The Top Ten Happenings in Mopologetics, 2010

[_Ray A]

Preferably after I reach 10,000 posts. Then I can produce the evidence of a board from which I was not banned.

Any board that would ban you is not a place I would hang out.

I treasure your friendship. But I think you already know that.

[_Paul Osborne]

A prophet of doom has more chance of success if he never sets a date. Someday MDB will cease to be. I hope that day is not soon.

Preferably after I reach 10,000 posts. Then I can produce the evidence of a board from which I was not banned.

Do have a few drinks to celebrate your 10,000th post. Make that post extra special. You might like to start a new thread to honor the event.

Paul O

[_Ray A]

Do have a few drinks to celebrate your 10,000th post. Make that post extra special. You might like to start a new thread to honor the event.

Paul O

Reminds me of Carly Simon's You're So Vain. I shall pass 10,000 posts unnoticed, Paul, but if I do have a party, you'll definitely be on my priority invitation list :)

[_Simon Belmont]

8. Rumors of Budget Cuts at the Maxwell Institute In late 2009 / early 2010, allegations began to surface that BYU officials had ordered the Maxwell Institute (especially FARMS) to drastically slash its budget, going from some $20 million per year down to some $5 million. DCP vigorouly denied the allegations, and yet his response was so over-the-top that a number of questions and suspicions were raised. Namely: Was he afraid that people might believe the rumors? Or, were the rumors true, and was he engaged in a smoke-screen?

These turned out completely false, as did the majority of your "informants'" intel. Good work on that, I guess you'll claim credit anyway.

7. Scott Gordon Gets a Visit from the "Oaks Faction" Amidst rumors of divided factions within the ranks of the General Authorities, FAIR President Scott Gordon was mysteriously "visited" by Elder Dallin H. Oaks---rumored to be one of the leaders among the Brethren who favor attack-oriented Mopologetics. According to an anonymous "informant," Oaks had been sent to deliver orders that FAIR was to "tone done" is aggressive antics. On the aptly named MADboard, a question was posed to Gordon: "How did your meeting with Elder Oaks go?" Gordon dodged the question for days, until finally offering up an odd "denial": Yes, he'd met with Oaks, but it had nothing to do with FAIR. (Or so he claimed.) The truth of the allegations remains a matter of speculation.

Again, proven false, by Gordon himself. Still correct 1/149th of the time, though, so Kudos.

3. The Defeat of Daniel C. Peterson Though some observers have stated that Dr. Peterson's retreat from online debate is just yet another rehash of old behavior, the fact remains that the "Kingpin" of FARMS left at a most inopportune time. Rumors have begun to swirl that both he and FAIR "hero" Will Schryver were both ordered by Salt Lake City HQ to completely cease online debate--a claim which seems to be supported by their noticeable absence from the messageboards as of late.

And how, pray tell, is DCP taking a break from the message boards "defeat?"

Do you know what my favorite event of 2007 was? Scratch getting put on suspension for the rule #7 violations! LOL!

[_Doctor Scratch]

8. Rumors of Budget Cuts at the Maxwell Institute In late 2009 / early 2010, allegations began to surface that BYU officials had ordered the Maxwell Institute (especially FARMS) to drastically slash its budget, going from some $20 million per year down to some $5 million. DCP vigorouly denied the allegations, and yet his response was so over-the-top that a number of questions and suspicions were raised. Namely: Was he afraid that people might believe the rumors? Or, were the rumors true, and was he engaged in a smoke-screen?

These turned out completely false,

CFR. (And I mean a real reference, not Mopologetic denials.)

7. Scott Gordon Gets a Visit from the "Oaks Faction" Amidst rumors of divided factions within the ranks of the General Authorities, FAIR President Scott Gordon was mysteriously "visited" by Elder Dallin H. Oaks---rumored to be one of the leaders among the Brethren who favor attack-oriented Mopologetics. According to an anonymous "informant," Oaks had been sent to deliver orders that FAIR was to "tone done" is aggressive antics. On the aptly named MADboard, a question was posed to Gordon: "How did your meeting with Elder Oaks go?" Gordon dodged the question for days, until finally offering up an odd "denial": Yes, he'd met with Oaks, but it had nothing to do with FAIR. (Or so he claimed.) The truth of the allegations remains a matter of speculation.

Again, proven false, by Gordon himself.

CFR. Unless you've got video surveillance, or a tape recording, or something like that, you're out to sea.

3. The Defeat of Daniel C. Peterson Though some observers have stated that Dr. Peterson's retreat from online debate is just yet another rehash of old behavior, the fact remains that the "Kingpin" of FARMS left at a most inopportune time. Rumors have begun to swirl that both he and FAIR "hero" Will Schryver were both ordered by Salt Lake City HQ to completely cease online debate--a claim which seems to be supported by their noticeable absence from the messageboards as of late.

And how, pray tell, is DCP taking a break from the message boards "defeat?"

Because of the timing.

Do you know what my favorite event of 2007 was? Scratch getting put on suspension for the rule #7 violations! LOL!

I assume you mean 2010? And just think, Simon: if you complain to the mods about me calling you "Greg Barry," I might get suspended again!

[_Simon Belmont]

I assume you mean 2010? And just think, Simon: if you complain to the mods about me calling you "Greg Barry," I might get suspended again!

I don't care if you call me "Greg Barry" or "Bill Ding" or "Frank Salmon," because none of those people are me, George. I don't complain just to complain.

[_Gordon]

I can hardly wait for 2011. Happy holidays to all, and here's to another year of Mopologetic defeats!

I'm sorry, "dr" (I say that because I don't know who you are, or whether or not you actually have a PhD or MD), but you seem to be forgetting common sense.

That, my friend, will trump you every time. :)

[_Kishkumen]

I can hardly wait for 2011. Happy holidays to all, and here's to another year of Mopologetic defeats!

Me too, Doctor. I am rubbing my palms together in anticipation. May it prove to be an even more exciting year in 2011!

[_RockSlider]

I can hardly wait for 2011. Happy holidays to all, and here's to another year of Mopologetic defeats!

Me too, Doctor. I am rubbing my palms together in anticipation. May it prove to be an even more exciting year in 2011!

gonna be Boooorrring.

1. MAD turned into hip/Christian/testimonkey site (hehe PP), or closed.
2. MI cutbacks are not only financial but public visibility cut off and reduced to higher education academic pursuits (i.e. BYU cares, no one else does).
3. Mormon Apologetics goes the way of the dinosaur.
4. The trailer park all of a sudden seems to have a new found air of acceptability.
5. Dr. Scratch is heard singing "who's afraid of the big bad wolf?"

[_Runtu]

10. The Continued Attacks on Rodney Meldrum

The attacks on him are mystifying. True, Meldrum's theories are slightly more problematic than the Mesoamerican model, but that's not really saying much.

9. The Apostasy of Darth J.

Darth is a great guy and definitely brilliant. And he really does look like that.

8. Rumors of Budget Cuts at the Maxwell Institute

They probably never had much of a budget to begin with.

7. Scott Gordon Gets a Visit from the "Oaks Faction"

The Brethren most likely do not care about FAIR one way or the other.

6. Don Bradley Gets Re-Baptized

Don told me that it was more that he found spiritual value in the church and had never really stopped believing in it. That it made him a better person was just gravy.

5. The Flourishing of Cassius University

See 2 Nephi 9:28

4. Will Schryver's FAIR KEP Presentation

I'm still trying to figure it out. I gave Will my impressions, and all he's said is that I don't understand his thesis. I readily admit that. Of course, I haven't seen anyone else show that they understand it better than I do. I guess I'll have to wait for something to come out in print.

3. The Defeat of Daniel C. Peterson

Some of us are just board addicts. I think Dan and I ought to start a 12-step group.

Perhaps even more interesting, Prof. P. was "defeated" by TBM poster Pa Pa, who was awarded the Sampson Avard Golden Scepter award for his brilliant display of rhetoric and critical ingenuity.

Pa Pa is a good friend and has been kind and supportive to me. We rarely agree, and I think he would admit to not being all that knowledgeable, but he's a good guy.

2. Mormon Scholars Testify

That site affected me directly. It seemed like just a testimony site until I read Blake Ostler's essay. In all honesty it made me sick to my stomach, as I saw the same kinds of awful rationalizations I had once made as a believer. In a rash act, I posted a sarcastic top-ten list on RfM about it, which Dan promptly posted to MADB, and well, you know the rest of the story.

1. The 2nd Watson Letter is Found

OK, I had admit to feeling some perverse pleasure when this finally saw the light of day.

* * * * * * *

All in all, 2010 was a terrific year in the world of Mopologetics. I can hardly wait for 2011. Happy holidays to all, and here's to another year of Mopologetic defeats!

Defeats are in the eye of the beholder. Apologetics is about maintaining some semblance of plausibility. I don't see any major defeats in that effort this year.