Removed Post

Last night, I did a post responding to a certain blogger who styles himself an LDS apologist (you know, the one who enjoys cavorting around the Internet calling any non-Mormon or ex-Mormon who tries to discuss Mormonism an “anti-Mormon;” he also thinks active and believing Mormons who disagree with him are “anti-Mormons”). I’m not going to name him or grace his blog with traffic through a link. Let’s just call him the Ed Decker of Mormonism.
I decided this morning that, while there’s great fun to be had in snarking people who are hilariously self-righteous, bigoted, and ignorant, I think my blog is much better off without it. And I think such people are better off ignored entirely. Since only two people had commented on the post and the Ed Decker of Mormonism seemed to have neither noticed it nor responded to it, I decided to just remove it. Neither the post nor the comments on it are deleted, btw. They’re just moved to private and I can recall them if/when I want to.
I choose to take the high road on this, even if I’m a little late in taking it. Thanks everyone who continues to humor me with their readership and their thoughts on interfaith issues.

Comments

Removed Post — 39 Comments

  1. Sorry Jack, Google reader captured it for me. Now I can enjoy it for as long as I want. :)
    Have fun in Utah. Tell it I miss it.
  2. I’m glad that my loyal subscribers, at least, are now alerted to my status as a “sheep in wolves clothing.” We all know how dangerous those sheep in wolves clothing are.
  3. Sorry I missed the posting. As an active, believing, Mormon I quite enjoy clobberblog – and can only imagine what silliness prompted the removal.
    And sheep in wolves clothes? Why does that remind me of the fellow in Attack of the Killer Tomatoes dressing up LIKE a tomato in order to infiltrate the enemy?
    sigh
    wilt
  6. Like @1, Google reader preserved it for me as well. And I was tempted (beyond my ability to resist) to go see who you’re talking about. ;)
    Are you sure this guy is serious, not a Poe? I mean, someone who calls his blog “SPAM” and then complains about getting banned for spam-style cut-and-paste-the-whole-not-exactly-relevant-article comments? Looks suspiciously like satire.
    (Plus, he apparently even has an article claiming that the hieroglyphs in the BoA facsimiles actually say what JS says they said. Can he be serious?)
  7. Many people have asked that question, chanson, and I’ll be the first to admit such a character would make for a rollicking good parody of the chapel Mormon apologist, especially given his chosen acronym.
    However, I have come down on the side of “he’s for real, he’s just that unhinged.” It’s a rare troll who keeps up such a charade for as long as he’s been around. The behavior he exhibited towards Jessica of I Love Mormons bordered on stalking: trying to dig up personal information about her by Googling her real name and falsely accusing her of holding degrees from unaccredited schools (Robert & Rosemary Brown envy, from the sound of it). He’s the reason she switched to removing all mention of her real name from her site. If this was all one big joke, it stopped being funny when he did that.
    A friend has reported to me that he just announced yesterday that he’s giving up his Internet capers and turning his site over to his son. I guess we can all hope that the apple has fallen very, very far from the tree.
  8. Wow.
    I’m almost sorry I commented, since he’s almost certainly reading this thread, and would probably decide that my blogs are “anti-Mormon”. I really don’t need any stalking trolls.
    On the bright side, (as far as I know) BYU is still accredited, so my Bachelor of Science is safe! ;)
  9. he’s almost certainly reading this thread, and would probably decide that my blogs are “anti-Mormon”.
    Well, duh. You are an ex-Mormon. I wasn’t kidding when I said that he seems to brand all ex-Mormons and non-Mormons who try to discuss Mormonism as “anti-Mormons.” He also claimed that the blogs of aquinas and Loyd (both Mormons) were “anti-Mormon sites.” So as far as I can tell, his working definition of “anti-Mormon” is “someone who talks about Mormonism whom I disagree with, fellow Mormons included.”
    On the bright side, (as far as I know) BYU is still accredited, so my Bachelor of Science is safe!
    I know. It must be a huge disappointment to him that he can’t accuse me of having a fake degree for the same reason.
    I’m sure he can think of another form of character assassination though if he puts his mind to it.
  10. Dude. I hope he’s reading this thread. I’d love to hear if I’m anti-Mormon, if not for my blog (which never mentions religion) then for my divorce. (Though if he ever saw the Dual Priesthood, Dual Powa’ post, he’ll absolutely declare me apostate for claiming to have any priesthood authority in my home.) Or I may be anti because of my schooling; I’m sure he thinks us wimmins only go to college long enough to get married.
    I’d make him call me “Dr.”
  11. Yes, let’s set the record straight on my college accreditation once and for all. I was quite unhappy that I had to become a member of the not-to-be-mentioned site we are discussing in order to defend myself from these erroneous accusations. The site had a social networking feature where all comments were automatically deleted when I removed my membership (after being cursed in the name of the LDS priesthood I didn’t feel very welcome anymore). I tried to appeal to the man and invite him to have a friendly conversation about our disagreements rather than resorting to personal attacks, but his threats and cursing convinced me he wasn’t interested in having a friendly conversation.
    The Bible college I attended for my undergraduate degree (Multnomah Bible College – now Multnomah University) was not regionally accredited at the time I attended (it is now; they were pursuing regional accreditation while I was there). When I earned my BS degree there (with a double major in Biblical Studies and Women’s Ministries) the college and seminary were accredited with the following accreditation bodies (pasted from their website):
    Association for Biblical Higher Education
    Multnomah Bible College and Seminary is accredited with the Commission on Accreditation of the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE), formerly the Accrediting Association of Bible Colleges. The ABHE is the national accrediting association for evangelical colleges that include a substantial requirement for biblical instruction and student ministry requirements. The Council for Higher Education (CHEA), the national accrediting organization, approves the ABHE.
    Association of Theological Schools
    Multnomah Biblical Seminary is accredited with the Association of Theological Schools. ATS is the nationally recognized accrediting association for theological schools whether Jewish, Protestant or Catholic. ATS is highly recognized and accredits schools in the U.S. and Canada.
    Oregon Department of Degree Authorization
    Multnomah Bible College and Seminary is authorized to grant Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees by the State of Oregon, Office of Degree Authorization. This authorization was reaffirmed June 2003.
    My BS degree was accepted for entrance to an MA program at Liberty University, a regionally accredited institution, where I obtained my MA in Counseling-Human Relations.
    The thing was, before this guy I had never mentioned on my blog that I even had a degree. I simply stated my beliefs and my reasons for my interests in Mormonism. He googled my name to find out where I had attended college and then when he saw it was not regionally accredited at the time I attended he wrote about how I was this evil anti-Mormon touting a fake degree. But how was I even touting it when I didn’t mention it? It was so ridiculous.
    In hinds sight I probably should not have been afraid or reacted by removing my name from my site, but I have never had a blog before and am not all that technically savvy so I really didn’t know what to make of this guy writing these scathing posts about me using my full name. It really kind of freaked me out. As Jack mentioned, it really felt like internet stalking.
    Needless to say, I am happy to hear he will be retiring from his site.
  12. *** I just noticed I should clarify my comment – when I said “cursing” above I did not mean that the man was using swear words – that would very much offend him if he were to take it that way if he is reading this. What I meant was the post he wrote where he pronounced curses on me in the name of the LDS priesthood.
  13. Jessica, thanks so much for coming by and refuting the Ed Decker of Mormonism’s false claims concerning your degree. I don’t blame you at all for removing your real name from your site given your newness to the blogging world and Ed’s creepy interest in you. If he had found me shortly after I began blogging, I think I would have had a similar reaction. (Thankfully, one of the first Latter-day Saints to find my blog and begin interacting with me was Seth R., who is considerably less creepy than the man I am referring to as the Ed Decker of Mormonism.)
    As far as his attempt to curse you in the name of the LDS priesthood, you’ll be happy to know that I myself bear the authority of the Melchizedek priesthood through my LDS husband. And as she stated above (#10), Dr. Velasquez also bears the Melchizedek priesthood in her home by virtue of her still-intact sealing to her first husband. If you would like, I’m sure one of us would be happy to counter his curse by pronouncing a blessing on your head by the authority of the Melchizedek priesthood, which we hold.
    (To my LDS friends: please know that I am not attempting to mock the LDS priesthood, I am only mocking those who make bad arguments concerning women and the priesthood and those who would use their perceived power for evil, as the Ed Decker of Mormonism has tried to. In fact, I believe D&C 121:37 has something to say about people like our friend Ed.)
  14. LOL! Nah, since I don’t personally believe in the LDS version of the priesthood I am not at all concerned about his attempts to curse me. I was more concerned for my physical safety. Because of his googling abilities I thought he might be able to find my address and come to my house and shoot me. On the matter of female priesthood authority, I loved the YouTube you linked to above in your sidebar!
    That was bloomin’ hilarious!!! =)
  16. Using the Priesthood to curse others? IMHO, that’s way over the top. As a missionary, we were told NOT to do such a thing. Yes, D&C 121 does deserve to be quoted in such misuse.
    Yes, I do have concern that if I start my own blog, it will be used against me by a few sicko types. I’ve angered some people in the Oil & Gas industry over the years. By no means all of them, but I’ve been sent serious rants & insults before, and I know one woman who blogs about gas well safety issues has had threats of violence sent to her on her YouTube account.
    I suspect you could blog about how beautiful flowers are, and some sicko somewhere will get upset!
  17. Wow.ry i missed the deleted blog. and for the lfe of me, sure don’t remember cursing.Jessica so sorry if she thinks I did
    nor do I question anyone’s educational background
    unless they are obnoxioualy rubbing it in peoples faces.
    If my HighSchool Diploma and a few yhears of college work forme, what is that all about????
    By the way, I still hold the Melchezidek priesthood. Could not be taken from me in excom.. It is eternal..
    or was that ‘terminal?
  18. I have no idea if that latest comment is someone’s idea of a joke (and I’d prefer it if people did not post under the handles of living people if it is), but just so we’re clear, this post has absolutely nothing to do with the actual Ed Decker. “Ed Decker of Mormonism” is a pejorative title that I gave to the LDS blogger in question due to his hypercritical, sensationalist, dishonest tactics, i.e. he is to Mormonism what Ed Decker is to evangelical Christianity, and his treatment of evangelical Christianity as a Mormon is similar to Ed Decker’s treatment of Mormonism as an evangelical Christian.
    Sorry Ed (if that is you). I’m just not a fan.
  19. Sorry jack.. My name pops up about a half dozen times a day on blogs and such, and once in a while a I actually respond to one.. esp. one that is trulyoff track to who or what or even what peole say about me..
    Usually, I have a lot better things to do..like golf, fishing, paying with grandkids, great-grandkids and my pastoral work at my non-denominational hoome church..
    it looks like you are having fun.. on your blog..keep it up.
    If you ever need a real honest answer about this real overthehill edecker….you have to holler
  21. Um, I’m not sure if this is the real Ed Decker, but if he is I think you might need to amend your post, Jack. I don’t think this guy seems at all like the equivalent of the other dude you made the parallel to…
  23. Okay, I know I’ve appointed myself as the meanie Grammar/Spelling Cop, but shouldn’t the real Mr. Decker, author of books and such, be able to type a little more coherently?
  29. yes..spelling is issue. in my dottage i have picked up a case of dyslexia…
    Really hard when I don’t have spell checker
    my apologies..
    tough for a writer. finishing up a new ‘secular’ novel with an editor..
  35. If he’s still selling “The God Makers” or anything like it, he has my criticism for continuing to purvey that body of libel. That stuff was not good for the Christian sense. All I’ve ever seen it do is get my non-Mormon friends to ask me, “Is he kidding?”
    OTOH, if he’s past all that and is just doing a ministry without countercult nonsense, then I’m at peace with him.
    And for the record here, an ex-communicant has no Priesthood authority in the LDS Church; the records of ordination are removed at the same time as the membership record, and only restored through re-baptism. So, y’know, he’s not correct about that.
  36. Wow! It’s really him???? Weird.
    Hi Ed Decker! I want to wish you a very nice day. I hope you are having fun golfing, fishing, and playing with your grandkids. That sounds fun! = )
  38. Hi Pa-Pa,
    I attempted to e-mail you the removed post using the e-mail in your comment #38, but the message was returned to me as undeliverable.
    Want to try commenting again with a different e-mail address? Or you can try either of these e-mails for me:
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