A Chapel Mormon's Observation of DCP and William Schryver
Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 11:10 pm
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."
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."