New RFM Podcast--A Whale of a Tale

[_consiglieri]

This podcast deals with the phenomenon of faith promoting stories in the LDS Church, though it could apply to other religions as well.

https://mormondiscussionpodcast.org/201 ... of-a-tale/

It covers three examples of this in 2017, together with a recap of the Paul H. Dunn scandal, then segues into the story told by Elder Larry Wilson about Ensign Frank Blair in last General Conference.

Posters here helped with some of the details on that story, and for that I want to publicly express my gratitude!

All the Best!

--RFM

[_Dr Exiled]

Looking forward to it as always.

[_consiglieri]

Thanks, Exiled!

The really funny part is that Bill emailed Elder Wilson this morning and confronted him with the fact the story he related in General Conference about Ensign Blair is false on several fronts.

And Elder Wilson has responded to Bill's emails--twice!

[_RockSlider]

Thanks, Exiled!

The really funny part is that Bill emailed Elder Wilson this morning and confronted him with the fact the story he related in General Conference about Ensign Blair is false on several fronts.

And Elder Wilson has responded to Bill's emails--twice!

As usual, I enjoyed your new podcast. Will Bill be able to share the contents of these emails?

[_moksha]

I find faith-promoting stories to be fun and sometimes inspirational. Can you honestly say that you did not at least subvocally repeat the words, "I do believe in fairies" in order to save Tinkerbell? Might as well admit it, you were inspired.

Below is a story that demonstrates the importance of holding fast to your most cherished beliefs. It makes you want to put your shoulder to the wheel and push along. It gives you strength in the navel and apologetics in your descending colon.

Memorable Moments in BYU History

This particular moment happened in 1968 at a dance in the Wilkinson Student Center. It was in the ballroom and young couples had stepped onto the dance floor for an ever popular polka. Polka music was very popular at BYU since many other forms of music were under scrutiny due to Elder Ezra Taft Benson proclaiming the hip gyrations of Elvis Presley were "part of the international communist conspiracy" a decade earlier.

The second song of the evening was the Cabbage Rolls and Coffee Polka performed by the Schmenge Brothers, which had become a number one hit on the Lawrence Welk 'Show. Yosh and Stan Schmenge finished singing the second verse about how they loved cabbage rolls and coffee when, Elder Stirling H. Holtzwenger, the presiding authority for the dance stepped to the microphone and halted the dance.

Elder Holtzwenger admonished the planning committee for allowing a song that mentioned coffee to be performed on the campus of BYU. He told the students to reflect on the truths found in the Word of Wisdom and how it was given to them so they could attain eternal life if they followed its teachings. "You are not following it well if you dance to such music," he said. Elder Holtzwenger stopped to confer with a couple of other administrators then stepped back up to the microphone. "Because it is only 7:30 PM, we have decided to let the dance continue for another hour, after that you are to go straight home to bed. We expect all of you to be at your wards tomorrow and reflect on the lessons learned here tonight." He added, "If any of you feel an urge for cabbage rolls and coffee then we further expect you to promptly report this to your bishop".

"One more thing, Consiglieri makes excellent podcasts."

[_I have a question]

Thanks, Exiled!

The really funny part is that Bill emailed Elder Wilson this morning and confronted him with the fact the story he related in General Conference about Ensign Blair is false on several fronts.

And Elder Wilson has responded to Bill's emails--twice!

Let me guess...
It wasn’t Elder Wilson’s fault, it was the person who relayed the story to him and he (Wilson) simply shared what he was told.
#spiritofdiscernment

P.S. Where are things up to with the audio recording of the police interview with Bishop?

[_Stem]

Thanks, Exiled!

The really funny part is that Bill emailed Elder Wilson this morning and confronted him with the fact the story he related in General Conference about Ensign Blair is false on several fronts.

And Elder Wilson has responded to Bill's emails--twice!

It sounds like you have an idea of what was said in these emails. That he responded is not so funny. What he responded with might be. Did he defend himself? Or did he thank Bill for notifying him? I like to laugh too.

Good podcast episode though. I'm glad you got some experienced people commenting on the liklihood of the details. I suppose it's likely the Frank Blair embellished the events, feelign himself justified because he likely did pray and perhaps did offer his two cents. I wouldn't even doubt that the captain thanked him afterward and told him his prayers were helpful. It's so easy to skew events in our minds, bending them to how we wanted them to play out. I"m just imagining an old guy, name Blair, who really wants to play in the field with those with big old strong spiritual experiences that others share--kind of like Paul Dunn.

I sat around the room some years back amongst a room full of old retired folks serving missions for the Church. They went around and told spiritual stories. It came time for the quietest guy in the room to share. His story was the biggest of the bunch--and there were some doozies before, doozy enough to make the top 15 blush. I don't even remember the details of this guy's story really, but I remember him claiming to have sat with and spoken with Jesus. He was perceived as being humble and might even be upset if anyone repeated his spiritual feat of a story, but I couldn't help but feel skeptical wondering why he had visited with Jesus but no leaders of the Church could say the same.

[_consiglieri]

As usual, I enjoyed your new podcast. Will Bill be able to share the contents of these emails?

I have asked him if I could use them to do a follow-up podcast.

I think it would be okay, because Bill is totally up front with who he is and where he is coming from. It's not like he is pretending to be somebody else in order to coax Elder Wilson out to make inculpatory statements or anything, which is what people tend to get upset about in situations like this.

I am hoping he will say yes. Bill read to me the contents of the emails last night on the phone and I was laughing my guts out!

[_consiglieri]

"One more thing, Consiglieri makes excellent podcasts."

Thanks so much, Moksha!

You are singularly creative and hilarious, my penguin friend!

I was actually thinking you were reporting something that really happened at first!

[_consiglieri]

Let me guess...
It wasn’t Elder Wilson’s fault, it was the person who relayed the story to him and he (Wilson) simply shared what he was told.
#spiritofdiscernment

P.S. Where are things up to with the audio recording of the police interview with Bishop?

1. Yes, that is basically Elder Wilson's position; that Ensign Blair signed off on all the details related as being true; and, therefore;

2. Elder Wilson knows the story is true.

That is what passes for fact-checking at the COB nowadays. One would think they might have learned a lesson from Elder Holland last summer, but apparently not.

As to the recordings, I have not heard back from the police department yet. They have 30-days from the issuance of the Committee's ruling to file a notice of appeal. When they file a notice of appeal, they are obligated to provide me a copy.

The Committee's order is dated July 23, 2018, so the 30-day deadline for filing a notice of appeal is August 22, 2018.

The clock is ticking . . .