Difference between revisions of "Criticism of Mormonism/Websites/MormonThink/Media efforts by MormonThink managing editor David Twede"

Revision as of 17:57, 23 September 2012

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A chronology of items related to the recent media coverage about MormonThink managing editor David Twede

On his blog, Twede talked about how he hoped that members of his ward would not find out that he was involved with MormonThink, fully aware that he could be called in for discipline.

I've returned to attend the Mormon church after five years of atheism. I have a very different perspective now and share my blog weekly....Last night I emailed Pat (my gender neutral pseudonym for the questioning wardmember). Pat’s question had been: why did I leave the church in the first place?...I don’t want anyone I meet in person to know I’m associated with, let alone managing editor at, MormonThink. I don't even want Pat to find it serendipitously -- It could get me in a sort of pickle and cut short my church activity....
—Blog posts by MormonThink managing editor David Twede posted at "Prozacville: Turning black-n-white minds into colorful paisley," September 2012.

Once the leadership of his ward became aware of this, they brought him in for a meeting with the Stake Presidency and Bishop,

[T]his Sunday's blog is delayed indefinitely due to me being confronted directly by leadership at church today. They are reading my blog. They know who I am--were, apparently, "inspired" somehow to learn my name. I don't want to jeopardize my MT position or others at MT by discussing any other details. We are being watched. I got a letter from them with my name and numbering my days, unless I stop writing for MT and blogging.
—Blog posts by MormonThink managing editor David Twede posted at "Prozacville: Turning black-n-white minds into colorful paisley," September 2012.

Twede was scheduled for a disciplinary hearing for apostasy at the end of September 2012. He chose to go to the media in order to force the Church to back off,

I'm taking my fight to the media, and there, hope to encourage the LDS church to repeal their decision to discipline me over my free speech.
Posted on Recovery from Mormonism by David Twede, September 20, 2012.

When Twede went to the media, he portrayed his pending excommunication as being an attempt to stifle free speech regarding things that he had written about politics and Romney. This is how it was portrayed on Recovery from Mormonism and when it was picked up by The Daily Beast. Here is the beginning of the message that Twede sent to Steve Benson,

First, here is a prefatory comment by "MormonThink's" managing editor that he included with the initial news release:

. . . [J]ust thought you'd like to know the news (below). We are beginning to talk with the press about this, but could really use a big press contact if anyone has one. Thanks! David.

Now, the actual (and first version of) the news release: The LDS Church is taking punitive action against one of its members for something he wrote. Last week, on September 11, 13 and 15, David [last name deleted], the managing editor of MormonThink.com posted a series of articles on the political history of the LDS Church, as it relates to Mitt Romney’s campaign and Romney’s stubbornness of keeping his tax forms secret as it’s tied with LDS historical policies. As managing editor, David is a life-long, fifth-generation Mormon in good standing.
Posted by Steve Benson of Recovery from Mormonism, Sept. 20, 2012.

Several reporters who contacted Twede after the Daily Beast article came out were skeptical that the pending discipline actually resulted from his writings about Romney. They interviewed him and probed further. According to The New York Times,

Mr. Twede’s situation was first reported on Friday by the Web site The Daily Beast, which suggested that Mr. Twede was being disciplined because he had posted several articles on MormonThink critical of Mr. Romney.

In an interview, however, Mr. Twede said he was not certain that this was the reason he was facing excommunication. He has also written posts on his personal blog, linked to MormonThink, about how he recently started attending church again after five years as an atheist. He described how he had struck up a friendship with a Mormon he called Pat and had e-mailed materials to Pat and Pat’s spouse that he hoped would shake their faith.
Laurie Goodstein, "Editor of Web Site May Face Mormon Excommunication," The New York Times, Sept. 21, 2012 off-site

Peggy Fletcher Stack of the Salt Lake Tribune also interviewed Twede and questioned him on this.

There’s a story circulating on the Internet and in the mainstream media that a Mormon blogger in Florida faces LDS Church discipline for writing critically about GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney. That’s not really what’s happening, said the blogger, David Twede, at least not the political link. In recent days, the blogger has blasted Romney as part of his critique of Mormonism, its beliefs about the nature of God and its temple ceremonies. But, Twede told The Salt Lake Tribune on Friday, his LDS leaders never brought up Romney, a Mormon, in their exchange with him. Though not supporting the Republican standard-bearer, Twede apologized to Romney, saying, "I didn’t mean for [the story] to go this way."
Peggy Fletcher Stack, "LDS blogger, a Romney critic, faces church discipline, but why?", Salt Lake Tribune, Sept. 21, 2012. off-site

The Church also stated clearly that nobody is disciplined for their political views.

Michael Purdy, a church spokesman, said in a statement, “It is patently false for someone to suggest they face church discipline for having questions or for expressing a political view.” “Church discipline becomes necessary only in those rare occasions when an individual’s actions cannot be ignored while they claim to be in good standing with the church,” he wrote. “Every organization, whether religious or secular, must be able to define where its boundaries begin and end.”
Goodstein, New York Times, Sept. 21, 2012

After clearly stating to several reporters that the discipline wasn't about politics or Romney, Twede felt compelled to explain his public statements to the Recovery from Mormonism message board,

I want to clarify some things in the SLtrib piece. It's true that my local leaders never said "Romney" in my interrogation. They indicated discomfort with my recent writings as a whole, which includes three blog entries and one MT article discussing Romney that were posted from Sept 11-15. While referring to my writings, the stake president did say about himself, "I'm not a political man..." It is unclear to me what he meant by this and why he interjected it. Likewise, when it quote me that I didn't intend for it to go this way, I meant: I didn't intend for discussions of my excommunications to take on such a politcal tone. I would prefer the topic remain on the Mormon church's inability to defend its own position on this matter.
Posted by David Twede on Recovery from Mormonism, Sept. 21, 2012.

Finally, the next day Twede went back to Recovery from Mormonism and stated that he thought that it really was about politics,

I believe everyone involved from FAIR, the GAs and the stake leaders know clearly that using my Romney speech as the basis for excom would be a PR disaster. So you would never expect them to bring it up. Instead they will dance around anything they can find to halt the voices at MT. My feeling is the timing is very suspicious.
Posted by David Twede on Recovery from Mormonism, Sept. 22, 2012.

Ultimately, despite the fact that the Church stated that it wasn't about politics, and that Twede himself stated that it wasn't about politics to several reporters (including the New York Times), Twede now insists that it really was about politics based upon his "feeling." (Ironically, critics of the Church have a low regard for "feelings" and the Holy Ghost when it is used to confirm the truthfulness of the Church).