Morgan Davis and the "Plot" to Destroy FARMS

[_Rosebud]

Media reports, talks, public announcements and podcasts intended to influence the public perception of events would need to be included, too. They play a major role in how these messes progress.

[_Maksutov]

ExMormons are very much still Mormons.

ExDehlin fans are still Dehlin fans. Face it. You just can't get over him. Don't want to, apparently.

[_Dr. Shades]

Just think: It was only January 04 and Doctor Scratch already had 10% of the slots in his "Top Ten List of Happenings in Mopologetics, 2020" post filled.

[_Rosebud]

Just think: It was only January 04 and Doctor Scratch already had 10% of the slots in his "Top Ten List of Happenings in Mopologetics, 2020" post filled.

If I had to venture a guess, it’d be that this is going to be a good year for Doctor Scratch. I suppose we’ll see..... a lot will probably depend on what he considers to be the boundaries of “Mopologetics.”

Here’s to the new decade! Cheers....

[_Rosebud]

And Morgan,

I’ve always been really impressed by your letter. You made the mistake of believing John was who he presented himself to the public to be, but your intentions at the time were aligned with my intentions for Mormon Stories. There was a lot going on that the public was missing.

I considered blocking out your name in my post, but figured others would know who you were anyway. Perhaps I should have. Ultimately, I decided I’d do my part to make sure it was obvious that my own intention was to not make your name searchable (feeble as my efforts were) and leave it to others to draw attention to your identity. The title of this thread did just that. It didn’t take long.

Anyway... all of this is to say thank you for your good intentions in 2012 despite all the hell this has been for me. I apologize for any consequences you may face because I released your letter. I personally think most of the harm that’s been done is the fault of the culture and of church leadership for perpetuating that culture, but that’s a bigger discussion.

Rosebud

[_Kishkumen]

As far as I know, the only reason number 7 occurs later is because Peterson implied it did. So when Midgley started commenting, it seemed to me, based on Yakov Ben Tov’s comments, that it was possible no one had later apologized, but that the first Davis email was being misused. I based that on these, from my earlier post:

I tend to think that there was a subsequent apology. DCP referred to one much later than this letter, and I don't think he was making that up. It is entirely consistent with the guilt culture of Mormondom for a decent fellow in the institute to have apologized to DCP for the way that his removal from the editorship came about. There would be a great impetus to square things with your fellow temple-attending, BYU-employed Latter-day Saint.

Now, it could have been the same person--Morgan Davis. Or it might have been Kristian Heal. I don't think anyone who is a solid LDS person would relish the kind of hay that critics and ex-Mormons have made out of this situation and that may add to feelings of guilt.

Here's the thing, though: Nothing invalidates the clear right that was done in removing DCP from his editorship. Bringing Greg Smith to do hatchet jobs on fellow LDS people bears absolutely no resemblance to an academic activity suitable for a serious university. None. You know that, I know that, the people at Maxwell knew it. But this was the FARMS M.O., the one they came into BYU long practiced in. For them it was nothing to get a bright yo-yo with no credentials to do something to boost or defend the LDS Church.

For them that is just another day.

But that is not really how things are done in a normal university environment. Flying Greg Smith in twice a year to fill some role in classic-FARMS operations in Maxwell Institute? Is this serious? Letting loose cannon Will Schryver bring his amateur hour theories into a discussion of serious historical issues regarding sensitive documents? Yikes! And we see how the latter played out. When Will's cannon would not stop firing straight up into the air in reaction to uppity wimmens such as MsJack, well, his time in the BYU sun drew to a close.

That is a track record, and not really a very enviable one. It was one thing when it was a track record of an independent foundation operating on the fringe of BYU campus. It is pretty much the same now that it has become the "Interpreter Foundation." But not a foundation that is part of the Church's flagship university. No, that does not do at all.

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

Boy, Mr. Peterson sure does have a lot of documents in his possession that seem to go the way of the golden plates! Hundreds of ‘manuscripts’ he’s working on, books that *snap* never seem to materialize, the 2ndWL, and now this mysterious Missing Apology Letter!

What say you, Dowsing Dan? You gonna pony up the Missing Apology Letter, or are you going to look like a liar again and double down like you did with the 2ndWL?

- Doc

[_Lemmie]

As far as I know, the only reason number 7 occurs later is because Peterson implied it did. So when Midgley started commenting, it seemed to me, based on Yakov Ben Tov’s comments, that it was possible no one had later apologized, but that the first Davis email was being misused. I based that on these, from my earlier post:

I tend to think that there was a subsequent apology. DCP referred to one much later than this letter, and I don't think he was making that up. It is entirely consistent with the guilt culture of Mormondom for a decent fellow in the institute to have apologized to DCP for the way that his removal from the editorship came about. There would be a great impetus to square things with your fellow temple-attending, BYU-employed Latter-day Saint.

Now, it could have been the same person--Morgan Davis. Or it might have been Kristian Heal. I don't think anyone who is a solid LDS person would relish the kind of hay that critics and ex-Mormons have made out of this situation and that may add to feelings of guilt.

No argument here. Given Midgley's apparent tendency to overexaggarate, I can certainly see how I could be overinterpreting his words.

Here's the thing, though: Nothing invalidates the clear right that was done in removing DCP from his editorship. Bringing Greg Smith to do hatchet jobs on fellow LDS people bears absolutely no resemblance to an academic activity suitable for a serious university. None. You know that, I know that, the people at Maxwell knew it.

i am absolutely in agreement with you on that.

[_Doctor Scratch]

As far as I know, the only reason number 7 occurs later is because Peterson implied it did. So when Midgley started commenting, it seemed to me, based on Yakov Ben Tov’s comments, that it was possible no one had later apologized, but that the first Davis email was being misused. I based that on these, from my earlier post:

I tend to think that there was a subsequent apology. DCP referred to one much later than this letter, and I don't think he was making that up. It is entirely consistent with the guilt culture of Mormondom for a decent fellow in the institute to have apologized to DCP for the way that his removal from the editorship came about. There would be a great impetus to square things with your fellow temple-attending, BYU-employed Latter-day Saint.

Now, it could have been the same person--Morgan Davis. Or it might have been Kristian Heal. I don't think anyone who is a solid LDS person would relish the kind of hay that critics and ex-Mormons have made out of this situation and that may add to feelings of guilt.

Here's the thing, though: Nothing invalidates the clear right that was done in removing DCP from his editorship. Bringing Greg Smith to do hatchet jobs on fellow LDS people bears absolutely no resemblance to an academic activity suitable for a serious university. None. You know that, I know that, the people at Maxwell knew it. But this was the FARMS M.O., the one they came into BYU long practiced in. For them it was nothing to get a bright yo-yo with no credentials to do something to boost or defend the LDS Church.

For them that is just another day.

But that is not really how things are done in a normal university environment. Flying Greg Smith in twice a year to fill some role in classic-FARMS operations in Maxwell Institute? Is this serious? Letting loose cannon Will Schryver bring his amateur hour theories into a discussion of serious historical issues regarding sensitive documents? Yikes! And we see how the latter played out. When Will's cannon would not stop firing straight up into the air in reaction to uppity wimmens such as MsJack, well, his time in the BYU sun drew to a close.

That is a track record, and not really a very enviable one. It was one thing when it was a track record of an independent foundation operating on the fringe of BYU campus. It is pretty much the same now that it has become the "Interpreter Foundation." But not a foundation that is part of the Church's flagship university. No, that does not do at all.

Lots of good points here, Reverend. I think what we are seeing is that the last vestiges of the Mopologists' story are evaporating. They had screwed up royally, and in the end, they didn't have any friends who were in a position to bailing them out. I know there has been talk of "timelines" and "chronologies" recently. I wonder if we might chart a path from "Metcalfe is Butthead" to the events of June 2012? It really does add up to a remarkable track record of idiocy.

[_moksha]

This remarkable confession of evil deeds was sent to all those then employed by the Maxwell Institute, and I witnessed a copy being given to the current BYU President, and I have a copy of the letter, as do at least half a dozen others who were not employees of the Maxwell Institute.

These dastardly Maxwellians then proceeded to hold a Black Mass whereby they danced around a bonfire while dressed as stags from the hunt. Some were caterwauling while others bayed at the moon. Some smeared themselves with marshmallow creme while others chose Snickers bars.

They were all celebrating how they brought a great man low. A man who will be commemorated with large statues in centuries to come.

Wow! That was quite some letter from those usurpers at the once glorious Maxwell Institute. Good thing Dr. Midgley caught a glimpse of that letter before history rewrote it.