I think that the silence of people gushing over him is very telling. I barely saw any posts, mostly half apologies. For someone who led THE quorum of the 12 and was a prophet for a generation he left the ugly, misinformed, un-christlike poison that we outside of the church knew he was spewing.
I think that he has hurt the church more than any other leader in the last century.
Let us give him credit:
"The truth is not helpful" "Faith promotion" "Race separation" "Authority trumps the truth" "Sex is bad" "Gays are evil" "Equal rights are dangerous" "Tolerance is a trap"
and not to mention the other dozen or so doctrines and programs he helped co-author, like taking Indians kids out of their homes with the promise of turning white.
I had dinner with the guy, twice. he was an egocentric moron who REALLY believed he was speaking for God when he gave his opinion.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/13/2016 10:55AM by sb.
Boyd KKK Packer is easy to understand from a position of white male elite privilege. Everything he opposed was a threat to his position and patriarchal power. Working women, gay marriage, blacks and the priesthood, intellectual honesty, etc. were all attacks on his position of unearned power.
I agree, and am glad he is no longer on the scene. He sure did appear to believe he was superior to everyone else.
I butted heads with him once, and (happily) believe I came out the winner. He tried mightily to have me excommunicated, which I fought against (as this puts an onus on one as having sinned, rather than on the true offender--Packer himself, and the church).
He knew he could ruin the life of innocent people by having them excommunicated by others (such as Bishops and Stake Leaders)--and thereby (he seemed to think) keep his own hands clean.
Therefore, if one wants to leave the church, do it yourself (formally resign). Don't wait to be x'd, for this leaves others to think you must have done something awful enough to be x'd).