Nice Article in Today's Print "Church News"

[Daniel Peterson]

This board's own Scott Lloyd has a nice article in today's print edition of the Church News entitled "Scholars testify on professor's Web site: Effort at supporting Internet missionary work."

And "Mormon Scholars Testify" continues to grow. I have testimonies already prepared to go up tomorrow (Sunday), and Monday, and Tuesday.

[Ceeboo]

Hey Dr. Dan ( Happy new year !!! )

I checked out the site ( Congrats ). Very impressive !!!!

Look forward to the things to come.

Peace,

Ceeboo

[gtaggart]

This board's own Scott Lloyd has a nice article in today's print edition of the Church News entitled "Scholars testify on professor's Web site: Effort at supporting Internet missionary work."

And "Mormon Scholars Testify" continues to grow. I have testimonies already prepared to go up tomorrow (Sunday), and Monday, and Tuesday.

Let's see. Two more scientists on your site. How long before Tarski (re?)converts?

[Apex]

Here is someone from Purdue you may wish to contact. He is the Bishop of the Singles Ward here.

http://www.chem.purdue.edu/people/faculty/faculty.asp?itemID=44

[Hyrum Page]

I am aware of a professor at FSU with a very powerful conviction of the truthfulness of the gospel.

[Daniel Peterson]

I deeply appreciate the suggestions.

[Mortal Man]

And "Mormon Scholars Testify" continues to grow. I have testimonies already prepared to go up tomorrow (Sunday), and Monday, and Tuesday.

Congratulations on your new web site. It is both interesting and well done.

I am however, a bit puzzled by your display of those equations, since they disprove the existence of God.

[dblagent007]

I am however, a bit puzzled by your display of those equations, since they disprove the existence of God.

The target demographic won't understand them anyway. The main purpose of the site appears to be to show/reassure non-scholars that real scholars believe. Thus, it is safe for non-scholars to believe because really smart people believe too.

[Daniel Peterson]

Congratulations on your new web site. It is both interesting and well done.

I am however, a bit puzzled by your display of those equations, since they disprove the existence of God.

Right.

Do tell.

The target demographic won't understand them anyway. The main purpose of the site appears to be to show/reassure non-scholars that real scholars believe. Thus, it is safe for non-scholars to believe because really smart people believe too.

Bzzzzt!

Thanks for playing.

Will the next professed mind-reader please step up?

[Mortal Man]

Right.

Do tell.

Well, if those integrals really are over all R_n space, then God has nowhere left to hide.

[Daniel Peterson]

Well, if those integrals really are over all R_n space, then God has nowhere left to hide.

History will record this day -- 3 January 2010 -- as the date on which, based only on some equations pictured on a message board, Mortal Man settled forever what had, until that moment, almost certainly been the weightiest and most debated question of human history.

Readers of the MA&D board, remember where you were, and what you were wearing, when you experienced this event.

.

[Smith]

Oh my word! The next thing I'll find out is that the Mayans did have it right and 2012 is it, doomsday.

And here I am sitting in my PJs finding this out, I should be in..... oh what does it matter..... We're doomed.. doomed...

[Scott Lloyd]

This board's own Scott Lloyd has a nice article in today's print edition of the Church News entitled "Scholars testify on professor's Web site: Effort at supporting Internet missionary work."

And "Mormon Scholars Testify" continues to grow. I have testimonies already prepared to go up tomorrow (Sunday), and Monday, and Tuesday.

Thanks for the update, Daniel. I actually haven't seen a copy yet and won't until I go into the office tomorrow. I've been taking some holiday time off, and we canceled our subscriptions to the Deseret News and Trib, just before our family quit our newspaper delivery route.

Congratulations on the continuing (and growing) success of your site.

[Lizarian]

This board's own Scott Lloyd has a nice article in today's print edition of the Church News entitled "Scholars testify on professor's Web site: Effort at supporting Internet missionary work."

And "Mormon Scholars Testify" continues to grow. I have testimonies already prepared to go up tomorrow (Sunday), and Monday, and Tuesday.

Does have a STRONG BYU Faculty Bias to it though. What I am saying is that a nonmember looking at it would say..."But Dr. Peterson is SUPPOSED to say he has a TESTIMONY, or he could lose his job at BYU, which is ran by the LDS Church."

Hopefully more scholars from outside of BYU will be added to the list over time.

[ebeddoulos]

I did a low ball calculation based on the following conservative figures.

.5% = Percentage of US population with a PhD. I know. This is actually closer to 1% and by some estimates more 2-3%. But as I said, I wish to be conservative. Given the LDS emphasis on education, the higher figures may be more accurate.

5,000,000 = The US population of Latter-day Saints. I know. There are a few more LDS in the US that this. Again, I wish to be conservative.

Calculation:

.005 * 5,000,000 = 25,000 LDS PhDs ... not all of which can work for BYU.

I suspect that this so-called BYU faculty bias is a temporary phenomenon based primarily on the proximity to Prof. Dan. Think of the ripples caused by a pebble dropped in water. News of this website will spread in a similar manner. I also suspect that given human nature that this will eventually peak at about 1,000 or so testimonies, most of which will be from outside the state of Utah.

[Daniel Peterson]

Does have a STRONG BYU Faculty Bias to it though. What I am saying is that a nonmember looking at it would say..."But Dr. Peterson is SUPPOSED to say he has a TESTIMONY, or he could lose his job at BYU, which is ran by the LDS Church."

Hopefully more scholars from outside of BYU will be added to the list over time.

BYU, coupled with BYU-Idaho and BYU-Hawaii, will probably remain at the core of the site for a considerable time, simply because, together, they represent probably something on the order of 2000+ Mormon academics, and because, since I myself work at BYU, I know lots and lots of people at BYU. So, naturally, that's where I started, and that's where it's easiest for me to recruit contributors.

Even so, of the twenty-six testimonies that are up as I write, while seventeen are from either BYU, or BYU-Idaho, or BYU-Hawaii, and while an eighteenth is from the Church Educational System, eight are from Columbia University, the University of Texas, Western Carolina University, Indiana University, the University of North Carolina at Asheville, the University of Michigan, Harvard University, and a private foundation.

And more such will appear as time passes.

Obviously, some will write us off because many of us teach (or have taught) at BYU. That's probably unavoidable. (And others will dismiss us because we're overwhelmingly white, mostly male, and etc., and etc.) But, just for the record, nobody at BYU is required to bear his or her testimony as a condition of employment. And those who have retired from the University certainly aren't required to do so.

[Calm]

And here I am sitting in my PJs finding this out, I should be in.

Did you at least have clean underwear on like your mother always warned you about?

[Daniel Peterson]

It's been amusing to watch some of the reactions to the "Mormon Scholars Testify" Website over at the Compound.

"Mormon Scholars Testify" is an "infamous Website," "pathetic," "ridiculous," a "failure," and so forth. And, true to form, my Malevolent Stalker and his disciples have conjured up an entirely fictional scenario to explain its origin -- despite the fact that I've already explained its reason for existence to both Mormon Times and the Church News.

[Ceeboo]

Hey Dr. Dan,

I am certainly not a Scholar, nor LDS, but if you are looking for more folks to testify, I would be most happy to help you out.

Peace,

Ceeboo

[Mortal Man]

History will record this day -- 3 January 2010 -- as the date on which, based only on some equations pictured on a message board, Mortal Man settled forever what had, until that moment, almost certainly been the weightiest and most debated question of human history.

Readers of the MA&D board, remember where you were, and what you were wearing, when you experienced this event.

Really Dan, I think you're overreacting.

The system may be ill-posed (like most apologetic writing); it's hard to tell by the way it fades out at both ends.

Also, God could still be hiding in the singularity. To find him, you'll have to reroute your integrals through imaginary space.

[clairc829]

Just revisited your website, it has grown, very impressive beginning. Keep up the good work, I was particularly impressed by the humility of those whose testimony I read.

[Daniel Peterson]

Really Dan, I think you're overreacting.

I don't think a good-humored failure to genuflect before nonsense is ever misplaced.

The system may be ill-posed (like most apologetic writing)

Once again, I fail to genuflect.

It's an odd personal incapacity of mine.

[Ceeboo]

I don't think a good-humored failure to genuflect before nonsense is ever misplaced.

Once again, I fail to genuflect.

It's an odd personal incapacity of mine.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm ??????

Are you mocking ?????

I might be taking back my offer to help at your new site !!!!

Awaiting your response.

Peace,

Ceeboo

[Daniel Peterson]

The site is designed to feature testimonies from believing scholars who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Any suggestions would be more than welcome.

[Smith]

Did you at least have clean underwear on like your mother always warned you about?

Brilliant, loved it!