Random Thoughts on July Ensign (Long) —circus watcher

Great summary, circus watcher. I likewise thumbed through it last night. Seriously, let's have two current apostles write life histories of two other current apostles? And the one about Eyring's "sacrifice" of a prominent position in Cali so he could continue on at Ricks a few more years? How big a sacrifice is that when your career goal is to be a general authority and President Kimball is calling to assure you you're on the right path?

circus watcher wrote:

Article titled Coming to know for Ourselves Quote: If our faith is rooted in the sandy soil of reason and logic, it will be swept away by a rising tide driven by the escalating winds of opposition. A faith founded in Jesus Christ and on the rock of revelation will endure through the fiercest storms of life I love the phrase sandy soil of reason and logic. Good use of adjectives to slur reason and logic.

OK, this was the article that got the biggest eye roll from me. Seriously, how do members read that line, "the sandy soil of reason and logic," and not have a wtf moment?

Quote:

First the person would challenge my beliefs with a doctrinal question. I often answered, “I don’t know, but I will find out what the Church teaches on the subject.”

Here's what bugged me about that: the implication is that church critics actually give a rat's ass about doctrines. Ballard does the same thing in his article, saying we don't want outsiders "defining us." Please. The clueless members come away with the impression that all of us exmos are out there trying to convince people that Mormons believe there are actually four degrees of glory or something. I'm not interested in defining your beliefs, Mr. Ballard. I'm saying Joseph Smith pulled them out of his ass.