pretending to have evidence that non-trivially lifts Mormonism
I don’t think he ever claimed to have that.
You seem to be commenting on the basis of an implicit norm that goes something like “if you make a claim, you’re also claiming that you have evidence for that claim strong enough to convince x-rationalists”. But AFAICT, calcsam has never done anything of the kind. To the contrary, he said he isn’t interested in preaching (read: trying to present evidence) and would be happy to not discuss religion at all.
He simply thought we were curious and offered to reply questions here, he didn’t say that he thought his answers would persuade us.
I don’t see how calcsam’s initial post in any way implies that he doesn’t intend to “present relevant evidence”; the clause you refer to would, if read the way you suggest, take away the entire purpose of anyone asking their questions here. In the context of discussions like this “not preach” means something more like “not condemn you for reaching different conclusions”, not “I will make no attempt to say relevant things”.
Further, he was aware the group was interested his basis for his Mormon-specific claims, not the more general ones that happen to also be used effectively by Mormons, like I would be doing (and did), if I said, in parody, that the proof of the LW worldview is in the very existence of technology. Presenting evidence for non-specific practices while purporting to justify Mormonism, and knowing everyone is interested in such Mormon-specific evidence, is hard to read as anything but dishonesty.
I don’t think he ever claimed to have that.
You seem to be commenting on the basis of an implicit norm that goes something like “if you make a claim, you’re also claiming that you have evidence for that claim strong enough to convince x-rationalists”. But AFAICT, calcsam has never done anything of the kind. To the contrary, he said he isn’t interested in preaching (read: trying to present evidence) and would be happy to not discuss religion at all.
He simply thought we were curious and offered to reply questions here, he didn’t say that he thought his answers would persuade us.
I don’t see how calcsam’s initial post in any way implies that he doesn’t intend to “present relevant evidence”; the clause you refer to would, if read the way you suggest, take away the entire purpose of anyone asking their questions here. In the context of discussions like this “not preach” means something more like “not condemn you for reaching different conclusions”, not “I will make no attempt to say relevant things”.
Further, he was aware the group was interested his basis for his Mormon-specific claims, not the more general ones that happen to also be used effectively by Mormons, like I would be doing (and did), if I said, in parody, that the proof of the LW worldview is in the very existence of technology. Presenting evidence for non-specific practices while purporting to justify Mormonism, and knowing everyone is interested in such Mormon-specific evidence, is hard to read as anything but dishonesty.