Conservapedia:Great Disenchantment

This Conservapedia-related article is of largely historical interest and is no longer the focus of RationalWiki today. Conservapedia (and religious fundamentalism to an extent) was a major focal point in the early history of RationalWiki, but long ago ceased coming up with new ways to appall and amuse. Our energies are now spent debunking other, fresher examples of pseudoscientific claims, authoritarianism, and deceit. For RationalWiki's less ancient content, try the Best of RationalWiki.

The Great Disenchantment marks the time when three highly skilled and articulate editors resigned from Conservapedia in protest within the space of a single day, and another went on hiatus.

About Kate

Kate Sorenson, an alleged (and probably real) physics professor, showed up on Conservapedia in the beginning of November 2009, with a view to improve the factually-impaired articles relevant to her field. The general guideline at Conservapedia is that relativity is highly suspicious and should be treated as pseudoscience. Kate was promptly challenged by the admins, most prominently Andrew Schlafly, in debates that filled entire talk pages. This behavior was allowed to go on for some time, possibly because of her undeniable credentials, and her long and carefully referenced edits. Kate garnered the attraction and praise of the few editors concerned about reporting factual science in articles about science.

Shouting match with Andy

The following was logged on What Is Going On At Conservapedia? on November 15th.

KSorenson: Andy, could you cite your incorrect claim? Andy: Look beyond what you're taught. KSorenson: Your claim's still incorrect. Andy: I'm not sucking up to liberal professors. Therefore, my claim is correct. Look at Google. Now once you've realized I'm right, ask why your liberal professors censored this. KSorenson: Learn to read, Andy. Andy: Butbutbut margin of error! KSorenson: I have the data in front of my face. And another thing. Andy: Protesting against me too much is unscientific. Why do you care so much? KSorenson: Because I teach physics. You're unfit to be a teacher. Andy: Uh ... creationists have been denied tenure! I'm right! Relativity is a thug that discourages Bible reading!Andy continues: Actually, relativity is really a quasi-religion, and as a religion "What has it helped achieved?".

The last straw

Kate finally left on the morning of Nov. 17, 2009 when Conservapedia/Andrew Schlafly announced that a professional athlete on probation calling his boss a "fag" was a good thing, and an exemplar of free speech, and shouldn't be punished.

“”After sleeping on it, I can't in good conscience associate with a site that characterizes 'think bout a clever diss than that wit your fag pic' as 'criticisms of homosexuality.'

—KSorenson, via email

Jpatt subsequently oversighted her Parthian shot - and gave her an infinite block for leaving it.

Disenchantment: Mark, Patrick, and Evan

Just a few hours later, MarkGall (a holder of block rights, though generally assumed to be a parodist as the author of cp:Essay:Quantifying_Liberal_Style and the creator of a supposed liberal-detecting robot) left, citing the state of the relativity article as well, giving himself an infinite block to "prevent" his return. Andy immediatly threw oil on the fire with these memorable lines:

“”Mark, we'll miss you if you don't reconsider. Hope you can return. This comes on the heels of: a discussion of data contrary to relativity the news of retaliation against the Kansas City Chiefs football star for comments he made on the internet several liberals saying it's just fine to retaliate against people for what they say, on their own time, on the internet. Free speech -- and free thought -- are disappearing my friends. But not on this site. This site will remain a beacon of free and productive thought and speech.

—Andy Schlafly

PatrickD, a prolific and highly competent contributor to a variety of mathematics and science articles, took this as a cue to retire.

EvanW also announced a hiatus, citing the growing mass departure of editors.

Conservapedia lost not just one, but four, good editors in a day, leaving it severely disaffected stronger than ever!^img

Further retirements

A few days later, Jeff W. Lauttamus, another long-time editor, announced his intention to retire.

Next to go: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John

Rolling over in their graves in disgust at the Conservative Bible Stupidity Project.

See also

• The casualties of the massacre of August 2008
• The original expulsion of rational editing in May 2007