to "go along to get along", and just continue to accept and live a falsehood once known, to avoid rocking the boat.
This tendency by members to dismiss and deny any contrary information about Mormonism in order to look good to peers, is in addition to a lifetime of indoctrination, an overall lack of comprehensive study, and a false commitment to seeking truth.
In addition to what you have noted here, what also goes through the minds of members is how much they have invested, both time and monetarily, to the Church. If all of what they have invested over the years is proven to be for a scam, then it makes them look foolish.
Also, particularly in Utah, business connections and social connections are heavily connected in the Church. Remove yourself from the Church, and those connections are lost. Then, there is family to consider. Most family is so ingrained in the importance of the gospel, that they are prepared to turn their backs on fellow family members in favor of it, if that family member rejects it.
ETA--I think that is why Dellin's "middle way" New Order Mormonism became so popular.