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< Criticism of Mormonism | Websites | MormonThink | Media efforts by MormonThink editor David Twede
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*'''September 24, 2012: lds.net moderators ban Twede's accounts after identifying him as "starlight012"'''—A moderator at LDS.net posted, "The person who started this IS the person who writes the blog, whose deception here will tell you all you need to know about his sense of ethics." {{ref|eowyn1}} The reason for the ban was that it was discovered that the new account that Twede created under his own name at "lds.net" used the same IP address as the account created by "starlight012" - the person who originally reported that a "bad member" was running MormonThink. | *'''September 24, 2012: lds.net moderators ban Twede's accounts after identifying him as "starlight012"'''—A moderator at LDS.net posted, "The person who started this IS the person who writes the blog, whose deception here will tell you all you need to know about his sense of ethics." {{ref|eowyn1}} The reason for the ban was that it was discovered that the new account that Twede created under his own name at "lds.net" used the same IP address as the account created by "starlight012" - the person who originally reported that a "bad member" was running MormonThink. | ||
*'''October 3-4, 2012: Twede is asked on the MormonDiscussion message board whether he is "starlight012"'''—Twede responded, "No, these are silly accusations. But the information there is interesting. Either a family member outed me or they're making excuses." {{ref|twede.mdb.oct.3.2012}} Various posters responded with questions, but Twede never reappeared on the thread. On October 4, 2012, MormonThink's founding editor appeared to explain Twede's absence, "You have no idea of the number of requests he continues to get bombarded with by those with questions, reporters who want to do follow-up stories, endless emails, etc....I doubt he has even looked at this thread since he last responded so you can't blame him or anyone else that has a busy life for not responding to every inquiry on every thread on every board where people ask him questions. {{ref|spongebob.nov1}} | *'''October 3-4, 2012: Twede is asked on the MormonDiscussion message board whether he is "starlight012"'''—Twede responded, "No, these are silly accusations. But the information there is interesting. Either a family member outed me or they're making excuses." {{ref|twede.mdb.oct.3.2012}} Various posters responded with questions, but Twede never reappeared on the thread. On October 4, 2012, MormonThink's founding editor appeared to explain Twede's absence, "You have no idea of the number of requests he continues to get bombarded with by those with questions, reporters who want to do follow-up stories, endless emails, etc....I doubt he has even looked at this thread since he last responded so you can't blame him or anyone else that has a busy life for not responding to every inquiry on every thread on every board where people ask him questions. {{ref|spongebob.nov1}} | ||
− | *'''October 20 and 23, 2012: Twede is asked by Postmormon.org moderator whether he is "starlight012"'''—When a moderator at Postmormon.org asked Twede if he had addressed the claim that he might have "set the entire chain of events in motion himself through a sockpuppet at LDS, Inc.,"{{ref|brad1postmo}} Twede first responded by indicating that this was a "smear" tactic by FAIR President Scott Gordon. Twede stated, "I didn't know how to address something I didn't understand (at first). I have since (some of the understanding just came over the weekend) received nearly unequivocable evidence that a family member contacted Scott Gordon. Because they share the same last name and other things in common with me, that is likely the source of his confusion about it being me. The evidence is unfortunately is very personal, could get another family member in very hot water. A few people, some at the conference, have heard it directly. There are a few others I will share it with on a personal level if I can trust they never release it or give away the details that can create more problems for us. If Gordon insists on continuing his smear, but it protects family, I can live with that." {{ref|twedesmear1}} Twede deleted this post several hours after it appeared. Followup questions regarding starlight012 and what exactly Scott Gordon was saying that constituted a "smear" caused Twede to threaten to withdraw MormonThink support for Postmormon.org, and specifically for the moderator who dared to ask him the questions. {{ref|twedewithdrawl1}} After withdrawing the threat, Twede's final response was, "Now...I will state again one last time: These are silly accusations. This is my last post." {{ref|twedewithdrawl2}} (We refer anyone interested in any of the additional comments to the link to Postmormon.org contained in the endnote.) {{ref|bradthorn}} Ultimately, Twede's answer to the question "are you 'starlight012'?" appears to be "no comment."<!--Scott Gordon never communicated directly with "starlight012" or any member of the Twede family prior to Twede's public "outing" and the media disclosure of his pending discipline. If anyone from the Twede family contacted Gordon directly, it would have been a result of them seeing his name in the media coverage, so it is not out of the question. After Gordon's name appeared in the ''New York Times'', he noted that "Because my e-mail that linked to his public blog was reportedly forwarded, I have received e-mails with several colorful expressions describing my actions."--> | + | *'''October 20 and 23, 2012: Twede is asked by Postmormon.org moderator whether he is "starlight012"'''—When a moderator at Postmormon.org asked Twede if he had addressed the claim that he might have "set the entire chain of events in motion himself through a sockpuppet at LDS, Inc.,"{{ref|brad1postmo}} Twede first responded by indicating that this was a "smear" tactic by FAIR President Scott Gordon. Twede stated, "I didn't know how to address something I didn't understand (at first). I have since (some of the understanding just came over the weekend) received nearly unequivocable evidence that a family member contacted Scott Gordon. Because they share the same last name and other things in common with me, that is likely the source of his confusion about it being me. The evidence is unfortunately is very personal, could get another family member in very hot water. A few people, some at the conference, have heard it directly. There are a few others I will share it with on a personal level if I can trust they never release it or give away the details that can create more problems for us. If Gordon insists on continuing his smear, but it protects family, I can live with that." {{ref|twedesmear1}} Twede deleted this post several hours after it appeared. Followup questions regarding starlight012 and what exactly Scott Gordon was saying that constituted a "smear" caused Twede to threaten to withdraw MormonThink support for Postmormon.org, and specifically for the moderator who dared to ask him the questions. {{ref|twedewithdrawl1}} After withdrawing the threat, Twede's final response was, "Now...I will state again one last time: These are silly accusations. This is my last post." {{ref|twedewithdrawl2}} (We refer anyone interested in any of the additional comments to the link to Postmormon.org contained in the endnote.) {{ref|bradthorn}} Ultimately, Twede's answer to the question "are you 'starlight012'?" appears to be the equivalent of "no comment."<!--Scott Gordon never communicated directly with "starlight012" or any member of the Twede family prior to Twede's public "outing" and the media disclosure of his pending discipline. If anyone from the Twede family contacted Gordon directly, it would have been a result of them seeing his name in the media coverage, so it is not out of the question. After Gordon's name appeared in the ''New York Times'', he noted that "Because my e-mail that linked to his public blog was reportedly forwarded, I have received e-mails with several colorful expressions describing my actions."--> |
=={{Endnotes label}}== | =={{Endnotes label}}== |
A FAIR Analysis of: MormonThink A work by author: David Twede
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Posing as a questioning member (which I am, just not active), I asked a question at FAIR's page. A Moap emailed me--someone who works with Danny Boy. This game is a bit different than the one you can play with the kindergarten missionaries at Mormon.org.....Posing as a fully active Mo is the only real gray area. I've resolved it for myself, but always wondered how Moaps handle it. Questioning allows me to see this....I felt that a little subterfuge would allow the experiment to run its course better than direct discussion as an exmo. Perhaps that is not appropriate, perhaps it is.
David Twede posting as "Jesus Smith" on Postmormon.org, February 1, 2012.
MormonThink's technique of leading members to their site by portraying their editors as active believers and just "presenting facts" is well reflected in its first two managing editors. In this case, MormonThink's managing editor repeatedly enters believer's forums pretending to be a believer who is losing his testimony. He then returns to ex-Mormon forums to brag about his progress.
== Notes == NOTE: FAIR's normal policy is to not link directly to websites which are critical of the Church. In this instance, however, we have suspended that restriction. All of the links below are active, including those that link to ex-Mormon message forums Postmormon.org and MormonDiscussions.com.
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