Jack Welch and the Mopologist "Network"

[_Daniel Peterson]

You're so utterly bizarre, Scratch.

*****

If there is any normal person out there who is actually curious about Jack's role in Mormon scholarship and apologetics, or about my relationship to Jack (personal and professional) -- I don't imagine that the curiosity is very great -- I would be happy to answer any questions. (Most of it is quite public, of course. Jack -- who has written and published and edited and lectured on a virtually superhuman level for many years now -- has been anything but "shadowy.") Just drop me a note at daniel_peterson@BYU.edu.

But you'll have to use your real e-mail address and name. I'm not interested in furnishing Scratch with any material for his weird spinning and twisting, and certainly not in playing with his surrogates. He can work to get it on his own.

His fundamental mistake is that he somehow imagines that his world of tiny peripheral message boards and trivia is the real world of Mormon apologetics, thereby almost entirely missing (and, for that reason, devaluing) the actual apologetic "world" of books and articles and lectures and firesides and films.

[_Buffalo]

You're so utterly bizarre, Scratch.

*****

If there is any normal person out there who is actually curious about Jack's role in Mormon scholarship and apologetics, or about my relationship to Jack (personal and professional) -- I don't imagine that the curiosity is very great -- I would be happy to answer any questions. (Most of it is quite public, of course. Jack -- who has written and published and edited and lectured on a virtually superhuman level for many years now -- has been anything but "shadowy.") Just drop me a note at daniel_peterson@BYU.edu.

But you'll have to use your real e-mail address and name. I'm not interested in furnishing Scratch with any material for his weird spinning and twisting, and certainly not in playing with his surrogates. He can work to get it on his own.

His fundamental mistake is that he somehow imagines that his world of tiny peripheral message boards and trivia is the real world of Mormon apologetics, thereby almost entirely missing (and, for that reason, devaluing) the actual apologetic "world" of books and articles and lectures and firesides and films.

You've got that right.

[_Runtu]

Take note of the portion I've underlined. Students and scholars of Mopologetics Studies will no doubt remember that the so-called "2nd Watson Letter" was cribbed from the Encyclopedia of Mormonism, and here we have a reminder that Jack "the dark, menacing presence" Welch was on the Editorial Board for the Encyclopedia. So, is this mere coincidence? Perhaps. I found it interesting, regardless. I'm curious, too, what kind of payment/compensation Welch receives in exchange for lending his "apologetic expertise" to these cruises. He's listed as a "headliner," which seems to imply that his status and ranking are higher than DCP's. Would it be reasonable to assume that Welch is given 10 grand in compensation?

No matter the case, I have to take my hat off to these guys for their ingenuity. It surely takes a certain amount of cleverness (and/or chutzpah?) to parlay a "non-profit" apologetic venture into a means of milking cruise companies for free trips around the globe. I'm practically green with envy.

These kinds of cruises are commonplace in a whole lot of endeavors (from Radio from Hell to The National Review). Why is this somehow milking cruise companies for free trips? Am I missing something?

The encyclopedia was an interesting production (full disclosure: I edited portions of it). It was officially published by Macmillan, but the church was given the opportunity to review the articles. Our editing staff edited the book at the church's expense (I can't remember how we billed it in our accounting, but it was not charged to Macmillan). So, it's quasi-official in that the church approved its content, but because it does not bear a church copyright, it's not "official doctrine."

As for Jack Welch, I'm always puzzled when I hear about people I suspect none of us know. I certainly don't know Jack Welch. My sister is in his ward, and she has offered several times to set up an appointment with Brother Welch to help deal with my concerns, but so far, I haven't taken her up on the offer. She tells me he's a really good man who says he would be happy to help me. I don't know where the dark, evil presence comes from. She says he's fairly unassuming and some people take him to be really quiet, but he's a good man.

I'll take her word for it.

[_Doctor Scratch]

...[Welch's] embarrassing work on chiasmus...

Hi, Scratch. What about Welch's work on chiasmus do you find "embarrassing"? Just curious.

The fact that it was done at all.

[_Simon Belmont]

The fact that it was done at all.

Could you be more specific?

Funny how people change their minds, isn't it?

Yes, it is.

Let me say this loud and clear: I hereby promise to never start another DCP thread ever again.

[_Doctor Scratch]

As for Jack Welch, I'm always puzzled when I hear about people I suspect none of us know. I certainly don't know Jack Welch. My sister is in his ward, and she has offered several times to set up an appointment with Brother Welch to help deal with my concerns, but so far, I haven't taken her up on the offer. She tells me he's a really good man who says he would be happy to help me. I don't know where the dark, evil presence comes from.

I recommend that you have a listen to Part II of the Mormon Expressions interview with Will Bagley. In it, he describes Welch as a "dark, menacing presence," and he goes on to say that everyone at the JSF Institute had to get permission from Welch "just to breathe." And yet, as you point out (via your sister), he is apparently this low-key, quiet, unassuming guy who has nonetheless been pumping out (per DCP) a "superhuman" level of material.

[_Runtu]

I recommend that you have a listen to Part II of the Mormon Expressions interview with Will Bagley. In it, he describes Welch as a "dark, menacing presence," and he goes on to say that everyone at the JSF Institute had to get permission from Welch "just to breathe." And yet, as you point out (via your sister), he is apparently this low-key, quiet, unassuming guy who has nonetheless been pumping out (per DCP) a "superhuman" level of material.

Oh, yeah, that's right. I did listen to that Bagley interview, and I remember his discussion of Welch. I had forgotten, obviously.

All I'm saying is that I don't know Jack Welch, and I'm guessing you don't either. I'm not going to base my opinion of a stranger on the basis of one person's opinion, particularly someone who opposes his work (not that I'm saying Will is a bad guy or anything, but I suspect his impression is colored by his biases and theirs toward him). That would be like determining what kind of person I am by asking Nomad or Schryver.

[_harmony]

I'm not seeing how it's a bad thing for a cruise line to pay their expert lecturers by providing them with a room and meals for them and their spouse. Heck, I think they should pay them too!

[_Doctor Scratch]

I'm not seeing how it's a bad thing for a cruise line to pay their expert lecturers by providing them with a room and meals for them and their spouse. Heck, I think they should pay them too!

I rather think so, too. It would thrilling to me if these apologists were to get rich off their consultation work.

[_Doctor Scratch]

All I'm saying is that I don't know Jack Welch, and I'm guessing you don't either. I'm not going to base my opinion of a stranger on the basis of one person's opinion, particularly someone who opposes his work (not that I'm saying Will is a bad guy or anything, but I suspect his impression is colored by his biases and theirs toward him). That would be like determining what kind of person I am by asking Nomad or Schryver.

Wow---comparing Bagley to Nomad and Schryver? That seems just a tad harsh, don't you think?

Regardless, I see no harm in inquiring into Welch's role in Mopologetics. Perhaps he is the milquetoast workaholic that your sister described. Then again, maybe there is a deeper and more complex side to his personality. As of right now, my impression is simply that Welch wields an enormous amount of power and influence within apologetic circles, and I have a hard time seeing how that (i.e., my impression) is in any way a bad thing.