Public Relations -- what the Mopologists can't understand

[Guest]

Greg Smith wonders why no one at the church or BYU will answer his email.

CFR.

DCP wonders why he got fired from his position as head apologist for the church.

I don't recall Daniel Peterson ever being anointed as "head apologist," however, we know why he and other original FARMS apologists were given the boot by the Bradford clique, and I think any number of posters here continue to represent that basic outlook quite well.

All the Mopologists are confused as hell how they picked a fight with John Dehlin and the church took Dehlin's side.

You're going to have to get all of these NOM memes out of your head if you want to be relevant. The Church never took Dehlin's side (why would the church take the side of an unalloyed enemy of itself and its entire self-concept as an organization?), and there is no evidence the Church had anything to do with Peterson's et al firing. Apparently one of the Brethren told Pres. Samualson not to publish Smith's piece, and Bradford would have none of it, apparently as a matter of principle (as Smith elucidates in his second essay, Bradford's rude, haughty, unprofessional conduct throughout this sorry drama appears to swell as more and more becomes known), but this was a first draft that no one had ever seen or read (let alone the hypothetical GA), so you're a very long way from claiming with any credibility that the Church took Dehlin's side.

Had a little Dehlin sycophant within NAMI not, as Smith recounts, "disregarded the ethical norms associated with anonymous peer review and the confidentiality of editorial discussion" none of this ever would have occurred.

"Without having read my review, at least one employee leaked information about it to at least one person outside the Institute. The recipient of the privileged information was known by the leak to be one of Dehlin’s admirers."

Yes, the picture is much clearer now. The folks who come out of this smelling real bad aren't Peterson, Midgely, Smith, or any one of the traditional Maxwell Institute scholars, but Bradford and his little cabal of gophers at NAMI, digging holes and burrowing furtively on the lawn of the Great and Spacious Building.

I realize that these are the stories you continue to tell yourselves as you meander through your own muddled understanding of LDS doctrine, culture, and self-concept, and tell yourselves your own stories, over and over again, until you start believing them.

Their world is coming crashing down.

Yours already has. I invite you back into normal space-time.

[_Fence Sitter]

--church has a lack of diversity, making non white, republican, nuclear family types feel uncomfortable

There is no need for the Church to branch out from God's direction. Your whole premise is flawed.

Screen shot before it gets deleted.

God's direction is Republican and white, got it.

[_Bazooka]

You're going to have to get all of these NOM memes out of your head if you want to be relevant. The Church never took Dehlin's side (why would the church take the side of an unalloyed enemy of itself and its entire self-concept as an organization?), and there is no evidence the Church had anything to do with Peterson's et al firing. Apparently one of the Brethren told Pres. Samualson not to publish Smith's piece, and Bradford would have none of it, apparently as a matter of principle (as Smith elucidates in his second essay, Bradford's rude, haughty, unprofessional conduct throughout this sorry drama appears to swell as more and more becomes known), but this was a first draft that no one had ever seen or read (let alone the hypothetical GA), so you're a very long way from claiming with any credibility that the Church took Dehlin's side.

I guess it won't be long now then until they are reinstated with full benefits....or does a General Authority no longer oversee the MI?

[_robuchan]

(why would the church take the side of an unalloyed enemy of itself and its entire self-concept as an organization?)

When things don't make sense, you need to check your assumptions. Here's your false assumption.

[_Droopy]

Screen shot before it gets deleted.

God's direction is Republican and white, got it.

You might want a freshman logic class, to get things going, FS. As I look, above, I see bc used the term "conservative," and mentioned nothing about either the Republican Party or being white.

Serious, reflective, critical thought really, really is a joyous and edifying activity. I commend it to you.

[_Droopy]

(why would the church take the side of an unalloyed enemy of itself and its entire self-concept as an organization?)

When things don't make sense, you need to check your assumptions. Here's your false assumption.

And here's your non-argument. You could have made one, but you declined. I wonder why?

[_robuchan]

And here's your non-argument. You could have made one, but you declined. I wonder why?

Because I don't give a crap?

[_Fence Sitter]

Screen shot before it gets deleted.

God's direction is Republican and white, got it.

You might want a freshman logic class, to get things going, FS. As I look, above, I see bc used the term "conservative," and mentioned nothing about either the Republican Party or being white.

Serious, reflective, critical thought really, really is a joyous and edifying activity. I commend it to you.

Thanks Droopy. I appreciate the fact you limited your reply to four short readable sentences. Maybe there is hope for you.

[_Droopy]

Thanks Droopy. I appreciate the fact you limited your reply to four short readable sentences.

That's OK. I'm just trying to be more cognizant of the standard 7th to 8th grade reading comprehension levels on this board and conduct myself accordingly.

[_Mayan Elephant]

You're going to have to get all of these NOM memes out of your head if you want to be relevant.

who exactly is creating these NOM memes? not the NOM community, that is for damn sure. until cwald posted at nom yesterday, they were over there blowing smoke right into the very orifice that smith used to create his masterpiece. since, a few people have read it with real eyes. i can't believe christ follower is still over there (definitely one of the good guys.) He had some reasonable comments.

back to these nom memes? what are they and who are they? the smith hit piece starts off talking about noms. defines them. blames them for supporting this anti-cult counselor that is yanking people out of a cult (Mormonism). do you know how many quotes are actually from NOM? one. one footnote. number 137.

here is the quote from smith's piece:

Dehlin announced in April 2011 (before the Cultural
Hall interview) that “I’m no longer active in the church” because of “a gradual feeling that full church
activity wasn’t really worth the time/effort any more,” in part due to “feeling really uncomfortable from
an integrity/honesty perspective about ‘looking’ like active, believing members when we didn’t feel that
way inside.”
137

and here is the actual post from dehlin.

John Dehlin here. And yes...I've mentioned in a few places now that I'm no longer active in the church. It brings me no joy to admit this, but it's true.

Nothing caused this other than a gradual feeling that full church activity wasn't really worth the time/effort any more (cost/benefit analysis), and feeling really uncomfortable from an integrity/honesty perspective about "looking" like active, believing members when we didn't feel that way inside (I know...I know...many of you warned me that this would happen, and saw this coming long before I did).

Anyway, we just got worn down over time, I think.

For me, the "LDS Restoration" (as in God restoring the "one true church with exclusive priesthood authority") is just not a credible narrative....and my wife and I can no longer pretend like (or appear like) we think it is. I don't even think we WANT it to be "true" at this point -- we're much more universalistic in our beliefs.

Part of us would enjoy being active...and I still generally enjoy going to sacrament meeting...but the cog-diss has become too great for us.

If the church were to send out some type of communication indicating that NOMs were fully legitimate/welcome in church (as vocal participants), and that they could have temple recommends (I know...crazy), I would consider re-activating...but I'm not holding my breath on that one.

Anyway....I would love to have been able to make it work...and I still fully support those for whom full church activity does work. We just can't make it work for us. At least not as thing are.

there ya go. the ENTIRE contribution by the NOMs to the piece that allegedly hits their alleged leader. smith couldn't not eff up the only quote he used.