Is Something "Amiss" at "Mormon Interpreter"?

[Doctor Scratch]

I see that Dr. Peterson has posted a response to this thread.

I was amused during the break in today’s Interpreter Foundation “Temple on Mount Zion” conference — a break that I mostly employed to read through a lengthy new blog entry from Drs. Royal Skousen and Stanford Carmack for imminent posting on the Interpreter website — to see a characteristically dismissive comment from one particularly dedicated critic of mine. In it, he responds to the publication, yesterday, of my most recent Interpreter volume introduction (“It Came from Beyond”). He claims to discern a recent decline of energy at the Interpreter Foundation, a slowing and a sluggishness that, I assume, is to be viewed as an indicator that we’re beginning to fail.

Well, that's *sort of* what I said. Readers are welcome to simply scroll up, but to refresh your memory, this is what I said:

I don't know about you, but I've noticed that activity related to the "Mormon Interpreter" blog and its leadership seem to be, well, slowing.

It's interesting that Dr. Peterson omits the bit about himself. It's especially interesting when you consider it in light of the new information that's come to light about his "meeting" with the Patheos heads. But his remarks continue:

I’m not sure whence he derives this supposed impression. Perhaps it stems from a striking recent reduction in our pace of publication: Whereas we’ve occasionally published two or even three articles per week and have never failed, since August 2012, to publish at least one, our productivity has plummeted in recent weeks to the fairly consistent publication of at least two weekly journal articles. On the other hand, his perception may come from the supposed fact that, as he himself has also claimed to perceive, one of our mainstays, John Gee — who spoke in the first of today’s two conference sessions and chaired the second — is moving away from his long-time defense of the Book of Abraham. (If Dr. Gee is giving up on defending the Book of Moses, I’ve entirely missed it.)

Our slow fading is also perhaps suggested by today’s Interpreter Foundation conference, as well as by these two new items that were posted earlier today on the Interpreter Foundation’s website:

“Videos Available for the 2020 Book of Moses Conference: Tracing Ancient Threads in the Book of Moses”

“Book of Moses Essays #28: Enoch’s Grand Vision: The Weeping of Enoch (Moses 7:28–43)”

Sigh.

It's "derived" from the fact that activity on "Sic et Non" has slowed significantly--a fact seemingly reinforced by this "meeting" with Patheos leadership, who clearly have demanded editorial changes in the way that the blog is being run.

And I have to chuckle about the bit here on John Gee. So, I guess the message we were supposed to take away is that Smoot is going to function as a kind of Robin to Gee's Batman? Okay--sure. It'll be fun to watch, I'm sure.

[Gadianton]

"Whereas we’ve occasionally published two or even three articles per week and have never failed, since August 2012...our productivity has plummeted ..."

Signature worthy.

[Moksha]

Dr. Peterson could boost clicks on SeN if he let Kwaku post the locations for his underground COVID-19 dance venues. The BYU Administration probably has no clue to the existence of this blog, so Kwaku could run his operation undisturbed.

Kwaku should consider blook oaths to stop those dancing BYU students from blabbing.

[Doctor Scratch]

What do you know? Just like that, Dr. Peterson is back to posting political material. Some interesting tidbits:

And (much more importantly) I had been told at second hand of a potentially significant donor to the Interpreter Foundation who had vowed that, because of my political views, he would not contribute to support our work — work that is, incidentally and for the record, wholly and completely nonpartisan and nonpolitical.

Hmmm.... Is that really true? And then there's this howler:

Several major gaffes, not least among them some spectacular revelations of arrant plagiarism, delayed his rise to the presidency but ultimately failed to stop it.

LOL! Somebody needs to transplant that thread about Dr. Peterson's mountainous pile of plagiarisms onto this new-and-improved board.

In any case, it seems clear that "Sic et Non" is reverting back to its old antics, because just check out these insane comments:

The election was stolen thanks to the secret combination which Trump referred to as the Deep State. Other Christian leaders are telling it like it is. They are sounding a lot more prophetic what I'm hearing coming out of our leadership

Kevin Harper: Please provide evidence that that this election "was stolen thanks to the secret combination...Trump referred to as the Deep State."

And exactly who exactly are these "other Christian leaders" who you think are "telling it like it is," and hence are "sounding a lot more prophetic" than what your are "hearing coming out out of our leadership"?

Have you had your name removed over the slogans fashioned by those partisans seeking to be elected to public office?

And:

You are a feckless coward, Dr. Peterson.

Biden said that Mitt Romney would put black folks back in chains. You should be ashamed that you are offering your support of this lying bastard.

Thanks for illustrating my point, Porter.

Some people may accuse me of having made your comment up. But I didn't!

(Incidentally, as I noted in my blog post, Mitt Romney -- the very target of Joseph Biden's highly dishonest characterization, which you cite -- had very positive things to say about Mr. Biden.)

Ha ha ha! And this is going down on Sunday! Well, I guess there's no better way to honor the sabbath and keep it holy in Mopologetics Land then by picking political fights and sowing discord.

[Gadianton]

A very interesting development. I take it to mean that for whatever reason, the party threatening with donations is no longer relevant, and so now he can proceed to act on matter of principle. This sounds much like his confusion over God and morality.

At any rate, I found it heartening that he'd throw in for a Democrat and hope for the best. However, I also found it amusing that he's already fearing a totalitarian hell, and that he's fueling a witch hunt for supposed "Bidenists" who "are calling for the compilation of “lists” of those who backed Mr. Trump."

Sure, there is really movement to get a list together of 70+ million names in order to punish them.

[Doctor Scratch]

A very interesting development. I take it to mean that for whatever reason, the party threatening with donations is no longer relevant, and so now he can proceed to act on matter of principle.

Yes: it's strange. I mean, I wasn't under the impression that the donor was going to suddenly be okay with politics as soon as the election was over. DCP portrayed the whole thing in such a way that it seemed like this donor simply found his (i.e., DCP's) political views odious.

At any rate, I found it heartening that he'd throw in for a Democrat and hope for the best. However, I also found it amusing that he's already fearing a totalitarian hell, and that he's fueling a witch hunt for supposed "Bidenists" who "are calling for the compilation of “lists” of those who backed Mr. Trump."

Sure, there is really movement to get a list together of 70+ million names in order to punish them.

A "very large clipping service," in other words, eh, Dr. Robbers?

[Gadianton]

Lol! You've got me there, professor. It is interesting that the apologists are shaken to the core by the unsubstantiated suggestion that there are those on the left ready to make a list of 70,000,000 names in order to punish them for voting Trump, while simultaneously working with glee for the SCMC, and "making lists" of critics who can actually really be hurt by their actions.

[Moksha]

The election was stolen thanks to the secret combination which Trump referred to as the Deep State. Other Christian leaders are telling it like it is. They are sounding a lot more prophetic than what I'm hearing coming out of our leadership.

Trump's own pastor speaking in holy gibberish and calling upon the angels of Africa and South America to aid in the electoral victory of Trump could siphon many Mormons away from the Church. Dr. Loopy-Lou Midgley could help stem this outflow by posting more of his vitriol on Sic et Non.

[Doctor Scratch]

Boy, that thread has really erupted over there. You can practically sense the relief over all the pent-up narcissism finding an outlet at last: "Look at me! I'm reasonable! Oh, and let me indulge in my fantasies about getting to appoint Mitt Romney as Secretary of State! Wheeee!"

[Moksha]

Looks like Dr. Peterson has found a way to bring his Patheos numbers back up again. Right-wing commentators who see the board as a chance to tout the rise of Trump using lightning-induced tissue reanimation, an eye of newt, and some Ford Edsel battery acid.

From what I read, it appears Dr. Peterson has the board's twin hellhounds on some powerful neuroleptics so they are only emitting low rumbling and disjointed snarls. That should please Patheos which advocates for an angelic rather than demonic side of things.