DCP's Role in the "Nygren" Debacle

[Moksha]

I am troubled by the curt nature of Dr. Peterson's reply to Bill Reel. It lacked graciousness. There is no need to barricade the fortress on this issue when airing things out would benefit SeN and the Interpreter. Not doing so would be like doubling down on the 2nd Watson letter.

[Philo Sofee]

I am troubled by the curt nature of Dr. Peterson's reply to Bill Reel. It lacked graciousness. There is no need to barricade the fortress on this issue when airing things out would benefit SeN and the Interpreter. Not doing so would be like doubling down on the 2nd Watson letter.

Dan P. on his knees late at night by his bed praying : "Dear Heavenly Father, please just show me through my iphone/seer stone thy holy servant Elder Utchdorf has taught us to believe is how they worked, where that 2nd Watson letter is, so I can be redeemed. Please Father save me and my reputation! I humbly ask in the holy name of thy holy Son, Jesus, even the Christ, Amen!"

[Kishkumen]

I have yet to see a single significant item of actual investigative original research from Parker showing a legitimate ancient Lamanite or Nephite ruin, artifact, writing, which the world's scholars can accept and agree on because it logically makes sense, and is physically cohesive with what the church says about the reality of the Book of Mormon.

Well, that's the problem, isn't it? There's nothing to find.

[Kishkumen]

The amazing thing is he really is brainwashed into believing he is literally and actually doing Jesus's work for and with him...

Yeah, he and I probably have different ideas about Jesus, but I am sure he would tell you that his are the correct ones.

[Philo Sofee]

I have yet to see a single significant item of actual investigative original research from Parker showing a legitimate ancient Lamanite or Nephite ruin, artifact, writing, which the world's scholars can accept and agree on because it logically makes sense, and is physically cohesive with what the church says about the reality of the Book of Mormon.

Well, that's the problem, isn't it? There's nothing to find.

Yes, indeed... it's why we love to keep reminding them of it. They have actually become convinced we are the ones who don't know anything...

[Philo Sofee]

The amazing thing is he really is brainwashed into believing he is literally and actually doing Jesus's work for and with him...

Yeah, he and I probably have different ideas about Jesus, but I am sure he would tell you that his are the correct ones.

And I wouldn't mind that... it is when he begins mocking your ideas, saying your sources are idiotic, proclaiming your breath stinks, and saying you are a pedofile because of your different ideas and understanding than he has that I would object. He can't quite grasp the difference between understanding differently than others and attacking other who come to different conclusions than he does. Dan Peterson has damaged him heavily with that kind of stupid thinking. He might have time to heal if he can step away from the influence of Peterson, but it's going to take a heavy toll on his own fragile ego with the ego of Peterson to preparation him up.

[Doctor Scratch]

It turns out that Dr. Peterson has, within the space of barely 24 hours or so, gone from thinking that the Parker/Neville conflict is "trivial, insignificant, and a bore," to declaring that he is "Standing with Mike Parker." He declares that "Neville-Neville Land" is "sadly necessary" and "invaluable," which raises some questions: is DCP's anonymous emailer "sadly necessary"? And should someone start a 4-year long blog devoted to attacking Parker? Maybe, "Adventures with Mike 'Porky Pig' Parker"? You know, since that gentle alliteration adds to the charm?

But there is another interesting historical tidbit in DCP's entry:

Unfortunately, there’s more than a trace of “inside baseball” about these. I look forward to the time in the not too- distant future when “Peter Pan” can, if it continues to be necessary, return to his important work of chronicling Mr. Jonathan Neville’s unseemly accusations against prominent Latter-day Saint scholars, Church employees, Church publications, apologists, and even, it sometimes seems, Church leaders.

It’s a weird and unnecessary war that was initiated, so far as I’m aware, on the “Heartlander” side — though not, certainly, by all “Heartlanders” and probably not even by Mr. Jonathan Neville himself. I can still remember my astonishment, many years ago, back in the days of the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (FARMS), when a friend showed some of us a portion of a video featuring Rod Meldrum, one of the founders and principal figures of the “Heartland” movement. It included a clip from President Gordon B. Hinckley in which President Hinckley noted that some people have rejected the Book of Mormon and the blessings to be received through it. Thereupon, Mr. Meldrum helpfully identified the rejecters of the Book of Mormon to whom President Hinckley was referring: They were none other than those of us who were associated with FARMS. We were, I think I can fairly say, somewhat surprised at that.

Here's the thing: every single conflict that the Mopologists have ever been involved in was *always* started by the other party. Somehow, they are never responsible for anything: not for casting the first stone; not for being condescending; not for harassing people via email or threatening their employment (or going to their place of work); not for authoring hit pieces; not for fanning the flames. It's always the other person's fault. All that said, I'm curious: what "video" was this where Meldrum takes this alleged swipe at FARMS? Frankly, this sounds rather apocryphal. Unless Peterson can supply the actual name of an actual video, I'm inclined to give Meldrum the benefit of the doubt.

In any case, he continues:

I surely don’t believe in breaking fellowship with other members of the Church, let alone with members of my family, simply on the grounds that we differ as to the location of the city of Zarahemla or the site of the final Nephite battle.

Yet I have seen a few committed “Heartlanders” — not even, I hope and believe, a significant minority of them — who seem effectively willing to do just that. And that disheartens, depresses, and disappoints me. It brings in a spirit of division and contention that I sincerely feel comes from a distinctly non-divine source, and that does not serve the purposes of God or help with the growth of the Kingdom.

That is what I have objected to in the work of Mr. Jonathan Neville. He has repeatedly insinuated that I and my friends are attempting to guide the leadership of the Church astray. He has even borrowed language from the ritual of the temple, on at least two distinct occasions, to compare me and my associates at the Interpreter Foundation with Lucifer and the hosts of Hell. Do I think that uncharitable and inappropriate? You better believe that I do. I had hoped that he would stop. I still hope that he will stop. But the signs right now are not promising. And baselessly assassinating the character of Mike Parker isn’t exactly a step toward the Kingdom of Heaven. For one part of the current defamatory alliance, that’s probably just fine. I hope, though, that it will give the other side at least a moment’s pause.

Taking issue with Parker's perpetuation of the "Richard Nygren" persona is hardly "baseless." Moreover, Peterson is guilty of the very thing he's claiming that he objects to with the Heartlanders. Check out this 2020 post from him:

I worry that Mr. Neville is heading, whether deliberately or not, toward the creation of a schismatic faction within the Church, and that he will ultimately lead at least some faithful believers away from full fellowship with the Saints. I hope that this isn’t true, and I hope that it never happens. But I see clouds on the horizon.

And he seems to forget how different his attitude was towards the Heartlander position. Look at this from 2019:

I’m happy to pass on a few links to recent articles on the “Neville-Neville Land” site. Primarily because I agree with them and think that others need to see the weaknesses in Mr. Neville’s arguments specifically and, to some extent, in the Heartlander position more generally. I think that the two authors behind “Neville-Neville Land” have been doing very good work, and that what they have to say is of considerable value.

(emphasis added; and note that he states plainly here that there are *two* authors, affirming what others have said.)

Back when NNL was launched, DCP enthusiastically praised it for trying to tear down Heartlanders' beliefs. This contrasts sharply with what he says in his most recent post:

To me, the question of exactly where the events of the Book of Mormon took place is an interesting one, but of secondary or even tertiary importance. I have long leaned strongly toward a Mesoamerican setting, but I haven’t written very much on the subject and I have no particular problem with non-Mesoamerican models. I’m open to being persuaded but, thus far, I haven’t been.

I don't begrudge him if he's changed his mind, but I must have missed the part where he apologized for publicly affirming actual attacks on the Heartlanders' beliefs. Pretending as if it never happened isn't very helpful, in my opinion.

And then there is this:

I haven’t called Mr. Neville or any other advocate or adherent of the “Heartland” model an apostate. Never. Ever. Not once. I absolutely do not believe that holding “Heartlander” views constitutes apostasy. Theories of Book of Mormon geography don’t rise to that level of importance. Nobody’s salvation will depend upon knowing the correct GPS coordinates of the Jaredite city of Lib.

Does he mean that he never actually used the exactly word apostate? Okay, fair enough, if that's what he means. But surely even he can understand how Neville--or anyone else--might read this statement:

"I worry that Mr. Neville is heading, whether deliberately or not, toward the creation of a schismatic faction within the Church, and that he will ultimately lead at least some faithful believers away from full fellowship with the Saints."

And interpret that as meaning essentially the same thing as "apostate."

In any case, the saga continues.....

[Philo Sofee]

Peterson's legacy is of the man who plays word games so he can never feel guilty about taking responsibility for his beliefs, or actions against others' beliefs if and when they differ from his own, and he attacks them for that. His phony legacy of defending the faith is based on ridiculously making mountains out of molehills about others who disagree with his conclusions and he lamely imagines THAT is an attack on the Gospel he proclaims to love. It is, to put it blunt, the stupidest tactic I have ever seen, to smear others who differ from yourself and your views. Just butt stupid dumb. And then he blames all others for causing schisms in the church.

[TwoCumorahFraud]

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/danpeters ... arker.html

Dan the “RLDS M2C Man” has replied

“Mike has been taking quite undeserved hostile fire from a curiously symbiotic alliance of aggressive critics of the Restoration (most if not all of them atheists) and one or possibly two vocal believers in the “Heartland” model of Book of Mormon geography.”

Dan Peterson thinks M2C created and copyrighted by L.E. Hills, during World War One, is part of the Restoration.. LOL.

https://tinyurl.com/LEHills1924bookM2C

He and Jack Welch, believe the Hill Cumorah is lost in Mesoamerica, after plagiarizing this 1924 book.

https://tinyurl.com/LEHills1924bookLostCumorah

I wonder why they don’t join up with BOMF.org in Missouri?
Oh wait they have. See the links to BookofMormonCentral and Kirk Magleby’s Book of Mormon Foundation, the parent company of BookofMormonCentral.

https://www.bomf.org/links.html

http://www.bmaf.org/

Now Dan is upset an active member of The Church is pointing this out to ex- and anti-mos here on this blog.
Truth is truth. Error is error. And Dan Peterson promotes fake geography for The Book of Mormon.

Dan Peterson, why don’t you just join Community of Christ or Restoration Branch?

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

If DCP is throwing his *ahem* weight behind Mike “Peter Pan” Parker, why is Mike’s profile still deleted from the Interpreter site?



Once again DCP’s duplicity is on full display.

- Doc