An anecdote from Romney which provides further evidence that the Brethren are out of touch with reality, and are maybe in denial about the real issues facing the church.
After being asked by senior apostle M. Russell Ballard to form a Latter-day Saint version of the Jewish Anti-Defamation League, apparently to counter wrongs slung at the Salt Lake City-based faith by outsiders, the Utah Republican, then weighing his Senate run, ultimately declined.
As Romney saw it, Coppins writes, the most pressing challenges in the global church of 17 million members came not from without, but from within — namely in “retaining young people, promoting faith in a secular world, and addressing prickly issues in the church’s history.”
“In other words,” Romney would later reflect, “we have met the enemy and it was us.”
I think the anecdote also spotlights how Apostles seek to get others to do their dirty work so that they, the Apostles, can retain plausible deniability.
I think the anecdote also spotlights how Apostles seek to get others to do their dirty work so that they, the Apostles, can retain plausible deniability.
That's the first thing that jumped out at me, too. With all the church's resources, why didn't he just do it himself?
"It’s ironic that the Church that people claim to be true, puts so much effort into hiding truths."
--I Have Questions, 01-25-2024
Also striking to me is the limited power of individual apostles. Not saying they are not powerful, but it looks like they need to lean on staff in the COB or individual members if they want to get something done, and leaning on staff in the COB only works for comparatively minor things.
“If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don’t have to worry about the answers.”~Thomas Pynchon, Gravity’s Rainbow
Yes, the interior is more important than the exterior if the brethren want to continue making the church in the image they want it to be. This is very interesting on Romney's part.
Isn't that the mission of some secret committee or other + the Elder Maxwell mandate behind FARMS / Mormon apologetics? Both of which were at work on the problems Romney notes when folks still believed Mormonism was on the ascent?
It's interesting that in 1993, the greatest threat to the Church was gays, feminists and intellectuals (according to Boyd K. Packer). Now, 30 years later, the greatest threats to the LDS Church are how address the prickly issues with Church history/doctrine, and keeping the youth from leaving.
I guess that's a good sign the Church is maturing?
"I'm on paid sabbatical from BYU in exchange for my promise to use this time to finish two books."
He has a lot of repentance to do. Unfortunately like me you realize it ar age 60 plus. Baine close lots of businesses so he could acquire another property at at age thirty. He should have read Resurrection at age 35 by Tolstoy to realize that property and Ego is nothing.
Two mottos I try to follow: 1) my hero is truth; 2) no surprises.
Isn't that the mission of some secret committee or other + the Elder Maxwell mandate behind FARMS / Mormon apologetics? Both of which were at work on the problems Romney notes when folks still believed Mormonism was on the ascent?
Sort of. FARMS’s mandate was to “defend the Church”—specifically, “No uncontested slam-dunks,” with the basic understanding being that the apologists’ charge was to go after and attack critics.
I don’t see this request of Romney as being quite the same. It seems far more defensive in nature: “Please! Help to stop us from being defamed!” The Brethren would never ask the Mopologists to do this because that ship has sailed. The FARMS Mopologists did irreparable damage to the Church’s reputation and in fact, I think that is part of what Romney was alluding to.
Back when FARMS was falling to pieces, I had an “insider” who was sending me information, and part of the rationale behind putting an end to classic FARMS had to do with how odious DCP and the Mopologists had become, and how they were getting in the way of Romney’s White House bid.
"If, while hoping that everybody else will be honest and so forth, I can personally prosper through unethical and immoral acts without being detected and without risk, why should I not?." --Daniel Peterson, 6/4/14
Isn't that the mission of some secret committee or other + the Elder Maxwell mandate behind FARMS / Mormon apologetics? Both of which were at work on the problems Romney notes when folks still believed Mormonism was on the ascent?
Sort of. FARMS’s mandate was to “defend the Church”—specifically, “No uncontested slam-dunks,” with the basic understanding being that the apologists’ charge was to go after and attack critics.
I don’t see this request of Romney as being quite the same. It seems far more defensive in nature: “Please! Help to stop us from being defamed!” The Brethren would never ask the Mopologists to do this because that ship has sailed. The FARMS Mopologists did irreparable damage to the Church’s reputation and in fact, I think that is part of what Romney was alluding to.
Back when FARMS was falling to pieces, I had an “insider” who was sending me information, and part of the rationale behind putting an end to classic FARMS had to do with how odious DCP and the Mopologists had become, and how they were getting in the way of Romney’s White House bid.
I have been wrong many times in my life. I despised Romney when he ran for president. I couldn't fathom a Mormon president. But I was completely mislead by my own bias. The recent interview with him on CBS confirms the fact I was the one misinformed. He is what president's should aspire to be. I kick myself in the ass for that.
eta...but the cardboard cutout of his wife was freaky as hell.
Last edited by Rivendale on Mon Oct 23, 2023 2:05 am, edited 1 time in total.
Give me truth and clarity, not fluff and charity'
