FAIR’s European Rescue 2024

[Tom]

Proprietor:

FAIR put on a roughly analogous program some years ago, with presentations in both Rome and Milan. I’ve been told that attendance in Milan was excellent, although the event was on a weekday; attendance in Rome, by contrast, was sparse. I’m not sure why that would be. One contributing factor, I’m sure, is that getting to the Rome Temple complex is relatively difficult and/or expensive from the city of Rome itself. It’s rather easier from other parts of Italy, since it’s outside of the main Roman urban area — but then, those are the very people (in Florence, say, or Naples or Genoa or Padua or Venice or Bologna) who would be most likely to simply stream a FAIR conference from their homes. Which, of course, they can’t do for temple attendance.

A suggestion: hold the event in the city itself next time and deliver original lectures, skip the FAIR shirts, and excise the American cultural references.

[drumdude]

noel:"Donald J Trump said at the Christian Broadcasters Convention that he considered one could be called a Christian if you voted for the Democrats. Years go I met some Arizona members of their legislature who were GOP. I asked them about Mo Udall who was a Democrat. They said a nice thing about him then said any good church member could not support the democrats."

I hope that at least somebody out there will be able to discern the connection that this comment has with Venice and near-death experiences.

I too yearn for something new from the proprietor.

Another suggestion: Turn all of these wonderful enlightening discussions from the SeN comment section into his next book. The hard work is already done, Daniel just has to compile these brilliant exchanges into a collection. Future generations will surely treasure them as a goldmine of 21st century intellectual candor and wit.

[Doctor Scratch]

of my wringing money out of hapless donors in order to fund a European vacation for me. Just to be clear.

I agree not very satisfying.

A very generous American couple with the means and with strong ties (including, but not limited to, both youthful and senior missions) to Italy came forward with the idea of sponsoring a FAIR conference in Rome.

The bragging rights are here.

Yes, but here’s the thing: “came forward” to whom? FAIR? He wants to make it seem as if this is happening due to his “connections” and “influence,” but was this an Interpreter event? Or was it a FAIR event? Did they “come forward” to Scott Gordon? Or did they “come forward” to the President of the Interpreter Foundation?

And you are very right, Dean Robbers: it is laughable that he would brag about this. What, he knows well-established Mormons who run in the same circles that he does?? Gee—how impressive! And they *invited him to ROME!!” He must be really important!

Thus it’s richly satisfying that the first program is only (barely?) attended by 20 people, and they struggle to drum up 60 people for round two. And he is just recycling an old talk!

It’s like: either do something legitimately challenging and meaningful, or just shut up and enjoy your travels. All this latest escapade proves is that he’s privileged and lazy. And we didn’t need *this* to remind us of what we already know.

[Gadianton]

You know, that's a good point, professor. What constitutes a "conference?"

I'd like to hear directly from the couple regarding their vision for a conference. And why would it require tremendous means to sponsor? I assume the cost would be paying for plane tickets and hotels for the FAIR VIPs. Aside from that, isn't it just getting permission and then setting up some chairs and tables in the basketball court behind the chapel?

Here's some more takes on the Rome conference:

https://www.reddit.com/r/exmormon/comme ... _rome_for/

looks like it was 7 hours long. One hour per person in the audience.

[Marcus]

You know, that's a good point, professor. What constitutes a "conference?"

I'd like to hear directly from the couple regarding their vision for a conference. And why would it require tremendous means to sponsor? I assume the cost would be paying for plane tickets and hotels for the FAIR VIPs. Aside from that, isn't it just getting permission and then setting up some chairs and tables in the basketball court behind the chapel?

Here's some more takes on the Rome conference:

https://www.reddit.com/r/exmormon/comme ... _rome_for/

looks like it was 7 hours long. One hour per person in the audience.

And just to clarify, these 'conferences' are 6 hour meetings on a Saturday, on June 1, June 8, and June 15. Did the speakers on these vacations in these conferences go home in the weeks between the 6 hour mtgs? Or are they staying and enjoying Europe?

[Philo Sofee]

You know, that's a good point, professor. What constitutes a "conference?"

I'd like to hear directly from the couple regarding their vision for a conference. And why would it require tremendous means to sponsor? I assume the cost would be paying for plane tickets and hotels for the FAIR VIPs. Aside from that, isn't it just getting permission and then setting up some chairs and tables in the basketball court behind the chapel?

Here's some more takes on the Rome conference:

https://www.reddit.com/r/exmormon/comme ... _rome_for/

looks like it was 7 hours long. One hour per person in the audience.

And just to clarify, these 'conferences' are 6 hour meetings on a Saturday, on June 1, June 8, and June 15. Did the speakers on these vacations in these conferences go home in the weeks between the 6 hour mtgs? Or are they staying and enjoying Europe?

Well, they were staying there so they could go on splits with the missionaries and help them tract out new prospects, I am quite certain. With their extra keen knowledge and testimonies it would be a huge boon to the missionary kids there to have a way to answer all the horse tapir problems in the Book of Mormon. After all, it's all about spreading the Gospel...

[Moksha]

After all, it's all about spreading the Gospel...

As the ancient Romans would say, "In Hoc Signo Tapirenses Vinces".

[I Have Questions]

Of the six planned “conferences”, only the first three have multiple speakers (regurgitating years-old monologues). The final three “conferences” consist of only a single speaker.
Düsseldorf - Scott Gordon
Sofia - Scott Gordon
Paris - Ben Spackman

Proper headliners…

If the biggest win they are going to claim from this is (as it seems they are now trying to portray) online YouTube viewings, then the whole trip was unnecessary and could have been filmed at a fraction of the expense somewhere local to where each of the speakers lives.

FAIR & Interpeter are becoming expert at wasting other people’s retirement funds.

[Alphus and Omegus]

Oh no. Some of those titles are just disasters waiting to happen.

This one especially:

Scott Gordon... "I Learned it on the Internet: Maintaining Faith in Today's Online World."

This is no different, these days, than saying "I read it in a book," or "I attended an online lecture by a certified professional about it," or "I took a long distance class on it in university."

Does he really think blaming the medium for the state of the information that is available is the way to go?

This speech is classic FAIR, trying to present obvious fundamentalist lies as fact-checked information, trying to capitalize on people's rightful wariness about falling prey to misinformation.

[I Have Questions]

Given that the speakers were accompanied by their spouses, some missionary couples turned up, and someone had to open and close the building they used, I’d suggest we can account for maybe 15 people in the audience at Rome. In that basis, did anyone, ANYONE, independent of the above, actually show up?