Roger,
You said:
Gaz, if you were looking for advice in the fields of medicine, mechanics, engineering, electronics etc. etc... would you turn to a journal writen over 200 years ago??
If I were looking for information on gravity I just need to throw something in the air. Some truths are unchanging. The gospel isn't quite the same as mechanical engineering. We can get updates on how we apply the gospel from our living prophets, its application might change over time, but in general its an unchanging gospel.
As for BK Packer's above homily, it reeks of the same stench of ignorance that pervades Mormon theology... BKP's death will quickly take much of his utterance into obscurity along with most of the past leaders' words-of-sagacity that folks of their time hung on as divinely inspired...
The only thing reeking of ignorance is your attitude towards brother Packer. He is one of our finest gospel teachers, and a stalwart defender of our faith. He is also one of the few general authorities to bear testimony of having personally met Christ in the flesh. You would be wise to follow his council and respect his opinion in regards to matters of faith.
We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light. - Plato