Anyone else see this?

http://www.sltrib.com/lifestyle/faith/2146441-155/mormon-facing-excommunication-makes-his-living

To me the article is a fairly balanced part of the ongoing story that is Dehlin's forthcoming excommunication. But now John is posting on Facebook that Stack is being unbalanced. It's part of the story.

I was always just a bit turned off by the constant request for donations. Maybe I just felt guilty for listening to hours of Dehlin's podcasts without donating.

It's not a bad article, but it's also not good...or relevant. The headline is certainly charged, and gives a false impression that John has been hiding something. Given the obvious juxtaposition between John and church leadership, it would be much more relevant to do an article about how church leadership stands to lose their livelihood if people like John are not silenced.

As for the constant request for donations, I see it in the same light as PBS fundraising drives. Time is money, and if I value the time required to produce the material, I will contribute.

By the way, John wrote exactly the opposite of what you said he did. He wrote, "Overall, I thought the article was balanced". Like Peggy's article, I don't understand the purpose of your post.

Sure he wrote that he thought the article was balanced. But then he states that he feels that it was bad timing or something. Again, it's part of the story of all things Dehlin.

And absolutely agreed that I would love to see something on the compensation for TSCC leadership. That would be a true revelation.

And for an example of a podcast that doesn't ask for donations, InfantsonThrones. I really like them. And all they ask for is ratings. I can get behind that. Egocentric narcissist like myself.

Dehlin deserves every penny he earns. I've seen a few of his clips on Youtube. I like the subjects he discusses. I like how he talks about them. And, very important, I like his voice, speech pattern, slow pace and lack of stopgaps. Many others on Youtube are terrible to listen to with all their like, totally, sorta, kinda, whatever, and sentences that never finish.

In order to complete some of these interviews, he has had to fly around the country, while finishing his doctorate and raising a family...

Nobody else has raised publicity for LGBT Mormon kids like he has. What is the price of a life? Benji S. in his own MS interview stated that Mormon Stories (John) saved his life also.

He will be setting up counseling to help people leaving Mormonism. Contrast that with LDS social services, always on the side of the spouse staying in the church...

I have no problem with John Dehlin making money off of his podcasts. If he can make a living by giving people a place to think about what they believe or dont believe, more power to him.

I don't know if he's posted his financials anywhere, but that's still much more forwardness than you get from tscc.

We have to break free of our mo conditioning. I've seen so many nasty comments on the wrongness of Dehlin making money from Saints and exmos in the bloggernacle. No-one bats an eyelid when psychotherapists from Jewish or Catholic backgrounds advertise their services with that as part of their credentials/biog - but lots of people bleat about him grooming clientele.

He has been upfront about money to enable him to finish his studies, far more upfront than the TSCC has ever been about tithing. He has been upfront about wanting to provide therapeutic services to people raised or living in LDS culture.

What was Peggy trying to really say with this, in my view, rather pointless article? Make it about his ex-ing, not the fact he draws an income from these endeavours.

They made it sound like the corporation owned/operated "Mormon Stories". It has always been a 501(3)C that John set up himself. In fact he has expanded it to "Gay Mormon Stories" it's all part of the "Open Stories Foundation".

The truth is that if John gets excommunicated, it may increase his donations. The reason being, that I like others, thought he was disingenuous and cowardly for not resigning from the corporation. He knew it was based and built on a house of lies, scandals and un-Christian like correlation and principals. He just kept tugging, plugging, plodding along. Hoping that the corporation would change into a more "New Order" path and accept more Christ like principals and actions.

So the article was ignorant and misdirecting and written for the TBM crowd so that in their empty hearts and minds they can think and say, "Good, I'm glad the Lord has thrown him to the bufferings of Satan. Serves him right, belittling the leaders and church."

Dehlin's income is a non-sequitur.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/07/2015 08:42PM by Dave the Atheist.

I'd rather pay somebody like him to tell me the truth about Mormonism than to pay the church 10% of my income for life to tell me lies about it.

Any money he had made from donations was given freely (and nobody gave out of fear or obligation, unlike tithing donations).

What's wrong with somebody making money off the work they do?

He posted a reply on his website, and questioned the timing/motives of the article and credibility of the publication.

Those who donate receive detailed info.

He also posted a message to the head PR of the church (who has been contacting major media mischaracterizing the reasons why the church is Excommunicating him). The slime ball PR person must be busy these days-cleaning up after the church...

Can anyone make it to the vigil/church tomorrow?

This story isn't about what it claims to be about. By objectively telling us about Dehlin's finances, the author is indirectly trying to cast doubt on Dehlin's motives to do what he does. This attack against Dehlin isn't direct because too many people would say "well the mormon church uses and even owns media that makes money on their beliefs".

This story isn't balanced either. How much is Dehlin's work costing the cult? How much does the Cult make each year (tax free none the less)? No one wants to talk about that? It't better for the church to have someone simply mention Dehlin's finances. Then twisted, circular, mormon logic will cause the brainwashed masses who believe in the church to figure that Dehlin does this for money alone, while overlooking the billions of tax free money the church brings in. The article is dishonest and imbalenced.

as a published author/journalist/photojournalist, I make no objections regarding this article;

no story of this scope can cover 'all' the facts/aspects, that's a delusion / common objection to news stories, but it's asking nearly impossible coverage.

further (missing) context would include how much GAs & bureaucrats make 'doing their jobs', which we all know ain't gonna happen...



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/08/2015 01:23AM by GNPE.