“Doctor Scratch,” perpetual gadfly and blowhard
We interrupt our regularly scheduled blog to bring you amusing developments over at DiscussMormonism.com.
An individual who calls himself “Doctor Scratch” has been criticizing Daniel Peterson and other Latter-day Saint apologists for over fifteen years now. Peterson refers to him as “my Malevolent Stalker,” and not without good reason.
Now, I have no problem with using a pseudonymous identity to make critical comments about well-known individuals. [ahem] In fact, I must give “Doctor Scratch” all the credit he is due for managing to keep his true identity a secret for a decade and half. That feat alone is impressive.
Scratch has recently set his sights on this humble blog, telling his followers:
“Doctor Scratch, B.H. Roberts Chair of Mopologetic Studies”
I won’t dispute “Doctor Scratch’s” description of this blog, but I can’t help but notice what may be the veritable Marianas Trench of irony that he would call me out for “the sheer extent and obsessiveness” of this blog. This, from a man from whom obsessiveness herself hides her face in shame! Uncounted masses can only stand silent, their mouths agape, at his utter and complete lack of self-awareness.
Perhaps just as amusing, though, is that “Doctor Scratch” has proclaimed to his trained minions that he has cracked the case regarding my identity. In his message board post that goes on for a rambling 3,400 words (!), he connects all the dots and triumphantly proclaims that I, Peter Pan, am in reality Stephen Smoot. (The title of his exposé is “Stephen Smoot’s Vendetta.”)
I hate to break to the good Doctor, but I’m not Stephen Smoot. I’m not Daniel Peterson either, but we’ve been over that many times on this blog. And, since we’re on this subject, I’ll freely admit that I’m also not Spencer Kraus.
For over a decade-and-a-half, “Doctor Scratch” has been posting to online message boards supposedly inside information about Latter-day Saint apologetics. That he would go through all the effort to reveal my true identity and yet get it completely wrong demonstrates how reliable his other claims must have been.
This is the first and last time I’ll mention “Doctor Scratch.” His pompous posts are worth less than the time I’ve already given them.
—Peter Pan
An individual who calls himself “Doctor Scratch” has been criticizing Daniel Peterson and other Latter-day Saint apologists for over fifteen years now. Peterson refers to him as “my Malevolent Stalker,” and not without good reason.
Now, I have no problem with using a pseudonymous identity to make critical comments about well-known individuals. [ahem] In fact, I must give “Doctor Scratch” all the credit he is due for managing to keep his true identity a secret for a decade and half. That feat alone is impressive.
Scratch has recently set his sights on this humble blog, telling his followers:
“Neville-Neville Land” is a curious artifact of Mopologetics [“Mormon apologetics”]: one marvels at the sheer extent and obsessiveness of it. The blog began in February of 2019, and a new entry has been posted at least a couple of times per week since then, meaning that the total entries rivals the volume of [Daniel Peterson’s blog] “Sic et Non.” We are talking hundreds of entries—all devoted to one purpose: taking down Jonathan Neville, one of the chief proponents of the so-called “Heartland Theory.”
“Doctor Scratch, B.H. Roberts Chair of Mopologetic Studies”
Perhaps just as amusing, though, is that “Doctor Scratch” has proclaimed to his trained minions that he has cracked the case regarding my identity. In his message board post that goes on for a rambling 3,400 words (!), he connects all the dots and triumphantly proclaims that I, Peter Pan, am in reality Stephen Smoot. (The title of his exposé is “Stephen Smoot’s Vendetta.”)
I hate to break to the good Doctor, but I’m not Stephen Smoot. I’m not Daniel Peterson either, but we’ve been over that many times on this blog. And, since we’re on this subject, I’ll freely admit that I’m also not Spencer Kraus.
For over a decade-and-a-half, “Doctor Scratch” has been posting to online message boards supposedly inside information about Latter-day Saint apologetics. That he would go through all the effort to reveal my true identity and yet get it completely wrong demonstrates how reliable his other claims must have been.
This is the first and last time I’ll mention “Doctor Scratch.” His pompous posts are worth less than the time I’ve already given them.
—Peter Pan
Posts
"Doctor Scratch" hasn't managed to keep his identity secret. He just flatly denies that he is Jason Echols, and threatens anyone who "outs" him as such.
ReplyDeleteMy sources indicate that Echols has been confirmed to be “Chino Blanco,” not “Doctor Scratch.” If you have better information, I’m (mildly) interested to see it.
DeleteYes, Echols is also "Chino Blanco." Please note that Scratch got really mad at one time when someone asked him how things were going in a group called "Democrats Abroad in Taiwan." Please also note what "Chino Blanco" works out to in Spanish.
DeleteAs I understand it, Scratch's identity as Echols is no longer a secret at his hate blog, but his henchpersons still loyally deny it when asked directly.
So, “Chino Blanco” is a sock puppet for “Doctor Scratch”?
DeleteYou could say that, as far as a certain forum - somewhat generously described as "The Mos Eisley Spaceport of the internet" - is concerned. Outside of that Echols Chamber, I'm not actually sure which of those online names has been around the longest.
Delete