Posted by:
SLDrone
(
)
Date: July 21, 2013 04:18PM
I very much enjoyed the NYT article about the disaffected member from Sweden and I commend the man for his quest for truth. However I find the comment that he is the highest ranking official to disaffect a little amusing.
Both counselors in the first presidency of Joseph Smith went AWOL, William Law very much went public about his disaffection.
As far as the SL Church is concerned, there were early apostles and seventy, but George P Lee of the 1st Quorum of the 70 (which is a high ranking full time paid position) was the highest ranking official to become disaffected and openly rebel in my lifetime.
Third Quorum aka Area Authority is not a General Authority and should not be confused with Area President which is always a member of the 1st Quorum. Area Authority is a temp part time calling and the position is filled by a local member who has shown a little spark of leadership ability. It is not a full time paid position like the general authority position is, they don't quit their full time employment to fill the calling. They are not usually inculcated with Utah Mormonism or culture and so it's not surprising to find them leaving or going inactive on occasion. There have been instances where area authorities have gone inactive almost immediately upon being released from this temp calling, offended when they were not promoted to general full time status. The area authorities I've known were status climbers expecting the promotion. In the hierarchy of the Church not a particularly powerful position, they do not preside over mission presidents for example, but work with local members located within the confines of a geographical "area", hence Area Authority.
Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 07/21/2013 04:33PM by SLDrone.