They think they are so moral, but in reality they hide money, hide true membeship records, lie to their members, and best of all, give high ranking positions to their children!

D. Michael Quinn's excellent 'Mormon Hierarchy - Extensions of Power' has a detailed discussion and charts of the direct family connections of the Mormon GA's. Several GA's complained when Joseph F. Smith was appointing all his direct relatives to high positions. Joseph and Brigham, of course, had done the same before him.

Nepotism is alive and well in Mormonism. It always has been!

The most ironic fact in the study of Mormon's practicing nepotism is the treatment of Joseph Smith's immediate family.

They were all cut out of the leadership once Smith was killed.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/08/2015 03:35PM by Doubting Thomas.

Ok, but if you were in a high position wouldn't you try to pull some strings for your kids as well? Every parent wants what they think is best for their kids, right?

Yes every parent wants what's best for their kids but being a religious leader should be different. Jesus made it quiet clear in the NT that he didn't value his siblings or even his mother more than strangers he had just met. Very unusual to say the least.

But it's not just in religion. Utah business has always performed in the name of the church. Who's in management is by who's related to who. Read "Under the Profit in Utah" for even more understanding on the subject of how church assets and wealth were transferred to certain favorite families who were suppose to be "stewards" after the manifesto.

Yes they should be, but they aren't any different. In the end there's nothing special about them. They're just people, and like anybody else they'll use any kind of spin to justify their actions. It sucks, but it's not specific to the Mormon church.

If Brigham Young had his way, a Young would be running LD$ Inc today as it's president / PRofit after an un interrupted succession of Youngs as LD$ Inc presidents. Joseph Smith might have had the same vision, but it did not have the chance to develop into a pressing priority for Joe because Joe died younger, and Joe was still so engrossed with scoring women for himself at the time that he never became much concerned about his successor.

Insider MORmONS know how to look out for their kin, they pave the way for their children to succceed, while regular TBM's like my parents are totally bought into the concept of "the harder it is then the better it is" for children. TBM's like my parents are perFUCTly willing to throw their own children on the altar of MORmON devotion to prove their faithFOOLness as MORmON parents and MORmON members.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIkVNWHT-IA

If Steve Benson had played his cards right, he probably could have ended up being the prophet some day. Then he could have told the world that it's a cult, disbanded the eccliasistical structure, and put the organization's wealth to good uses, like for real charity and projects that help everyone.

Of course, he would have had to live a lie for several decades first, and suck-up to a bunch of old geezees with 19th century values for several decades, just for a real shot at it. No one can be expected to live that kind of hell on earth.

So what do you think Steve B? What do you think of the nepotism, of your choice to give it all up for a life of honesty and doing what's right?

I’ll tell you one thing. Steve’s choice is a shining example of integrity. I admire anyone who gives up advantage in favor of doing what’s right. If more people did that, it would be a very different world. It’s the thing I admire about Steve the most.

It has always been nepotistic. It started with JS's family and their family friends.

Of the 8 witnesses to the Book of Mormon (who never claimed to actually see the plates), 4 of them were named "Smith" and 3 named "Whitmer". Hiram Page was married into the Whitmer family.

The 3 witnesses were JS's 2 collaborators, Cowdery and Harris, plus another member of the Whitmer clan.

Of the 12 witnesses, including JS himself, if you take away the Smiths, the Whitmers and JS's "scribes", you have no witnesses at all. You have 5 Smiths, 5 Whitmers (including in-law Page) and Cowdery/Harris.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/10/2015 11:01AM by axeldc.

Shakespeare, in "Julius Caesar" has Caesar opine that it is best to avoid the appearance of evil.

Mormons seem to feel that they can and should do whatever they want, so long as they have an excuse or a plausible defense.

It's never pretty to watch.

elderolddog Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Mormons seem to feel that they can and should do
> whatever they want, so long as they have an excuse
> or a plausible defense.

MORmONS seem to feel that they can and should do whatever they
want, as long as the appearance of evil has been avoided, and the thing that constitutes avoiding the appearance of evil is a MORmON stating that what ever happened, it was done in the name of the Lord.

After all Nephi really did want to kill Laban, MORmON Jesus commanded so it was an act of fortitude, not an act of sin.

Joseph Smith did not want marry all of those women, but MORmON Jesus insisted, so it was an act of obedience, not an act of indulgence.

> It's never pretty to watch.

Well, it can be comical to watch IF a person is disconnected enough from the damage / consequences.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wALvdgurB4

It's not nepotism, remember that they are called by God. Who are mormon leaders to argue if God wants one of the bigshot's relatives to also be a leader, and all except a few token leaders are white, born in the Morrior, and multi-generation members of the Cult, dating back to Joe's day?

And if you believe God only wants old white men born in the morridor descended from pioneer mormon stock to be in power, I have some prime real estate I would like to sell you.

I was in one ward for 10 years and the last 4, nepotism reigned. You had the Bishop, his 1st counsellor was his brother, 2nd counsellor not related. The Organist was the 1st counsellors wife, the relief society president was the Bishops sister in law. The HPG leader was the Bishop's brother's father in law. The EQP was related somewhere down the line. The chorister was a cousin.

A sister married and elder and I remarked to a HP that within 3 weeks he would be made a HP and also be on the HC. [The sister he married was related to the 1st counsellor] Guess what, I was right. Later the HP asked me how I knew and was it through someone saying something they shouldn't have said i.e. gossip. I replied that it was obvious as he was now "family"

At stake level you have the SP and his brother is on the HC. If you look at the wards in the stake, you will see the same thing. After nearly 50 yrs in the Church, I know that there are 3 types of calling. Inspiration, desperation and family.

Yeah, it is so awesome that they get to work fulltime including weekends for the rest of their lives.

duh