Has it been noted on this board yet that the DCP firing has been confirmed by Bill Hamlin who is a associate of DCP at BYU according to a post at a certain MAD Board. All rumors seem to have been confirmed.

I can't find it so here is the relevant Bill Hamblin letter.


Posted Today, 09:24 PM
I just posted this on my blog:
https://mormonscript...well-institute/

==========

There have been a lot of rumors floating around the internet recently regarding a scandal brewing at the Maxwell Institute. In order to provide a reality check and quell some of the more wild and brazen speculations of apostates and anti-Mormons on the fringes of Mormondom, I’ll provide the following summary of my understanding of the situation. Some of the details may not be completely accurate, but I have original memos or eye-witness oral sources for almost all of this information.


Last week, Gerald Bradford (bradfordmg@aol.com, 801-422-8619) Executive Director of the Maxwell Institute (maxwell_institute@byu.edu, 801-422-9229), dismissed Dan Peterson (daniel_peterson@byu.edu)--arguably the most prominent contemporary LDS apologist--as editor of the Mormon Studies Review, where he has served for twenty-three years.

This is the culmination of a long-term struggle between radically different visions for the future of the Institute. Peterson wishes to continue the traditional heritage of FARMS, providing cutting edge scholarship and apologetics on LDS scripture. Bradford wants to move the Institute in a different direction, focusing on more secular-style studies that will be accessible and acceptable to non-Mormon scholars. Bradford is especially opposed to LDS apologetics, which he wants to terminate entirely as part of the mission of the Institute. He feels apologetics should be done by FAIR (The Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research http://www.fairlds.org/ ) or other groups.

Throughout the past two years Bradford has censored several articles that Dan planned to publish, thereby delaying publication of theReview. Bradford finally concluded that he refuses to publish the most recent issue of the Review, which has been essentially ready to go to press for six months. He plans to seek a new editor for the Review to move it in the entirely new direction he envisions.

After Dan was fired as editor, he said that he felt he could no longer serve the Institute in good faith as Director of Advancement (i.e. fund-raiser), since the Institute was intentionally abandoning its original mission, and Dan did not support the new direction Bradford was taking the Institute. Dan was then threatened with further possible action against him to try to force him to continue raising money for the Institute that abandoned him. It’s worth noting that Bradford fired Dan by email while Dan was on a multi-week journey in the Middle East--in part raising funds for the Institute--specifically so Dan could not be in Provo to defend himself.

This event concludes a nearly decade-long struggle for the soul of FARMS and the Institute. The contemporary Maxwell Institute is something quite different from the FARMS of ten years ago. (Note that only one of the five “directors” of the current Institute is actually involved in Book of Mormon Studies: http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/about/administration.php). Astute observers will note that there has been a steady decline in both quantity and quality of Institute publications over the past few years. (Indeed, more cutting-edge books on the Book of Mormon have being published in the past few years by Kofford Books, Salt Press, and even Oxford University Press than by the Institute.) They may also observe that most of the original core of FARMS scholars from a decade ago, including me, have nearly ceased publishing with the Institute, having been systematically marginalized, alienated, or ostracized by the Institute as it tried transform itself to conform with this new vision. Needless to say, most of the original FARMS scholars have been dismayed by this inexorable movement to remake the Maxwell Institute.

I have had no desire or inclination to publicly comment on this situation. However, this situation became public when an employee at the Maxwell Institute secretly leaked confidential memos concerning Dan’s firing to anti-Mormon apostates, who have posted these memos on the web, and have been gleefully slandering and ridiculing Dan on their message boards ever since. Since the situation has been made public by this leak from within the Maxwell Institute itself, I felt that Dan deserved the benefit of a fair public summary of the real situation. I also felt that interested Latter-day Saints, especially long-time supporters of the original mission of FARMS, deserved a more complete assessment of the situation, rather than being forced to rely on anti-Mormon and apostate slander and speculation. I felt Dan deserved better, much better than this.

The Institute, for its part, has gone into full damage-control and stonewall mode, refusing to make a public announcement, or even to answer emails or phone calls on the subject from their bewildered subscribers and donors who have heard rumors of the affair, many of whom have for years donated money to the Institute specifically to facilitate Book of Mormon studies and apologetic efforts such as the Mormon Studies Review.

I’m posting this summary of my understanding of the situation to alleviate further slander of Dan by apostates. Dan did not ask me to do this. I alone am responsible for this memo.

I'm sure Dan would appreciate any expressions of sympathy and support that could be emailed to him at: daniel_peterson@byu.edu (Anti-Mormons and apostates, please bugger off.)
Adieu, Adieu!

I couldn't get the link Simon has in Hamblin's letter to work, but this one does...

https://mormonscriptureexplorations.wordpress.com/2012/06/20/my-assessment-of-the-situation-at-the-maxwell-institute/

And the MD&D Discussion (LDS Freedom Forum addicts beware; this one may have strong "trigger" factors ;-)

http://www.mormondialogue.org/topic/58099-my-assessment-of-the-situation-at-the-maxwell-institute/

-------------------------------------------------------
> Peterson wishes to continue the
traditional heritage of FARMS, providing cutting
edge scholarship and apologetics on LDS scripture.




That was the funny joke of the day.
Thanks for posting this.

Cutting edge scholarship.

hahaha

oh sheesh, I really needed that giggle today.

To: Bill Hamblin, DCP, and Johnnie boy (yes, I know you you guys love to lurk these forums like pedo-bears)

Simon in Oz Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I can't find it so here is the relevant Bill
> Hamblin letter.
>
>
> Posted Today, 09:24 PM
> I just posted this on my blog:
> https://mormonscript...well-institute/
>
> ==========
>
> Astute observers will note that there
> has been a steady decline in both quantity and
> quality of Institute publications over the past
> few years. (Indeed, more cutting-edge books on
> the Book of Mormon have being published in the
> past few years by Kofford Books, Salt Press, and
> even Oxford University Press than by the
> Institute.) They may also observe that most of
> the original core of FARMS scholars from a decade
> ago, including me, have nearly ceased publishing
> with the Institute, having been systematically
> marginalized, alienated, or ostracized by the
> Institute as it tried transform itself to conform
> with this new vision. Needless to say, most of
> the original FARMS scholars have been dismayed by
> this inexorable movement to remake the Maxwell
> Institute.

Questions:

1. What qualifies someone as an astute observer? Would I be considered an astute observer if have noticed a decline in quality and quantity, but instead of blaming this decline on "inner tensions" at the Maxwell institute, I'd blame it on the fact that there is no evidence that supports the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith, or anything that relates to Mormonism's claims .... would this still quality me as an astute observer?

2. Bill, is this the best excuse that you can come up with for why Mormon Apologetics work IS and HAS BEEN a embarrassment to BYU, the Moron church, the faithful Members of the Mormon church, and your own academic reputation? While this letter does help explain DCP's series of unfortunate events, it also seems to be an admittance to the fact that the apologetic work over the last 10 years has been a complete failure ... is this what you wanted to tell us?

From what I've deduced from your letter, you seem eager to imply that IF the Maxwell Institute allowed DCP and yourself unbridled freedom to write and publish whatever and whenever you like, then, and only then, would you be able to produce better quality Mormon Apologetic research and literature. I'll be honest, I think that the intent of your letter was to hedge and excuse your own reputation WHILE mentioning DCP's problems as a side note.

Assuming that this is the case, I have to ask, what research were you planning on doing if you had your freedom? Let me guess:

1. Have you hidden vials of Lamanite or Nephit biological material that prove the Book of Mormon is true?

2. Do you have a picture of Joseph Smith seeing God, do you have video feed of yourself and DCP receiving knowledge from God?

3. Do you have proof that the Prophets and Apostles see and talk to God, Face-to-face?

4. Do you have additional journals, court documents, and eye-witnesses that prove Joseph Smith was a good guy?

5. Are you holding back on revealing the Gold Plates to the world?

6. Do you have additional papyri that would verify the Pearl of Great Price, do you have evidence that the Moron church is in fact the original church that Jesus started?

7. Are you secretly hiding thousands of scrolls written in reformed Egyptian that would verify Joseph Smith's claims?

Is this the research that you have hiding in a secret chamber somewhere? If you don't have this information, then what is it that would do or what is it that you would research if you had your freedom? I mean seriously, what do you have hiding that you think will prove the Mormon church true? I really don't get it. I mean, how is more freedom and funding going to fix the problem that the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith are frauds? I guess you could fabricate and manufacture evidence. If this is the case, then yes, you will need more money, time, and freedom. Is this your 'grand plan'? In reality, I wouldn't be surprised if both FARMS and FAIR start fabricating all kinds of evidence; I mean you've already rewritten history, why stop there?


I'll be honest here, you three are weapons-grade idiots and havn't a leg to stand on. Just to prove my point, let's go over a real world example of some your work. The point of this excercise is to show that no amount of money, time, or freedom is sufficient to increase the quality and veracity of Mopologist research and literature.

For example, let's analyze some of John A. Tvedtnes' work.

John's Work: "The Book of Mormon and Other Hidden Books: Out of Darkness Unto Light"

link: http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=9&chapid=

The annotated bibliography to John's work states:

"Kore Kosmou (Daughter of the Cosmos). A Greek Hermetic text not available in English."

link to bibliography: http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=9&chapid=86


So, the "Kore Kosmou" in Greek only, huh, hmmmm? Are you absolutely 100% sure that it wasn't translated to English in 1890? I only ask because not only was this text translated to English in America in the 1890s, but ALSO, it was translated to British English as early as the 1600s. Furthermore, the Kore Kosmou was available in GERMAN and FRENCH in America as early as the late 1700s. IN ADDITION, there have been HUNDREDS of translations of ALL Hermetic texts since the early 1900s, and many MORE books that server as a reading companion to the Hermetic texts; e.g., the book "Thrice Great Hermes" written by G.R.S. Mead in 1906 INCLUDES BOTH the translations of nearly ALL Hermetic texts in existence as well as an analysis of these texts ... this isn't just an ordinary translation, this was considered the DEFINITIVE translation of Hermetic texts, I mean it’s freaking THREE WHOLE VOLUMES of Hermetic translations, including the "Kore Kosmou", and guess what? This book was written in ENGLISH!! .. So, I have to ask, which book did John plagiarize, or what was John thinking when he wrote this article? I mean, just this simple mistake means that John probably knows NEXT TO NOTHING about Hermetic literature, so, why is John written about Hermetic literature.

Do you mean to tell me that if you, DCP, and John were allowed to write and publish whenever and whatever you like, that somehow you'd then have the motivation to check your references? That then you'd have an internet connection to Google Hermetic literature to see that an English translation has existed for hundreds of years? I don't get it.

You guys are crack addicts, you don't check your references, you have no evidence to prove Mormonism, you blame your defeat on "office tensions" at the Maxwell Institute, and you actually think that if you had free reign and/or more funding that, ONLY THEN, would you be able to produce quality Mopologist work.

This is just more proof that Mormonism is a fraud. It amazes me that you people have the guts and audacity to excuse yourselves from the reality and stupidity that YOU created.

Bill, DCP, and clueless Johnnie, I know you people love to lurk around these forums, and I am so happy for you to see this tiny example of just how stupid you people really are. As I’ve said before, “The Mormon church is so full of fail that it can be disproved by a forum troll (me) in less than 20 minutes.”

My personal preference on who I'd like to see serve as the Editor of the Mormon Studies Review is Thomas S. Monson. IMO the most damaging claim that the church's critics make against Mormonism is that the living prophets don't lead and guide us on the current issues of the day facing the church. With Monson as editor providing apologetic information boldly and nobly the church's critics will be hushed in this regard. I'd certainly buy a subscription to Mormon Studies Review if Monson was editor.

I like the way Bill quotes from the Book of Mormon right at the end...

Dan deserves better than this?

Why?


What is the likelihood that this action was taken without the knowledge and okay from the brethren? Get a clue! You belong to a cult that will throw anyone under the bus anytime it suits them when you are no longer useful or have embarrassed them. Ask Randy Bott.

I'll tell you why he deserves better than this.

He has been partially responsible for a vast number of people realizing that the mormon church is a house of lies.

He just made it clearer.

Have we actually been slandering Dan? I thought he was just a dick. Sorry. Didn't mean to slander him.

Also, as far as being an "apostate," I object. I'm just a guy who saw that the church was a fraudulent cult run by unhappy and insular old men, so I left. And here you are calling me an "apostate"...

Notice that Hamblin admits that there has been a "steady decline" in the quality and quantity of the apologetics coming out of the Institute.

I thought only apostates said things like that.

Notice, too, that Hamblin has been reading apostate discussion boards like this one.

Ah, William Hamblin of "Metcalfe is Butthead" fame, huh? And the quality of their work has gone down from *there*?

From Wikipedia:

"Metcalfe is Butthead"

William J. Hamblin published an essay in a FARMS publication entitled Review of Books on the Book of Mormon criticizing an essay by Brent Metcalfe, a writer who criticized the Book of Mormon. The point of Hamblin's essay was that Metcalfe criticized the Book of Mormon using circular arguments and by applying uneven standards.

Hamblin's review included an "acrostic" spelling out "Metcalfe is Butthead." (The acrostic was made up of the first letters of paragraphs spanning nine pages of the essay.) After the 1994 publication went to press and a few early issues were distributed, it was caught by a FARMS editor who stopped the press run, recalled the issues, and edited part of the acrostic out. Portions still remained, with the post-editing acrostic spelling out "METWHSFE IA BUTAHEAT."[19]

Associated Press writer Vern Anderson wrote an article concerning the matter which was published in the Deseret News:

"The salvos contained in the 566-page 'Review of Books on the Book of Mormon' come as no surprise, given the longstanding animus between scholars associated with FARMS, many of them professors at church-owned Brigham Young University, and those published by the independent Signature Books.... Recently a review by BYU history professor William Hamblin containing an encrypted message 'Metcalfe is butthead' — was hastily edited out after the 'Review' had gone to press."[20]

Hamblin apologized, stating:

"I am writing to apologize for my private practical joke. Whenever I write a paper Dan Petersen [Daniel C. Peterson] will be editing, I always include a joke or two for his enjoyment — fake footnotes, comments about space aliens and the golden plates, etc. The acrostic was simply a light-hearted joke for Dan's amusement...."[21]

Those critical of FARMS use the incident as primary evidence of the mean-spirited nature of what FARMS produces. Those supportive of FARMS counter that the critics seem unable to look beyond the incident to address the actual scholarship in FARMS publications.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundation_for_Ancient_Research_and_Mormon_Studies

Excellent

And throw Bradford right under the bus.

Given they have no idea what his motivations were for the firing, that seems more from a burning in the bosom than logic.

Gotta love how they complain we jumped all over it without facts, and then they do the same.

I would distance the org from the BoM by not talking about it in any literal way and slowly introduce the idea that it's an inspired allegory of sorts. After a generation or two passes and collective amnesia sets in, you can claim that you always taught that.

But...

D&C 71 specifically commands the Saints to invite their "enemies" to present their strong "reasons" against the church, and promises them that "no weapon shall prosper" that is brought against them.

If they gave up apologetics, they would be violating their own scriptural commandment!

so many crocodile tears have been shed by THEM that, oh shucks, my tear ducts have gone and dried up.

A few other observations:
Letter: "Peterson wishes to continue the traditional heritage of FARMS, providing cutting edge scholarship and apologetics on LDS scripture."
Me: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! 'cutting edge scholarship' ...oh my heck! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! ***wipes tears of laughter away***

Letter: "[...] focusing on more secular-style studies that will be accessible and acceptable to non-Mormon scholars."
Me: What - they're going to stop LYING, when they've only just now perfected their art??? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! ***wipes tears of laughter away***

Letter: "This event concludes a nearly decade-long struggle for the soul of FARMS and the Institute."
Me: Sounds like even Denial C.'s personal apologist Bill Hamblin is painting ol' Denial C. as that Ol' Debbil, yea, Satan, yea, Even Lucifer the Brother of Jeezus Hissef, who, it is apparent from this statement, not only owned the soul of FARMS and the Institute lock, stock and barrel by dint of his pompousness & viciously dismissive rhetoric, but also by dint of his ginormous appetite was consuming the raw bleeding heart of it, bite by bite. Heh!

Letter: "I have had no desire or inclination to publicly comment on this situation. However, this situation became public when an employee at the Maxwell Institute secretly leaked confidential memos [...]"
Me: YES, Bill -- it is SO much easier to keep a secret when you exchange it for a throat-slitting, disemboweling death penalty than when you merely expect all the rats on a sinking ship to remain loyal to King Rat...I KNOW, Bill...I KNOW!!!

Letter: "[...] concerning Dan’s firing to anti-Mormon apostates, who have posted these memos on the web, and have been gleefully slandering and ridiculing Dan on their message boards ever since."
Me: Oh c'mon, now - even your average rank-and-file Morgbot knows that us evil anti-Mormon apostates have been gleefully slandering and ridiculing Denial C. for A LOT LONGER that this. Now look, how can we make it up to you guys, huh? Should we send over an X-tra Large box of Krispie Kreme Donuts? Problem is...without Denial C. there anymore the whole box will just go stale! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Oh lordy I slay myself!

It is hard to imagine Gerald Bradford taking action against Dan Peterson without first clearing it with the church HQ.

In fact, this whole incident makes me wonder if Bradford got orders from the top 15 to take the Maxwell Institute in a new direction, away from apologetics.

It would be interesting to hear what Grant Palmer has to say about DCP's firing. He thought that DCP was behind the whole push to take church disciplinary action against him.

DH and I knew Jerry during our last few years still in the church. I was surprised to find out that he eventually went to the Maxwell Institute. He was teaching at USCB when we knew him and was one of a group of smart people that made us think we could stay in the church. We haven't seen or talked to him in years, so I don't know what reasons he had to take his current job, and perhaps it was a way to move back to Utah.

He has an MBA, then went back to school to get his Ph.D. in Religious Studies. None of his degrees are from BYU. He had published at least a couple of articles in Dialogue. I don't mean to paint him as a "liberal" and I can't say what his long term plan might have been. He would not be impressed by DCP. He certainly outclasses DCP by about 1000%.

Managing lies is a tough business. Everybody has his/her own idea of which lie works best for their personal interest, and there is always enough resource material available that they can direct a lie in any direction they want it to go.

Add to this the fact that different lies are driven by different agendas -- from ego, to economics, to politics, to perversion -- and you have a big, contentious mess at hand. And it doesn't help that there are literally BILLIONS of dollars at play/risk.

These folks keep weaving a more and more tangled web and they can't escape the past that has already been overly knotted by all the previous web weavers. God's (supposed) house is a now house of total disorder and disharmony: by their rotten fruits ye shall know them.

Like all liars -- they can't keep their stories straight.

fun to watch.

The amateur apologists are all so certain it is some petty feud and their guy is right. They can't conceive of him being simply a pawn.

It's really all about Romney and the image of the church of the nice guys. DCP had too much potential to cause embarrassment. He should have seen the writing on the wall with Schryver's problems.

So much butthurt and venom in that letter by Hamblin. "Bugger off?" Really? He and Peterson and the rest of the old FARMS rat pack really have a problem, and I'm glad to see BYU moving away from apologetics and into more serious scholarship. Though, I guess that remains to be seen.

The circus has been entertaining, but honestly I hate it when professors from my alma mater make fools of themselves. It reflects poorly on me, because I have BYU on my resume. I'd like to see BYU become a more respectable school.

Did you hit your head on a rock Mak? Or are you turning back into TBM ;) LOL just kidding. But as you wrote I guess that remains to be seen. And yes it'll be nice for us BYU alumni if it went this direction towards serious scholarship :)

That's just what Hamblin said is the new direction people like Bradford want at Maxwell House -- leaving the apologetics up to FAIR and doing serious scholarship. That would sure be great.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/21/2012 05:43PM by steve benson.

Hello,

Although I am an anti-Mormon apostate and was told to bugger off, I am sending this message of support and sympathy.

We apostates know what it's like to be betrayed by those you trusted and worked with for years. Being fired while you were in the Middle East was a cowardly act and everyone can see that.

Like St. Paul, Mr. Peterson, it's possible for you to see a brilliant light of truth and reverse your course to support those you once persecuted.

We are not your enemy.

Sincerely

Anagrammy from Recovery From Mormonism (www.exmormon.org)
Kathleen Waters

He just emailed me back saying he sincerely appreciated my support. Called me both Anagrammy and Sister Waters....interesting.

Ana

anagrammy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> He just emailed me back saying he sincerely
> appreciated my support. Called me both Anagrammy
> and Sister Waters....interesting.
>
> Ana


I wouldn't be surprised if among the volume of supportive mail he will receive about this, yours will be one of those he finds most comforting.

Well said.

anagrammy that was a class move I like your style!!

Maybe what happened is that the GAs woke up to all the "Bible-bashing" that goes on there, here & elsewhere.

It never gets you anywhere, and more than likely destroys the chance that someone will ever change his/her mind.

So they squelched it by dumping DCP. Later they can say in their true revisionist style that they've ALWAYS denounced Bible-bashing.

And now, on to more mainstreaming.

PS Anagrammy - a +1 to your email to DCP!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/21/2012 06:55PM by PapaKen.

I know it means "works to explain things regarding religious matters", roughly, and it's used in Bible scholarship as well. But it always sounds like Apology, like there are a bunch of people going "Aw shucks, we know it doesn't make sense, and we're sorry, but gosh we've got some pretty words to try and cover it up." Which it may be, but you'd think they'd have come up with a better description of their activities. Like Explanatories or, heck, Revelations.

You know, I just had an interesting thought ... If there was a way to replace Tommie Monson with Dan Peterson, then I'm 100% certain that I would rejoin the Mormon church. Can you imagine how General Conference would be?

Let's think about this for a second .... if we convert DCP's writing style and personality into actions and theatrics, then General Conference would be AMAZING! I can picture it now, he'd have live executions of apostates, he'd replace the conference center lighting with tiki torches and he'd only wear super hard core freemasonry regala everywhere he went, apron and all. Oh boy, you see how bada$$ that would be? It gives me the goose bumps just thinking about it.