14 Years - have delivered what?

[Dr. Shades]

14 years? So what? *This* message board has been around for more than *20* years! The critics here have been kicking the Mopologists’ asses so completely and thoroughly that they: (a) got kicked out of BYU, and (b) had to form a completely new enterprise (founded by David Bokovoy, by the way—a fact the leadership would rather ignore) in the hopes of contesting the endlessly creative, brilliant, and devastating criticism that has consistently emerged from this board for over TWO DECADES!!!

Interpreter wouldn’t exist without this board.

Very well said, Doctor Scratch.

THANK you, Dr. Shades, for keeping your vision alive.

You're very welcome. Posts like yours and Doctor Scratch's make it all worthwhile.

[Kishkumen]

Sounds good. But there is an inherent problem. Those deep insights are coming from people who are self-appointed to the role. They’ve not been vetted, they’ve not been called. Unlike the material that comes from the Maxwell Institute.

Let’s make no mistake. The only reason Interpreter exists is because the Church would not give Peterson the keys to the Maxwell Institute. It was born out of a bitter vendetta. And it shows.

You are identifying a lot of problems that I just don’t see. Some people play video games. Some watch porn. Some people write about their religion. Different strokes. I just really don’t care all that much, and I am not going to get all steamed up over these guys’ hobbies. One of my hobbies is writing on this board. Oh well.

[I Have Questions]

Sounds good. But there is an inherent problem. Those deep insights are coming from people who are self-appointed to the role. They’ve not been vetted, they’ve not been called. Unlike the material that comes from the Maxwell Institute.

Let’s make no mistake. The only reason Interpreter exists is because the Church would not give Peterson the keys to the Maxwell Institute. It was born out of a bitter vendetta. And it shows.

You are identifying a lot of problems that I just don’t see. Some people play video games. Some watch porn. Some people write about their religion. Different strokes. I just really don’t care all that much, and I am not going to get all steamed up over these guys’ hobbies. One of my hobbies is writing on this board. Oh well.

Okay.

[sock puppet]

14 years? So what? *This* message board has been around for more than *20* years! The critics here have been kicking the Mopologists’ asses so completely and thoroughly that they: (a) got kicked out of BYU, and (b) had to form a completely new enterprise (founded by David Bokovoy, by the way—a fact the leadership would rather ignore) in the hopes of contesting the endlessly creative, brilliant, and devastating criticism that has consistently emerged from this board for over TWO DECADES!!!

Interpreter wouldn’t exist without this board.

[Physics Guy]

If a group of friends celebrated 14 years of regular meeting for their friendly poker games, or something, I’d see nothing to mock. I might congratulate them.

I wouldn’t describe their record of harmless amusement as an accomplishment, though.

[Doctor Scratch]

If a group of friends celebrated 14 years of regular meeting for their friendly poker games, or something, I’d see nothing to mock. I might congratulate them.

I wouldn’t describe their record of harmless amusement as an accomplishment, though.

Good points. If the poker player were a Mopologist, though, he'd probably point to all the "peer reviewed" games they played, along with the motion pictures that were made about some of their most memorable games. There might even be an 80-part documentary devoted to explaining why Texas Hold ''em doesn't deserve to be criticized. Oh, and donations. They would ask for lots and lots of donations, and the President would explain that he in no way has ever profited from any of these poker games. Those many donations have never even paid for any of the snacks!

[msnobody]

I celebrated our success by eating Oreos and drinking a tall, cold glass of whole milk.

Cheers!

Cheers, Kish! Now I want Oreos. Resist, Msnobody, resist. It has been a great 20-ish years. Won’t be too much longer before the year in review.

[Philo Sofee]

They have succeeded in offering literature that is a lot better than the LDS Church's correlated materials. The LDS Church puts out thin gruel. At least Interpreter puts out stuff that is interesting and even, at times, well written.

Other than that, I am not sure what they need to do. There is definitely a need in every faith community for more interesting and thought-provoking reading material. In the case of the LDS Church, that need is critical, because the LDS Church fails miserably at providing such stuff. The official LDS materials are boring beyond belief.

Well here is what Interpreter claims as its mission:

Founded in 2012, The Interpreter Foundation is an independent organization that supports The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We publish a peer-reviewed academic journal, host conferences, and publish books. We offer a wide array of resources to provide deep insights into scripture, the Restoration, and a wide range of related topics.

Sounds good. But there is an inherent problem. Those deep insights are coming from people who are self-appointed to the role. They’ve not been vetted, they’ve not been called. Unlike the material that comes from the Maxwell Institute.

Let’s make no mistake. The only reason Interpreter exists is because the Church would not give Peterson the keys to the Maxwell Institute. It was born out of a bitter vendetta. And it shows.

Jesus's revelations are apparently not good enough, nor are they spoken easy enough for normal people (I'd say the vast majority of earth's population, the mere 99%) to grasp, so uninspired, unprophetic gatekeepers and chaps need to step in to help the Lord teach what he really meant, instead of simply going to the scripture to learn it for oneself. The promise of the Holy Ghost who is said to bring to thy remembrance all things apparently isn't clear enough so these mopologists fill in the cracks that God missed. I wonder if they ever really stop and ponderize that and its implications at all. Probably not, they gots too many books and films to produce to worry about it.

[Kishkumen]

Cheers, Kish! Now I want Oreos. Resist, Msnobody, resist. It has been a great 20-ish years. Won’t be too much longer before the year in review.

Cheers, msnobody! An Oreo on occasion is a tasty break. The year in review is definitely something to look forward to as well!

If a group of friends celebrated 14 years of regular meeting for their friendly poker games, or something, I’d see nothing to mock. I might congratulate them.

I wouldn’t describe their record of harmless amusement as an accomplishment, though.

Let me get this straight. You don't think it is an accomplishment to have a stable group of friends who meet regularly for the same activity for 14 years?

I am dumbfounded. Maybe I am a sad case, but since I have not enjoyed that kind of durable association in my life, ever, it strikes me as quite an accomplishment indeed!

Jesus's revelations are apparently not good enough, nor are they spoken easy enough for normal people (I'd say the vast majority of earth's population, the mere 99%) to grasp, so uninspired, unprophetic gatekeepers and chaps need to step in to help the Lord teach what he really meant, instead of simply going to the scripture to learn it for oneself. The promise of the Holy Ghost who is said to bring to thy remembrance all things apparently isn't clear enough so these mopologists fill in the cracks that God missed. I wonder if they ever really stop and ponderize that and its implications at all. Probably not, they gots too many books and films to produce to worry about it.

Aren't there always a steady supply of opinionators on practically any topic? Those times I am at a bar and look up at ESPN, I marvel that people watch the thing. All that yammering on about sports. I have no interest in it at all. And, yet, why should I run down something that so many other people find entertaining and enjoyable?

I owe the Mopologists a huge debt of gratitude, and I think you do, too, Philo Sofee. We used to be real fans of this stuff. It was part of what made us who we are today! Do we still follow it? No, but why attack people who are where we were at one time? I wonder what we would make of seeing younger selves rudely ridiculed by someone online? Would we think it fair, kind?

And aren't there always people out there interpreting what God is saying? It is one of the world's oldest professions, right there alongside prostitution. Someone perceives a mystery, and someone else sidles up to them, ready to explain the mystery. It is part of the comedy of human life.

[Shulem]

I owe the Mopologists a huge debt of gratitude, and I think you do, too, Philo Sofee. We used to be real fans of this stuff. It was part of what made us who we are today! Do we still follow it? No, but why attack people who are where we were at one time? I wonder what we would make of seeing younger selves rudely ridiculed by someone online? Would we think it fair, kind?

Well, I don't feel any gratitude for apologists and I wasn't much of a fan like you guys were. I felt that Mormon apologetics was crooked and dishonest and perhaps my own apologetics was to some extent. Yes, it probably was. Popular Book of Abraham and Book of Mormon geography apologetics really turned me off -- everything from Mesoamerica/Heartland and the Missing Roll Theory. The whole thing was rotten to the core! Those things fast tracked me into losing my silly testimony.

Anyway, Philo is on record with this:

Philo baby, thanks for that -- I know you understand as much as anyone about this stuff. I also know you often pick stuff up by following my lead and enjoy my quips and nuggets. You and I go back a looooong way with our Book of Abraham stuff. We have been there and done that! lol

Frankly, I feel a little guilty, like I'm beating someone up, mercilessly. I hope, that I don't come across as cruel. I'm passionate about this subject as you know. But I need to remember that the author of that site is human just like I am and is trying to defend what I used to defend myself. I feel somewhat humbled in this regard.

There is more to address in that article. AND, I haven't even addressed the apologetic response about the snout being scraped away from the printing plate. That is when I might really get upset. Will I flip out? I don't want to be cruel but I'm afraid that I might lash out in a cruel manner.

I don't want to do that.

Any advice you want to offer? I'm all ears.

Yes, I do have a piece of advice... absolutely totally without mercy decimate, slaughter, destroy, and annihilate the argument......yet be kind to the person making it. Show no mercy for the stupidity of the argument, using evidence to show its weaknesses, silliness, illogicalness, etc., but still remain humane to the person using the argument. They honestly may not know better.

I would imagine that Philo's reasonable position is about the same.