Salt Lake Tribune story on my thesis

[_Mike Reed]

Now that is catholic but not the cross standing empty.

You have no idea what you are talking about. Catholic symbolism has included BOTH empty crosses and crucifixes.

The protestants have the empty cross as a symbol of the risen Christ and as a separation of their catholic past. And so, why would church leaders actually call the cross catholic. I do believe that they had something else in mind.

Something else? {chuckle} Like what?

Plus, the cross has a colored past in prechristianity. And I also believe that it was not the main symbol of the early church.

Whether or not it was a "main" symbol is irrelevant. The fact remains that early Christians embraced the visual symbol of the coss.

[_Mike Reed]

in the cross there has been much debate about pagan origins.

As have the pentagram, moonstone, all-seeing eye, beehive, sunstone... etc.

You know that it is a fallacy to assert that the origin of something determines its current significance, don't you?

[_CaliforniaKid]

Hey Mike,

Missed you at the Sac Sunstone meeting tonight. It was fun. I described a bit about your research and thesis and everyone seemed quite interested. They want you to tell them about it in more detail next time, should you come. Peace,

-Chris

[_Mike Reed]

Hey Mike,

Missed you at the Sac Sunstone meeting tonight. It was fun. I described a bit about your research and thesis and everyone seemed quite interested. They want you to tell them about it in more detail next time, should you come. Peace,

-Chris

Yeah. I am totally bummed that I couldn't make it. It turns out that my ex-wife is in the hospital with pneumonia, and my four year old son blames himself because he knows his mom caught the flue from him. Poor little guy. Anyway... it was important that I be there for him.

But yeah... definitely next time. Do you know how soon the next meeting will be? I went to an RLDS service earlier today. I found it to be quite interesting.

[_CaliforniaKid]

Yeah. I am totally bummed that I couldn't make it. It turns out that my ex-wife is in the hospital with pneumonia, and my four year old son blames himself because he knows his mom caught the flue from him. Poor little guy. Anyway... it was important that I be there for him.

Bummer! Not the swine flu, I hope?

But yeah... definitely next time. Do you know how soon the next meeting will be?

Either July 12 or July 19. They will undoubtedly email us with a final date.

I went to an RLDS service earlier today. I found it to be quite interesting.

Ooh, I've been meaning to do that, but haven't gotten around to it yet!

[_why me]

Congrats, Mike! Just out of curiosity---has there been any Mopologetic reaction (negative or otherwise) to your work?

Most that have spoken up have complimented me for the story. I suspect that there are several who think negatively about it, but aren't saying so because they'd rather not get into a debate with me. The comments on the SL Tribune are all over the place. Conservative Mormons labeling me an anti-Mormon with an agenda to dirty the reputation of the Church, and anti-Mormons claiming that my research is nothing but apologetic spin--that I am even a pawn for the church, laying the groundwork for a policy change.

Reading the comments at the end of the article gives me the impression that the article lauding your thesis has given a reason for antimormons to spew their filth. Of course that is not your fault. The article was designed to cause such an outpouring of hate toward the LDS church.

[_cinepro]

From the comments:

5/4/2009 4:54:00 PM -- Emma didn't know he knew Hebrew? She also didn't know that he was screwing half the town either.

[_Mike Reed]

Reading the comments at the end of the article gives me the impression that the article lauding your thesis has given a reason for antimormons to spew their filth.

And the same can be said about Bushman's "Rough Stone Rolling"; Tod Compton's "Sacred Loneliness"; and Walker, Turley and Leonard's "Massacre at Mountain Meadows."

Of course that is not your fault. The article was designed to cause such an outpouring of hate toward the LDS church.

I thought I demonstrated to you that the motives you attribute to Peggy were false. If Peggy's "design" was to fulfill an anti-Mormon agenda, why did she avoid the most juicy part of the quote? Here it is again:

My thesis also gave this quote from David O. McKay's diary: “A Catholic Church celebration was held last night [Saturday]—People drinking and carousing until 6:30 this morning. O what a Godless farce that organization is!”

Compare this to what Peggy wrote in her article: "He noted with disdain one Catholic celebration in Belgium, where people were 'drinking and carousing until 6:30 a.m.'"

I think it is pretty clear that you have judged Peggy unfairly.

[_Mike Reed]

I never expected that the article would be this popular:

Top-rated stories Stories with the highest ratings by Tribune readers in the past five days.
• Mormons and the cross (241)
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• Monson: Three major Jazz questions answered (79)
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• Elizabeth Smart: Kidnapping was a defining life moment (72)
• Filth and stench (70)
• Immigration arrest of missionary puts focus on LDS policy (63)
• Jones: The GOP jumps the shark (59)
• Moab is a redrock R&R hot spot, but slow to grow (58)

The second place article seems to be hot on its tail. No pun intended.

[_why me]

Of course that is not your fault. The article was designed to cause such an outpouring of hate toward the LDS church.

I thought I demonstrated to you that the motives you attribute to Peggy were false. If Peggy's "design" was to fulfill an anti-Mormon agenda, why did she avoid the most juicy part of the quote? Here it is again:

My thesis also gave this quote from David O. McKay's diary: “A Catholic Church celebration was held last night [Saturday]—People drinking and carousing until 6:30 this morning. O what a Godless farce that organization is!”

Compare this to what Peggy wrote in her article: "He noted with disdain one Catholic celebration in Belgium, where people were 'drinking and carousing until 6:30 a.m.'"

I think it is pretty clear that you have judged Peggy unfairly.

I can understand the reaction of David McKay's. It is not easy watching a catholic celebration were people are drunk as a skunk. The protestants found this hard to swallow also. For protestants, the catholics seemed not to have control over their drinking and sexual habits. The protestants were just more prudent.

And so, what is wrong with McKay's comment? I had the same feeling as a young catholic. Too much boozing going on.