Midgley Announces an Essay on “the silly and disgusting things” that BYU Admin Did to John Gee

[Dr Moore]

It is endlessly interesting the way some people in the business of defending the church will turn bullies and liars into saints, simply by nixing any common standards of accountability.

[I Have Questions]

Will today be the day in which Dr. Midgley’s review appears? If not, I hope that we’ll see the 55th Interpreter article by Matthew Bowen on wordplay in the scriptures.

Still nothing. It must have been really, really, really bad.

[Tom]

I regret to report that Dr. Midgley’s review was not posted on the Interpreter website today. Perhaps it will appear next Friday.

They must have a very long backlog of articles in order to meet DCP’s primary objective of releasing every Friday.

Sounds right. I write to report that Dr. Midgley’s review wasn’t posted today.

[Marcus]

They must have a very long backlog of articles in order to meet DCP’s primary objective of releasing every Friday.

Sounds right. I write to report that Dr. Midgley’s review wasn’t posted today.

He seems to have several 'in the works.'

Louis Midgley
Michael Hoggan
15 days ago

Michael Hoggan:

Well the fact is that I have in mind both of my missionary endeavors in New Zealand. The first was back in 1950-1952. I am about to publish something about my first mission in New Zealand.

[drumdude]

Perhaps Dr. Peterson can also post some restaurant reviews in Interpreter from his recent visit across the pond?

[Moksha]

Perhaps Dr. Peterson can also post some restaurant reviews in Interpreter from his recent visit across the pond?

Stuff worth reading for a change. That might also build up Interpreter subscriptions.

[Dr Moore]

... My essay sets out some of the silly and disgusting things that the current BYU Administration allowed or facilitated when they unpublished Professor Gee's wonderful book entitled Saving Faith: How Families Protect, Sustain, and Encourage Faith, which is a genuinely faith supporting book that was published by the Religious Studies Center at BYU, in cooperation with Deseret Book Company, in 2020.

"Silly and disgusting" brings images of a slasher clown. Like Art in the Terrifier or Pennywise in IT.

Seems like an apt way of interpreting Midgley's world view. Anyone who disagrees with him is as horrifying as a slasher clown.

[Tom]

I've learned that Interpreter will be posting two new pieces on its website today. Alas, neither one seems to be Dr. Midgley's review essay "set[ting] out some of the silly and disgusting things that the current BYU Administration allowed or facilitated when they unpublished Professor Gee's wonderful book entitled Saving Faith: How Families Protect, Sustain, and Encourage Faith, which is a genuinely faith supporting book that was published by the Religious Studies Center at BYU, in cooperation with Deseret Book Company, in 2020."

Perhaps next week.

[Tom]

I've learned that Dr. Midgley's review will be posted today. A review of Spencer W. McBride, Joseph Smith for President: The Prophet, the Assassins, and the Fight for American Religious Freedom will also be posted on the Interpreter website.

Having read Dr. Midgley's review, I must say that I am very surprised by the contents. I expected to read "some of the story of how his excellent book was unpublished by the BYU Administration told with most of the ugly details set out" and "some of the silly and disgusting things that the current BYU Administration allowed or facilitated when they unpublished Professor Gee's wonderful book." Instead, we get this tepid passage:

In late 2020, shortly after it was published, Saving Faith was pulled from publication by its publisher, BYU's Religious Studies Center. There was no formal statement as to why the decision was made, but it occurred after a very negative online reaction to statements made by Gee in Chapter 6, "The Ruthless War of Promiscuity." In summarizing statistical data on the causes of homosexuality, Gee's words were lifted out of context and twisted by those who felt threatened by his use of data.

Lacking any public statements by the publisher, those who howled at Gee's statements were able to claim victory -- their foe had been vanquished and they, the victors, must be right and Gee must be wrong. One of the howlers triumphantly stated -- without providing any supporting evidence -- that the book was pulled "because of author John Gee's statements about homosexuality and child sexual abuse." Gee was obviously evil, and those opposed to him were happy -- almost gleeful -- to tell us why. The online book-burning was a rousing success, and fun was had by all.

This brings to mind a portion of the preface to Saving Faith, where the author anticipates that some of what he will discuss in the book will be controversial, to say the least:

A number of the topics discussed [in this book] are sensitive to various people, usually because of past personal experiences that have been quite painful. . . . The data lead one "to enlarge the wounds of those who are already wounded, instead of consoling and healing their wounds; and those who have not been wounded, instead of feasting upon the pleasing word of God have daggers placed to pierce their souls and wound their delicate minds" (Jacob 2:9). Others have sensitivities because "the guilty taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very center" (1 Nephi 16:2); we do not like our pet sins pointed out or poked. Nevertheless, the data are there and just because we do not like what they have to say is not reason in itself to avoid discussing them honestly. It seems to me more important to save faith than to save face. (p. xii)

Was BYU's Religious Studies Center correct to pull Professor Gee's book from the shelves? It is hard to say without understanding why they did so, and they aren't talking. Some will see their action as capitulation to the howling of those poked by Gee's words. For this reason, the action of the Religious Studies Center is a shame because it is "more important to save faith than to save face," and Saving Faith is a great resource toward that end. ...

Despite no more copies being printed and despite the seemingly excellent (and intellectually intolerant) work of the "cancel culture" mob, copies of Saving Faith can still be found through online booksellers and secondhand stores.

[Everybody Wang Chung]

I've learned that Dr. Midgley's review will be posted today. A review of Spencer W. McBride, Joseph Smith for President: The Prophet, the Assassins, and the Fight for American Religious Freedom will also be posted on the Interpreter website.

Thanks Tom!

"The Interpreter leaks like a sieve." -- DCP