Just reading the plig thread and the ideas about Brighamites and Woodruffites after the Manifesto. I think you could easily argue that Salt Lake Mormons are now Hinckleyites as GBH have a massive affect on TSSC. Doctrine was changed/denied, the McTemples sprang up and he helped decide the next few 'apostles' that will lead the church as 'prophets'. To me his influence is massive

He was someone you really could come to adore for substantial reasons. His successor really just seems to be a nice guy from what I've seen.

growing up and entering my early teen/teen years in the 90s I remember very well hinckleys rock star status among members I knew. he was their generations "Reagan" or "Kennedy" to equate it in political terms. he was truly spoke of like a god in our household which is funny because I didn't think you could become a god until after the second coming. no doubt there is a generation of hinckleyites.

off topic but poor Howard W Hunter! sandwiched between the likes of Benson and hinckley. not much to show for his short reign over the one and only true church. we need more Howard w Hunter references on these sites



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/25/2013 09:15PM by lush.

If GBH's legacy means that Benson's memory will fade away, then I am all for it.

Benson has been dead for 20 years and yet I still have to regularly contend with people who refer to him in order to "prove" that their nutball, Bircher, extreme right-wing views are sanctioned by God and his prophet. Indeed, I think ETB was largely responsible for inspiring many of these kooks to begin with. The church used to be more politically balanced back before the 1970's.

The sooner that Benson goes down the memory hole, the better. I look forward to the day when he is remembered about as well as John Taylor or George Albert Smith.

I was told many times in my teen years that with the second coming so close when we cross the veil other spirits will ask what time period we lived on earth. When we tell them we lived in the time of Hinckley all present would bow in silence in awe of our valiance in getting through the wickedness of our time with the instruction of Hinckley. Can't count how many times I was told that. The whole idea of it really freaked me out. We were saved for the last days you know. ;)

"No! No, we don't worship our profits!"

We're all probably -ites of whichever leader told us that we were the chosen ones.

Just like over 1/2 of the Mormons hitched their wagon to Brigham Young and became Brighamites, succeeding members have become other -ites. I can safely say I was a member of the McKayite church. It's gone now, and I just wouldn't be interested in becoming a Hinckleyite.

Interesting point, most 'prophets' create a generation or two who keep to the beliefs of that man in later life, even when he is long gone

Throughout my lifetime in the LDS Church Flash Gordo was the one constant.

He was basically in charge as his predecessors' health faltered. He signed my mission call, my BYU diploma, and he was in charge when I resigned.

Hinckley tried to make Mormonism feel global, and consequential to world affairs. However, at the same time it was equally obsessed with small issues like hemlines, masturbation and what movies are "inappropriate." It did not seem up to the task of breaking out and tackling the world's important concerns.

This set up part of my disillusionment with LDS, Inc. I went out on a mission to discover that the numbers of "worldwide" members were inflated. It wasn't all quite as grand as it seemed from temple square, or the broadcasts from HQ.

I guess that would make me a Hinckley-ite. He was the pres. during all my formative years. And, I just thought he was so awesome and a sweet old man.

I always was creeped out majorly by Thomas S Monson... so I guess it makes sense that I started having serious doubts when he became pres.

He still really gives me the creeps. :/

It was Gordon "BS" Hinckley that flung wide the prison door for me during the Mark Hofmann murders. It was then that I realized that being able to lie fluently was a POSITIVE asset among the top 15.

A few years later he was on the Larry King show. His comments on church polygamy, and general weasel-ness confirmed I had made the right decision.

It was only later I found out about JS and BY.

I do not and will NEVER respect "Old Hinklebutt" aka Gordon B,. Wrinkley or his minion Tommy Boy. So there!

When I joined the TSCC Pres Lee was the leader. I 'got' a testimony of him from a highly hypnotic talk given by some SLC mucky muck at a 5 state regional young adult conf. I attended.
When Kimbal became leader I received my 'testimony' of him by reading the May 1974 conference talk.
I got to see Kimball from 30 feet away and felt too shy to approach him at Ricks college..


I liked LeGrand Richards and Benson and Hunter, and Alma Sonne



But I never liked Hink...he seemed kind of small and mean.
When he became leader I'd try and listen to him but something seemed wrong with him.


Then years later, ironically, after all the abuse the members did to me and were not able to drive me out of the TSCC; Hink was into enough stinky deals that I walked.

I had proof come across my desk at work, a bi-monthly newspaper, that showed the alliances that Hink was making. I also met people who knew he had been responsible for the theft of their property and murder of their family members.

I refused to be part of Noah King Hinckley court. I 'came out of Babylon" as the scriptures state. I knew the TSCC was NOT what it was pretending to be, simply from the speakers they wuold have at BYU and the buildings on campus they named after people who are pushing an adgenda that is not 'user friendly' shall we say for the US.

Then I learned the real story of the Hoffman murders.

And to hear Hinck tell the world press "I don't know that we teach that." was the final notice for me.

I can never go back to the tSCC that allows such a lying leader to go back on one of the most basic teachings "as man is, God once was, and as God is, man may become." That was the theme of the Young Adult conf. I'd gone to in 1973!!!


I remember how sneering his voice was at conferance when he held up the BOM and told everyone to study it. He said either the church is true, or the biggest lie ever told.

Didn't he speak the truth!!!!
But I believe he has a lot to answer for and it's not pretty.


Hinckley is the reason I left the TSCC for good!
He was my "anti-Mormon" testimony killer! Thank you!

Great post, thanks for the info