Why is Dan Peterson Vacationing During a Pandemic?

[_Shulem]

That’s true. I could, and he did. But in order for me to go on vacation, I would have to be the sort of amoral scum bag who puts his own pleasure over the health of others. The advice is quite clear, and it makes sense: if you are able to stay home, you should do it.
Dr. Peterson is going to have a very difficult time living this one down.

You know, you do call to mind a certain point which is that if everyone went out on vacation then everyone would surely catch Corona.

DCP has set the example. The more that follow his example the more will get sick -- and ultimately die. I guess, in some kind of twisted way, you could say he is guilty of -- murder in the lowest degree?

How many souls will end up dying because of the example set by DCP? How many will die because of him?

[_Themis]

You could. DCP did.

That’s true. I could, and he did. But in order for me to go on vacation, I would have to be the sort of amoral scum bag who puts his own pleasure over the health of others. The advice is quite clear, and it makes sense: if you are able to stay home, you should do it.

Dr. Peterson is going to have a very difficult time living this one down.

That depends on what kind of activities he is engaged in. If he is RVing and staying away from crowds and wearing masks when shopping It is pretty much no different then staying at his house.

[_Shulem]

That depends on what kind of activities he is engaged in. If he is RVing and staying away from crowds and wearing masks when shopping It is pretty much no different then staying at his house.

He's out and about breathing his potentially contaminated breath on poor helpless animals.

If and ever I see a dead fox on the side of the road, I'll be thinking about how Peterson killed a fox when he selfishly went out and spread his contaminated breath and polluted mother earth.

Murderer!

[_mentalgymnast]

That’s true. I could, and he did. But in order for me to go on vacation, I would have to be the sort of amoral scum bag who puts his own pleasure over the health of others. The advice is quite clear, and it makes sense: if you are able to stay home, you should do it.

Dr. Peterson is going to have a very difficult time living this one down.

That depends on what kind of activities he is engaged in. If he is RVing and staying away from crowds and wearing masks when shopping It is pretty much no different then staying at his house.

But his name is DCP.

What does that have to do with it you say? Well, I think you can figure it out.

The fact is, DCP has kept Dr. Scratch in business here. Without him as a target/foil Scratch would have been out of business long ago. Targeting DCP on a vacation as he is enjoying nature with his family really seems unnecessary.

If it was almost anyone else besides him, it wouldn’t even deserve mention.

My wife and I have family flying in today. We haven’t put life on hold. Are we being careful, wearing a mask, etc.? Of course. And so are our kids and grandchildren as they’re coming to visit.

Give the man a break. I’m sure he’s being careful. Can’t you give him the benefit of a doubt?

Quick to judge. Sad.

Not you, Themis. Others in this instance.

Regards,
MG

[_Gadianton]

MG: "My wife and I have family flying in today. We haven’t put life on hold. Are we being careful, wearing a mask, etc.? Of course. And so are our kids and grandchildren as they’re coming to visit."

The difference is the "target" you mention is a public face for the Church, and has a good degree of credibility with tends of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of people. And the guy heading up Covid response (apparently) for the state of Utah is a main contributor on his blog. What would be otherwise minor errors in judgment, may thus become significant. In contrast, you have zero credibility with anybody, including other Mormons, and so there is no other leverage behind your actions then their worth at face value.

[_Shulem]

Give the man a break. I’m sure he’s being careful. Can’t you give him the benefit of a doubt?

I'm not going to give FAT Dan the benefit of the doubt. Why should I? He's a twisted liar who defends the ridiculous claims of Mormonism such as the translation of the Book of Abraham -- wherein it is proven beyond a doubt that there is no "king's name in Facsimile No. 3" and that Smith's spurious translations and explanations were nothing but made-up lies.

Anyway, it should be understood that we are dealing with a crafty apologist who loves to manipulate language with twists and gyrations in order to defend falsehoods.

[_mentalgymnast]

...you have zero credibility with anybody, including other Mormons, and so there is no other leverage behind your actions then their worth at face value.

Well, I don’t know about that.

Be that as it may, as I read through this thread I saw very little to criticize except for the criticism being leveraged against DCP.

But to each his own, I suppose. You’re a Scratch groupie/aficionado and ‘compadre in crime’ as to your efforts against the LDS church and those associated with defending the beliefs of members that adhere to and live according to the precepts of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as taught in the LDS faith.

There’s obviously going to be a certain amount of friction between folks like you and Scratch and DCP. But to target him as he’s giving a travelogue of his vacation? C’mon.

That’s a bit much.

But like I say, to each his own, I suppose.

That’s all I have to say on this.

Regards,
MG

[_Shulem]

as to your efforts against the LDS church and those associated with defending the beliefs of members that adhere to and live according to the precepts of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as taught in the LDS faith.

These beliefs and precepts being brainwashed into young and impressionable minds of little boys and girls while being interviewed by bishops (alone) in an office where God only knows what's going on in there.

You belong to a cult, MG. A child molesting cult, mind you! But you don't care. You approve of it. You're part of the problem!

[_Themis]

But his name is DCP.

What does that have to do with it you say? Well, I think you can figure it out.

The fact is, DCP has kept Dr. Scratch in business here. Without him as a target/foil Scratch would have been out of business long ago. Targeting DCP on a vacation as he is enjoying nature with his family really seems unnecessary.

If it was almost anyone else besides him, it wouldn’t even deserve mention.

I agree. I suspect Scratch would criticize little to none someone who is a well known non-believer. I suggested some activities are low risk and others would be high, but no one has asked which one DCP is doing.

Recommendations are not the same as mandates in behavior and they are given to let people know which activities are high risk and which are low risk. Travel risks depend on the type of travel and what kind of activities one will be doing. Air travel is a high risk activity while driving is low. staying in a hotel is probably moderate risk while RVing or tenting would be low risk. Going to busy beaches is probably moderate to high risk, but going on hikes in low density areas low risk. I would look at what a person is doing before commenting on whether they are being irresponsible.

[_Doctor Scratch]

My wife and I have family flying in today. We haven’t put life on hold. Are we being careful, wearing a mask, etc.? Of course. And so are our kids and grandchildren as they’re coming to visit.

I find this a lot easier to sympathize with than a purely self-serving vacation. And what you've said merely proves my basic point. Why didn't DCP go to visit with his children or grandchildren? Was it because he didn't want to take on the risk of getting infected? Well, hey: at least he can go gallivanting around in the Rocky Mountains! I was actually in Rocky Mountain National Park last year, and went hiking on some of the trails not far from Estes Park. They were *quite* crowded. Maybe that's not the case right now on account of the pandemic, but still. This is all about choices, and each of our choices is going to be freighted with extra meaning. This is going to be especially so for those who are broadcasting their behavior out into the wilderness of the Internet. Dr. Midgley is fond of reminding everybody of the idea that we'll all be "judged" after this "mortal probation." Think of this as a trial run for the Mopologists.

The title of my OP was a question, and it seems that most posters have been unwilling to supply an answer to it. Maybe it would be better to put this into more strictly religious terms, then? I.e., what would Jesus or Joseph Smith have to say about someone risking others' lives in order to go on a vacation during a pandemic? And I grant Themis's point: yes, there are reckless and there are 'safer' ways to do things during this outbreak, so the extent to which "others' lives" were at risk is going to be relative. Still, the CDC's recommendations are quite clear. Do you have to follow them, as if they were law? No, you don't. Should you, though? And if you disregard the recommendations, and publicly post about it, what does that say about your character?