Posted by J.H. [JH] on November 07, 1999 at 05:02:29 {zExURjw8QAwxcT1WLj/AHR5JhS9/hc}:
This massive Stafford boo boo has left me wondering a bit about what relationship there is between Max Stafford and the H2O admins.
Obviously, the H2O admins, like Rick, have been concerned about some issues in the WTS/JW religion, in particular the blood issue and shunning policy, and perhaps a few more theological issues. So they make an "open" forum to discuss these issues. It attracts a few JW apologists, a few outsiders but a heavy lineup of former JWs, who not limit their doubts to a few issues, but effectively tear apart the whole foundation for the movement, and wipes out christianity and theism generally while they're at it :-)
The admins are concerned, to put it mildly. This was not the direction they wanted the open debate to take. yet, they stick to their principles of open debate (and deserve kudos for such!).
Enter the latest star of JW apologia, a guy who's written a book, who can use trisyllable words and be a generally impressive guy provided the audience didn't pay too much attention at junior high. Max Stafford defends many core doctrines the H2O admins really agree with and like to see defended, probably a few they don't, but importantly he avoids defending the WTS blood policy which would immediately put him at odds with the H2O admins.
The admins obviously hope Max Stafford will bring more balance on H2O. And in the beginning they are satisfied, because they think there must obviously be some logical arguments somewhere within those very long messages they're hardly able to penetrate themselves.
Then Max Stafford makes a huge, devastating mistake, one that will totally destroy any repuation he has, even among his defenders.
What happens? The evidence is deleted. Any moderator can delete, but a moderator deletion only removes the message from the board, not from the H2O storage. Anyone can still find it if they want. Only admins can physically delete messages from H2O's storage. And that is what happened to this particular message!
So what happened? Did Greg, once he realized his boo-boo, phone or email the admins and ask them to have it physically erased immediately? I can hardly imagine this happening for any other reason, any other way. As far as I know, admins have never before physically deleted posts (except perhaps old archives to save space).
The admins wanted to save Max Stafford's credibility by trying to erase his shady past, Soviet style.
By doing so, they also deleted a bit of their own credibility.
Max Stafford does no longer have any credibility to lose.