This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2004, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Many years ago, Mormon writer Scot Denhalter struck up a lively conversation with a stranger over the remaindered table at Deseret Book, sharing their common interest in LDS history and critiques of the church. As he headed home, Denhalter's elation turned to despair - there was no one else in his life that he could talk to that way.

Now, 25 years later, Denhalter bumps into interesting strangers every day on the Internet.

Through email lists, chat rooms, Web sites and Weblogs, Mormons now have access to more people and information than they ever could at church. The Internet has opened new forums for community-building and also for criticism, exposing many Latter Day Saints to anti-Mormon ideas for the first time.

In response, Mormon apologists have launched vigorous online debates hashing out the fine points of doctrine and history, Jason Gallentine, webmaster for a Mormon-related webpage, said during a panel discussion at the Sunstone Symposium Friday.

Gallentine suggests there could be a growing division in the belief systems of what he calls "Internet Mormons," namely apologists who are more likely to rely on scientific arguments and more skeptical interpretations of prophets' teachings, and "Chapel Mormons" who are usually take the scriptures and the words of the prophets at face value.

Michael Ash, a member of the Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research (FAIR), responded that although apologists may have different ideas about some details, they still agree on main ideas within Mormonism.

Other panelists said they thought the apologists' debates had little influence on their own lives or beliefs as Mormons, but said these types of discussions are precisely why they like to go online.

"While church lessons often focus on ethical or practical issues, you can delve into some meatier theological or political issues within the church online," Denthaler said. "I find this kind of experience to be an enhancement of my Sabbath experience, not a conflict and not necessarily to be reinforcing of it."

Mormon related Web sites

l Zions Light House Message Board: A forum sounding board for academicians, apologists, and skeptics interested in things LDS. Http://p080.ezboard.com/bpacumenispages

l FAIR Message Board: (Foundation for Apologetic Information and

Research). Http://www.fairlds.org/message.html

l Recovering From Mormonism Message Board: Http://www.exmormon.org/

l Times & Seasons Weblog: Http://www.timesandseasons.org

l By Common Consent Weblog: Http://rameumptom.blogspot.com

l Mormon Library Email Group: Focuses on Mormon history. Http://groups.

yahoo.com/group/Mormon-Library/

l Mormon Mystic Email Group: Looks at the cross between mysticism and Mormonism. Http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mormon-mystic/