Are the Apologists 'Set Apart' by the Brethren?

[_The Nehor]

Someone started a thread on the other board showing an actual ordination.

[_harmony]

Someone started a thread on the other board showing an actual ordination.

Not just "someone"... Daniel.

Over on his home board, my Malevolent Stalker has launched a thread suggesting that certain folks like myself have been "set apart" to our callings as "apologists" for Mormonism, thus directly linking the Brethren to our unspeakable crimes against humanity. A few nitpickers have pointed out that, as usual, his suggestion lacks any real supporting evidence. On the whole, though, they've been ignored. The only question still remaining, therefore, involves the nature of our "setting apart." Was it done secretly? Was our "calling and election made sure" at the same moment? Have we, as seems likely from our sordid lives, been granted a free pass for unethical behavior?

[snip]

Apparently, the speculators over at my Malevolent Stalker's board don't intend ever to ask me -- they know that I'd only lie to them anyway, because that's just the kind of person I am (and, anyway, haven't I been granted a free pass for unethical behavior?) -- so I think I'll volunteer the relevant information, just in case there's somebody here who is aware of that discussion but too shy to inquire:

I've never been ordained, set apart, nor even blessed by anybody, whether a General Authority or a local leader or a friend or a family member -- to be a professor at BYU or an officer with FARMS or the Maxwell Institute or an "apologist." Period. And I've never heard of anybody who has been.

How are we supposed to ask you, Daniel? You left.

[_Jason Bourne]

Well Mr Scratch

Read this:

http://www.mormonapologetics.org/index. ... opic=42338

So there you have it.

Do you now suggest Dan Peterson is flat our lying?

[_Daniel Peterson]

How are we supposed to ask you, Daniel? You left.

I still have e-mail, and my e-mail address is readily available: daniel_peterson@byu.edu.

Moreover, I haven't completely left this board. Although I won't continue to attempt conversations here any more, I still have the capacity to receive PMs from MDB -- and have received them from several people -- and I also intend to use the board, occasionally, to announce things that I think merit attention.

I'm quite accessible. Anybody could have asked.

[_truth dancer]

If no apologists have ever had a blessing to help them, inspire them, and bless them in their work to fulfill the three fold mission of the church, then my next question is, why not?*

Missionaries get blessings to help them move the work forward, SS teachers get blessings, young women and young men, when set apart in leadership callings get blessings to help them; even children get blessings from their fathers to help spread the gospel. Families pray to be good missionaries. I mean who hasn't had a blessing to help them be at least a "member missionary"?

Why wouldn't someone who is working to help the church ask for a blessing? I find it odd actually.

Maybe they should ask for a blessing?

I mean, Meldrum certainly feels he has been inspired and If I recall correctly he has prayed and most likely has had blessings to help him in his work.

Do apologists pray to serve God? Pray to be inspired in their work? Pray for direction as they try to give all they have to the LDS church as they covenanted? Why not have a blessing?

Hmmm... not sure.

~td~

*NOT saying anyone said there was never an apologist who has not had a blessings... I'm quite sure there has.

[_Gadianton]

The conspiracy theories over there are out of control. It's very obvious Rollo and Scratch are different people. It's even more obvious that Scratch and Kishkumen are different people. Kishkumen I think has used a sockpuppet, but I'll leave it at that. I wish he'd come back, he was a good friend.

As far as Jason's question goes, there is a virtual one-to-one correspondence between any claim Mister Scratch makes and DCP's denial of it. So this is not shocking. However, one is not forced to concluded anyone is "lying".

[_Mister Scratch]

Hi there, Dr. Peterson. Welcome back. I guess your sojourn away from the board didn't last so long, eh? In any event: I believe you when you say:

I've never been ordained, set apart, nor even blessed by anybody, whether a General Authority or a local leader or a friend or a family member -- to be a professor at BYU or an officer with FARMS or the Maxwell Institute or an "apologist." Period. And I've never heard of anybody who has been.

However, I don't quite feel that my questions have fully been answered. We all know by know that you are very gifted when it comes to semantics, after all. Let me ask you this:

---Have you ever been ordained, set apart, or blessed by a General Authority for any reason whatsoever?

---Have you ever received a blessing in which you were advised to "defend" the Church, or something along those lines?

---Have you ever prayed about a matter pertaining to apologetics?

[_Mister Scratch]

Those are good points, none of which I'd considered. I find them more persuasive than what I'd originally posted.

I wonder, though: Are any of them severely tempted to let the cat out of the bag?

I can think of one scenario where they wouldn't be. If the calling were important enough, then the setting apart may have accompanied a calling and election. It's been pointed out that this ordinance has been given more frequently in recent years than it had been for a long time. Those who recieve it are not supposed to talk about it. So that would explain the hush-hush nature of the calling. It might also be prudent to extend this ordinance to apologists, because in their line of work, they may be "required" to let the needle of their moral compasses roam a little more freely than most callings would otherwise requre, and this ordinance would guarantee their salvation so they could pretty much deal with critics however they need to with impunity. In this way, it would also explain the odd phenomena of apologists that don't apologize, because the repentence process would be unnecessary at this point.

Huh. I hadn't thought of that. If this were the case, would it give them "carte blanche" to "lie for the lord" about their calling? Also, I noticed that DCP put "apologist" in scare quotes, just like that: "apologist." Does this mean, instead, that he was set apart as a "Church Defender," or something like that? I have to say, I am reminded of his denial that he received payment for Mopologetic services rendered by saying that "not one dime of his salary" went towards FARMS work.

[_Daniel Peterson]

I guess your sojourn away from the board didn't last so long, eh?

I won't be back for attempted discussions. I will be back occasionally -- and already have been back at least once -- for announcements.

However, I don't quite feel that my questions have fully been answered.

LOL.

It's not going to work, Scratch.

Have you ever been ordained, set apart, or blessed by a General Authority for any reason whatsoever?

Yes. I was set apart to serve as a member of the Gospel Doctrine Writing Committee, and served on it for nearly nine years. I was released more than a decade ago.

Have you ever received a blessing in which you were advised to "defend" the Church, or something along those lines?

No.

Have you ever prayed about a matter pertaining to apologetics?

My personal prayers are none of your business.

Adiós.

[_Mister Scratch]

Have you ever been ordained, set apart, or blessed by a General Authority for any reason whatsoever?

Yes. I was set apart to serve as a member of the Gospel Doctrine Writing Committee, and served on it for nearly nine years. I was released more than a decade ago.

Was that the only time you have ever been ordained, set apart, or blessed by a General Authority?

Have you ever prayed about a matter pertaining to apologetics?

My personal prayers are none of your business.

I guess I'll have to take that as a "Yes."