Does Church Co perceive that its threats now come from its members?

Might this explain why Nelson requested that sisters get off social media for awhile?

I am thinking that the leaders are tired of the criticisms that stem from "thinking" members. Maybe Nelson and Wendy are too thin-skinned?

Sure they're thin-skinned. They're living in a fantasy suddenly made reality, with apparently unlimited power being theirs for the taking. Any crackpot idea that fries Dr. Nelson's brain will be accepted by others as a revelation from God.

Of course, Kimball and Hinckley were in similar situations. The real difference for the Nelsons is the second-wife dynamic. Wendy is young enough to enjoy the power trip, and absent any children or grandchildren to pragmatize her thinking. Since she knows Rusty is in decline, she probably sees herself as the most powerful person on Earth.

Wendy is the Yoko Ono of Mormonism
Her office must be right next to Rusty's

I wonder if a flurry of special conference talks and Ensign articles from her can be expected in the future.

I hope they won't let her sing solos in conference. But she probably would sound at least as good as Yoko. (Certainly would be hard to sound worse.)

REALITY.

The Church has always been at war with reality. It takes a lot of energy to fight reality.

In practical terms, therefore, the Church has always been most threatened by members who are able to accurately perceive reality and the central task has been to prevent reality from being accurately perceived by the members. The only threat that outside critics and "anti-Mormons" have ever posed corresponds directly to the degree that they are able to get Mormons to see reality.

So I don't think Nelson has any different view on the primary threat. He's just fiddling with tactics.

At some level, he knows that much of Joseph Smith's legacy is patently ridiculous to most outsiders. The task is to prevent as many faithful Mormons as possible from seeing the Church the same way that outsiders do. Focusing more on Jesus and less on "Mormon" stuff is one way to keep them away from the potential triggers that may wake them up. Less talk about peepstones and polygamy. More talk about "Christ-centered lives"

Wally Prince Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I wonder if a flurry of special conference talks
> and Ensign articles from her can be expected in
> the future.
>
> I hope they won't let her sing solos in
> conference.

......you mean like this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duFYcQ9z4B4


> But she probably would sound at least
> as good as Yoko. (Certainly would be hard to
> sound worse.)

I was more worried about something like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdZ9weP5i68

With the Nelson smiling and applauding in the background. "Isn't she amazing! Just amazing!"

Jesse could actually carry a tune. She looked like she could beat the entire roster of the Dallas Cowboys at arm wrestling. But she had a solid voice. If Wendy could pull something like that off, I'd say go for it.

But I suspect she sounds more like Yoko.

>> "Does Church Co perceive that its threats now come from its members?"

I think the church has always known this, all the way back to its founding. Hence all the restrictions and rules. If the members won't tow the line, push for change, and leave if they don't get it, what does the church have? Lose the members and so goes the church.

Non-mormons can push from the outside, but that isn't nearly as big a threat as mormons pushing from the inside.

I have been aware of a "loyal opposition" in the Church most of my adult life. When "intellectuals" and others get a little too vocal or get too much influence they are quickly excommunicated.

Excommunication does not silence and often has the opposite from the intended result. Look at John Dehlin whose Mormon Stories podcast has increased in popularity since he was unchurched.

I think the Church should be much more tolerant of diversity of belief. The Catholic Church tolerated Andrew Greely who as a Priest and a journalist was very critical of his Church.

hgc2 Wrote:
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> I think the Church should be much more tolerant of
> diversity of belief.


That's something I always agreed with, but when you have a church that believe's that it's "the ONLY true church on the face of the plant; the ONLY church that Jesus Christ himself leads" I'm not sure how much tolerance of religious diversity/diversity of belief there could be.

That was another conflict that I had during my time in TSCC. I was the only "member" in my family and while I was talking to my brother about the service he expressed that he was curious, but he had his own preferences when it came to church meetings. And I remember telling him that he should stick to what he prefers to find the church that's right for him. I felt a conflict because any "good mormon girl" would push TSCC on a sibling looking for a church that fit him.

When a close friend of mine came to visit me from Oregon, we talked about our upbringing - I was brought up Catholic and he was Methodist. He talked about why he left and how he was an Atheist.Then he told me how much he admired me and how he felt that I was a good person and considered looking into Mormonism. I would tell him that he should do it for himself if he was sincere about it, but that he didn't need religion to be a good person or to have ethics.

Now if my former roommates, or many of the people that I used to go to church with heard those conversations, they'd probably have a "holy conniption" and preach to me how I should "proclaim the 'gospel'" to them.

I think the age & wealth demographics are well-known & understood by the GAs & their underlings.

they probably think that as people age they're more likely to have resolved any doubts they may have had.

No social media, plus ban anything that sounds like it might be fun.

Are there two apparently different things related in some way?