Where Is L. Tom Perry's Promised Manuscript? The Church Needs It Now More Than Ever.

[Everybody Wang Chung]

In 2010, L. Tom Perry visited Sweden at the urging of Hans Mattsson to address a group of questioning Swedish members. At the meeting, Perry told the members that he had a manuscript in his briefcase that, once it was published, would prove all the doubters wrong and answer all their questions. According to Mattsson, after waiting patiently for the mysterious manuscript to appear, he asked Perry about it, but was told, "it was impertinent to ask.”

Since 2010, the Church has experienced historic levels of disaffection and zero or negative growth in many part's of the world. If there was ever a need for L. Tom Perry's promised manuscript, it would be now.

L. Tom Perry passed away on May 30, 2015. As far as I know, the promised manuscript has disappeared? What was Perry's promised manuscript and has it ever surfaced or been published? If Perry was telling the truth, the manuscript would be the perfect silver bullet for the CES letter and the numerous historical problems that members are struggling with today.

Why haven't the mopologists made it a priority to track down and publish this manuscript? I have a feeling that if/when they find this manuscript, it will be in a file with the Second Watson Letter.

[drumdude]

Are you trying to tell me an apostle of the Lord might have told a lie? Inconceivable!

[Dr. Sunstoned]

Maybe they should check the first presidency's vault.

[Philo Sofee]

A common ploy... "Oh we have the answers all right! You can rest assured the critics gots nuthin on us. We need to clean up the spelling and our answer all response will be out and show the world we have the truth." That is all that ever needs to be said by a leader for millions of Mormons to just calm down and endure the "sturm und drang" of it all with testimonies in tact. There never was a manuscript and we all know it. None of the essays can be called the manuscript and ever single one of them are pure flops. L. Tom Perry could not in any conceivable world have had better than what they gave in the essays...

[Moksha]

In 2010, L. Tom Perry visited Sweden at the urging of Hans Mattsson to address a group of questioning Swedish members. At the meeting, Perry told the members that he had a manuscript in his briefcase that, once it was published, would prove all the doubters wrong and answer all their questions. According to Mattsson, after waiting patiently for the mysterious manuscript to appear, he asked Perry about it, but was told, "it was impertinent to ask.”

Elder Perry was using the Apologetic Method, a.k.a. BSing for the Lord.

[Dr. Shades]

L. Tom Perry passed away on May 30, 2015. As far as I know, the promised manuscript has disappeared? What was Perry's promised manuscript and has it ever surfaced or been published?

Everybody Wang Chung, I've always thought that the "manuscript" to which he referred was a printout of the gospel topics essays prior to their being posted to the church's website. He thought they'd be a slam-dunk because he hadn't bothered to actually read them; the mere fact that they existed was enough for him.

None of the essays can be called the manuscript and ever[y] single one of them are pure flops.

I disagree with the first half of that sentence.

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

What’s the deal with Mormons saying they have “manuscripts”? This guy has a manuscript in his briefcase? Well, pull it out you rube, and read some of it. You’re a supposed apostle of the Lord and you’re literally on a spiritual rescue mission. Read a portion; souls are at stake.

Some Mormon blogger says he’s been working on this or that manuscript? Well, let’s see the preprint or submit it for editing - but in reality his “manuscripts” are just computer files of old articles, notes, or an unfinished blog piece.

Manuscripts.



- Doc

[Fence Sitter]

"These are not the manuscripts you're looking for"

[dastardly stem]

I don't think God would ever allow that document to reach human eyes. it would be the ruin of faith and the destruction of free agency. God doesn't just hide himself to keep faith alive. he hides any evidence anyone could possibly conceive of about himself and his eternal truths. That's why we know they are all true. If God showed himself or these eternal truths, then everything would be lost. He couldn't handle the influx of people clamoring to do his will and join the side of good.

[Rivendale]

I don't think God would ever allow that document to reach human eyes. it would be the ruin of faith and the destruction of free agency. God doesn't just hide himself to keep faith alive. he hides any evidence anyone could possibly conceive of about himself and his eternal truths. That's why we know they are all true. If God showed himself or these eternal truths, then everything would be lost. He couldn't handle the influx of people clamoring to do his will and join the side of good.

Gemli concurs.

Here's an inconvenient truth: every theology is built upon claims of tangible evidence which is somehow always unavailable. The incredible artifacts that were provided by a god to remove all doubt of His existence are never preserved. They're always lost, stolen, invisible, too much for human eyes to comprehend or in some other way unavailable for examination. There are descriptions of evidence, human copies of evidence, assertions of evidence...in fact, there is every kind of evidence one could imagine, except, of course, the actual evidence that would remove all doubt. And doubt is a gift that keeps on giving. It ensures that belief is required, because belief is what keeps all theologies afloat. If there were actual rules engraved on divine plates that left no doubt as to their origin it would be unnecessary for untold numbers of different theologies to provide piles of priests and prophets to pick the pockets of the proletariat, punish the pooh-pooh-ers and profit from prophesy.

There is no evidence for any theology. There are only stories of evidence. Supreme beings could easily make their existence known to everyone, but they don't. They exist only in stories people tell each other, and the stories grow in the telling. People are afraid, and people are gullible, and if you've paid the least bit of attention to what's been happening lately, you'd have to admit that nearly half the U.S. population is out of their collective minds, choosing to believe in abject nonsense because it resonates with their wacky worldview.

I don't dismiss your theological worldview. I dismiss every mutually conflicting, evidence-free, mind-numbing (mostly) conservative fever dream that promotes the idea that believers will exist forever, when their brief earthly existence is plenty irritating enough. Lord, save me from an eternal Santos, or a perma-Trump. We're slightly smarter monkeys, made of monkey parts and monkey brains. When we die there is nothing left of us except a few ashes.