How Is Daniel Peterson A Mean Person?

[why me]

So you've been there done that? Thanks for admitting this, I've always wondered if some on here that are apologetic, have had a crisis of faith at one time.

I have been there. It was the fair board that helped me. It gave me a greater perspective on the issues. And it was wonderful to see knowledgeable people challenging the anti stuff on the internet. And dan was apart of this. But so was Pahoran. Both dan and pahoran were very helpful. And strangely, these were the two the critics would single out.

[ERayR]

I can't recall him ever writing anything mean.

You evidently are not clairvoyant and unable to read between the lines to see what was actually written.

[Vance]

My best friend's neighbor's daughter''s cousin's sister's husband once saw Dan purposely and remorselessly run over a cute baby kitten,

SO!!!

It is a well known fact that he is mean spirited.

Just saying.

Edited February 28, 2013 by Vance

[De Groote]

Dan's dry sense of humour lends itself to being misunderstood by people who take themselves too seriously.

People are left with two choices when reading Dan Peterson:

1. He is wickedly funny.

2. He is wicked.

[Lightbearer]

No, he is not mean at all. I have been on this board a good while and I have never seen what I would term a "mean" or "unchristian" ever posted by Dr. Peterson. I believe those who charge him with this are only doing so to discredit those who have the nerve to oppose the designs of the devil who is the author of all Anti-Mormon criticism. Sorry folks but I will say it even if I am labled a meanspirited judgemental fanatic... I take it as a badge of honor when the wicked and abominable revile against me. It just means that I am getting to the truth that I am trying to defend the cause of truth. Just like Nephi was reviled by his dishonorable brothers when they said:

"AND now it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had made an end of speaking to my brethren, behold they said unto me: Thou hast declared unto us hard things, more than we are able to bear. And it came to pass that I said unto them that I knew that I had spoken hard things against the wicked, according to the truth; and the righteous have I justified, and testified that they should be lifted up at the last day; wherefore, the guilty taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very center. And now my brethren, if ye were righteous and were willing to hearken to the truth, and give heed unto it, that ye might walk uprightly before God, then ye would not murmur because of the truth, and say: Thou speakest hard things against us." (Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 16:1-3)

So often the wicked take the truth to be harsh and uncaring or angry. The Prophets of old we accused of this. Modern prophets are also accused on being racist, unfair, evil, or harsh... Lucifer and his followers have always been good at speaking false witness against the prophets and saints as the Lord has said:

"Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you."

(New Testament | Matthew 5:11-12)

Those who would attack the Saints and defame the Prophets should remember the following:

"But those who cry transgression do it because they are the servants of sin, and are the children of disobedience themselves. And those who swear falsely against my servants, that they might bring them into bondage and death— Wo unto them; because they have offended my little ones they shall be severed from the ordinances of mine house. Their basket shall not be full, their houses and their barns shall perish, and they themselves shall be despised by those that flattered them. They shall not have right to the priesthood, nor their posterity after them from generation to generation. It had been better for them that a millstone had been hanged about their necks, and they drowned in the depth of the sea. Wo unto all those that discomfort my people, and drive, and murder, and testify against them, saith the Lord of Hosts; a generation of vipers shall not escape the damnation of hell." (Doctrine and Covenants | Section 121:17-23)

These are indeed "hard words" or "mean things" to say, but they are the words of the Lord to those who would oppose this work. It cannot be stopped by the designs of Lucifer or wicked men. All they can do is nash their teeth at us. Edited February 28, 2013 by Lightbearer

[ALarson]

It is much different if one uses their real name and that name is dragged through the mud like Dan's name has. My early impression of it all was that Dan was having a positive effect in contradicting the critics. Thus, the rancor on their part.

The same could be said for John Dehlin (in reverse).

I happen to like both of these men and I enjoy reading both of their writings. I also believe they are both good men and that neither one of them are mean spirited. They just disagree on many issues.

[stemelbow]

I truly don't think there is a nicer guy out there who has been treated with such scorn.

I fear the movement has become, in some circles, so influential that others are convinced of his "meanness" without knowing a thing about him.

It's confusing behavior which seems to tell a terrible story. It's far more destructive to those who keep up the game than for Dan himself.

And, in a way, it'd be less troubling to me if Dan were the only victim of this type of thing.

For those who are explaining it as if it has something to do with people misinterpreting his sense of humor: Wrong. if that's all it was, then it wouldn't even be worth mentioning.

[ALarson]

For those who are explaining it as if it has something to do with people misinterpreting his sense of humor: Wrong. if that's all it was, then it wouldn't even be worth mentioning.

I agree. I think many who vilify Daniel Peterson haven't even read his contributions and writings. It hasn't helped that they feel justified in their feelings after hearing of the changes at MI. I'd put most all of those who feel this way in the Dehlin camp though (or at least those who have been influenced by him).

[stemelbow]

I agree. I think many who vilify Daniel Peterson haven't even read his contributions and writings.

yep. Sadly these assailants are being fed info by those who tend to not only read everything he puts out, but seem to be privy to nearly everything he does.

It's ugly stuff. Who would really spend time doing that?

[changed]

One of my kids just showed me this new article in the friend magazine:

http://www.lds.org/friend/2013/03/the-hidden-message?lang=eng

It's a story about a brother and sister (two little kids) who are getting called names and being picked on. The wiser, older brother talks the little sister into ignoring the name callers, and then says:

When I was in middle school and you were still in fourth grade, some boys at school were saying rude things to me. Mom told me to hear the hidden message.”

Amanda wrinkled her face.

“What hidden message?”

“Those boys are saying one thing with their mouths and hands, but Mom says the real message they’re sending is they don’t feel good about themselves. So they try to feel more powerful by being mean to others. My teacher said the same thing. She said people who bully others are really insecure.”

“I guess those guys are really, really insecure then!”

“Yeah, I guess so,” Hyrum said. “They announced it to the whole bus!”

A very nice little article, and it's true. When I see people who are easily offended / calling others names / acting like a victim, that's the first thing I think too - is to feel sorry for them, and wonder why they feel so insecure.

[Nathair/|\]

¹mean

verb \ˈmēn\

meant mean·ing

Definition of MEAN

transitive verb

1

a : to have in the mind as a purpose : intend <she means to win> —sometimes used interjectionally with I, chiefly in informal speech for emphasis <he throws, I mean, hard> or to introduce a phrase restating the point of a preceding phrase <we try to answer what we can, but I mean we're not God — Bobbie Ann Mason>

b : to design for or destine to a specified purpose or future <I was meant to teach>

2

: to serve or intend to convey, show, or indicate : signify <a red sky means rain>

3

: to have importance to the degree of <health means everything>

4

: to direct to a particular individual

intransitive verb

: to have an intended purpose <he means well>

— mean·er noun

— mean business

: to be in earnest

See mean defined for English-language learners »

Examples of MEAN

1. The word meant one thing in Shakespeare's day, but it means something else now.
   
2. Red means “stop” and green means “go.”
   
3. Can you tell me what my dream means?
   
4. What was meant by the poet?
   
5. Don't distort what she meant by taking her words out of context.
   
6. He's very ambitious, and I mean that as a compliment.
   
7. It's a very easy question. Anyone, and I mean anyone, should be able to answer it.
   
8. She's not getting any thinner, if you know what I mean.
   
9. She says she didn't mean anything by what she did.
   
10. I don't trust him. He means no good.
    
11. The season of backyard barbecues and lakeside cookouts is at hand, which in most parts of the country means an orgy of grilled steaks, hamburgers and hot dogs lasting until Labor Day and beyond. —R. W. Apple, Jr., New York Times, 5 June 2002
    
12. [+]more
    

Origin of MEAN

Middle English menen, from Old English mǣnan; akin to Old High German meinen to have in mind, Old Church Slavic měniti to mention

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to MEAN

Synonyms denote, express, import, intend, signify, spell

Related Words connote, imply, suggest; add up (to), amount (to); hint, infer, insinuate, intimate; embody, epitomize, personify, represent, symbol, symbolize; advert, allude (to), cite, instance, mention, refer (to), specify, touch (on or upon); designate, indicate, point (to), signal; announce, declare, proclaim; elucidate, explain

(Source: http://www.merriam-w...dictionary/mean)

DCP has given us a clearer understanding of such things as the Tree of Life, the true nature of Islam (especially the name Allah), and many other things. I'd say this definition of mean fits him pretty well.

He's also the face of early 21st century LDS apologetics. A poet could say that DCP means apologetics.

Edited March 1, 2013 by Nathair

[Nathair/|\]

³mean

adjective \ˈmēn\

Definition of MEAN

1

: occupying a middle position : "]intermediate in space, order, time, kind, or degree

2

: occupying a position about "]midway between extremes; especially : being the mean (see "]⁴mean) of a set of values : average <the mean temperature>

3

: serving as a means : intermediary

Origin of MEAN

Middle English mene, from Anglo-French mene, meiene, from Latin medianus — more at median

First Known Use: 14th century

(source as above)

DCP neither falls into the extreme of fundamentalism nor "cultural Mormonism", nor any other extreme position. This definition may fit him.

[Avatar4321]

He speaks the truth about the Gospel and since people cant attack what he says, the try to attack him and so provide an excuse for themselves and others on why they shouldn't believe a word he says.

[HairBear]

Daniel Peterson is my hero. Read into that anything you want

[Glenn101]

The same could be said for John Dehlin (in reverse).

I happen to like both of these men and I enjoy reading both of their writings. I also believe they are both good men and that neither one of them are mean spirited. They just disagree on many issues.

I don't recall any type of hate speech towards John her on this board. A lot of disagreement with his agenda, but it did not, to me, become mean spirited.

Glenn

[volgadon]

Nice people are banned. We have to maintain our reputation and earn our 666.

I thought it was thirty pieces...

[volgadon]

I've heard he used to randomly take sandwiches out of the faculty fridge at BYU and just punch them! Then he would throw it back in the owner's lunch box's knuckle marks and all. Breeding fear throughout the whole facility!

Breading fear.

[The Nehor]

I've heard he used to randomly take sandwiches out of the faculty fridge at BYU and just punch them! Then he would throw it back in the owner's lunch box's knuckle marks and all. Breeding fear throughout the whole facility!

His work?

[Bill Hamblin]

I don't recall any type of hate speech towards John her on this board. A lot of disagreement with his agenda, but it did not, to me, become mean spirited.

Glenn

You don't understand. To disagree is to be mean.

[williamsmith]

John Dehlin and others seem to frequently attack Dr. Peterson's character by saying he's a mean spirited person who uses as hominem attacks against people.

From what I can tell, Dr. Peterson seems like a very amiable person. Is there another Daniel Peterson? I haven't seen or read anything from Daniel Peterson that supports the claims that Dehlin keeps making. I want see some evidence of this mean nasty cynical Dan Peterson I keep hearing about.

It's because Dan and others are often adapt at using very skilled sarcasm sometimes in debunking the foolish arguments of our enemy's and so our enemy's clearly come out looking as fools, they then simply don't like being shown as foolish, so they cry and complain that someone is mean to them back playing the victim card.

They can say all kinds of directly mean, vile, and false things, yet a mormon can't point out their actual flaws with some sarcasm and humor. Just bully's playing victim.

Edited March 1, 2013 by williamsmith

[The Nehor]

It's because Dan and others are often adapt at using very skilled sarcasm sometimes in debunking the foolish arguments of our enemy's and so our enemy's clearly come out looking as fools, they then simply don't like being shown as foolish, so they cry and complain that someone is mean to them back playing the victim card.

They can say all kinds of directly mean, vile, and false things, yet a mormon can't point out their actual flaws with some sarcasm and humor. Just bully's playing victim.

I think you honor them too much by calling them bullies. Bullying, though reprehensible, in the usual sense requires a certain kind of courage and risk that the victim will retaliate in some physical way. These people are far too passive aggressive to have that kind of courage.

[Kenngo1969]

You evidently are not clairvoyant and unable to read between the lines to see what was actually written.

Morningstar, you need the XML-7000(B) Decoder Ring. PM me and I'll tell you where you can get one and how to calibrate it. You're welcome!

[Kenngo1969]

Dan's dry sense of humour lends itself to being misunderstood by people who take themselves too seriously.

People are left with two choices when reading Dan Peterson:

1. He is wickedly funny.

I've found this to be very, very true!

2. He is wicked.

Well, in the sense that we're all fallen mortals, this is true, too, but notwithstanding his flaws, although I've never met him in person, I have no reason to believe his heart isn't in the right place!

[Bill “Papa” Lee]

I appreciate the comments here.

I don't see myself as a mean-spirited person. Not even remotely. I have plenty of other flaws, but cruelty and callousness aren't among them.

That said, a cunningly crafted image has been created for me in certain circles, and I'm frankly astonished at how persuasive some have found it. That can be rather disheartening, to be honest.

It's designed, I believe, whether consciously or not, to so poison the well that my voice is effectively silenced. And, as I say, it's worked to an extent that I would never have believed possible.

Fortunately, the play's not over until the fat lady sings. (And, with that, Peterson casually insults women and chubby people everywhere. Why? Because that's just the sort of unfeeling and nasty person he is.)

.

I just had a flashback from my youth,,,,your Avatar. You must be evil.

[stemelbow]

This thread clearly demonstrates there are plenty of people who are not swayed by the hostile irrational voices of people who wish to attack innocent people. I once tried to advise Dan to ignore them. I agree with him that it is a mistake to do that too much. It's insane, or near to, that they have managed to create such demons out of angels. And many of them are otherwise intelligent people who seem to live, for the most part, normal lives. I don't know if they present quite a reality check for me or just an unhealthy phenomenon. It's all a bit disillusioning for me. I normally have a pretty positive outlook on people as whole.

When you get down to it, people have beautiful things working inside them. I hope for their sakes, these angry folks let the beauty prevail and smother whatever motivates their hate.