A Chapel Mormon's Observation of DCP and William Schryver

[_Everybody Wang Chung]

I sent my brother the link to the Time Lightbox article yesterday (http://lightbox.time.com/2011/12/05/happy-valley-a-photographer-reflects-on-his-mormon-upbringing/#1) and asked that he send me his opinion of the article and the comments.

My purpose in doing so, was that I wanted an objective opinion from a staunch, Chapel Mormon, who is mostly unfamiliar with Mopologetics. My brother certainly fits that bill. I received the following response:



"I was sitting there, reading the comment posts and munching on peanut butter M&Ms, and enjoying DCP coming unglued while he departed about far as one can go from the article as he endeavored to respond snidely to each and every person. Then, as I was reading, I found Will Schryver’s first post and laughed so hard that I spit my chewed up M&Ms over the computer monitor. Yuck. I haven’t laughed as hard in months.

If DCP’s relentless comments are analogous to wave after wave of Allied marine corpsman storming the French beaches on D-Day, then Will Schryver’s scorched earth comments are like a B-52 carpet bombing its allies and enemies into next year.

The obvious problems with DCP, and especially Will Schryver, are ironically impeding the mission of the Church rather than promoting it. Their comments are not helping to proclaim the Gospel, or perfect the Saints, or redeem the dead. I’d wager that few people have ever felt the whisperings of the Holy Ghost while reading a DCP apologetic post. And, I’d wager that not a single soul has ever come away from a Will Schryver post more committed to the Gospel and his/her discipleship of Christ. I doubt that many people have ever come away with softer, kinder feelings toward the Church or its unique culture after reading posts from either of those guys.

Jesus, when he was pressed by members of the various Jewish sects for answers to seemingly unanswerable Mosaic quandaries, didn’t come back again and again and again to make snide remarks and tired points to his enemies. Jesus stated his peace, or told a parable, or remained silent. There was no attempt to make his enemies look foolish or to belittle them. He was a master teacher and we know gained many converts away from Jewry because he knew how to deliver his message with humility. DCP and Schryver may be master debaters, but they’re doing nothing to help the cause of Christ.

This isn’t apologetics. This is genocide. (At least it’s a funny genocide.)

If DCP wants to respond to a perceived anti-Mormon article, column, work of art, or whatever, he ought to state his opinion as gently as possible and then get the hell off the comment board. Unfortunately, I sense that DCP and Schryver probably stay up late working out yet another clever retort, yet another snappy response, yet another dagger into the heart of unfavorable post. Sheesh, guys, grow up. Go hiking. Take piano lessons. Go see Cirque du Soleil. Paint your faces blue and go cheer on the Cougars this autumn. Take a sushi class. Get front row seats to your favorite rock artist one weekend, and then get front row seats to the Utah Symphony the next weekend. Write a funny mash-up novel based on The House of Seven Gables. Learn Chinese. Drink a tall, frosty stein of non-alcoholic ale. Do something, anything, but please give up the damaging apologetics."

[_Doctor Scratch]

Dr. Peterson may be trying to do some "rehab" work on his image. Recently, he posted on his blog that he has joined the editorial board for "Salt Press":

http://saltpress.org/

Based on his blog posting, it seems that someone quickly steered him towards this venture immediately in the wake of his departure from the Review. Of course, it would look good--for any Mormon Studies person--to be seen alongside names like Bushman, Givens, and Hardy, but Dan sticks out like a sore thumb amongst this group. They ought to boot him out before he damages their reputation by association. After all, you know that he's going to try to throw his weight around in order to turn this into a Mopologetics factory. That's all that he knows how to do, unfortunately.

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

Well, I think this goes to show that any normal Mormon would regard Ludd and Mr. Peterson as heretics, and worthy of scorn. Their apologetics are of the spirit of Satan, and it's nice to see a Chapel Mormon see it for what it is...

- VRDRC

[_Nevo]

I sent my brother the link to the Time Lightbox article yesterday (http://lightbox.time.com/2011/12/05/happy-valley-a-photographer-reflects-on-his-mormon-upbringing/#1) and asked that he send me his opinion of the article and the comments.

I have to say that this is the poorest impersonation of a "Chapel Mormon" that I've ever seen. For starters, "Chapel Mormons" don't refer to Daniel Peterson as "DCP." And don't you think the accusation of "genocide" is just a bit over the top?

By the way, I, for one, have "come away from a Will Schryver post more committed to the Gospel and his discipleship of Christ." And I can say the same of Daniel Peterson. Your brother should not be so quick to condemn.

[_Sophocles]

I sent my brother the link to the Time Lightbox article yesterday (http://lightbox.time.com/2011/12/05/happy-valley-a-photographer-reflects-on-his-mormon-upbringing/#1) and asked that he send me his opinion of the article and the comments.

I have to say that this is the poorest impersonation of a "Chapel Mormon" that I've ever seen. For starters, "Chapel Mormons" don't refer to Daniel Peterson as "DCP." And don't you think the accusation of "genocide" is just a bit over the top?

By the way, I, for one, have "come away from a Will Schryver post more committed to the Gospel and his discipleship of Christ." And I can say the same of Daniel Peterson. Your brother should not be so quick to condemn.

Some of the Lightbox comments referred to Daniel as DCP. He could have picked it up from them.

(Or maybe there was a library near where he grew up with books that referred to Daniel as DCP...)

[_Everybody Wang Chung]

I have to say that this is the poorest impersonation of a "Chapel Mormon" that I've ever seen. For starters, "Chapel Mormons" don't refer to Daniel Peterson as "DCP." And don't you think the accusation of "genocide" is just a bit over the top?

Chapel Mormons don't abbreviate? Interesting. I also thought my brother's reference to "genocide" in the context of his email was very appropriate and funny.

By the way, I, for one, have "come away from a Will Schryver post more committed to the Gospel and his discipleship of Christ." And I can say the same of Daniel Peterson. Your brother should not be so quick to condemn.

Nevo, you know as well as I do that you have never "come away from a Will Schryver post more committed to the Gospel". CFR please. I can't wait to read this uplifting post from Will Schryver that made you more committed to Christ.

If you read my brother's email, you will see that he is not condemning Will Schryver or DCP, but their behavior. My brother hates the sin, but not the sinners (Schryver and DCP).

Nevo, let's face it. The Church has to be true or Schryver and DCP's actions would have destroyed it a long time ago.

[_no thanks]

I think the typical chapel Mormon's impression of these two can be summed up in a single word

"who?"

[_Ludd]

I sent my brother the link to the Time Lightbox article yesterday (http://lightbox.time.com/2011/12/05/happy-valley-a-photographer-reflects-on-his-mormon-upbringing/#1) and asked that he send me his opinion of the article and the comments.

My purpose in doing so, was that I wanted an objective opinion from a staunch, Chapel Mormon, who is mostly unfamiliar with Mopologetics. My brother certainly fits that bill. I received the following response:



"I was sitting there, reading the comment posts and munching on peanut butter M&Ms, and enjoying DCP coming unglued while he departed about far as one can go from the article as he endeavored to respond snidely to each and every person. Then, as I was reading, I found Will Schryver’s first post and laughed so hard that I spit my chewed up M&Ms over the computer monitor. Yuck. I haven’t laughed as hard in months.

If DCP’s relentless comments are analogous to wave after wave of Allied marine corpsman storming the French beaches on D-Day, then Will Schryver’s scorched earth comments are like a B-52 carpet bombing its allies and enemies into next year.

The obvious problems with DCP, and especially Will Schryver, are ironically impeding the mission of the Church rather than promoting it. Their comments are not helping to proclaim the Gospel, or perfect the Saints, or redeem the dead. I’d wager that few people have ever felt the whisperings of the Holy Ghost while reading a DCP apologetic post. And, I’d wager that not a single soul has ever come away from a Will Schryver post more committed to the Gospel and his/her discipleship of Christ. I doubt that many people have ever come away with softer, kinder feelings toward the Church or its unique culture after reading posts from either of those guys.

Jesus, when he was pressed by members of the various Jewish sects for answers to seemingly unanswerable Mosaic quandaries, didn’t come back again and again and again to make snide remarks and tired points to his enemies. Jesus stated his peace, or told a parable, or remained silent. There was no attempt to make his enemies look foolish or to belittle them. He was a master teacher and we know gained many converts away from Jewry because he knew how to deliver his message with humility. DCP and Schryver may be master debaters, but they’re doing nothing to help the cause of Christ.

This isn’t apologetics. This is genocide. (At least it’s a funny genocide.)

If DCP wants to respond to a perceived anti-Mormon article, column, work of art, or whatever, he ought to state his opinion as gently as possible and then get the hell off the comment board. Unfortunately, I sense that DCP and Schryver probably stay up late working out yet another clever retort, yet another snappy response, yet another dagger into the heart of unfavorable post. Sheesh, guys, grow up. Go hiking. Take piano lessons. Go see Cirque du Soleil. Paint your faces blue and go cheer on the Cougars this autumn. Take a sushi class. Get front row seats to your favorite rock artist one weekend, and then get front row seats to the Utah Symphony the next weekend. Write a funny mash-up novel based on The House of Seven Gables. Learn Chinese. Drink a tall, frosty stein of non-alcoholic ale. Do something, anything, but please give up the damaging apologetics."

I'm calling BS on this whole story of your "chapel Mormon" brother.

I just scanned through the comments section you linked to. Peterson has LOTS to say. He must have made fifty comments or more on that thread! And he comes across as someone who has a severe persecution complex. It's ridiculous and he should have just stopped. But from what I could see, Schryver didn't post more than three posts and I didn't see where any of them were particularly offensive or would have caused your brother to "spit pb m&m's" or whatever. But it's possible I missed what your brother is talking about. Maybe you could go ahead and copy and paste the text of the posts Schryver made there that you think are causing "genocide" in the church. But I don't think you can do it. I think you're just another one of the people on this message board who has some kind of irrational personal grudge against Schryver for something or other.

[_Ludd]

I sent my brother the link to the Time Lightbox article yesterday (http://lightbox.time.com/2011/12/05/happy-valley-a-photographer-reflects-on-his-mormon-upbringing/#1) and asked that he send me his opinion of the article and the comments.

I have to say that this is the poorest impersonation of a "Chapel Mormon" that I've ever seen.

Yeah, that's what I thought. It was something only someone with familiarity with these message boards would say.

For starters, "Chapel Mormons" don't refer to Daniel Peterson as "DCP." And don't you think the accusation of "genocide" is just a bit over the top?

From what I've seen, there is very little that is considered "over the top" here. Everything is an out of control emotional reaction.

By the way, I, for one, have "come away from a Will Schryver post more committed to the Gospel and his discipleship of Christ." And I can say the same of Daniel Peterson. Your brother should not be so quick to condemn.

Watch out. Pretty soon they'll start saying you're a sock puppet.

[_lulu]

I sent my brother the link to the Time Lightbox article yesterday (http://lightbox.time.com/2011/12/05/happy-valley-a-photographer-reflects-on-his-mormon-upbringing/#1) and asked that he send me his opinion of the article and the comments.

My purpose in doing so, was that I wanted an objective opinion from a staunch, Chapel Mormon, who is mostly unfamiliar with Mopologetics. My brother certainly fits that bill. I received the following response:



"I was sitting there, reading the comment posts and munching on peanut butter M&Ms, and enjoying DCP coming unglued while he departed about far as one can go from the article as he endeavored to respond snidely to each and every person. Then, as I was reading, I found Will Schryver’s first post and laughed so hard that I spit my chewed up M&Ms over the computer monitor. Yuck. I haven’t laughed as hard in months.

If DCP’s relentless comments are analogous to wave after wave of Allied marine corpsman storming the French beaches on D-Day, then Will Schryver’s scorched earth comments are like a B-52 carpet bombing its allies and enemies into next year.

The obvious problems with DCP, and especially Will Schryver, are ironically impeding the mission of the Church rather than promoting it. Their comments are not helping to proclaim the Gospel, or perfect the Saints, or redeem the dead. I’d wager that few people have ever felt the whisperings of the Holy Ghost while reading a DCP apologetic post. And, I’d wager that not a single soul has ever come away from a Will Schryver post more committed to the Gospel and his/her discipleship of Christ. I doubt that many people have ever come away with softer, kinder feelings toward the Church or its unique culture after reading posts from either of those guys.

Jesus, when he was pressed by members of the various Jewish sects for answers to seemingly unanswerable Mosaic quandaries, didn’t come back again and again and again to make snide remarks and tired points to his enemies. Jesus stated his peace, or told a parable, or remained silent. There was no attempt to make his enemies look foolish or to belittle them. He was a master teacher and we know gained many converts away from Jewry because he knew how to deliver his message with humility. DCP and Schryver may be master debaters, but they’re doing nothing to help the cause of Christ.

This isn’t apologetics. This is genocide. (At least it’s a funny genocide.)

If DCP wants to respond to a perceived anti-Mormon article, column, work of art, or whatever, he ought to state his opinion as gently as possible and then get the hell off the comment board. Unfortunately, I sense that DCP and Schryver probably stay up late working out yet another clever retort, yet another snappy response, yet another dagger into the heart of unfavorable post. Sheesh, guys, grow up. Go hiking. Take piano lessons. Go see Cirque du Soleil. Paint your faces blue and go cheer on the Cougars this autumn. Take a sushi class. Get front row seats to your favorite rock artist one weekend, and then get front row seats to the Utah Symphony the next weekend. Write a funny mash-up novel based on The House of Seven Gables. Learn Chinese. Drink a tall, frosty stein of non-alcoholic ale. Do something, anything, but please give up the damaging apologetics."

I'm calling BS on this whole story of your "chapel Mormon" brother.

I just scanned through the comments section you linked to. Peterson has LOTS to say. He must have made fifty comments or more on that thread! And he comes across as someone who has a severe persecution complex. It's ridiculous and he should have just stopped. But from what I could see, Schryver didn't post more than three posts and I didn't see where any of them were particularly offensive or would have caused your brother to "spit pb m&m's" or whatever. But it's possible I missed what your brother is talking about. Maybe you could go ahead and copy and paste the text of the posts Schryver made there that you think are causing "genocide" in the church. But I don't think you can do it. I think you're just another one of the people on this message board who has some kind of irrational personal grudge against Schryver for something or other.

I'm calling BS on all your posts.

How's the information gathering going?