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I am curious who you would consider to be a "hero" in general terms from within the ranks of Mormonism and why?

For me, I'd have to Say the following are SOME of my Heroes (no particular order):

Hugh B Brown: Did the most in my opinion, fighting against all odds and Harold B Lee, etc to be a pioneer in removing the Priesthood Ban on blacks and denouncing it as a policy and declaring it was unfounded, not a revelation and not a doctrine. He convinced every apostle but Harold B Lee it was time to remove the ban since back in the 60's! If it weren't for HBL, it would've happened more than a decade earlier due to HBB leading the way.

D Michael Quinn: Even after being ex'd, the man still believes the church was divinely inspired, but still is fallible. He presented truth and history in the way he truly believed was correct regardless of the consequences. Had he compromised his historical integrity and followed Packer, et al by not telling all "Uninspiring Historical Truths" he likely could've become a great leader in the LDS church (as SWK promised him for example). He was at one time, one of the most respected LDS figures when he worked at BYU. He's provided more history and sources (and NEW sources) than any other LDS historian I know of. His belief and efforts found him in the cross-hairs of Packer, etc and paid the highest price possible in the church organization for one who believes it was divinely inspired.

Bishop Edward Bunker: The first person to actually stand up and declare the Adam God Doctrine was a bunch of BS. He went through several tribunals and was almost excommunicated because he refused to be silenced or state that he was wrong and the Adam God Doctrine was true. If it weren't for this man, we'd probably still be listening to that stupid "Lecture at the Veil" as Brigham wrote it saying that Adam lived on another Earth, got the priesthood, married many wives, died, was resurrected, became exalted, had spirit children, then came back to Earth as a mortal and then had mortal children to bring his spirit children down to Earth. Edward Bunker had a lot to lose fighting against the AGD, but his story is downright amazing.

Jeffrey Nielsen: Lost his job at BYU for voicing his disgust with the church trying to push political agendas on the Gay Marriage act...making statements be read in sacrament meeting and everything. Besides losing his job, imagine how this possibly affected him socially/culturally, etc. He stood up for what was right (in my opinion) and took the consequences for it.

Richard Lyman Bushman: Printed the first biography that is accepted and read and enjoyed by both believers and non-believers. He tries to be honest with history of the church, but presents it from a stance that makes it possible to believe.

Trent D Stephens; D Jeffrey Meldrum; Forrest B Peterson: they helped write one of the first widespread LDS books pushing for simultaneous belief in BOTH Evolution AND Mormonism. All too often LDS believe that Evolution is "EVIL" and invented by SATAN as JFS and BRM had pushed in the past. Such thoughts on evolution are still prevalent among members today, but these men made more a difference in my opinion than anyone else in regards to belief in Evolution in Mormonism.

J Golden Kimball: LOL Why not?

Joseph Smith: Sure, the man had his faults, but who hasn't? Undeniably, this man is probably the most important figure in Mormonism. I'll let others detail out reasons why, since I'm sure a lot of members will also list him anyway.

Jean Baptiste

I am curious who you would consider to be a "hero" in general terms from within the ranks of Mormonism and why?

For me, I'd have to Say the following are SOME of my Heroes (no particular order):

Hugh B Brown: Did the most in my opinion, fighting against all odds and Harold B Lee, etc to be a pioneer in removing the Priesthood Ban on blacks and denouncing it as a policy and declaring it was unfounded, not a revelation and not a doctrine. He convinced every apostle but Harold B Lee it was time to remove the ban since back in the 60's! If it weren't for HBL, it would've happened more than a decade earlier due to HBB leading the way.

What is your sources for the claim that Brown "fought against" Harold B. Lee? Brown was a faithful Apostle and knew perfectly well that he had no authority to alter the Church's policy without revelation from the Lord and the unanimity of the Brethren.

D Michael Quinn: Even after being ex'd, the man still believes the church was divinely inspired, but still is fallible.

No, the Church isn't fallible, only the Brethren, and only when stating their own opinions or philosophies. Quinn is also highly fallible, and nobody-nobody-ever requested that he steady the Ark. We have a great deal of Ark steading going on around here, by the way.

He presented truth and history in the way he truly believed was correct regardless of the consequences. Had he compromised his historical integrity and followed Packer, et al by not telling all "Uninspiring Historical Truths" he likely could've become a great leader in the LDS church (as SWK promised him for example). He was at one time, one of the most respected LDS figures when he worked at BYU. He's provided more history and sources (and NEW sources) than any other LDS historian I know of. His belief and efforts found him in the cross-hairs of Packer, etc and paid the highest price possible in the church organization for one who believes it was divinely inspired.

So, Quinn sacrificed his possible Apostolic calling for his own ego.

Bishop Edward Bunker: The first person to actually stand up and declare the Adam God Doctrine was a bunch of BS. He went through several tribunals and was almost excommunicated because he refused to be silenced or state that he was wrong and the Adam God Doctrine was true. If it weren't for this man, we'd probably still be listening to that stupid "Lecture at the Veil" as Brigham wrote it saying that Adam lived on another Earth, got the priesthood, married many wives, died, was resurrected, became exalted, had spirit children, then came back to Earth as a mortal and then had mortal children to bring his spirit children down to Earth. Edward Bunker had a lot to lose fighting against the AGD, but his story is downright amazing.

Joseph Fielding Smith said the idea was B.S. several generations ago, as did McConkie et al. Another egocentric looking for attention and controversy, apparently. Color me unimpressed. The lecture at the Veil never had a particle of legitimacy as Church doctrine, and Young never taught these ideas publically.

Jeffrey Nielsen: Lost his job at BYU for voicing his disgust with the church trying to push political agendas on the Gay Marriage act...making statements be read in sacrament meeting and everything. Besides losing his job, imagine how this possibly affected him socially/culturally, etc. He stood up for what was right (in my opinion) and took the consequences for it.

In other words, Nielsen didn't like the Church's position of homosexual marriage and got pissy about it. I'm dubious about people who don't like the Church fulfilling one of its primary missions, to call the culture to repentance, point out cultural dangers, and hold the culture's fee to the fire.

Trent D Stephens; D Jeffrey Meldrum; Forrest B Peterson: they helped write one of the first widespread LDS books pushing for simultaneous belief in BOTH Evolution AND Mormonism. All too often LDS believe that Evolution is "EVIL" and invented by SATAN as JFS and BRM had pushed in the past. Such thoughts on evolution are still prevalent among members today, but these men made more a difference in my opinion than anyone else in regards to belief in Evolution in Mormonism.

I've never heard of either but I'd be willing to give their work a good going over. This is an evolving (no pun intended), discussion within the Church.

B. H. Roberts.

edited to add why: I think it took a lot of guts for him to look at things from a different perspective.

Names withheld to protect the innocent:

First Bishop in my current ward: Taught me what compassion really means, the difference between doctrine and practice, and helped me through the roughest patch of my life.

My Father: Excelled in that he juggled administrative callings in the Church, held lots of positions that start with C and end with O, and still had time for us (all 7 of us).

My Mother: For being a leader to everyone around her and a friend to everyone she met.

My Second Mission President: For showing me how we are supposed to teach.

God: For Saving me.

That'll work.

Of course, everyone on [url=http://famousmormons.net/[/url]www.famousmormons.net[/url].

Coggins7 wrote:I am curious who you would consider to be a "hero" in general terms from within the ranks of Mormonism and why?

For me, I'd have to Say the following are SOME of my Heroes (no particular order):

Hugh B Brown: Did the most in my opinion, fighting against all odds and Harold B Lee, etc to be a pioneer in removing the Priesthood Ban on blacks and denouncing it as a policy and declaring it was unfounded, not a revelation and not a doctrine. He convinced every apostle but Harold B Lee it was time to remove the ban since back in the 60's! If it weren't for HBL, it would've happened more than a decade earlier due to HBB leading the way.

What is your sources for the claim that Brown "fought against" Harold B. Lee? Brown was a faithful Apostle and knew perfectly well that he had no authority to alter the Church's policy without revelation from the Lord and the unanimity of the Brethren.

The policy was inevitably altered with a vote. The vote could have been a decade earlier if HBL had not demanded another vote. Wouldn't it have been so much better to do the right thing sooner?

Bishop Edward Bunker: The first person to actually stand up and declare the Adam God Doctrine was a bunch of BS. He went through several tribunals and was almost excommunicated because he refused to be silenced or state that he was wrong and the Adam God Doctrine was true. If it weren't for this man, we'd probably still be listening to that stupid "Lecture at the Veil" as Brigham wrote it saying that Adam lived on another Earth, got the priesthood, married many wives, died, was resurrected, became exalted, had spirit children, then came back to Earth as a mortal and then had mortal children to bring his spirit children down to Earth. Edward Bunker had a lot to lose fighting against the AGD, but his story is downright amazing.


Joseph Fielding Smith said the idea was B.S. several generations ago, as did McConkie et al. Another egocentric looking for attention and controversy, apparently. Color me unimpressed. The lecture at the Veil never had a particle of legitimacy as Church doctrine, and Young never taught these ideas publicly.

However, Bishop Bunker took this on several decades earlier, when it was in taught by the Church and at great personal expense. Did he not do the right thing? Are all acts of bravery to be regarded as egocentric?

Jeffrey Nielsen: Lost his job at BYU for voicing his disgust with the church trying to push political agendas on the Gay Marriage act...making statements be read in sacrament meeting and everything. Besides losing his job, imagine how this possibly affected him socially/culturally, etc. He stood up for what was right (in my opinion) and took the consequences for it.

In other words, Nielsen didn't like the Church's position of homosexual marriage and got pissy about it. I'm dubious about people who don't like the Church fulfilling one of its primary missions, to call the culture to repentance, point out cultural dangers, and hold the culture's fee to the fire.

Hold the culture's feet to the fire? So what if Infymus took this on as his mission statement?


...

Jesus Christ of course. Without him there would be NO Mormonism.
Joseph Smith. The founder.
Elder [.....]. For teaching me so much and being a good friend.
Brother [........]. for baptizing me.
God. God is the greatest and the upmost respectable hero.

Uncle Jim, for being a Saint worthy of the name.
Shirla, for so many things, I cannot mention them all.
Bishop M, for standing up for my son, for putting the person ahead of the law.
Chieko Okazaki, for showing that women with careers aren't evil.
Zenobia, for walking the same line I do, only much better.
Peggy Rogers, for being the true spirit of the Fringe.

William Law - While at Nauvoo, Joseph Smith chose him to be a member of the First Presidency. But being a man of principle, William could not go along with Smith's secret practice of polygamy. Because of this he was excommunicated, and lost his job and standing in the community. I think this took guts.