Platitudes, lip-service and meaningless testimony sharing by the highest levels of LDS Church leadership must stop.
Revelation
After Joseph Smith (1843 last published revelations, 1844 death) it was almost 75 years until the next revelation in the D&C (Joseph F. Smith D&C 138 - Oct 3, 1918).
It's now (2017) almost 100 years since any published revelation.
Why?
It's now (2017) almost 100 years since any published revelation.
Why?
Talks of THE president of the church is the only one authorized to speak for the whole church, and
Is not infalable.
President J. Reuben Clark taught under assignment from the First Presidency:
Here we must have in mind—must know—that only the President of the Church, the Presiding High Priest, is sustained as Prophet, Seer, and Revelator for the Church, and he alone has the right to receive revelations for the Church, either new or amendatory, or to give authoritative interpretations of scriptures that shall be binding on the Church....When any man, except the President of the Church, undertakes to proclaim one unsettled doctrine, as among two or more doctrines in dispute, as the settled doctrine of the Church, we may know that he is not "moved upon by the Holy Ghost," unless he is acting under the direction and by the authority of the President.Of these things we may have a confident assurance without chance for doubt or quibbling.2
J. Reuben Clark, Jr., "Church Leaders and the Scriptures," original title "When Are the Writings or Sermons of Church Leaders Entitled to the Claim of Scripture?" Immortality and Eternal Life: Reflections from the Writings and Messages of President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., Vol, 2, (1969-70): 221 address to Seminary and Institute Teachers, BYU (7 July 1954) reproduced in Church News (31 July 1954) also reprinted in Dialogue12/2 (Summer 1979): 68-81.
Harold B. Lee was emphatic that only one person can speak for the Church:
Well, you're not the one to make the policies for the Church. You just remember what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians. He said, "For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified" (1 Corinthians 2:2). Well now, as teachers of our youth, you're not supposed to know anything except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. On that subject you're expected to be an expert. You're expected to know your subject. You're expected to have a testimony. And in that you'll have great strength. If the President of the Church has not declared the position of the Church, then you shouldn't go shopping for the answer.3
Harold B. Lee, Teachings of Harold B. Lee (Salt Lake City, Utah: Bookcraft, 1996), 445.
http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_science/Dinosaurs
General or Special agent?
In the law one may grant power to act on ones behalf to another. There are 2 main ways in which this grant of power is accomplished. 1) a General power or 2) a Special power. A General power allows the agent who the power is given to, to do anything they want, and the person granting the power it's bound/obligated by the acts of the agent. On the other hand, with a Special power, the agent is given specific direction to do a certain thing, and have no authority to act outside of that specific grant of power.
There is also another way the law restricts such powers, which has to do with when the power takes effect. In this manner of speaking, a General power it's effective immediately when it is executed, and remains valid until it is either revoked or the grantor dies. A Springing power, on the other hand, is only effective when the grantor of the power becomes incapacitated to the extent that they are no longer able to act for themself.
The question for members of the church is, what kind of grant of authority do you believe the President of the church holds. Is it a General power, so that whatever he says, the Lord is bound to it. Or it's it a Special power that is limited to what (if anything) the Lord expressly directed him to do.
The springing thing might apply to how the rest of the q15 are able to appoint a new President. In essence, the power of the q15 only springs into actual power when the President dies, and then only for the purpose of appointing a new President. [At least that's the myth.]
There is also another way the law restricts such powers, which has to do with when the power takes effect. In this manner of speaking, a General power it's effective immediately when it is executed, and remains valid until it is either revoked or the grantor dies. A Springing power, on the other hand, is only effective when the grantor of the power becomes incapacitated to the extent that they are no longer able to act for themself.
The question for members of the church is, what kind of grant of authority do you believe the President of the church holds. Is it a General power, so that whatever he says, the Lord is bound to it. Or it's it a Special power that is limited to what (if anything) the Lord expressly directed him to do.
The springing thing might apply to how the rest of the q15 are able to appoint a new President. In essence, the power of the q15 only springs into actual power when the President dies, and then only for the purpose of appointing a new President. [At least that's the myth.]
Opposition v conflict
If agency requires an opposition in all things, and god have us agency. Then how can contention be of the devil?
Boyd K. Packer once said, “Over the years these little choices will be bundled together and show clearly what we value.” (Ensign, Nov. 1980, p. 21.)
Too bad elder Packer will necessarily be judged by the small (and not so small) choices he made, which bundled together clearly show what he is (and is NOT).
Too bad elder Packer will necessarily be judged by the small (and not so small) choices he made, which bundled together clearly show what he is (and is NOT).
seer stone
Covetousness - heavens sealed / Receive fullness or fail
TPJS, p. 9
Brother Joseph Smith, Jr. said: That he intended to do his duty before the Lord and hoped that the brethren would be patient as they had a considerable distance (to go). Also said that the promise of God was that the greatest blessings which God had to bestow should be given to those who contributed to the support of his family while he was translating the fulness of the scriptures. Until we have perfect love we are liable to fall and when we have a testimony that our names are sealed in the Lamb's book of life we have perfect love and then it is impossible for false Christs to deceive us also said, that the Lord held the Church bound to provide for families of the absent Elders while proclaiming the gospel
***further, that God had often sealed up the heavens because of covetousness in the Church.***
The Lord would cut short his work in righteousness and
***except the Church receive the fulness of the scriptures that they would yet fail.***
5 --FWR, p. 16. (Oct. 25, 1831.)
Brother Joseph Smith, Jr. said: That he intended to do his duty before the Lord and hoped that the brethren would be patient as they had a considerable distance (to go). Also said that the promise of God was that the greatest blessings which God had to bestow should be given to those who contributed to the support of his family while he was translating the fulness of the scriptures. Until we have perfect love we are liable to fall and when we have a testimony that our names are sealed in the Lamb's book of life we have perfect love and then it is impossible for false Christs to deceive us also said, that the Lord held the Church bound to provide for families of the absent Elders while proclaiming the gospel
***further, that God had often sealed up the heavens because of covetousness in the Church.***
The Lord would cut short his work in righteousness and
***except the Church receive the fulness of the scriptures that they would yet fail.***
5 --FWR, p. 16. (Oct. 25, 1831.)
Church ™ leaders do NOT see the Lord
President Heber J. Grant wrote in a letter in 1926.
"I know of no instance where the Lord has appeared to an individual since His appearance to the Prophet Joseph Smith,"
Instead, in my almost half century in the church no actual revelation has been proclaimed. And instead the overwhelming majority of what passes for revelation/inspiration (now taught to be one and the same) are trite inspirational sound bites.
"I know of no instance where the Lord has appeared to an individual since His appearance to the Prophet Joseph Smith,"
Instead, in my almost half century in the church no actual revelation has been proclaimed. And instead the overwhelming majority of what passes for revelation/inspiration (now taught to be one and the same) are trite inspirational sound bites.
Quorum
The noun quorum is plural of qui in Latin, meaning "of whom."
According to Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised, the "requirement for a quorum is protection against totally unrepresentative action in the name of the body by an unduly small number of persons."
How can any business be transacted by common consent if a quorum (majority of voting members) is not present to vote to sustain any given action?
Of course, if the church™ is the sole corporation, wholly owned and controlled by the senior member of the quorum of the twelve, then only he constitutes a quorum.
According to Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised, the "requirement for a quorum is protection against totally unrepresentative action in the name of the body by an unduly small number of persons."
How can any business be transacted by common consent if a quorum (majority of voting members) is not present to vote to sustain any given action?
Of course, if the church™ is the sole corporation, wholly owned and controlled by the senior member of the quorum of the twelve, then only he constitutes a quorum.
But if "the Church" is the membership of the organization operating under the auspice of the corporate trademark, then don't they need at least a majority of the membership to be present before they can have a legitimate vote?
Just Mercy = Righteous
To be righteous is to be just and merciful. - Joseph Smith
The gospel of Jesus Christ
WTF?
Isn't THE call of missionaries to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ? (Not just as "A lesson," but as the whole of their calling) And isn't enduring to the end, just the last part of that gospel. I'm sure the good news of the atonement is more than just hang in there.
Isn't THE call of missionaries to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ? (Not just as "A lesson," but as the whole of their calling) And isn't enduring to the end, just the last part of that gospel. I'm sure the good news of the atonement is more than just hang in there.
Lamanites
the 2006 introduction to the Book of Mormon has been changed from the Lamanites "are the principal ancestors of the American Indians," to the Lamanites "are among the ancestors of the American Indians."
Prompted by DNA and resulting local v global theories of BoM people?
But if DNA shows that native Americans/Pacific islanders are not Lamanites, then who are they?
And who was the Book of Mormon written to?
Prompted by DNA and resulting local v global theories of BoM people?
But if DNA shows that native Americans/Pacific islanders are not Lamanites, then who are they?
And who was the Book of Mormon written to?
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