DiscussMormonism.com

Doctor Scratch wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 28, 2022 3:16 am

I think he does very much fear death. He has always struck me as someone who is struggling mightily to have it both ways. All his really terribly written “travelogues” reek of the desperation of a person who feels a need to prove to the world that they “lived life to the fullest.”

It speaks to me of a distinguished gentleman who has squarely looked at the jaws of death and asked for a snifter of orange soda and some brie on Ritz crackers. I'm envious of Dr. Peterson's extended stay at Münchhausen's on the Rhein.

I think he does very much fear death. He has always struck me as someone who is struggling mightily to have it both ways. All his really terribly written “travelogues” reek of the desperation of a person who feels a need to prove to the world that they “lived life to the fullest.” But, obviously, per Church doctrine, this mortal life is really just a “test”—or a “probation,” as Midgley would put it. So, why get so wrapped up in “worldly” matters? Why not focus more on the gospel?

I like his travelogues. At the very least DCP is there to show those Mormons who don’t travel or haven’t been able to that there is an interesting wider world out there. I remember when one of my aunts told me she had never eaten Brie or feta. There really are many people who could use a little nudge to widen their horizons. And if you and others of us here don’t support the church’s apparent frowning on worldliness, maybe it’s a good thing to find that even apologists can model a little love of the world around them.

The answer is that there is a part of DCP that fears that the critics are right and that the Church is a hoax. It terrifies him on one level to think that there is *nothing* after this life, but perhaps even more so (and he would never admit this) he fears that he has “missed out” on things he could have been doing if he hadn’t subjected himself to the considerable limitations of Mormonism.

I find this part hilarious. No, DCP does not fear that the church is a hoax and that the critics are right. He is not terrified that there may be no afterlife, or that he has missed out on anything. I am sure he is comfortable with his choices and committed to his faith. If he isn’t, that’s really his problem and no concern of ours.

I don’t see why DCP’s choices and inner life are of interest to us. The LDS Church could be absolutely true, and he could in any case be a tortured soul doing it all for the wrong reasons. It could also be the case that the church is false, and yet he has benefited more from it than he would have from any other religion or philosophy.

Marcus wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 27, 2022 4:02 pm

But, I've seen how petty and vindictive Midgley is, and I live much closer to him than Australia. His pal DCP already doxxed someone thinking it was me, so no, I'd rather not give away any information by posting the contents of his emails. Maybe I'll figure out a way to post snippets they can't trace.

Would you be willing to copy-and-paste them via email to those of us who would like to read them?

Kishkumen wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 28, 2022 1:39 pm

I don’t see why DCP’s choices and inner life are of interest to us. The LDS Church could be absolutely true, and he could in any case be a tortured soul doing it all for the wrong reasons. It could also be the case that the church is false, and yet he has benefited more from it than he would have from any other religion or philosophy.

Because we are the Daily World News and he is our Alien. And because we are the National Enquirer and he is our John Travolta from Welcome Back Kotter and our John Travolta from Grease and our John Travolta from Saturday Night Fever and our John Travolta from Pulp Fiction and our John Travolta from Scientology and he is a pilot.

Binger wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 28, 2022 1:59 pm

Kishkumen wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 28, 2022 1:39 pm

I don’t see why DCP’s choices and inner life are of interest to us. The LDS Church could be absolutely true, and he could in any case be a tortured soul doing it all for the wrong reasons. It could also be the case that the church is false, and yet he has benefited more from it than he would have from any other religion or philosophy.

Because we are the Daily World News and he is our Alien. And because we are the National Enquirer and he is our John Travolta from Welcome Back Kotter and our John Travolta from Grease and our John Travolta from Saturday Night Fever and our John Travolta from Pulp Fiction and our John Travolta from Scientology and he is a pilot.

Find another Mormon apologist willing to stand up for the church and engage with critics on a daily basis and I’ll happily start discussing their ideas.

Kwaku and the midnight children don’t count.

Binger wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 28, 2022 1:59 pm

Because we are the Daily World News and he is our Alien. And because we are the National Enquirer and he is our John Travolta from Welcome Back Kotter and our John Travolta from Grease and our John Travolta from Saturday Night Fever and our John Travolta from Pulp Fiction and our John Travolta from Scientology and he is a pilot.

Yeah, maybe something like that.

Dr. Shades wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 28, 2022 1:52 pm

Marcus wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 27, 2022 4:02 pm

But, I've seen how petty and vindictive Midgley is, and I live much closer to him than Australia. His pal DCP already doxxed someone thinking it was me, so no, I'd rather not give away any information by posting the contents of his emails. Maybe I'll figure out a way to post snippets they can't trace.

Would you be willing to copy-and-paste them via email to those of us who would like to read them?

Not to you, no. Shades, on a previous iteration of this board, you once told me it was my own fault people were posting attacks on my family, after I shared a brief story. Even though many other people here, including yourself, share stories about family members all the time, in far greater detail.

You deleted those attacks on my family, but your condescension was palpable and vastly inappropriate (you mentioned the need to 'save me from myself'). I have an idea what made you apply such a different standard to me, but in any case, that kind of comment doesn't lead to the development of trust in a person.

Plus you know Binger in real life. that alone would prevent me from sharing anything with you.

Kishkumen wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 28, 2022 1:39 pm

It could also be the case that the church is false, and yet he has benefited more from it than he would have from any other religion or philosophy.

He could have spent all this time being trapped and seasick on Scientology's Freewinds. Instead, he is a world-renowned retired professor of apologetics at God's own university, having authored reams of message board posts.

Marcus wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 27, 2022 4:02 pm

Everybody Wang Chung wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 26, 2022 9:54 pm

Marcus,

WTH?! This certainly deserves its own thread. Please post it.

I’m sorry. That’s horrible behavior from Midgley and DCP. I wish I could say I’m surprised.

thank you.

But, I've seen how petty and vindictive Midgley is, and I live much closer to him than Australia. His pal DCP already doxxed someone thinking it was me, so no, I'd rather not give away any information by posting the contents of his emails. Maybe I'll figure out a way to post snippets they can't trace.

Good call.

Res Ipsa wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 29, 2022 6:11 am

Marcus wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 27, 2022 4:02 pm

thank you.

But, I've seen how petty and vindictive Midgley is, and I live much closer to him than Australia. His pal DCP already doxxed someone thinking it was me, so no, I'd rather not give away any information by posting the contents of his emails. Maybe I'll figure out a way to post snippets they can't trace.

Good call.

Very much agreed.