As they say, past is prologue. Despite (1) premature claims that that LDS Inc's fearless storyteller, Thomas S. Monson, is already dead; and although (2) Mormon media-led efforts to shield the details of his eventual death from the public eye will fail, LDS Inc. nonetheless has a predictable and demonstrable history of deflecting and distorting details surrounding the final exits of its top leaders.

(*I understand and respect Admin's concern about leaking sensitive information on RfM, as the board moderators have cautioned about here: http://exmormon.org/phorum/read.php?2,1503744,1503744#msg-1503744 and here: http://exmormon.org/phorum/read.php?2,1503744,1503754#msg-1503754 I therefore seek to carefully protect my sources when they request anonymity and when we have a mutual understanding between us regarding what that confidentiality entails. I also have been known to question the veracity of some claims that have been on this site which, to me, do not appear to be factually based, as I did recently: http://exmormon.org/phorum/read.php?2,1503341,1503341#msg-1503341; see also: http://exmormon.org/phorum/read.php?2,1503341,1503437#msg-1503437 and http://exmormon.org/phorum/read.php?2,1503341,1503450#msg-1503450)


That said (and as reported on RfM), the death of Mormon Church president Gordon B. Hinckley was a classic example of how LDS Inc. faithfully and shamelessly attempted to finess his death through unsuccessful efforts to keep the inconvenient truth from getting out. In a previous thread, RfM poster "Marylou" wrote the following about Hinckley's dense by cancer:

"Hinckley may not have been a whistleblower but it seems to me he tipped his hand when he decided to seek treatment for his cancer at age 95. I would think someone with a firm testimony would be anxious to get to the other side to be reunited with his wife. No, not him. Spend thousands of dollars and be sick with treatments just to last another month or two. He was either scared to death of what was waiting on the other side or he knew full well nothing was waiting for him."

("Re: DONT YOU GET IT. HINCKLEY WAS THE WHISTLEBLOWER," posted by "Marylou," on "Recovery from Mormonism" bulletin board, 17 April 2012, at: http://exmormon.org/phorum/read.php?2,477562,477714#msg-477714)


From the public press accounts issued by the Mormon Church in the wake of Hinckley's death, the faithfully uninformed would certainly reach the conclusion that their divinely-cradled prophet, seer and revelator died--as the Morg(ue) put it in both its website press release and through its house organ, the "Deseret News"--from causes "incident to age."

That was certainly the official line on LDS Net Central:

". . . Church president [Hinckley] died at his apartment in downtown Salt Lake City at 7:00 p.m. Sunday night from CAUSES INCIDENT TO AGE. Members of his family were at his bedside."

Then this, to top it all off:

"Style guide note: When reporting about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, please use the complete name of the Church in the first reference. For more information on the use of the name of the Church, go to our online style guide."

("Beloved Church President, Gordon B. Hinckley, Dies at 97," 27 January 2008, author(s) unnamed, in "Newsroom: The Official Church Resource for News Media, Opinion Leaders, and the Public," emphasis added)


Singing the same song and using essentially the same words, the Church's parrot publication, the "Deseret News," solemnly announced:

"President Gordon B. Hinckley, who led The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through explosive growth during his more than 12 years as president, died 7 p.m. Sunday at home of CAUSES INCIDENT TO AGE, surrounded by family. He was 97."

("LDS President Gordon B. Hinckley Dies at Age 97: LDS president Met Call with Humility, Vigor," "by the Deseret Morning News staff," in "Deseret News," Sunday, 27 January 2008. emphasis added)


OK, OK, enough already. We get it. The Morg(ue) says Hinckley died because of CAUSES INCIDENT TO AGE.

But didn't it all seem a bit too insistent, too repetitive, too canned? Indeed, the "Deseret News" appeared to have gone out of its way to assure the faithful that Hinckley died a happy, healthy man--at least for his age (that is, before dying of CAUSES INCIDENT TO AGE):

"Two years ago this month, he underwent laparoscopic surgery to remove colon cancer. While a traditional colectomy requires five to eight days in the hospital and an at-home recovery of at least six weeks, the laparoscopic surgery hospital stay is usually two to four days and individuals can often return to work in two or three weeks.

"True to form for the energetic, globe-trotting leader, President Hinckley flew to Chile two months later in March 2006 to rededicate the Chilean temple. During the ceremonies, he alluded to his recent operation, quipping he would not recommend it to anyone.

"'President Hinckley was at his best," Elder L. Tom Perry of the Council of the Twelve said moments after the first dedication session adjourned. 'He conducted the entire session. Gave the dedicatory prayer. You wouldn't know he had ever been ill. His vigor was absolutely amazing.'

"His health has been the topic of speculation off and on among Church members ever since, particularly during semi-annual General Conferences of the church held each April and October. Less than a month after his Chilean trip in 2006, he stood at the podium in the LDS Conference Center during the Sunday morning session of the 176th annual General Conference and--in a rare departure from his usual sermons on gospel topics--reflected on his personal life.

"The speech was widely considered by members as a farewell of sorts that he was able to deliver personally. He mentioned his age frequently in public during the last five years of his life, almost as a way of preparing church members for his death and assuring them he was at peace with whatever timing would be his. After the death of his wife, Marjorie, in 2004, he periodically spoke movingly of missing her.

"More recently, President Hinckley presided and spoke at the August funeral of his beloved second counselor, President James E. Faust, noting the sadness that his passing meant to him personally. He spoke again publicly during October's semi-annual general conference, but delivered fewer and shorter speeches than he had previously done during the two-day event.

"He presided and offered brief remarks at the funeral of Sister Inis Hunter in late October, then spoke again during the First Presidency Christmas Devotional in December at the Conference Center, in what would be his last major public address. He sent a message that was read by President Thomas S. Monson, first counselor in the First Presidency, at the funeral of billionaire businessman and philanthropist James Sorenson last week."

(LDS President Gordon B. Hinckley Dies at Age 97: LDS President Met Call with Humility, Vigor," in "Deseret News," 27 January 2008, emphasis added)


And then he suddenly up and died. Why was that, do you suppose?

Below is some backstory information that, as far as I know, was not necessarily reported through the general-consumption media. In stark contrast to the Mormon Church's carefully-crafted-and-approved-for-publication version of events, I have been informed on good authority that Hinckley didn't die from old age itself but, rather, from the destructive effects of chemotherapy resulting from his treatment for colon cancer.

I was told, in other words, that Hinckley's sudden decline (where he went from actively communicating and waving his cane around to a rapid slide into death), resulted not from being 97 years old. It was (so this alternative version of events goes), from succumbing to the adverse effects of medical treatment he received from those assigned the task of killing his cancer.

What may have possibly happened instead was the killing of the Lord's prophet. If so, then it must have been God's will. In fact, the Mormon Church-owned weekly newspaper supplement, the "Church News," did acknowledge that Hinckley had been receiving chemotherapy treatments for his cancer. That fact, however, was not reported in the wake of his death until several days after he had breathed his last:

"After a long life of dedicated service to God and his fellowman, President Gordon B. Hinckley died Jan. 27 of CAUSES INCIDENT TO AGE. He was 97. . . .

"President Hinckley ended his mortal journey Sunday at 7 p.m. in his apartment, surrounded by his five children and other family members. In past months the beloved Church leader had lost strength, making fewer appearances and most recently using a wheelchair, though not entirely giving up his well-employed cane. . . .

"His dedication of the Utah State Capitol Jan. 4 was his last public appearance. He kept up with his daily work schedule until the last week of his life.

"Two years ago, on Jan. 24, 2006, he underwent laparoscope surgery in a bout with cancer of the large intestine. Although he recovered well and completed the subsequent chemotherapy, on Tuesday, Jan. 22, he underwent what was called a 'follow-up chemotherapy.' A day or two later, he began feeling weaker. On Friday, Jan. 25, at the funeral of LDS inventor and philanthropist James L. Sorenson, President Thomas S. Monson, first counselor in the First Presidency, announced that President Hinckley was not feeling well. After that, he continued to decline. . . .

"On Nov. 2, 2007, he became the longest-lived president of the Church, which by then had a membership of 13 million."

Hmmmmmm. Nothing like giving chemotherapy to a 97-year-old to end that "longest-living" record thing.

(John L. Hart, "Church News" associate editor, "President Hinckley Ends Mortal Journey: Life Marked by Testimony, Vigor, Personal Warmth and Courage," in "Church News," 2 February 2008, emphasis added)


Interestingly enough, I was also told that, according to inside family sources, Hinckley actually died that Sunday afternoon around 3 p.m., although his reported time of death was announced in the Mormon-owned press as having occurred some four hours later. What accounts for that seeming discrepancy--if it actually is one--I don't know. Where's the Holy Ghost when you need it? (The above information, by the way, came to me from someone who was in a position to know the Hinckley family with some degree of personal familiarity).

Could it be that Hinckley actually died not of old age, per se, but of CAUSES INCIDENT TO CHEMOTHERAPY?

**Prior to Hinckley's death, some other information that was being shared, as detailed below:

In 2006, Utah media, as well as news organizations in other locations were with increasing focus following up on the possibility that Hinckley's health had taken a signfiicant turn for the worse. This ramped-up attention came amid reports at the time that Hinckley had been operated on for colon cancer, that he was recovering comfortably from said surgery and that he would be resuming a full schedule shortly. In the wake of these announcements, the Mormon Church's official news releases were both vague and upbeat on the matter of Hinckley's reported condition.

However, one RfM poster, "Schraevus," posted on this board about a so-called "Mormon e-mail" being circulated which reported that Hinckley's health is in serious jeopardy and that this might be his last General Conference:

"Just got this from a TBM friend. Nothing quite as juicy as GA relatives gossip. I was talking with my friend in North Salt Lake this morning. He lives in a ward with three Apostles and the Stake President is Elder Ballard's son-in-law. They had Stake Conference this past Sunday and Elder Ballard, who just had both knees replaced, came and spoke.

"Among other things, Apostle Ballard said that General Conference this April (2006) may well be our last chance to hear Pres. Hinckley speak. He said that Pres. Hinckley is suffering from a very serious illness and that, much like King Benjamin gathering his people around to address them one last time, we would do well to listen as intently as the people of that time. It is sad to think that we may lose President Hinckley soon but thought it would be good to know this and treat his testimony even more reverently."

("This Just in on Mo E-mail," post by "Schraevus," on "Recovery from Mormonism" bulletin board, 31 March 2006)


Around this same time, I had spoken with a source pf my own, who informed me that Hinckley has cancer and that his family was flying in from all over the country to be with him during General Conference. When I asked if the Hinckley family normally comes in to be with their patriarch at Conference time, I was informed that a gathering by his family of this magnitude is unusual and that requests were being made to have Hinckley family members come who are outside Hinckley's immediate (i.e., nuclear) family circle.

I was informed of Hinckley's situation (and his family's response to it) as I inquired of the source about reports of Ballard's reported acknowledgment that Hinckley has a very serious illness and that this may be the last time he is at General Conference. In response to those reports, I was told that Hinckley's serious illness was, in fact, cancer and that his family is coming in from far and wide. Based on what my source told me at the time (if proven accurate), it seemed that things did not look good for Hinckley.

Subsequent to these and other RfM postings, an investigative source in the news media (who covers these matters for a living) contacted me, inquiring on Hinckley's health and making a few observations, along with noting that the media was in a state of increased alert concerning the subject of Hinckley's health.

The observations included the following:

--Hinckley was scheduled to, but ended up not kicking off, April Conference with his own, planned opening remarks.

--Several glowing references to Hinckley were subsequently made by other Conference speakers.

--Several glowing references were likewise made by other Conference speakers to Monson (Hinckley's heir apparent).

--While Hinckley had assured the Mormon faithful that his obituary should not be written just yet and that he planed on attending this year's October Conference, there had been acknowledgment by the Church that Hinckley was suffering residual effects from his cancer operation. Elements of the media were on heightened alert to the possibility that if, in fact, Hinckley has cancer (particularly if he was suffering from a fast-spreading kind related to the colon), he might not make it to the following October, despite his assurances otherwise.

--Continuing investigative efforts were being made by the media to confirm accounts that Hinckley's health was reportedly in a state of significant decline and that he may not be around much longer.

--The media was aware of the RfM board's on-going discussions on Hinckley's health and regards this site as a source of potentially valuable information.

Below is a summation concerning Hinckley's condition during this period--which wasn't good--and which, despite Hinckley's public comments, appeared to possibly be a matter of some institutionalized cover-up by the Mormon Church. Hinckley, nonetheless, did manage a public admission hat he was on his last legs. On Sunday, 2 April 2006, he informed his General Conference audience that he was in the final chapters of his life, as reported by the "Associated Press":

"SALT LAKE CITY--Mormon church president Gordon B. Hinckley said on Sunday he is in the 'sunset of my life' and suffering from some residual health problems after undergoing major surgery earlier this year.

"'I am totally in the hands of the Lord,' Hinckley said, addressing the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on the second day of the faith's twice-yearly conference.

"Hinckley, 95, was hospitalized in January after doctors discovered a cancerous growth on his intestine during what was called a routine medical examination. He had surgery and spent nearly a week in the hospital recovering.

"Hinckley, now in his 11th year as Church president, has acknowledged he is slowing down with age. But he also made it clear that his sense of humor is as sharp as ever and that he didn't want Church members to over-interpret his health concerns.

"'I trust you will not regard this as an obituary,' he said, drawing a laugh. 'Rather I look forward to the opportunity of speaking to you again in October.'"

The fact remained that, despite an earlier operation for colon cancer, Hinckley still had cancer. Clearly, this was no laughing matter and his condition appeared to involve more than just residual after-effects of his previous surgery for colon cancer. Again, as a reliable source informed me, Hinckley was, in fact, suffering at that time from cancer and, due to the serious nature of his condition, his family had gathered from across the country in an unusual move to be with him at Conference. I was been informed that, according to sources in medical circles, Hinckley definitely had cancer. However, the claims of these sources had, I am told, yet to be reliably confirmed.

In the end, Hinckley's actual condition was met with silence from the Mormon Church According to a source with whom I was in contact and who was closely following developments on Hinckley's health, the Mormon Church released a statement on Hinckley's condition in which it said, essentially, that Hinckley has nothing more to say (at that moment, at least) about his physical condition.

As evidence that the media caught the Mormons with their collective pants down, the LDS Church denounced Internet chat about what was reportedly being disseminated in Mormon Church meetings. According to the same source, the same LDS Church statement also decried Internet chat, warning Latter-day Saints not to spread information they believe they have heard in Mormon Church settings. This was interesting in light of the reported comments made by Apostle Ballard in a stake conference relating to Hinckley's seriously declining heath.

**********


The Lesson to be Learned: The Bleet goes on.

Expect more of the same unsaintly death-spinning from Latter-day Saint PR Central when Monson (along with the facts) eventually kick the bucket.

All in the name of fanning the faith.



Edited 14 time(s). Last edit at 02/02/2015 11:33PM by steve benson.

What I found interesting about President Newsroom's official

announcement in refutation of the rumor of Monson's premature

death, is that there was NO statement about his current state of

health, his location, or his future schedule. It was terse, at

best, and seemed almost cryptic to me with it's paucity of

information. Hey, but I'm a conspiracy freak, so don't place any

value on anything that comes out of my pie-hole or flows from my

grubby, stubby, digits.

ETA: Thanks, Steve, for that back story on Hinckley.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/02/2015 11:57PM by flanders.

. . . and they therefore don't know where the hell he is or how he's doing.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/03/2015 03:22AM by steve benson.

There is certainly precedent for this kind of "Where's Waldo?" approach to covering the tracks of sick Mormon Church presidents. One such example is found in documentation from the correspondence of out of my grandfather's office to members of his inner-circle family, when he was president of the Mormon Church. It involves deliberately keeping the location of ETB withheld from the public--and requesting that Benson family members cooperate in that effort.

The following letter was Written from what was going to be (as far as the public was concerned) an undisclosed location--one which had been chosen for the secret convalescence of Ezra Taft Benson when he was supposedly actively running the Mormon Church as it president (which he most certainly wasn't doing). Not only is ETB/s health mentioned in the following directive, but so is the matter of soaring sales of his Deseret Book biographY, authored by its chief biographical sanitation engineer, Sheri Dew.

Given my grandfather's failing mental and physcial health, there is no question that this letter was ghostwritten for him by his staff. The letter was "signed" with an autopen mimiking my grandfather's signature:

"I am so grateful for your life and prayers for me and want you to know that our Heavenly Father is mindful of them as I am improving in health each day.

"The loving hospitality of David and Beth [Burton, son-in-law and daughter of Ezra Taft and Flora Benson] and their four children has been an answer to prayer. The quiet and peace here are making a speedy recovery possible.

"For my sake and that of the Burton family, may I request that all telephone calls and letters be directed to the office. Betty [McDonald, Ezra Taft Benson's personal secretary] brings me the mail and other messages during the week.

"Also, we have been advised that for security purposes, it is best that the location of my present residence [in the Salt Lake suburb of Sandy] be kept from the public. Therefore we should not inform friends and neighbors as to where I am recuperating.

"Grandma and I love you very much. We know you are loving and concerned, but inquires regarding my progress and other information should be obtained from the office inasmuch as my staff is in close contact with me at all times."

(Ezra Taft Benson, "Ezra Taft Benson," written by staff and signed by auto pen, to Stephen and Mary Ann Benson, 11 November 1987)

I wonder if the reluctance of Hinckley to be publically forthright on his severe condition has anything to do with protecting the mind control effects of those who have received the seconding anointing ritual. According to Tom Phillips' account one is anointed "to live as long as desired." If you have to resort to medical treatments to avert death because you want to live longer, and it doesn't work, then what power was really given to the second anointee?

Yes jiminycricket, I thought it somewhat odd at the time as I had known a number of GAs who died in their sixties or seventies. Usually after a long illness.

Tom

Some claim that Hinckley never really died, and that he is still alive even today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IH8uAYNdVcw

He hangs out with Elvis, Elijah, and the 3 Nephites. I saw all of them using the internet at the library last week.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/03/2015 04:36AM by Strength in the Loins.

And Tupac. Don't forget Tupac.

Yeah, if I had the second annointing with a promise from god that I could live as long as I desired to, I think I would go at least a few hundred years. Or at least long enough to freak everyone out by living far longer than anyone else ever does, and in good health. Yet none of them has ever done that. Even in their own advanced age, accompanying illnesses and in death, they can never admit that they are only humans who have flaws like the rest of us do. What a lonely existance.

There comes a point with very elderly people when continuing treatment for serious illness seems more like torture than therapy. My mom thankfully knew when she had reached that point, and her ensuing death was more comfortable than it would have been otherwise.

"I am so grateful for the counsel given at Mission Conference as well. It truly was inspired :) No Elder L. Tom Perry though :( I guess that he was needed elsewhere to prepare for General Conference, because Thomas S. Monson and Elder Packer's health is not doing well, so he is next in command."

http://sisterashleyweaver.blogspot.com/2015/03/happy-spring.html

This was the very excuse spun to the flock. Absolutely no mention of the broken ribs part. Now that she kind of confirms the story about Monson's health (of course we all know about Packer's state), does this all add up?
Does Craig Christensen know something most of us don't?

Cult! "...next in COMMAND." Truer words were never chosen. Those in the Mormon "church" are certainlt under COMMAND.

The concept of Christian LEADERSHIP seems to be completely lost on the entire organization.

Cult.

The church is now being led by Schrodinger's cat, it appears. (No peeking)

So my old pal Gordo could't pull it out of his ass one last time.

Pearls of great price Steve.

I caught you peeking don.

If Hinckley was a " whistleblower " relative to TSCC, it was in the same way that a drum majorette is a whistle blower relative to a marching band. "here we come! just like a marching band! looky, looky at us! with our family togetherness (based on unmentionable stupid secret handshakes)! Morally standing for something (ignore the racism, institutional adultery/ Polygamy in our past)! and with the Olympics coming to our town ( never mind how we got them !!!) !

I have held back making this next comment, because I wanted to see if it would crop up from other sources/ persons. It has not. Maybe people really do not care about this kind of dis-STINK-tion.

Granted, Hinckley and Monson are both distasteful, However, I think that Hinckley was/ is more distasteful. Hinckley's official video biography was a lot like Hinckley -bloated full of self serving self promotional self important PR spin / CRAP. ( For those who can tolerate watching this stuff and then take notes) Monson's official video Biography had a very different emphasis than Hinckley's. (I will be waiting to see if anyone has any salient / entertaining comments on the differences. Maybe I will find out that people just do not care about the differences between these two men that have been at the helm of LDS Inc. )

Is it possible that the Mormons assign a virtue as to how you die?

Surrounded by your loving, all TBM family by your side at a vintage age of 95+, and Jesus name on your smiling lips as you take your last mortal breath.

gentlestrength Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> and Jesus name on
> your smiling lips as you take your last mortal
> breath.

So his last words were, "Jesus H. Fucking Christ, that cancer treatment hurt!"

WE ARE ALL VERY PROUD OF YOU!!!!

<snort> +1

We are the chosen few who believe in Steve.

President Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994) taught that “God knows all things, the end from the beginning, and no man becomes president of the church of Jesus Christ by accident, or remains there by chance, or is called home by happenstance” (“Jesus Christ—Gifts and Expectations,” New Era, May 1975

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/24/2015 07:42PM by steve benson.

And I can hear Monson with my spiritual wiggling ears.

moose yer killin me