We disagree, on many levels. I don't "lead" apologetics, for one thing. And I think it's perfectly absurd to describe the FARMS Review, let alone the writings of Jack Welch and Stephen Ricks and Kevin Barney and Brant Gardiner and John Clark and Blake Ostler and the scores of other "apologists" out there, as evil.


I believe in vigorous discussion, but I've never fallen to anything like the level of many here on this very board for whom you've never had a word of criticism.


With regard to Mike Quinn and Robert Ritner, most of what you say about how I've treated them is pure fiction. With regard to Tal Bachman, I've never responded to him in the spirit with which he's treated me from the beginning, nor said even a portion of what I could. James White? A long history. He gives at least as good as he gets. Harmony? I'd finally had enough of her claiming that I was indifferent to the oppression of Afghan women, unconcerned about burnt-out schools, serene about murdered schoolchildren. I've never said anything remotely so horrific about her, and never would.


I've done nothing to Quinn or Ritner or Bachman. Did they deserve my doing nothing to them? Probably.


I've never done anything to anybody remotely like what you've been doing to me for the past three years.


I'll admit that I had some fun with you. I didn't seek out any information about your whereabouts or identity, but it came to me unbidden. And after three years of your relentless Scratchoscopies, during which you criticized my employment contract, my personal finances, my income, and my taste in music and literature and art, and twisted my every word to make me look cruel and hypocritical, and the like, it was genuinely amusing to see how upset you immediately became at the mere thought that somebody might possibly know something about you. You plainly preferred to do your character assassination from deep cover. Yet I never outed you, never actually said what I knew, never revealed your whereabouts, nothing.


Hardly.


Subtly dropping passing mention of an obscure and inobvious reference to the Trojans or to Gould Hall (or whatever it is) into a post isn't a very powerful method of shutting anybody up, let alone of "exacting revenge."


I think it does. Had I actually wanted to reveal your IRL information, I would have outright said what I knew. As it is, I doubt that very many even noticed those obscure passing references in a relative handful of posts, and I doubt that, if they had, they would have known what to make of them.


Oh, yes indeed. And then some.


Well, I didn't ask you to leave, but I can't truthfully say that I'll miss you if you really do. I invited you to stick around and post on substantive topics unrelated to attacking me, but I guess that doesn't interest you. (Sadly, your reaction was predictable.)

I'll be surprised, candidly, if you really stay away. I expect that you'll be back, even if not under the moniker of Mister Scratch. If you do come back, though, your distinct hoofprint -- your intense personal loathing of me and of Mormon apologetics -- will be immediately apparent.




.

Too bad. You're an effective foil.

I have also come to believe you are more than one person.

I almost feel bad for saying it -- since I genuinely, really and truly think DCP's a decent fellow and happen to like him a good deal -- but if Scratch is really gone, heartbroken doesn't begin to cover it. I love Scratch. He's funny, clever, and incapable of being un-entertaining. And as a fan of the surreal and the absurd, Scratch certainly kept me fixed (no offense there, buddy). I'm much more a lurker than an active participant on this board, and it has always been Scratch that keeps me coming back. With him gone, I honestly don't know where I'll waste my workday. All the other boards suck precisely because Scratch doesn't post on them.

I'll be wearing a black armband on each arm and taking a week-long vow of silence in observance of Scratch's departure. Mister Scratch, please reconsider. But if this is it, just know you have a fan in Dwight Frye.

I'll close by quoting my all time favorite bit of Scratch's writing:




To borrow a line from Eugene Levy in A Mighty Wind, I know that I will always think of you fondly, dear Scratch, every time I see a rose.

Goodbye, Mister Scratch. God be with you till we meet again.

Yeah, I don't almost feel bad for saying it. I genuinely feel guilty for saying it: I adored Scratch's writing. I came to disagree with what he was doing, and sick man that I am I still found some of his writing hilarious. I'm right there with you, DF, on the whole surreal and absurd aspect. I have said it on multiple occasions, but I'll say it once more: it was like having our own Andy Kaufman on MDB. The departures from reality were just too sweet.

In contrast to all the sobering reflection regarding the leaving of Scratch I'd like to offer this tribute:

Ding Dong! The Witch is dead. Which old Witch? The Wicked Witch!
Ding Dong! The Wicked Witch is dead.
Wake up - sleepy head, rub your eyes, get out of bed.
Wake up, the Wicked Witch is dead. She's gone where the goblins go,
Below - below - below. Yo-ho, let's open up and sing and ring the bells out.
Ding Dong' the merry-oh, sing it high, sing it low.
Let them know
The Wicked Witch is dead!

I believe DCP and Mister Scratch are the same. Daniel takes on the Mister Scratch persona when tightening his cilice.

Most members call this Choking the Bishop. Your words are appropriate for you, though.

C'mon, Mister Scratch; you made it WAY too easy!

I considered chiming in and telling you so beforehand, but I unfortunately moved on instead. If you really are gone, then I regret not having said something.

Happy trails to you. Feel free to PM me anytime.

I was puzzled by that, too. Surely he knew what I think of him. I've said it scores of times.

Perhaps, for some reason, he was looking for an excuse to leave?

As much as the idea saddens me, I was wondering the same thing. Perhaps whatever knowledge of him you have (or whatever he believes you have) was enough to make him too uncomfortable to continue posting -- as Scratch, anyway. I hope whoever he is, he finds his way back.

Well, this is interesting. My father virtually commits suicide and not so much as a goodby note. The way he kept his word though, is certainly a devastating blow.

Considering how easy he made it, that's about the only theory that makes sense.

MISTER SCRATCH: If you're reading this, who will inherit your "informants?"

Because he is clearly talented and I find his writing very entertaining, but there was something disconcerting about his fixation on DCP. More to the point, I don't believe that his characterization of Mopologetics was fair or accurate. For the most part, I don't think that people, even Mopologists, are as dark as Scratch painted them.



I can't tell whether you think I am actually a sockpuppet or you are using the term to tell me that I have changed from the person you used to know and love.



You lost me on that one.



Well, I think you have it wrong here. You may recall Scratch's discussion of the motivations of apologists. It was in the course of that thread that my perspective on apologists changed. The pieces fell into place, so to speak, and I no longer felt the same way about apologists or how I was behaving toward them. Was it nice to be complimented? Sure, but it has little to do, in the end, with how I got here. I have no great illusions about Daniel being my buddy. He really isn't here to make friends. In fact, my guess is that my shift from acting like a critic has insured that Daniel will hardly interact with me at all. I understood that very well at the time. He has been very forthcoming about what interests him on this board. The exit of Scratch will probably mean a decrease in his level of participation.

Gadianton will pick up his father's sword and continue the crusade....assuming he's not actually Scratch already.

So Scratch is gone. I find it strange that Scratch would bow out so quickly. I think that he may have been afraid that his identity would be revealed.

However, Farms/Maxwell Institute are becoming an integral part of the lds church. They may be independent but their mission will be greatly expanded in the future as apologetics becomes more important to Salt Lake. Already the lds church is engaged in apologetics by enlisting Youtube for Mormon Messages. More will surely follow.

I can see a day when apologetics will have its own department inside the church office building. And yes, I can see the lds church hiring apologists to do the work on the internet and in publications. It will become more important as the internet takes on a more important role.

Daniel is just one cog in the maching of apologetics. He is the most vocal on the internet but there are many more with him ready to come to the church's defense. It is growing all the time as GAs begin to ask members to join the battle on the internet.

I don't think so at all. Daniel will most likely be appearing more frequently on this board and his posts will be better in bring forth apologetics.

Can I interest you in some ocean front property located in Phoenix AZ?

To my knowledge Daniel posts on two boards: this one and MAD. On this forum he has been replying to attacks against him. If these attacks cease, you will see Daniel engaging people in good apologetics. And that in the end is what it is all about.

I suppose you could be right. We'll see what happens.

Maybe Scratch just got a belly full of it. He posted this previously.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=8592&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=63

Stendahl's Rules
Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 4:30 pm



If Dr. Dan wanted Scratch out of his business, Scratch gave him many opportunities. Just like one of the many examples below. It’s just that Dr. Dan doesn’t post substance and couldn’t or wouldn’t answer the questions. Dr. Dan can’t put up or shut up, anyone notice how long his “basta” lasted. He left in huff like a pre-schooler rather than answer a challenge that would have rid him of Scratch.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=8704&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=21

Scratch and DCP. Will it ever end?
Posted: Sat Mar 14, 2009 9:52 am

Scratch wrote:

Dr. Dan can’t even cop to the “Butthead” ordeal, go figure.

Yes, but he handed Daniel one opportunity he knew would be taken. Obviously, he wanted out for some reason. Anyone want to do a Scratchoscopy on Scratch? Offering the sinister theory for the reasons behind his exit from MDB?