Top Ten Happenings in Mopologetics, 2007

[Physics Guy]

Well, it is that time of year once again: time to relax with loved ones, to smell the snowflakes in the air, and to reflect on a year gone by. And what a year it has been! The world of Mopologetics was enjoyable and fascinating, as it always is. There were controversies and amusements, battles and arguments, and all in all, it was a good year. So, here, submitted for your approval, is my Official Top Ten List for 2007:

10. Jan Freaks Out at the FAIR Conference

It should have been only a minor concern, but when a conference attendee tried to move some chairs around, the well-known poster called Jan began to "flutter nervously". Why was she so concerned? Was her behavior reflective of some desire to maintain absolute, utter control over everything? Or was it merely, as one T.R.-carrying commentator noted, indicative of "the kookier aspects of the Morg"?

9. DCP Bashes the Jews

Yes, this was included in last year's list, but it was so juicy that it had to be included here. To start the new year off in splendid fashion, everyone's favorite professor let slip his feeling, on a pro-Jewish blog, that "Jews have few friends in the world," setting off a massive flame war. He thus became the religious equivalent of the high school boy who berates his girlfriend by telling her, "You should sleep with me, since you are so ugly that no one but me will love you." DCP also joined his dear friend, Prof. Bill Hamblin, whose penchant for anti-Semetic remarks has been fully documented.

8. Bond...James Bond Joins the Ranks

The appearance of Bond on MDB in late 2006 was a welcome addition to the online Mormon community, and his continuing status has shown him to be one of the real stalwarts. From his very enjoyable and humorous blog, to his promotion to moderator here at MDB, Bond has become one of the best-liked and most recognizable figures on the boards.

7. Ray A Goes Berserk

Sometimes a calm poster, the Aussie cab driver known as Ray A flipped his lid on MDB, going off on a lengthy diatribe in which he asserted that critics of the LDS Church would eventually inspire a holocaust against Mormons. While it is ultimately unclear what set Ray off, some have speculated that his rage was fired by a comment on exmo social that his daughter looks like "a crack whore." Part of Ray's wrath may have also stemmed from a post in which his colossal flip-flopping was exposed: once upon a time, Ray was one of the most emphatic and vicious of all LDS critics, going so far as to say things like, "YOUR F***ING MISSIONARIES ARE DEAD!", and attacking DCP and other TBMs in highly vitriolic ways. But, for whatever reason, Ray swapped sides, and now aims his foul-mouthed, violence-laced attacks at critics.

6. ZLMB Gets Revisited

2007 marked a kind of in-depth return to the riches of ZLMB. Among the treasures unearthed there were:
---Definitive proof that DCP had lied to people about his identity for well over 1,000 posts
---TBMs on ZLMB had fled to the ironically named FAIRboard after getting thoroughly trounced on the "Murphy Transcript" issue. Click here to read the thread.
---Bill Hamblin had issued a disgustingly anti-Semitic rant
---Ray A is a huge flip-flopper
Among many, many other things. Truly, ZLMB remains a kind of museum for online Mormonism. Who knows what hidden gems remain untapped?

5. PBS Airs "The Mormons"

The highly anticipated, Helen Whitney-directed documentary called The Mormons generated huge interest leading up to its May premiere. Exmo insiders on RfM complained that the film wouldn't be harsh enough on the Church, while TBMs on the aptly named MADboard (notably DCP) boasted that the doc would "stick it" to critics such as Tal Bachman. It turns out that neither side was correct, and that the film presented a remarkably balanced view of this "very American religion." The four-hour program was compulsively watchable, and continues to fuel provocative conversation across the Web. Of particular note was a lengthy thread on MAD devoted to bashing excommunicated scholar Margaret Toscano.

4. DCP Leaks More Details about "Quinngate"

At around mid-year, Dr. Shades posted sections of an email conversation he'd had with Professor Daniel C. Peterson involving one of the most controversial issues in all of Mopologetics: the so-called "smear campaign" against noted historian D. Michael Quinn. While it has long been clear that The Good Professor dislikes Quinn's work and finds it "untrustworthy," some had wondered just how deeply he was involved in what pretty obviously seems like a smear-and-whisper campaign. So, this exchange with Dr. Shades was met with great interest. According to DCP, Quinn's sexual orientation was being gossiped about clear back during the 1980s, at which time DCP claimed he was told this information by a "liberal Mormon" in Los Angeles. DCP also leaked information about a mysterious "sad incident," which does very little to exonerate The Good Professor in terms of his penchant for gossip.
Also of note on the thread was the appearance of the venomous sockpuppet poster named "Opie Rockwell," who referred to Quinn as a "buggerer."

3. The Apostacy of Kevin Graham

While he had been a powerful critical voice for years, it was at last confirmed that Kevin Graham no longer had a testimony. This marks one of the most staggering blows which has ever been dealt to Mopologetics. Graham has become a walking case study of how LDS Apologetics can and will self-destruct. The fact that he was willing to concede the flaws in Mopologetic arguments (and that Mopologists were so unwilling to budge) is a testament to his intellectual integrity, and to the plain stubborn foolishness of apologists.

2. Ritnergate

Over the summer, a coup de grace was delivered to the credibility of Book of Abraham apologist John Gee after it was confirmed that the chair of his dissertation committee, Robert Ritner, walked off. Ritner noted that Gee had begun to stretch facts and strain credulity, and it was clear to the committee chair that Gee was interested more in advancing Mopologetic twaddle then in becoming a bonafide scholar. The speaks volumes about Gee's credibility and reliability as an academic. LDS Apologists tried to counter by launching a smear campaign against Ritner in which it was alleged that Ritner had committed an "impropriety" (it was implied, even, that he'd made a sexual pass at Gee, or that "homosexuality" was involved somehow), and had then walked off the committee in order to "save face." In an email to Kevin Graham, however, Ritner openly discussed his views, and denied these very ugly accusations. After a threat of legal actions, both sides cooled off somewhat, though the issue remains a very sore thorn in Gee's (and Mopologists') side. Click here and here to read two of the most relevant threads.


1. The Book of Mormon Gets Revised (Again)

In a stunning development, the Brethren rather quietly approved the changing of the Book of Mormon's introduction, thus altering hundreds of years of doctrine proclaiming that Lamanites were the "principal ancestors" of present-day Native Americans. The Mopologetic faction immediately went into damage-control overdrive, claiming that "principal ancestors" had never really meant "principal ancestors." Some folks lauded the change and praised the Church's gradual inching towards realism. Others laughed, noting that this appears to be yet another instance of the Church moving the goal posts. Regardless, most everyone agrees that this is among the most monumental doctrinal changes that the Church has ever made---possibly the most important change since the revision to the temple ceremony in 1990.

[_Trevor]

LDS Apologists tried to counter by launching a smear campaign against Ritner in which it was alleged that Ritner had made sexual pass at Gee, and had then walked off the committee in order to "save face." In an email to Kevin Graham, however, Ritner openly discussed his views, and denied these very ugly accusations. After a threat of legal actions, both sides cooled off somewhat, though the issue remains a very sore thorn in Gee's (and Mopologists') side.

They accused Ritner of turning on Gee because his supposed gay advances were rejected? You have got to be kidding.

[_beastie]

Scratch,

You may want to link the infamous ZLMB thread for newcomers. That was a great thread in the way it completely unraveled the beginnings of the FAIR board.

[_Mister Scratch]

Okay, I'll put links up into the list.

And yes, Trevor---that is precisely what they (disgustingly) did.

[_Bond...James Bond]

Ha! I made the list. Thanks Scratch!

(I remember last years list too.....you totally need to post these lists to your blog for posterity's sake.

[_Mister Scratch]

A sidenote: It was brought to my attention that DCP has been quoting me in his signature line again, and it turns out that one of the quotes was lifted from one of those "Ritnergate" threads. I had apparently said that DCP was "quite possibly pathologically sick" as a result of my disgust over the Mopologists' behavior. Click on the second "Ritnergate" link to get the full scoop.

[_Runtu]

A sidenote: It was brought to my attention that DCP has been quoting me in his signature line again, and it turns out that one of the quotes was lifted from one of those "Ritnergate" threads. I had apparently said that DCP was "quite possibly pathologically sick" as a result of my disgust over the Mopologists' behavior. Click on the second "Ritnergate" link to get the full scoop.

Scratch,

This is the first I've heard about any sexual element to the Ritner-Gee issue. Do you have some documentation for this rather bizarre allegation?

[_Ray A]

I had apparently said that DCP was "quite possibly pathologically sick" as a result of my disgust over the Mopologists' behavior.

You didn't "apparently" say it, Scratch, you said it.

I'm also glad that you finally admit that I don't "flip flop". I made one switch, and that's when I went from being an Internet critic, to a defender. And there will be no further change, of that you and others can rest absoutely and totally assured. (And DCP's opinion will have no bearing whatsoever, in case you're wondering.)

[_richardMdBorn]

I would add Daniel Peterson's letter to the Weekly Standard (September? 2007). When a few LDS are murdered it's a massacre. But when more than 100 non-LDS are murdered, it's only an alleged massacre.

[_dartagnan]

LDS Apologists tried to counter by launching a smear campaign against Ritner in which it was alleged that Ritner had made sexual pass at Gee, and had then walked off the committee in order to "save face."

What the hell?