I picture their formal discussions as similar to Ford execs wondering what to do about the Pinto.

Or R. J. Reynolds trying to plan strategy over the latest Lung cancer data.

They could just be up front like Tylenol. Make an offer to buy back the BOMS and replace them with a Carl Sagan, Chris Hitchens, or Neil deGrasse Tyson book of their choice.

They watered down the description of the Lamanites twice in the intro to the BoM. I guarantee that decision came from the top.

They also decided to do away with all LDS pageants having to do with the BoM, including the granddaddy of all Mormon pageants, the Hill Cumorah Pageant.

And when was the last time the Book of Abraham was cited in General Conference?

Of course they know.

I just downloaded a PDF of the April 2023 General Conference, and after a search, I saw that they STILL quote the Book of Abraham.

Maybe not as often as they used to, but they still do... (Only the convenient parts, sure, but it is still there.)

But NO mention whatsoever of "FREE agency". (Only "agency" or "moral agency".)

And no mentions of "unconditional love".

And only ONE mention of "Lamanites".

... and they know enough to now begin to embrace the Cross ...

Their chutzpah is enormous!  It probably has its own gravity!!

.....but how do they handle it?

(Aside from dumping poor old Moroni.)

I assume that they have reached a point that many adult humans do by becoming certain of their own grandeur and acting on it.

Since they get no pushback from those whose esteem they value, why would they ever doubt themselves?

Look at me, The Cat, and Gladys!!  We perform all kinds of pushback amongst ourselves and others here and it bothers us not a whit!

They know. They are self absorbed and egotistical not stupid.

They have painted themselves into a corner and the paint is drying way too slowly and they are too old to try a flying leap to the sofa. Their only option is to pretend the corner is the best place to be. This is what God had planned for them all along, haha.

I think they puff themselves up whenever they meet. They probably debate among themselves who has greatest appeal to the youth. That's the future of the church and they are connecting with the youth. They continue with with the same plan of attack- Let's have a youth fireside. We'll tell them that they're special. That they were saved for greatest dispensation to save the lord's church. And they will make stupid promises about the next life.

And what the church won't do: Develop a meaningful youth program with interesting activities, make church as a place they want to attend (instead they make awful threats) and drumroll please: SPEND MONEY on them. It won't save all of them (youth) from leaving the church, but the church could help them and their families.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/31/2023 02:35PM by messygoop.

I think that the appeal to the youth and the potential appeal to non-Mormons, plus the ability to recruit man-on-the-street to become new members are now completely failed and beyond the ken of the "leaders" (such as they are). Their horse has escaped the paddock, as it were, and is now somewhere over the horizon. They are proving to be just plain old men who may not even have the technical know-how to be able to run a smart phone. They have shut themselves away and are aloof. They have gone from indifference and ignorance to being totally unawares, and perhaps even a bit fearful about what has happened. The very thing that they're most proud of -- enduring trust of their own so-called "inspiration from the Lord" and never apologizing or even being introspective -- has done them in. I bet that in the meetings there is a lot of shrugging, struggling, and stammering, saying things like, "Uh...," "erm...," looking at their shoes and saying, "Wull, I dunno..." But the stammering ones are put down by people like Bednar, who would rise to his full "height" and say something nasty to them. If Boyd KKK Packer were around, he'd l'arn 'em. He'd l'arn 'em good!

I think they've realized they are mascots rather than quarterbacks. They prefer to spend their time on the bench.

They have to know or they wouldn't be changing, downplaying and spinning things.

dagny Wrote:
---------------------------
> They have to know or they
> wouldn't be changing, down-
> playing and spinning things.


And now you see the role that heavenly inspiration plays in the continuing restoration of the gospel of Jesus H. Christ!

The spirit of God like a fire is burning. Pants on fire, hair on fire, butts on fire, etc.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/04/2023 12:58PM by bradley.