Calm Posted June 25, 2012 Posted June 25, 2012 (edited) The Church began to fund FARMS when it became part of BYU and the Neal A. Maxwell Institute (abbv. as MI or NAMI).***** The Church funds BYU which funds the Maxwell Institute (various fundraising projects help fund it too as happens in any university setting). No funding has been pulled from the Maxwell Institute so far as I know or has been announced anywhere I've found to be credible.****I am assuming wiki is correct in the history so see this for details: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundation_for_Ancient_Research_and_Mormon_StudiesIf you want to know what has changed, reading Dr. Hamblin's blog is the best way, imo. Edited June 25, 2012 by calmoriah
Bob Crockett Posted June 25, 2012 Posted June 25, 2012 The Church has never, ever funded FAIR. It has been fully funded by volunteer donations and volunteer hours.The only thing the Church has done for FAIR is printed stuff up about its conferences in Church News (Scott Lloyd can tell you all about that) and IIRC has some links to it in its newsroom for further information...but I could be wrong about that.Oh, and it allows us to have firesides at various chapels, that kind of stuff.FAIR looks like it is the future of apologetics. I am a big fan. Sometimes it is difficult to navigate the website but I expect great things. It has the right tone. Best wishes.
Calm Posted June 25, 2012 Posted June 25, 2012 (edited) FAIR looks like it is the future of apologetics. I am a big fan. Sometimes it is difficult to navigate the website but I expect great things.Would appreciate you sending any problems our way so it can be fixed. It is hard for the tech guys to keep up with the changing links for one constant worry. It has the right tone. A lot of hard work has gone into this, if you ever come across something you feel is not right, Wiki Wonka would love to know.Thanks for the good words. My contribution is very limited, but I do like being able to pass on good wishes. Edited June 25, 2012 by calmoriah
Evangeline Posted June 25, 2012 Posted June 25, 2012 In all honesty I truly appreciate what fair is doing, I just think that the church may be worried that it does open some worms up. Why did they quit funding it?I just realised I spelled privy wrong, why oh why is there not a delete or edit button? Ok, walking on pins and needles here. For many years I devoured the MD&D board until it made me sign up. And then I actually got brave enough to write on here. I'm a hick I know. But I see that I would be better off not going to bat any longer, I just fall on my face. Sometimes the brain doesn't always work. But I realize this board is for smarter cookies than myself. I kind of don't belong, thanks for some of your patience. Oh, I actually had Wade England respond to a post! Too bad I disappointed the guy.Tacenda, I'm really sorry if I contributed to your feeling like you don't belong. I think we all have our insecurities, and I think those insecurities are especially evident when we lash out. You most definitely have something to contribute here. God doesn't grant all His gifts to a select few. By the way, there are some threads on this forum that are way over my head too. I can relate to that impression you describe of when you first discovered FAIR. There were many things that I learned from the website that I had never heard about before. That doesn't mean, though, that most of the information wasn't already available elsewhere. I just hadn't discovered it yet. I do recall feeling like I was somehow encountering "dangerous territory" at first, but after study, reflection, prayer and listening to reassuring faithful voices who are "in the know" about these things, I think my faith and understanding has only increased. I just can't picture any of our General Authorities really wanting to keep all the membership in ignorance. I suppose that they want us to learn all the truth we can, but start off with a firm understanding of the basics and maintain that as we go on our journey.All the best to you. 2
Senator Posted June 25, 2012 Posted June 25, 2012 Why is it so hard to see that apologetics can be a nasty business? BYU has simply pulled the plug. Well, if it was hard to see before, it certainly is not now!
Tacenda Posted June 25, 2012 Posted June 25, 2012 Tacenda, I'm really sorry if I contributed to your feeling like you don't belong. I think we all have our insecurities, and I think those insecurities are especially evident when we lash out. You most definitely have something to contribute here. God doesn't grant all His gifts to a select few. By the way, there are some threads on this forum that are way over my head too. I can relate to that impression you describe of when you first discovered FAIR. There were many things that I learned from the website that I had never heard about before. That doesn't mean, though, that most of the information wasn't already available elsewhere. I just hadn't discovered it yet. I do recall feeling like I was somehow encountering "dangerous territory" at first, but after study, reflection, prayer and listening to reassuring faithful voices who are "in the know" about these things, I think my faith and understanding has only increased.I just can't picture any of our General Authorities really wanting to keep all the membership in ignorance. I suppose that they want us to learn all the truth we can, but start off with a firm understanding of the basics and maintain that as we go on our journey.All the best to you.Thanks for your honesty, you've been really kind!
CASteinman Posted June 25, 2012 Posted June 25, 2012 If the Maxwell Institute is moving away from apologetics--yes, please bring back classic FARMS. That kind of apologetics is incredibly important.Great post. I loved the old FARMS -- 1980's was SUPERB. 1990's was still very excellent. Things started feeling odd about 2000 and then again about 2005. There may be something that MI can pull out of this fire and preserve, but it won't be the old FARMS that did such great work. There is still a need. And I think it would find support. 2
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