Discussions toward a better understanding of LDS doctrine, history, and culture. Discussion of Christianity, religion, and faith in general is welcome.
Astonishing article on Utah's Celestial Gospel of Fraud: https://www.deseret.com/2019/4/29/20671 ... ted-states
Pugsley, who blogs about Utah fraud, said there's no clear answer as to why fraud is more rampant in Utah than in other states.
But after helping people recover losses from investment fraud for 25 years, he said he's learned that Utahns are simply too trusting, particularly when the person soliciting an investment is in their Latter-day Saint ward or shares their religious affiliation.
Though commonly called "affinity fraud," it's more of a way for con artists to market their scams to people in their communities. They exploit their close personal relationships, whether it's in business or more likely through neighborhood or religious associations.
Maglich said many perpetrate the scheme by getting the blessing or participation of those who share their faith and use it as a distribution and solicitation network.
Pugsley said Latter-day Saints are taught to trust their feelings, but while that might be a valid basis for religious decisions, it's not for business decisions. He also said he found people who believe if they're using the money for good, God would protect it.
Fascinating that the claim is there is no clear answer to the problem, then he outlines how it's Mormons who do it the most and how they accomplish their frauds.
DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH MORMONS IN UTAH.
The same energy that emerges from the fountain of eternity into time, is the Holy Grail at the center of the universe of the inexhaustible vitality in each of our hearts. The Holy Grail, like the Kingdom of God, is within. -Joseph Campbell-
Such an interesting article, especially that it's in DesNews. This part of your quote seems to be a tip of the hat to the Church's claims about how to know truth:
Pugsley said Latter-day Saints are taught to trust their feelings, but while that might be a valid basis for religious decisions, ...
I agree with what you quoted from him except that I think burning-in-the-bosom type feelings are only valid for religious decisions in that they can guide a person to know if the thing they're having the feelings about inspires them. He didn't outright say it, but most believing Mormons would assume this means he's saying feelings are valid in determining the truth. Using feelings seems to be a good way to make fast decisions and protect yourself in sketchy situations (i.e. a bad feeling may indicate danger/harm even if it does it falsely at a high rate). But, the warm fuzzies are demonstrably horrible at revealing reality in my estimation, religiously or otherwise.
If you are inclined to believe the BoM was revealed to JS by God by looking at a magic rock in a hat, and that JS didn’t really want to have sex with all those young girls; he was threaten by an Angel with a sword to have sex with them...then you are likely inclined to believe any con artist...I mean that’s what we believed for a time.
It all goes back to a guy who sold his farm to print a book that his neighbor said came from gold book given to him by an angel, that nobody could see with their physical eyes or they would die. I have noticed that since I stopped believing that I have become far less likely to fork over money to anyone who claims to have the inside scoop.
“The easy confidence with which I know another man's religion is folly teaches me to suspect that my own is also.” -Mark Twain
Jesus: "The Kingdom of God is within you." The Buddha: "Be your own light."
