Piousness, Plagiarism, Pathological Posturing and PR Disasters: The Afore’s State of the Union

[Everybody Wang Chung]

Folks, you really can't make this stuff up. You truly couldn't script this level of cognitive dissonance. The Afore recently posed a "serious question" to his followers:

How are we doing? How am I doing? In person. Online. On social media. Are we making any real effort toward following the counsel given by President Oaks? Are we having any success with ourselves? It's a serious question.

To answer the Afore's question directly, if the goal is to be a walking PR disaster for the church, the Afore is doing spectacularly.


The Afore's Track Record

Integrity & Plagiarism: Despite public apologies, the cycle of blatant plagiarism continues unabated. It’s hard to claim you're following prophetic counsel when the Afore can’t seem to respect basic intellectual property or the commandment regarding bearing false witness.

Bigotry & Sensitivity: From posting horrific imagery of lynchings to publicly degrading Calvinism, Evangelicalism, Scientology, Catholicism and Judaism, the Afore's faith outreach looks more like a scorched earth policy against anyone who doesn't mirror his exact worldview.

Legal & Ethical Quagmires: The Afore has engaged in repeated attempts to dox private individuals, a move that isn't just morally bankrupt but teeters on the edge of criminal liability. Furthermore, the allegations of fraudulent donor solicitation (with Dr. Moore being a primary example) suggest a level of financial ethics that would make the mafia flinch. Also, publicly lying about being a personal eyewitness to the non-existent Second Watson Letter is beyond unethical behavior.

The Afore's Midas Touch: The Afore's creative ventures have resulted in three spectacular critical and box-office bombs, Witnesses, Six Days in August, and Breaking Brigham. Everything the Afore has touched has turned to absolute crap.

Personal Conduct: The Afore's digital footprint is a mosaic of obfuscation, anger, lies, personal attacks, and telling detractors to "go to hell." Publicly besmirching respected figures like Bill Maher, Michael Quinn and Robert Ritner only cements the Afore's reputation as a man who holds a grudge like nobody else.


The Verdict

How are you doing, Afore? You are doing a magnificent job of being a liability and a complete asshat. If the objective was to provide a shining example of how not to represent the church, then congratulations, you’ve succeeded beyond anyone's wildest dreams. You aren't just failing to follow the counsel of President Dallas Oaks, you are actively sprinting in the opposite direction. Afore, you really are the Willy Loman of Mopologetics.

[Kishkumen]

As someone who reads his blog occasionally, I don’t think he does all that poorly. I actually enjoy reading it. I don’t agree with everything therein, and I do not share all his goals, but I find DCP’s blog an entertaining and sometimes salutary read. His comments on the disastrous Trump regime are especially well done.

I say kudos to Dr. Peterson.

[Gadianton]

Can someone remind me what counsel Oaks gave?

[drumdude]

Can someone remind me what counsel Oaks gave?

Drink your Ovaltine and eat your vitamins because Jesus is coming any day now.

Oh wait that was the previous prophet who is now dead and can be conveniently ignored.

[I Have Questions]

Can someone remind me what counsel Oaks gave?

He said ‘As followers of Christ, let us follow Him by forgoing contention and by using the language and methods of peacemakers.’ Sarcastically citing “the Christopher Hitchins Memorial File” fails to meet that counsel.

Never mind Peterson’s performance prior to conference (even though other Presidents have given the same counsel that he has studiously and consistently failed to sustain), he hasn’t even sustained those words with his actions since Conference a week or so ago.

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

Sorry, what’s the point of his line of inquiry? It’s not like a narcissist wants anything other than fawning praise; and when they get negative feedback it’s just an opportunity to turn it into more attention. And what’s he going to do with the feedback, anyway? He’ll do what he wants to do which is get attention, stuff his gullet, and travel so he can do more of the aforementioned activities.

Hey, Brother Peterson, ya finished those two books you promised BYU, yet? Maybe do that since you made a promise.

[drumdude]

It should be easier than ever to write his books now that he can use Chat GPT to assist his plagiarism.

[Doctor Scratch]

Looks like it was disingenuous:

Here is a serious answer. There is a vast difference between defending the faith and simply being offensive, and it’s high time to start by ensuring your social media presence doesn’t look like a funeral for basic civility. Lots of room for improvement.

I'm serenely confident that it doesn't.

Of course! This is someone who is never wrong; never makes mistakes; never apologizes; and never gives an inch. Even if Dallin Oaks himself came down and said that the Afore needed to clean up his act, he'd find some way to spin it or to find fault with what Oaks had said.

Unsurprisingly, "Acrid Tomato" was banned for saying this.

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

Looks like it was disingenuous:

I'm serenely confident that it doesn't.

Of course! This is someone who is never wrong; never makes mistakes; never apologizes; and never gives an inch. Even if Dallin Oaks himself came down and said that the Afore needed to clean up his act, he'd find some way to spin it or to find fault with what Oaks had said.

Unsurprisingly, "Acrid Tomato" was banned for saying this.

Naturally. He’s a narcissist. It was always a ploy to get attention.

[Everybody Wang Chung]

Looks like it was disingenuous:



Of course! This is someone who is never wrong; never makes mistakes; never apologizes; and never gives an inch. Even if Dallin Oaks himself came down and said that the Afore needed to clean up his act, he'd find some way to spin it or to find fault with what Oaks had said.

Unsurprisingly, "Acrid Tomato" was banned for saying this.

Naturally. He’s a narcissist. It was always a ploy to get attention.

Folks, you really can't make this stuff up. Only a raging narcissist like the Afore would ask for honest feedback on his social media, only to treat the first honest response like a declaration of war and bannable offense. Apparently, when the Afore asks "How am I doing?" it's actually code for "Please worship at the altars of my anus or face immediate excommunication."