More Musings on Monson's Mental Malaise

[_Jason Bourne]

Imagine that. Dementia is an ongoing issue in an organization with lifetime appointments, in which the top leader is the one with the longest tenure.

Who could have seen that coming?

All the presidents of the Church my life, except Hinckley, have gone out of this world lingering a while with little mind left. It is rather sad. Well Hunter was ok mentally but he was a physical wreck when he became president soo he was not able to function much. They really ought to give these men an out. Retire them at 80 or maybe when they are on the decline. You can still let the next most senior apostle take over (which by the way is just tradition and not codified in doctrine).

[_Madison54]

They really ought to give these men an out. Retire them at 80 or maybe when they are on the decline. You can still let the next most senior apostle take over (which by the way is just tradition and not codified in doctrine).

I can see the church making this change long before they'd ever admit that a current prophet was no longer mentally or physically able to lead the church.

Trouble is....when and who would implement this change?

[_Elphaba]

I can only go by those closest to me and how I know they already feel about Pres. Monson. My oldest two children are still extremely TBM....however they have both sent me those chain emails that were going around with pictures of Pres. Hinckley entitled "Oh How I Miss This Man" or something like that. I think many TBMs already feel somewhat shakey about Monson.

I also have a TBM sibling who left the church when Monson became prophet (which I think may happen to others if Packer becomes president).

Sorry...just lots of random thoughts above....but I do think it would affect members if they learned about Monson's decline and then started wondering why he's still "allowed" to continue at the head. in my opinion, many already wonder how the Lord allowed him to be prophet in the first place (he has not been a strong president nor has he accomplished anything that can be pointed out).

I haven't followed Monson's presidency at all. The few times I remembers seeing him speak I thought he was pretentious, but I haven't seen him enough to really know what he's like. So, I'm curious to know what is it about him your family dislikes?

[_harmony]

It just struck me ... if BKP inherits the Sole ownership of all the assets of the Incorportion of the First Pres., he would liquidate and pour billions into his own estate!

Now that I would love to see.

Why not? He would simply be following Brigham.

[_Elphaba]

I would love to see a Packer presidency during the "Mormon Moment." His particularly backward, dogmatic, paranoid, awkward, and ridiculous claims would make headlines for a day or two because of Romney's limelight. I imagine it being sort of like when Benson claimed Martin Luther King, Jr. was a commie and then because president. While that was only news in Utah, if Packer became president the whole nation would know what a bigot he is.

I'm not saying it would would be a huge deal, because I don't think that many people really care. But at least everyone would know what a asinine man the leader, and so-called prophet, of the LDS Church is.

Elphaba

[_Madison54]

I can only go by those closest to me and how I know they already feel about Pres. Monson. My oldest two children are still extremely TBM....however they have both sent me those chain emails that were going around with pictures of Pres. Hinckley entitled "Oh How I Miss This Man" or something like that. I think many TBMs already feel somewhat shakey about Monson.

I also have a TBM sibling who left the church when Monson became prophet (which I think may happen to others if Packer becomes president).

Sorry...just lots of random thoughts above....but I do think it would affect members if they learned about Monson's decline and then started wondering why he's still "allowed" to continue at the head. in my opinion, many already wonder how the Lord allowed him to be prophet in the first place (he has not been a strong president nor has he accomplished anything that can be pointed out).

I haven't followed Monson's presidency at all. The few times I remembers seeing him speak I thought he was pretentious, but I haven't seen him enough to really know what he's like. So, I'm curious to know what is it about him your family dislikes?

Hi Elphaba!
I haven't been able to ask my two TBM kids because religion is off limits with us since I stopped going to church (I suddenly knew nothing about the religion I was raised and active in for over 40 years....go figure) and I've respected that. But I hear enough of their comments (and got the emails from them) to know they aren't that thrilled with Monson's leadership.

But, my brother who was as TBM as you get was shaken to the core when Monson became president. He had served as a bishop and in the stake presidency and had been one of the favorite gospel doctrine teachers of many. He never liked Monson even as a youth and always was put off by his "fluff and no meat" talks. He felt his talks were manipulative and geared to get people to become emotional (and mistake that for feeling the spirit). He's now completely inactive and knows the truth about the church but it started when Monson took over. He always believed that the Lord would never allow him to be president.

[_harmony]

He's now completely inactive and knows the truth about the church but it started when Monson took over. He always believed that the Lord would never allow him to be president.

I know how he feels. I'll have to do some very deep pondering, should Pres Monson die and Packer still be alive.

[_Cylon]

All the presidents of the Church my life, except Hinckley, have gone out of this world lingering a while with little mind left. It is rather sad. Well Hunter was ok mentally but he was a physical wreck when he became president soo he was not able to function much. They really ought to give these men an out. Retire them at 80 or maybe when they are on the decline. You can still let the next most senior apostle take over (which by the way is just tradition and not codified in doctrine).

It is, however, codified in the bylaws of the corporation sole that governs all the assets of the church. They could call someone else to be prophet, theoretically, but the senior apostle would still be the one who owns everything, legally speaking.

[_Abaddon]

He's now completely inactive and knows the truth about the church but it started when Monson took over. He always believed that the Lord would never allow him to be president.

I know how he feels. I'll have to do some very deep pondering, should Pres Monson die and Packer still be alive.

Well, if you don't get Packer...fear not.

Bednar will be prophet one day...and he is a Packer disciple if there ever was one when it comes to thick-headed, judgmental ridiculousness...

His stupid earring talk with always be with me, haha.

[_Elphaba]

Hi Madison!

But, my brother who was as TBM as you get was shaken to the core when Monson became president. He had served as a bishop and in the stake presidency and had been one of the favorite gospel doctrine teachers of many. He never liked Monson even as a youth and always was put off by his "fluff and no meat" talks. He felt his talks were manipulative and geared to get people to become emotional (and mistake that for feeling the spirit).

Your brother's description is exactly my impression of Monson, and it was completely off-putting. I think instead of "pretentious," I should have said "presumptuous," because I was talking about his talks where he presumed we weren't smart enough to see how shallow and manipulative they were. I don't remember the details, but I remember one talk where he spoke about a young boy who had done the right thing, and as a result, something bad that would have happened, didn't happen. Or maybe it was the other way around. Anyway, I was watching this with my mother, and usually, I keep quiet about when watching these things around her, but this time I blurted out "Give me a break!" before I could stop myself. lol

He's now completely inactive and knows the truth about the church but it started when Monson took over. He always believed that the Lord would never allow him to be president.

What had he thought would happen? Didn't he realize Monson was next in line?

Regarding your children, that must be so painful. How old are they? Are they still at home, or grown and gone? Is your husband still a believer? How does he feel about your disbelief?

I am lucky in that my son saw through the Church quite a while ago, and while he and I are not terribly close, that is one area where we agree completely. I had left the Church by the time I had my daughter, and today she is an atheist like me, which is a huge relief to me.

I envy you your brother. My family is very TBM, starting with my bigoted and racist mother. Unfortunately, my brothers and sister are more and more like her with every passing year. While it's nice that my children don't believe in the Church, they are grown and out of the house, and I don't see them much. I am disabled and unable to get out a lot, so the only people I really do see are my family, and honestly, anymore, I can't stand to be around them. They waste all their time focusing on a ridiculous boogeyman (Satan), while committing the truly evil acts of bigotry and racism, particularly with regard to gays and blacks. I despise those attitudes, even to the point that it feels like a physical blow when I hear them, and have spent my entire life speaking out against them. But I just don't have the energy to confront it anymore. So, I stay away, and it is lonely.

I keep wishing just one of them would wake up so I would have someone in the family to talk to, and every year, they get worse than ever. I'm already strategizing on how to be unavailable at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Family. Isn't it about time?

Bleh.