I believe Packer is an unfeeling person who really has no care for the anguish of others. I would generally refrain from such a harsh statement about another, but in experiences I have had with him years ago and seeing his actions, writings and statements over the years since then, I have only seen a pompous, self-serving man whose only interest is self-glorification.
His remarks at conference go far beyond cruelty in my opinion, almost to the point of sadistic - as if in some way he enjoys knowing the suffering and pain that he brings.
It makes me hugely angry and sad at the same time.
Had I not resigned already, I would surely do so now.
He put a huge emphasis on the suffering his daughter went through while giving birth to one of his grand-children. It was like he was reveling in the fact that she was so delirious that she, 'saw the other side.' I didn't know about sadism then, but now that you've mentioned it, he sure seems like one. It puts a whole new light on his personality.
I think BKP just considers everyone to be acceptable collateral damage in his quest. Who cares that he looses 2/3s of his volunteers? Who cares that people kill themselves? Cannon fodder in the war.
I think Packer honestly believes that his ideas are not really his: he thinks they come from a sacred Santa Claus who has appointed him as a "humble" (I think he really sees himself as being humble) spokesperson. He has succeeded in turning his reason completely off, such that for him "theory" (the Mormon plan of salvation) is prior to "reality" (which includes things like the possibility for natural, moral homosexuality). In other words, life for him has no surprises: no matter what happens, he retreats to theory (the Mormon gospel) to explain away reality. I do not think he is even aware that his theory is idiosyncratic and personal (i.e. a product of his own mind); I think he really believes his personal ideas are the mind and will of a real Supreme Being (whom he is "following" in his mind, even as the rest of us see him usurping the role of divinity for himself and his intolerably narrow view of the world).