In another thread, RfM poster "Marylou" wrote:
"Hinckley may not have been a whistleblower but it seems to me he tipped his hand when he decided to seek treatment for his cancer at age 95. I would think someone with a firm testimony would be anxious to get to the other side to be reunited with his wife. No, not him. Spend thousands of dollars and be sick with treatments just to last another month or two. He was either scared to death of what was waiting on the other side or he knew full well nothing was waiting for him."
("Re: DONT YOU GET IT. HINCKLEY WAS THE WHISTLEBLOWER," posted by "Marylou," on "Recovery from Mormonism" bulletin board, 17 April 2012, at:
http://exmormon.org/phorum/read.php?2,477562,477714#msg-477714)
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From the public press accounts issued by the Mormon Church in the wake of Gordon B. Hinckley's death, the faithfully uninformed would certainly reach the conclusion that their divinely-cradled prophet, seer and revelator died--as the Morg(ue) put it in both its website press release and through its house organ, the "Deseret News"--from causes "incident to age."
That was certainly the official line on LDS Net Central:
". . . Church president [Hinckley] died at his apartment in downtown Salt Lake City at 7:00 p.m. Sunday night from CAUSES INCIDENT TO AGE. Members of his family were at his bedside."
Then this, to top it all off:
"Style guide note: When reporting about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, please use the complete name of the Church in the first reference. For more information on the use of the name of the Church, go to our online style guide."
("Beloved Church President, Gordon B. Hinckley, Dies at 97," 27 January 2008, author(s) unnamed, in "Newsroom: The Official Church Resource for News Media, Opinion Leaders, and the Public," emphasis added)
Singing the same song and using essentially the same words, the Church's parrot publication, the "Deseret News," solemnly announced:
"President Gordon B. Hinckley, who led The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through explosive growth during his more than 12 years as president, died 7 p.m. Sunday at home of CAUSES INCIDENT TO AGE, surrounded by family. He was 97."
OK, OK, enough already. We get it. The Morg(ue) says Hinckley died because of CAUSES INCIDENT TO AGE.
("LDS President Gordon B. Hinckley Dies at Age 97: LDS president Met Call with Humility, Vigor," "by the Deseret Morning News staff," in "Deseret News," Sunday, 27 January 2008. emphasis added)
But didn't it all seem a bit too insistent, too repetitive, too canned? Indeed, the "Deseret News" appeared to have gone out of its way to assure the faithful that Hinckley died a happy, healthy man--at least for his age (that is, before dying of CAUSES INCIDENT TO AGE):
"Two years ago this month, he underwent laparoscopic surgery to remove colon cancer. While a traditional colectomy requires five to eight days in the hospital and an at-home recovery of at least six weeks, the laparoscopic surgery hospital stay is usually two to four days and individuals can often return to work in two or three weeks.
"True to form for the energetic, globe-trotting leader, President Hinckley flew to Chile two months later in March 2006 to rededicate the Chilean temple. During the ceremonies, he alluded to his recent operation, quipping he would not recommend it to anyone.
"'President Hinckley was at his best," Elder L. Tom Perry of the Council of the Twelve said moments after the first dedication session adjourned. 'He conducted the entire session. Gave the dedicatory prayer. You wouldn't know he had ever been ill. His vigor was absolutely amazing.'
"His health has been the topic of speculation off and on among Church members ever since, particularly during semi-annual General Conferences of the church held each April and October. Less than a month after his Chilean trip in 2006, he stood at the podium in the LDS Conference Center during the Sunday morning session of the 176th annual General Conference and--in a rare departure from his usual sermons on gospel topics--reflected on his personal life.
"The speech was widely considered by members as a farewell of sorts that he was able to deliver personally. He mentioned his age frequently in public during the last five years of his life, almost as a way of preparing church members for his death and assuring them he was at peace with whatever timing would be his. After the death of his wife, Marjorie, in 2004, he periodically spoke movingly of missing her.
"More recently, President Hinckley presided and spoke at the August funeral of his beloved second counselor, President James E. Faust, noting the sadness that his passing meant to him personally. He spoke again publicly during October's semi-annual general conference, but delivered fewer and shorter speeches than he had previously done during the two-day event.
"He presided and offered brief remarks at the funeral of Sister Inis Hunter in late October, then spoke again during the First Presidency Christmas Devotional in December at the Conference Center, in what would be his last major public address. He sent a message that was read by President Thomas S. Monson, first counselor in the First Presidency, at the funeral of billionaire businessman and philanthropist James Sorenson last week."
(LDS President Gordon B. Hinckley Dies at Age 97: LDS President Met Call with Humility, Vigor," in "Deseret News," 27 January 2008, emphasis added)
And then he suddenly up and died.
Why was that, do you suppose?
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Now, some backstory information that, as far as I know, was not necessarily reported through the general-consumption media.
In stark contrast to the Mormon Church's carefully-crafted-and-approved-for-publication version of events, I have been informed on good authority that Hinckley didn't die from old age itself but, rather, from the destructive effects of chemotherapy resulting from his treatment for colon cancer.
I was told, in other words, that Hinckley's sudden decline (where he went from actively communicating and waving his cane around to a rapid slide into death), resulted not from being 97 years old. It was (so this alternative version of events goes), from succumbing to the adverse effects of medical treatment he received from those assigned the task of killing his cancer.
What may have possibly happened instead was the killing of the Lord's prophet. If so, then it must have been God's will.
In fact, the Mormon Church-owned weekly newspaper supplement, the "Church News," did acknowledge that Hinckley had been receiving chemotherapy treatments for his cancer. That fact, however, was not reported in the wake of his death until several days after he had breathed his last:
"After a long life of dedicated service to God and his fellowman, President Gordon B. Hinckley died Jan. 27 of CAUSES INCIDENT TO AGE. He was 97. . . .
"President Hinckley ended his mortal journey Sunday at 7 p.m. in his apartment, surrounded by his five children and other family members. In past months the beloved Church leader had lost strength, making fewer appearances and most recently using a wheelchair, though not entirely giving up his well-employed cane. . . .
"His dedication of the Utah State Capitol Jan. 4 was his last public appearance. He kept up with his daily work schedule until the last week of his life.
"Two years ago, on Jan. 24, 2006, he underwent laparoscope surgery in a bout with cancer of the large intestine. Although he recovered well and completed the subsequent chemotherapy, on Tuesday, Jan. 22, he underwent what was called a 'follow-up chemotherapy.' A day or two later, he began feeling weaker. On Friday, Jan. 25, at the funeral of LDS inventor and philanthropist James L. Sorenson, President Thomas S. Monson, first counselor in the First Presidency, announced that President Hinckley was not feeling well. After that, he continued to decline. . . .
"On Nov. 2, 2007, he became the longest-lived president of the Church, which by then had a membership of 13 million."
Hmmmmmm. Nothing like giving chemotherapy to a 97-year-old to end that "longest-living" record thing.
(John L. Hart, "Church News" associate editor, "President Hinckley Ends Mortal Journey: Life Marked by Testimony, Vigor, Personal Warmth and Courage," in "Church News," 2 February 2008, emphasis added)
Interestingly enough, I was also told that, according to inside family sources, Hinckley actually died that Sunday afternoon around 3 p.m., although his reported time of death was announced in the Mormon-owned press as having occurred some four hours later. What accounts for that seeming discrepancy--if it actually is one--I don't know. Where's the Holy Ghost when you need it?
(The above information, by the way, came to me from someone who was in a position to know the Hinckley family with some degree of personal familiarity).
Could it be that Hinckley actually died not of old age, per se, but of CAUSES INCIDENT TO CHEMOTHERAPY?
Edited 9 time(s). Last edit at 04/18/2012 05:27AM by steve benson.