Caught in the Pulpit pg 139

“One of the forces maintaining the ironclad literalism of some conservative denominations is the fact that any relaxation of it within the denomination can have the opposite effect from the one intended. Instead of making it easier for doubters in the flock to accommodate to the creed, it can ignite the fuse of doubt and trigger an avalanche of disbelief. One of the eye-opening moments for Joe, the Mormon, was reading an article in a liberal Mormon magazine that broached the idea of there being only metaphorical truth in some point of LDS doctrine. This led Joe to a liberal Mormon online chat room (not one of the many anti-Mormon and ex-Mormon Web sites), which strengthened and elaborated his doubts. Similarly, it was an article in a liberal Adventist magazine that shook Michael from his innocence. So conservatives are perhaps more vulnerable to well-meaning attempts from within their own denominations than to skeptical assaults from outside the faith.”

–Linda LaScola & Daniel Dennett, Caught in the Pulpit, pg 139

Discuss!