In this interview, we delve into how Russell M. Nelson, the leader of the LDS Church, addresses doubt.
Nelson’s 2021 talk on doubts and “lazy learners” encourages members to “choose to believe” and not dwell on doubts. He suggests applying this approach to real-world situations, reframing faith to transcend evidence, and using the bandwagon effect to suppress doubts.
The conversation also explores how Nelson portrays both fulfillment and failure as aspects of faith. The church historian in 2023 acknowledges compelling reasons for doubt, yet Kyle McKay uses Nelson’s talk to instill fear of doubt in members.
LDS Discussions Essay on doubt: Overview of How the Church Handles Doubts with the Book of Mormon
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Show Notes:
- Secret Mormon Meetings of 1922
- Doubt: A History by Jennifer Hecht
- Report on Why People Leave the Church (John Dehlin, Greg Prince, Travis Stratford)
- RFM: Church Historian on the Hotseat!
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5 Responses
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Thank you for all the work you all do to make these Mormon Discussion podcasts! Although I am out of the church I still need to learn how to recognize manipulation and Fallacies. Listening to these detailed podcasts I hear your great thinking and verbalizing skills and hopefully “rewire” my brain after 6 decades of trusting and believing the church narratives and truth claims. Always learning :)
In the context of acquiring knowledge… is there a more Lazy approach than: “just choose to believe?”
How does one learn, if all you do is ignore learning, and choose to believe?
It is a ridiculous lie to say Joseph and Hyrum suffered a martyr’s death defending the restoration. They died because they were in jail on legitimate civil, state, federal charges for destroying a printing press and printing company. The people of the area were pissed at dealing with the Mormons, Joseph Smith, and Joseph’s hidden polygamy.
I’d like to learn more of the “heart sell (or sale)” model Mike talked about after the produced video of Nelson telling the airplane story.