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Date:         Wed, 27 Jan 1993 12:59:33 EST
From:         Dan Harling <harling@ROADRUNNER.PICTEL.COM>
Subject:      Re: About the Mormon discussion

> Date: 27 Jan 1993 11:15:58 -0500
> From: Brenda Curry-White <BSCURR01@ULKYVM.LOUISVILLE.EDU>
> Subject: About the Mormon discussion
> To: Multiple recipients of list CHRISTIA <CHRISTIA@asuvm.inre.asu.edu>
>
> So before we start the "Mormonism is a cult," and "Mormon's aren't Christians"
> statements again, I suggest we keep in mind that this topic has turned people
> off before.  Doug made several good replies to these kinds of comments.  I
> don't necessarily agree with him, and I think he's wrong on many points.  But
> if you are interested in a Mormon perspective to some of the statements that
> have already been made, try searching the archives for "Gould" since Jan 1,
> 1992.

I participated in a Usenet News discussion last year in
"sci.philosophy.meta" entitled, "Christians have a Superiority
Complex."  I will admit that there was a side of me that took this
accusation personally, even though the subject and ensuing discussion
had to do with the *group*, not the *individual*.  As a Christian, I
responded to the cases that were brought up in an objective manner, in
an effort to clear up the misunderstandings therein and an attempt to
represent my faith as one of love and forgiveness, not of hatred and
spite.

[In the end, BTW, not only had the definition of "superior" retreated
to the point at which pride did not enter the picture, but I had
opportunities to share my faith to two people by E-mail, a couple more
through exchanges in the newsgroup, and anybody else who was just
reading the group.  It is a rare opportunity to be able to use rhetoric
for evangelism!]

Anyway, I hope people understand that when I speak frankly about
someone's beliefs, the point is to bring those beliefs under scrutiny,
not the person who holds them.  The person who holds them may very well
be uncomfortable having his beliefs examined, as I was in that
discussion group; nevertheless, I would rather have the opportunity to
respond to such accusations, than to leave them unaddressed.

As long as the discussion remains a dialogue, and not a "free-for-all",
this goal can be accomplished effectively.  The apparently low
readership of sci.philosophy.meta made that forum very effective.  We
on CHRISTIA need to provide that same opportunity for others to be
heard, and offer the same sort of dialogue.  That means avoiding
personal attacks and straw-man arguments, and getting to the heart of
the matter as quickly and cleanly as possible.

If everybody approaches a controversial subject that way, and everybody
knows to expect it, there is no need for people to feel hounded or
oppressed--uncomfortable, perhaps, but not threatened.
____________________________________________________________________________
Daniel A. Harling                        (harling@pictel.com)
PictureTel Corp.             Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of
Peabody, MA  01960                   PictureTel Corp. (so there!)
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