How Much Are LDS Apologists Paid?

[_rcrocket]

The "proof" that you're referring to is GoodK's testimonial. I'm sort of curious why you seem so unwilling to accept this, especially since it's been established, both by GoodK him/herself, and, implicitly, by rcrocket, that Goodk is the son/daughter of a fairly prominent FARMS author... Don't you therefore think that GoodK would be in a reasonably good position to know this stuff? You know, sort of like how Joseph Smith and teachers in the Church are in a good position to correctly interpret D&C 76?

The things you are assuming about GoodK's father are untrue. Furthermore, you and GoodK have me at a disadvantage. I have told GoodK I won't "out" him or her with any more details about his/her life, but she/he is feeing you sub rosa personal information you're just repeating here.

Scratch, your source is way off as well as you are.

[_William Schryver]

I have written for FARMS. I wasn't paid anything.

I have arranged for speaking engagement for FARMS directors who are also employed by BYU. The flight expense came out of my pocket. I arranged to pick them up at the airport. Accommodations were on their own nickel (they always stayed with friends or family). They received no payment from me.

Similarly, in my professional capacity I have arranged for speakers from universities to speak to professional or business groups. They are salaried at their institutions but don't receive payment from us for seminar participation. The groups I work with, however, do arrange for their hotel room, food and a rental car.

Similarly, I have been a panelist and a presenter at various business groups. I am not paid for what I publish there; I don't get paid for panel participation. My hotel room and travel are comp'd. I have never obtained business as the result of any seminar of which I was a panelist, although one of my motivations for doing this is to attract business.

I think what the FARMS presenters do is pretty formulaic in academia.

rcrocket

What a killjoy you are, Bob!

Here Scratchy and GoodK and a small group of intimate friends were pleasantly engaged in another of the now-almost-legendary Shadyville Circle Jerks, and you open the door and turn on the lights.

Fun hater.

[Guest]

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

The annual Joseph Smith summer seminar, sponsored by the Neal A. Maxwell Institute of Religious Scholarship, will take as its theme in 2008 "Joseph Smith and His Critics." The theme has been chosen in response to the growing number of critical attacks in books and on the web. Many Latter-day Saints have been affected adversely by these criticisms, and the materials supplied by our apologetic institutions have not always met their needs.

The purpose of the seminar is to bring together a dozen experienced LDS scholars to review the arguments on both sides of a number of these issues and formulate replies that serve inquirers more satisfactorily. The emphasis will be less on providing answers to every question than on putting the adverse evidence in a new light. Our aim is to persuade readers that the facts do not compel them to discard Joseph Smith. In fact, negative information can sometimes illuminate his cultural situation and mission.

Dean Terry Ball of the College of Religious Education and Andrew Skinner of the Neal a. Maxwell Institute have approved this approach and authorized me to extend this invitation. The seminar will meet for six and a half weeks and require full-time participation. Participants will receive a $3000 stipend. Each participant will write one or more papers to be presented at a symposium for the Religious Education faculty.

To apply to participate in the summer seminar, click here. Applications are due January 15, 2008, and announcement of successful candidates will be made February 15.

Richard Lyman Bushman
rlb7@columbia.edu

----------------

Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship Mission Statement

The Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship exists to:

-Describe and defend the Restoration through highest quality scholarship

-Provide critically edited, primary resources (ancient religious texts) to scholars and lay persons around the world

-Build bridges of understanding and goodwill to Muslim scholars by providing superior editions of primary texts

-Provide an anchor of faith in a sea of LDS Studies

[_TAK]

I thought it was known that FARMS offers stipends for the work they produce..
I think this has been going on for at least a few years..

http://farms.BYU.edu/sumsem.html

Wow... Good find TAK!

This is old news

No. It's not. This is new news to at least two posters on this board, myself included. The FACT that some apologists get paid now establishes this notion concretely. Now. The questions of which mopologists, how much they get paid, and for what apologia remain to be answered in light of claims by some well-known mopologists that they don't get paid for their efforts.

This is pretty big in light of the link above, and GoodK's assertions.

Yes it is
Old news

Can't help it if you are behind the times.

Are you saying that it's old news that mopologists get paid to do apologia on behalf of the Mormon church?

What Jason is saying is its old news because this is not the first year FARMS has done this. I think it was less in years past than the $36000 total they are offering ($3k each) to 12 academics this year for apologetic work. I would assume most are going to be young educators perhaps CES instructors, who would jump at the chance to come back to YBU for 6 weeks. Since its summer and most are off and the campus less full, I would bet housing and meals are going to be included.

To say FARMS does not pay for content is a lie... their own website confirms it. If they do it here its not s stretch they do it for other work as well. Since they hide the finances proving or disproving is a draw.

[_guy sajer]

Chap:

Although I find DCP an uncongenial phenomenon - since he is the living counter-example to my cherished belief that a university education tends to produce people with a greater than average aptitude for the unfettered search for truth ...

That's right, Chap. The more educated the person, the less likely s/he is to fall for all that Mormon crap.

Unfortunately for your "cherished belief," it encounters exceptions everywhere, doesn't it? Not hardly just DCP, is it? Why, there are highly educated people all over the place who still somehow find Mormonism believable. How could that be? Maybe they didn't get the right kind of education, huh? Maybe you could set them straight.

"All over the place?" You must surely mean in certain geographical locations in North America. Having travelled throughout much of the world, I can assure you that precious few educated people find Mormonism believable. In absolute numbers, perhaps a few million, but in relative terms, a puny, insignificant, utterly trivial share of humanity finds Momonism believable. You are a member of a teeny, tiny, almost indiscernible group of highly educated people who have bought into the con.

[_guy sajer]

I suppose it depends on what it means to be paid for apologetic work.

I would guess that, for example, Prof. P spends 30% or more of his productive time on apologetics stuff. Prof. P is paid by BYU, which is fully aware of that he devotes X share of his productive time to apologetics work.

Whether he is directly paid for apologetic work, he appears to be paid at least indirectly for it.

[_GoodK]

My friend at BYU said DCP doesn't teach any classes and isn't listed on the course schedule at all... so if he gets a paycheck from BYU, what is it for?

[_Dr. Shades]

Here Scratchy and GoodK and a small group of intimate friends were pleasantly engaged in another of the now-almost-legendary Shadyville Circle Jerks, and you open the door and turn on the lights.

Will, have you found out what that particular compound word means yet?

[Guest]

Mr. Schryver,

Are you stating that mopologists don't earn "one cent" from their apologetic work? What's your position on this issue?

[_GoodK]

In other words the claim that Peterson and other LDS apologists are PAID to be apologist's seems to be a hollow claim with no evidence to back it up. Scratch must really be disappointed. Such excitement over NADA!

Yes my friend, I suppose we will just have to give the big guy the benefit of the doubt until he owns up to things or we can get a copy of his Income Tax filing.

Hey Goodk...talk is cheap. You made a claim...that you know apologists are paid. Then what do we see? Nothing. Personally I could care less if they are paid. I hope they are in fact. Time is worth something. But here you got old Scratch so excited he is almost having an orgasm. And what evidnce do we see?

None.

You are certain the DCP is paid, Midgely probably is and Sorenson might be? Come on! Cheap rumor monging and innuendo is all you have provided.

Wow Jason. Bad day?

I never said I could prove that they get paid, I know that they do get compensated from personal experience, I don't really care if you believe me or not, nor do I think it is bad thing. I hope they get paid, and get paid well for it.

If you read the thread where this originated from - you will see that I was unaware that FARMS apologists implied otherwise.

Why not go ask DCP yourself if he has honestly never been compensated for any book or review he has published for FARMS.

Report back with your findings. (I'm sure you won't be surprised)