Posted by:
elderolddog
(
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Date: November 11, 2017 09:35PM
Here are a couple of sources where you can see what the public knows / is allowed to know about the SCMC:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strengthening_Church_Members_Committeehttps://www.fairmormon.org/answers/Mormonism_and_Church_discipline/Strengthening_Church_Members_CommitteeThe SCMC is based on D&C 123, the synopsis of which, per the church, states:
"Duty of the Saints in relation to their persecutors, as written by Joseph Smith the Prophet while a prisoner in the jail at Liberty, Missouri. This section is an excerpt from an epistle to the Church dated March 20, 1839 (see the heading to section 121).
Here is probably the key stone, verses 4 & 5:
"4 And perhaps a committee can be appointed to find out these things, and to take statements and affidavits; and also to gather up the libelous publications that are afloat;
5 And all that are in the magazines, and in the encyclopedias, and all the libelous histories that are published, and are writing, and by whom, and present the whole concatenation of diabolical rascality and nefarious and murderous impositions that have been practiced upon this people—"
But we have to suppose that, based on the church's past, there is nothing they wouldn't do to protect the "church" and that probably covers a whole lot of territory.
I haven't searched extensively, but the following may be the last public statement about the SCMC by a GA. This was in March of 2012, when Jeffie-Baby Holland was interviewed by a BBC reporter. I found it, of all places, on Fairmormon:
"John Sweeney: What is the Strengthening Church Members Committee?
Elder Holland: The Strengthening Church Members Committee was born some years ago to protect against predatory practices of polygamists.
Sweeney: I asked what it is, not was
Holland: That is what it is…
Sweeney: So it does still exist?
Holland: It does still exist...it does still exist…
Sweeney: And it....looks at....it’s there to defend the church against polygamists?
Holland: Principally, that is still its principal task.
Sweeney: So what is its subsidiary task?
Holland: I just....suppose to....to be protective generally, just to watch and to care for any insidious influence. But for all intents and purposes, that’s all that I know about it....is that it’s primarily there to guard against polygamy. That would be the substantial part of the work. I’m not on that committee so I don’t know much about it."
Not very supportive of the notion that Jeffie knows his ass from a hole in the ground. And Jeffie makes no mention of Sec. 123. I'm sure he probably does know where his ass is; he just didn't display that talent in this exchange.