The most persuasive word in the English language is "because." Studies show that people will do things for others if given a reason. Robert Cialdini's book Influence gives lots of examples, and there's a good summary here:
https://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/is-this-single-most-persuasive-word-in-english-language.html?cid=email
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If you have a friend, neighbor, Ward member, Seminary or Institute teacher, BYU professor, Church leader, or anyone else who teaches the Mesoamerican/two-Cumorahs theory of Book of Mormon geography, see if they will give you their "because."
Here is what the M2C proponents are really saying:
"I want you to reject what the prophets have taught about the New York Cumorah because...."
Then see how they fill in the blank.
They typically will give a smoke-screen because consisting of rhetoric about the "scholarly consensus" or "Joseph Smith said in the Times and Season." These are all examples of the fake because that Cialdini talks about in his book.
Don't accept a fake because at face value. Press them for the "real because."
The real reason they want you to reject what the prophets have taught about the New York Cumorah is because they think the scholars know more than the prophets.
Most of them won't admit that at first, but that's what it always boils down to.
When framed this way, few members of the Church will accept M2C. That's why they always mask their "because" with the smoke screens.
Try it for yourself and you'll see what I mean.
https://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/is-this-single-most-persuasive-word-in-english-language.html?cid=email
_____
If you have a friend, neighbor, Ward member, Seminary or Institute teacher, BYU professor, Church leader, or anyone else who teaches the Mesoamerican/two-Cumorahs theory of Book of Mormon geography, see if they will give you their "because."
Here is what the M2C proponents are really saying:
"I want you to reject what the prophets have taught about the New York Cumorah because...."
Then see how they fill in the blank.
They typically will give a smoke-screen because consisting of rhetoric about the "scholarly consensus" or "Joseph Smith said in the Times and Season." These are all examples of the fake because that Cialdini talks about in his book.
Don't accept a fake because at face value. Press them for the "real because."
The real reason they want you to reject what the prophets have taught about the New York Cumorah is because they think the scholars know more than the prophets.
Most of them won't admit that at first, but that's what it always boils down to.
When framed this way, few members of the Church will accept M2C. That's why they always mask their "because" with the smoke screens.
Try it for yourself and you'll see what I mean.
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