Criticism of Mormonism/Websites/MormonThink/Media efforts by MormonThink editor David Twede/David Twede in his own words

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A FAIR Analysis of: MormonThink A work by author: David Twede

MormonThink editor David Twede says...
"I hide my name precisely because of things like this....I know a lot of members don’t want their life disturbed. In the Mormon church, if you’re not part of the uniform group, you are ostracized."^[1]

Things to think about

• Why does Twede not disclose that he, by his own admission, only returned to Church attendance so he could claim that the hostile MormonThink.com site was run by "active members"?
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• Why does Twede not disclose that he used his identity as a practicing, attending Mormon to deliberately undermine the faith of members?
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• Why does Twede not tell the press that he knew that what he was doing would be grounds for Church discipline?

  

  In this blog post Twede tells anti-Mormon readers that he doesn't want his identity to be known because his efforts to use his membership in the Church to deliberately weaken the faith of others could result in Church discipline.

  • "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 [a member Twede was trying to lead away from the Church] to find it serendipitously--it could get me in a sort of pickle and cut short my church activity." - David Twede, blog post, 12 September 2012.

MormonThink editor David Twede says...
"[W]hy would I take these photos [of LDS temples] after leaving this religion? Because, I plan to sell them and recoup my donations over the years! hahahahaha!"^[2]

Things to think about

• Why did Twede publicly and openly claim that he had left the LDS Church in 2010, but now claim he's a "member in good standing" unless he's trying to deceive other members and the press?
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MormonThink editor David Twede says...
"I may not have the beliefs I once had, but I feel a kinship to the culture....I don’t want to lose that. Losing my membership would be sad for me and my family."^[3]

Things to think about

• If Twede feels a kinship with Mormon culture, why did his blog constantly ridicule members of the Church and their beliefs? For example:

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MormonThink editor David Twede says...
...he feels kinship with LDS culture.

Things to think about

• Yet, within LDS culture, the private and sacred nature of the LDS temple ceremony is well understood. Twede would have known that believing members would find his actions offensive and inappropriate in one claiming to be a member. Why then was one of Twede's first actions as editor of MormonThink to return explicit material critical of LDS temple worship to the MormonThink site?
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MormonThink editor David Twede says...
...that Church leaders were concerned about his publication of LDS temple materials.^[4]

Things to think about

• If this is true, then why did Twede collaborate with ex-Mormon Steve Benson in preparing a press release claiming he was being silenced for his political opinions? Why did Twede's press release not mention the temple angle, but instead emphasized the political dimensions?

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== Notes ==

1. [note]  David Twede, cited in Jamie Reno, "Mormons Want to Excommunicate Romney Critic," The Daily Beast (21 September 2012).
2. [note]  David Twede, cited in Peggy Fletcher Stack, "Mormon blogger, a Romney critic, faces church discipline, but why?" The Salt Lake Tribune (21 September 2012).
3. [note]  Stack, "Mormon blogger," op cite.