Fake News on Elder Scott's Apostasy.

[_consiglieri]

No! It is absolutely NOT apocryphal.

I was watching that priesthood session of general conference when President Benson made the off-the-cuff remark about the "communist potato peelings."

It was in reference to what they had to use in Eastern Europe for the sacrament when he was touring there after WWII.

"And we were glad to have 'em!"

That was when a somewhat concerned Elder Monson and Elder Hinckley gently escorted President Benson away from the microphone.

I am glad I am not the only one who remembers this!

[_Mayan Elephant]

Wtf? Communist Potatoes?

[_Spanner]

It is progress if the church and family are accurately reporting that "fading memory" is the reason for not participating in meetings and the like. The next step is to actually replace him with a functioning apostle. That would be interesting to see - will they pre-empt the lord by putting him on emeritus status? Or wait it out.

And really poor taste for "satire". Those unfunny clickbait articles do my head in.

[_Mayan Elephant]

It is progress if the church and family are accurately reporting that "fading memory" is the reason for not participating in meetings and the like. The next step is to actually replace him with a functioning apostle. That would be interesting to see - will they pre-empt the lord by putting him on emeritus status? Or wait it out.

And really poor taste for "satire". Those unfunny clickbait articles do my head in.

i am not sure that fading memory is a lack of progress. the church would be a helluva lot better off if oaks and packer would follow benson, monson, romney and scott into the land of soup and crackers.

[_Symmachus]

Wtf? Communist Potatoes?

Deep doctrine, not to be revealed unto the world at the present time, save only unto those through whose righteousness Google can be made to point the way whither.

[_AmyJo]

A strange anti-Mormon fake news blog has started a rumor about Elder Richard G. Scott's defection from the Church

Is it a fake news blog? Some of the articles seem not fake.

You're right. The other articles are not fake, so it lends more credibility to claims of Scott's defecting.

The only "official" LDS source telling of his departure I found is from May 8, Deseret News, citing his memory issues as why he's no longer making appearances, and giving speeches. That doesn't really hold water because it hasn't stopped other apostles or even prophets from making PR stumps and having publicity shots and read from telepromptings as the "spirit leadeth" their admin people.

Then, someone who has insider connections to those who work in the church office headquarters and has a brother who is an attorney for the church, on a Reddit discussion says it is all true. That Scott is defecting and that he wishes him all the best.

So it isn't just some conspiracy or satire of the anti-Mormon community. He really wants out. The same column is saying he isn't renouncing his membership in the church, but his apostleship. And that he is relocating to California. *And* that there is not a thing wrong with his memory, according to his own family, and is in fact still sharp as a tack - he was a nuclear scientist at one time.

The *memory* problems are the spin the church *doctors* are giving it - to make it appear his leaving is health related when it is really he just wants out.

It's the ex-Mormon forums that is calling it satire and fictitious. The article cited as you point out and the source does appear to be legitimate.

Are ex-Mos so gullible that they are fooled by the truth?! Sometimes you do need to be discerning, and trust that the Mormon church isn't going to give it to us on a platter. So it's an inside scoop. And that's what this appears to be.

[_Maureen]

The Guardian Post article no longer exists.

M.

[_suniluni2]

It's the ex-Mormon forums that is calling it satire and fictitious.

I don't see any satirical element at all in the article. Could be fictitious, someone just speculating, who knows. If it's not even there anymore (I didn't bother to verify what M said) I guess that speaks to the site's credibility. I'd never seen the site before so no loss there.

[_AmyJo]

It's the ex-Mormon forums that is calling it satire and fictitious.

I don't see any satirical element at all in the article. Could be fictitious, someone just speculating, who knows. If it's not even there anymore (I didn't bother to verify what M said) I guess that speaks to the site's credibility. I'd never seen the site before so no loss there.

It seems what may have happened is since it isn't an "official" LDS news release, it isn't therefore "official."

The Reddit blogger who has family who works inside church headquarters and a brother who is an attorney for the church confirmed it was all true. The church's official position is he's leaving due to memory issues, not apostasy. Of course it has to cover an apostasy up, because he would be the highest ranking LDS official to do so, and it can't afford the debacle at a time it's already bleeding members.

It would cause a deeper faith rift than there already is inside the church. One of his sons is gay. They aren't on the best of terms, but still, and he wasn't always a born in the cloth member himself. He joined the church as a young adult, after his parents converted. Then his future wife refused to marry him unless he went on a mission. He went in order to appease her, and to "seal the deal." His faith may have waxed over the years, and like many, may have also waned.

I find the article to have been credible. The fact it was pulled may have been because it is grapevine, like the man whose family works inside the church has shared, and not from the official sources. Which of course, it will never be made official from the church as to his real reasons for leaving.

His attorneys were hired back in January or February to help him navigate the paperwork involved and the confidentiality agreements etc. That was the real reason he didn't appear for GC in April. The made up story was just a ruse.

[_Jesse Pinkman]

From the article...

According to family and legal sources, Scott began legal proceeding four months ago against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to secure his release from the Quorum of the Twelve because of “faith matters” and is expected to be released within the next few months.

Couldn't someone check with Jesse Pinkman?

The article is bogus and I appreciate the support received from Kish and others here. Uncle Richard has had some health issues and some lapses in memory. He does not, however, have Alzheimer's or dimentia. We were happy that he was able to attend Elder Perry's funeral, and that he is recovering from his bleeding ulcer. He is receiving good medical care at home, and has no plans to be released from his calling.