harmony wrote:Mister Scratch wrote:And, you know, I am reminded of the whole "2nd Watson Letter" Fiasco, which really just adds more weight to my main point. Why would the Brethren---or the Brethren's representative---throw in the towel on such a long-standing doctrinal matter as the location of the Hill Cumorah? It really speaks volumes that they would write a letter on official letterhead in order to toss a bone to FARMS. It was as if the FP were saying, "Oh, whoops! That's what we get for trying to actually be firm in our beliefs! Memo to self: Let FARMS handle this tricky doctrinal stuff!"
I'm not seeing the connection between your point A and point D. Care to extrapolate a bit more?
My point is that the intellectual-spiritual center of the Church has shifted away from the GAs, and into the eggheads and FARMS. The 2nd Watson letter fiasco was, in essence, a slip-up on the part of the First Presidency. Rather than stand by the good ol' fashioned Single Cumorah theory, they had to backpedal and issue the 2nd Letter, mainly as a means of helping FARMS theories to save face.
Really, my main point is that the GAs have thrown away their function as spiritual/doctrinal leaders, and have handed over the reins to FARMS. I mean, can you imagine any of the current GAs penning a Mormon Doctrine today? No way. Actual theorizing and doctrinal interpretation seems to take place entirely within FARMS.