Rules of Patheos: Midgley appears to violate TOS 10x

[_Lemmie]

Without knowing who gemli is in real life (we can only hope), midgley the Mean opines once again, with zero foundation, on how he thinks the life of his fellow human has transpired.

Louis Midgley Exiled • 2 days ago • edited

I am just now getting around to reading the responses to this new Part of Dan's current project. And just as I predicted, out came gemli huffing and puffing as usual. He has now posted 6727 times just about the same thing, with perhaps three different versions of his own atheist dogmatic religion. Elsewhere he correctly opines as follows: "The same word can have several different meanings." And then he seems to insist that Keller is wrong because he has picked the wrong meaning of "religion."

And he insists that, if Keller wants "answers to these weighty philosophical questions, might want to crack open a science book." But this is exactly what gemli has not done, as he has been demonstrated more than two hundred times on sic et non.

He had never even heard the names of famous authors who address the "weighty philosophical questions" of what constitutes scientific method, and hence the limitations of especially the natural sciences."

Those new to sic et non should know that gemli has been shown to be floating half submerged is what is known as scientism--that is, the essentially the irrational worship of science. He recently found a description of scientism on the internet and quoted one sentence from it that described him rather well. But he failed to quote the next sentence, which finished that task.

gemli's way of opining is to simply ignore criticism and add more unfounded bald assertions. When he managed to quote language defining and describing his own scientism, without even realizing what he had just done, he went on as if nothing had happened.

Those who have not previously watched gemli opine, should be aware that he posted those 6727 comments. But he has never mastered any science, and hence has not taught any science in a university, or published a single thing on any known science. Instead, he has made his living working for, if I remember correctly, some Roman Catholic University, where he grew into doing IT work. It was in that situation that he adopted the handle "gemli" to keep his dogmatic atheism from his employers.


I am tempted to mention the word transparency, and indicate that I actually can see a need for it in certain situations. One of these is on message boards and blogs where wild, unfounded things are often shouted, metaphorically, from the housetops.

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/danpeters ... 4714939309

The part in purple is Midgley projecting.

I feel bad for gemli, having to tolerate this pig of a man. Mentioning Midgley’s bad behavior in the SeN living room (dedicated to “politeness“) only merits an eventual banning. Peterson the Coward prefers to let Midgley the Mean do his dirty work. It’s a match made in mopologist heaven.

[_Lemmie]

Midgley really needs to cool it with the racism he has been exhibiting recently.

Louis Midgley Sam LeFevre • 3 days ago

Sam, the "highly educated native American--the infamous Dr. VelhoBurrinho (or Little Old Donkey) if he notices your remark, will accuse you of merely co-oping the story of those people who have had their culture trashed by you as you project your opinions on them in an effort to have trophy Polynesian members to shore up your own stupid faith.


−—
Dr. VelhoBurrinho Louis Midgley • 2 days ago

Professor Midgley, by the tone of your post it is very clear you are picking out my race and heritage. That sir is racism.

I have only criticized or challenged your opinions or beliefs that you have shared here. I never did a personal attack against your appearance, race, national origin, sexuality, or age.

About your religion which we do share, the closest I would have come to anything was to challenge your loose use of "Saints" when you try to justify what really is bad behavior on your part in "defending" the church.

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/danpeters ... 4746015039

By way of further explanation, midge posted this, same link. Not that it helped. The last two sentences are really odd.

Louis Midgley Dr. VelhoBurrinho • 16 hours ago • edited

I had decided not to reply to the one posting as Dr. VelhoBurrinho until I discovered yesterday that the Little Old Donkey now posts on the Dr. Shades board as Dr. LOD--that is, as a lLittle Old Donkey.

So that the one who posts comments as Dr. LOD will not have to draw his opinions about me from what he calls the "tone" of my responses to his ignorance and bigotry, I will indicate that what I call the Maori Latter-day Saint historical narrative is not what I fashioned, as a disgusting "white man," but exactly what anyone who knows a thing about Maori Latter-day Saints knows is the truly remarkable story of their own matakite (seers) preparing the way for both Latter-day Saint missionaries and their message.

[discussion of history not relevant snipped ]

What Dr. LOD now claims is that "the closest [he] would have come to anything"--like being a racial bigot [???]--"was to challenge [my] loose use of 'Saints' when [I] try to justify what really is bad behavior on [my] part in 'defending' the church." Dr. LOD ought to immediately explain how my essays on the faith of Maori Saints entail "bad behavior" on my part.

The fact is that every endowed Latter-day Saint has made a solemn covenant with God to both build and defend the Kingdom of God.

Morgan Davis once spent two hours insisting that any effort to defend the faith is "bad behavior." I wonder if this is the one with whom Dr. LOD had dinner last Friday? And if this is not the explanation for his disgusting remark about my "bad behavior"?

Also at same link, Peterson’s support of Midgley’s racist comments is inexcusable. Here’s how he weighed in:

Louis Midgley DanielPeterson • 3 days ago

I may just ignore the ignorance and bigotry of Dr. VelhoBurrinho in the future.


−-
DanielPeterson Mod Louis Midgley • 3 days ago

That would probably be a good idea.

[Guest]

The midge strikes again by doxxing: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/danpeterson/2020/01/escaping-poverty-through-tithing.html

Midge says: "Tell that to Dr. Shades or the brains behind that disgusting board on which you post rubbish. I will grant that ........, old Kishy, sometimes tries to tone down that rubbish posted on that sewer. But exactly what do those other jerks fear? Does your getting down-voted hurt your tender feelings? Or cause you to be fearful of posting rubbish?"

Midge further says: "Kishkumen ...... should be at least respected. The reason is that he has a real PhD, and teaches at a real college, and hence he is not a fake fake "Dr. Scratch," who poses as a "Professor" at something called "Cassius University." Perhaps you should ask yourself why all this fake stuff from those who hate Latter-day Saints and their faith. Is there not something more noble and useful that such folks can do with their lives that engage in such utterly stupid, idiotic, meaningless behavior?"

Dr. meet mirror.

[_SteelHead]

Do we need to trim out Kish's real life name (mods)? I think we should.

Seems like the Midge has no problem with Doxing folk.

[_Dr Exiled]

Do we need to trim out Kish's real life name (mods)? I think we should.

Seems like the Midge has no problem with Doxing folk.

Took care of it.

[_Lemmie]

I feel for gemli. He’s got a thick skin, and handles Midgley with unprecedented humor and equanimity, but dear god Midgley is a tiresome little pig.

midgley:

On sic et non, I do not, as you put it, "always" ask those who come to mock and sneer at the faith of Latter-day Saints "for personal information."

I tease poor gemli about his hiding his identity behind that handle because he did grunt work at a Roman Catholic college, and did not want his employer to know that he was violently hostile to any faith in God.

This one is on a blog entry where gemli has not even commented once:

Louis Midgley • 4 hours ago

Where are those who come to sic et non merely to mock and sneer at the faith of Latter-day Saints? Come from where? From where one must always hide one's real identity behind bizarre handles. And where is poor gemli with his babble about thousands of gods and thousands of religions, though not including his own dogmatic atheist passionately religious faith.

Yes, I am teasing poor gemli. He begs for it, does he not?

This one is a real problem though. Midgley defines his never-ending harassment about parts of gemli’s real life history that he twists with sadistic meanness into something unrecognizable as “teasing,” and then he asserts gemli is just asking for it.

This is a really sick person. Anonymity is a necessity when there are bullies like Midgley online. Sadly, all gemli’s readers know about this bully is that he is also a retired BYU professor and member of the LDS religion.

[_Paloma]

Almost 20 years ago Mormon missionaries suggested that I, a non-Mormon, visit a website called SHIELDS to see how BYU professors Daniel Peterson and William Hamblin were able to demolish arguments through their considerable academic talents (according to the elders).

I remember that the most striking impression I had upon reading several of the letter exchanges on that website (especially those to and from James White ... http://www.shields-research.org/Critics/A-O_02.html ) was of another BYU professor, Louis Midgley, who came across to me as creepy and slimy, insinuating himself in conversations in an obsequious but also aggressively hostile way.
He appeared to me as a Smeagol/Gollum type figure then, and I've never quite shaken that image.

[_Dr LOD]

Louis Midgley - Sam LeFevre • 3 days ago

Sam, the "highly educated native American--the infamous Dr. VelhoBurrinho (or Little Old Donkey) if he notices your remark, will accuse you of merely co-oping the story of those people who have had their culture trashed by you as you project your opinions on them in an effort to have trophy Polynesian members to shore up your own stupid faith.


−—
Dr. VelhoBurrinho - Louis Midgley • 2 days ago

Professor Midgley, by the tone of your post it is very clear you are picking out my race and heritage. That sir is racism.

I have only criticized or challenged your opinions or beliefs that you have shared here. I never did a personal attack against your appearance, race, national origin, sexuality, or age.

About your religion which we do share, the closest I would have come to anything was to challenge your loose use of "Saints" when you try to justify what really is bad behavior on your part in "defending" the church.

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/danpeters ... 4746015039
---------------

Louis Midgley - Dr. VelhoBurrinho • 16 hours ago • edited

I had decided not to reply to the one posting as Dr. VelhoBurrinho until I discovered yesterday that the Little Old Donkey now posts on the Dr. Shades board as Dr. LOD--that is, as a lLittle Old Donkey.

So that the one who posts comments as Dr. LOD will not have to draw his opinions about me from what he calls the "tone" of my responses to his ignorance and bigotry, I will indicate that what I call the Maori Latter-day Saint historical narrative is not what I fashioned, as a disgusting "white man," but exactly what anyone who knows a thing about Maori Latter-day Saints knows is the truly remarkable story of their own matakite (seers) preparing the way for both Latter-day Saint missionaries and their message.

[discussion of history not relevant snipped ]

What Dr. LOD now claims is that "the closest [he] would have come to anything"--like being a racial bigot [???]--"was to challenge [my] loose use of 'Saints' when [I] try to justify what really is bad behavior on [my] part in 'defending' the church." Dr. LOD ought to immediately explain how my essays on the faith of Maori Saints entail "bad behavior" on my part.

The fact is that every endowed Latter-day Saint has made a solemn covenant with God to both build and defend the Kingdom of God.

Morgan Davis once spent two hours insisting that any effort to defend the faith is "bad behavior." I wonder if this is the one with whom Dr. LOD had dinner last Friday? And if this is not the explanation for his disgusting remark about my "bad behavior"?

Yes more classic Midgley. This is the same guy who said that he had a "favorite" Nazi concentration camp, and wrote about Jews going up the smokestacks.

A few weeks ago in an exchange about their fanciful ideas about Lamanite/Nephite DNA, I read this article by Midgley titled Marjorie Newton’s Account of the Faith of the Māori Saints: A Critical Appraisal. https://journal.interpreterfoundation.o ... appraisal/

I looked up this article trying to figure out exactly where his position was coming from. Apparently through some incredibly hard mental gymnastics Midgely (and DCP) believes that somehow some random Nephite, or Lamanite really got around and spread their seed to the far corners of the entire Western Hemisphere, and Polynesia. In Southernton's latest book all the details about the convoluted apologetics is spelled out.

A few portions stood out:

When I encountered Māori in 1950, they were not pious stuffed-shirts; even though they knew they were of Nephite descent, they would say that, much like naughty missionaries, they sometimes misbehaved like Lamanites.

Why would Māori, for whom the Book of Mormon is “their book,” incorrectly see themselves as having “Lamanite descent” when there is exactly nothing in that book to justify such a belief? Gina Colvin, who was raised as a Latter-day Saint but who has now become an Anglican, is the only Māori of whom I am aware who muddles Hagoth with the Lamanites.

So after reading this I was quite amazed, on how persistent he was at reinforcing this narrative. Second in a way he was calling Native Americans, whom he says are Lamanites misbehaved, or dirty when he says that calling Maroi Lamanites "muddles them." There is no other way to describe this belief by him other than racist.

I addressed this article to him saying he was using cultural appropriation, and was only using the Maroi to hold up his religious beliefs. I was at least polite not to call him a racist at that point. But he got the message then went on the attack, saying I was a racist towards the Maroi by confronting his prejudices as shown in his paper. As per the above quote from SeN he continues that. It is a tired old intellectually lazy trope when someone is called out for their racism to call the ones pointing it out racist or bigoted. So he continues to throw his childish tantrum on SeN.

This was an interesting quote from his SeN post, it appears Midgley is trying to justify his bad behavior, and overall nastiness behind his temple covenants.

The fact is that every endowed Latter-day Saint has made a solemn covenant with God to both build and defend the Kingdom of God.

One would think that if what Midgley was doing while at the Maxwell Institute was building up the kingdom (church) in a honorable way why would God fire him? I mean after all Apostle Holland signed off on the changes at the Maxwell Institute in 2012. So at least to me it appears that those who continue to practice Mopologetics are in fact not building up or defending the church and are breaking their covenants.

Morgan Davis once spent two hours insisting that any effort to defend the faith is "bad behavior." I wonder if this is the one with whom Dr. LOD had dinner last Friday? And if this is not the explanation for his disgusting remark about my "bad behavior"?

I've never heard of Morgan Davis before this week. And no the dinner was not with him, but he sounds like a brave person from the letter posted this week here.

[_moksha]

The Last Danite David Tiffany • a day ago
Is Anne Frank in Hell?


Moksha The Last Danite • 17 hours ago
Is Anne Frank in Hell?

Of course not. God is beneficent.


The Last Danite Moksha • 8 hours ago
Not according to many Calvinists and hardcore baptist. To them, if you do not accept Christ in this life (regardless of your ability to hear of Christ or the kind of life you lead) you will be tortured for all eternity. Hence why LDS theology not only makes more logical sense but has a much better balance of mercy and justice.


Louis Midgley Moksha • 8 hours ago • edited
Moksha: You and the others who post rubbish on Dr. Shades board had better hope and pray that God is merciful. I include in this category the dunce who posts as Gemli's Fan Club, who might actually be Dr. Shades.

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/danpeterson/2020/01/how-the-book-of-mormon-counters-anti-semitism-and-etc.html?

[_Lemmie]

The Last Danite David Tiffany • a day ago
Is Anne Frank in Hell?

Moksha The Last Danite • 17 hours ago
Is Anne Frank in Hell?

Of course not. God is beneficent.

The Last Danite Moksha • 8 hours ago
Not according to many Calvinists and hardcore baptist. To them, if you do not accept Christ in this life (regardless of your ability to hear of Christ or the kind of life you lead) you will be tortured for all eternity. Hence why LDS theology not only makes more logical sense but has a much better balance of mercy and justice.

Louis Midgley Moksha • 8 hours ago • edited
Moksha: You and the others who post rubbish on Dr. Shades board had better hope and pray that God is merciful. I include in this category the dunce who posts as Gemli's Fan Club, who might actually be Dr. Shades.

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/danpeterson/2020/01/how-the-book-of-mormon-counters-anti-semitism-and-etc.html?

Shades is at least the 3rd or 4th commenter that Midgley has accused of being “GMC,” it seems to be driving him batty that he can’t pin anyone down so he can start his google-earth level stalking technique.

Speaking of that technique, he is remarkably consistent, anyone who disagrees with him in the slightest gets the full Midgley press for in real life details, regardless of where the comment is posted. For example, check this out on the Interpreter site. I noticed this while re-reading Midgley’s incredibly non-academic review of Marjorie Newton’s “Mormon and Māori.”

This is R Watson, responding to Midgley’s stalking:

R Watson
on January 8, 2019 at 6:46 pm said:

LM: “.... I have twice done a google search on [R Watson’s] name and cannot locate him. I know nothing about right-wing except that he is married to someone from the Cook Islands. Has he served as a missionary? If so, when and where? Where did he attend university? I am confident that he would not say to me, if we were having lunch, the things he has posted on comments to a Latter-day Saint academic journal....

right-wing: This charged comment is too much about me and not the issues we are discussing. I’m not sure how knowing about me via a google search adds to this issues of this debate. Don’t be triggered by my reference to my family experience and please stick to issues without putting words in my mouth or attributing motivations to me.

https://journal.interpreterfoundation.o ... appraisal/

RWatson handles this very well but WOW. Midgley is out of control with his stalking behavior.

I also noticed this hint about how little Marjorie Newton cares about Midgley’s opinion of her:

Louis Midgley on December 18, 2018 at 5:54 pm said:

...No one should object to efforts to get the stories straight. I insist upon this being done. Hence my review of Mormon and Maori, in which I have demonstrated that both her PhD thesis and its published version are larded with bunk.

...I have seen exactly nothing to indicate that Marjorie Newton has an interest in engaging in a conversation with Maori or other Latter-day Saints scholars over her opinions about the faith of Maori Saints. Instead, she has avoided conversations with those who are informed on the Maori understanding of divine things.

Admittedly, I am reading between the lines, but it seems quite clear that Newton has rejected Midgley’s offer that he be given the opportunity to express his superiority directly to her.

If so, good for her! Her writings have been honored and lauded across the board by lds and New Zealand historical groups alike. She has no reason to tolerate the cantankerous rankings of a mopologist who believes his supernatural stories should automatically be treated as the full and total truth.