Peter Pan from NevilleNevilleLand takes on... Midgley?

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Marcus
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Peter Pan from NevilleNevilleLand takes on... Midgley?

Post by Marcus »

Midgley is not pleased with volume 2 of Saints:
Louis Midgley 5 days ago

It seems that the mess that was made of the second volume in this series got the attention of those working on this series. The person who knows the most about the Church in the South Pacific is Lanny Britsch, who was never consulted. Instead they sought help from Marjorie Newton on New Zealand. They could not have made a more serious mistake....
Peter Pan has given his opinion on those who criticize the Saints volumes. (fair warning, the brackets at the end are my insertion.)

...I’m at this year’s FAIR conference, and Jed Woodworth just gave a presentation about Saints volume 3. Woodworth is a historian and writer in the Church History Department, and he’s managing historian of Saints, the Church’s multi-volume history that Jonathan Neville has done his level best to criticize it for presenting a “false historical narrative.”

Except for the portions in quotations marks, the following is my paraphrase of Woodworth’s remarks. (I’m looking forward to a recording of the presentation becoming available so I can get an exact transcript.)

Woodworth said, “We have learned that President Nelson is a footnote-reader” and will correct the footnotes in draft manuscripts of Saints that he reviews.

He also said that the First Presidency and other apostles “read every word” of Saints before the volumes are published. President Nelson even once corrected a place in the manuscript that was missing the middle initial in a person’s name.

Woodworth’s comments show that the Brethren are concerned about exacting attention to minute detail, something that’s very odd for a history that supposedly “[doesn’t] present an accurate historical narrative,” as [LOUIS MIDGLEY] has claimed.

https://www.nevillenevilleland.com/2022 ... aints.html
(please note, the [LOUIS MIDGLEY] in the last line replaces "critic Jonathan Neville." )
drumdude
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Re: Peter Pan from NevilleNevilleLand takes on... Midgley?

Post by drumdude »

I don’t think faithful Mormons are capable of writing an unbiased history of their religion. At least not at this point in Mormon history. Bushman surely got close to the line of impartiality, but he never embraced the null hypothesis that Mormonism is wrong until proven correct. Just like every other religion should be viewed in academia: from the secular point of view. Anything else is just biased propaganda.

Even someone like Vogel who gives Joseph credit for being a pious fraud rather than a conman, is attacked by Mormon scholars.

It’s a real shame, because the world needs to know the objective Mormon history free from any pro or anti bias. But most especially Mormons need to know their own history. So that they can make an informed decision about becoming or staying a member of that religion.

Perhaps someday when Mormonism loses its initial fundamentalism, there will be a great Mormon historian just like there have been great Jewish and Catholic historians. Someone who doesn’t have to cow-tow to the Mormon leadership and can give an honest account of their religion without fear of being excommunicated or attacked by their fellow Mormons.
Philo Sofee
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Re: Peter Pan from NevilleNevilleLand takes on... Midgley?

Post by Philo Sofee »

Drumdude
Perhaps someday when Mormonism loses its initial fundamentalism, there will be a great Mormon historian just like there have been great Jewish and Catholic historians. Someone who doesn’t have to cow-tow to the Mormon leadership and can give an honest account of their religion without fear of being excommunicated or attacked by their fellow Mormons.
I would propose Bruno, Swick & Literski book Method Infinite starts this process well on the way in every way you are describing...
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Moksha
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Re: Peter Pan from NevilleNevilleLand takes on... Midgley?

Post by Moksha »

Philo Sofee wrote:
Wed Aug 10, 2022 12:13 am
I would propose Bruno, Swick & Literski book Method Infinite starts this process well on the way in every way you are describing...
Have they been able to tell the truth and remain unmolested in their Mormonism? Does Midgley have dossiers on any of them?
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malkie
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Re: Peter Pan from NevilleNevilleLand takes on... Midgley?

Post by malkie »

Moksha wrote:
Wed Aug 10, 2022 1:46 am
Philo Sofee wrote:
Wed Aug 10, 2022 12:13 am
I would propose Bruno, Swick & Literski book Method Infinite starts this process well on the way in every way you are describing...
Have they been able to tell the truth and remain unmolested in their Mormonism? Does Midgley have dossiers on any of them?
I can't speak for Bruno or Swick, but Nick Literski resigned in 2006.
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