Posted by:
steve benson
(
)
Date: July 31, 2012 08:19PM
I have recently heard from a reliable Utah source some interesting claims about the reason for Daniel C. Peterson's sudden firing as editor at the BYU-based/Mormon Church apologietics outfit, the Maxwell Institute.
Note of the claims of why Peterson was supposedly shown the door by the Maxwell Insitite was made during a conversation about the Mormon Church's track record of denying and changing its track record relative to its embarrassing history and doctrine.
According to my source, Peterson left the country for the Middle East without having resolved an apparent ongoing dispute
with the Maxwell Institute regarding his future status as editor at the Institute. While in Jerusalem, Peterson was fired by directive from Provo, with Peterson subsequently sending out his own email defense to 18 colleagues.
(For Peterson's internet posting of his version of events, see "Of Gratitude, and Its Expression," under "Sic et Non," 22 June 2012, at:
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/danpeterson/2012/06/of-gratitude-and-its-expression.html)
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Now, for the backstory of what allegedly was the actual impetus behind Peterson getting the boot.
I was talking with my source about how the Mormon Church is seeking tactical advantage in projecting a new-and-improved image of the Mormon Church through use of Mormon Mitt's run for the White House roses.
Our conversation focused on how Romney has had a significant history of flip-flopping on issues, and how this apparent tendency on Romney's part to reverse field at a moment's notice for political advantage does not serve him well in presenting himself to larger society as a Mormon supposedly committed to telling the truth and maintaining a consistent moral standard.
We also talked about how Romney steadfastly refuses to discuss with reporters in any meaningful detail the official doctrines (and their related history) of the Mormon Church but, rather, insists on speaking only about his personal experiences in the Mormon Church as what he describes as an LDS "pastor" position, as well as his experiences and beliefs as an individual member.
My source observed that Romney simply could not address matters of Mormon doctrine and history because it would render his campaign untenable.
Then, according to my source (who said the following had been relayed to the source by a staff employee at the Maxwell Institute), the Mitt Romney campaign had contacted the Maxwell Institute to complain that the extreme Mormon apologetics of Peterson were hurting the Romney presidential campaign.
Subsequently, the source said, Peterson was fired from his editor position at the Maxwell Institute.
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/2012 08:22PM by steve benson.