Apostles Or Professional Guessers?

[Everybody Wang Chung]

"Well David, we've prayed about the matter surrounding LGBTQ people as brethren, but actually, have never received an answer on it. We just kind of have to guess what we think is the right thing to do.” - M. Russell Ballard to David Archuleta

In his 2026 memoir Devout, David Archuleta pulls back the curtain on the Brethren. Archuleta is very blunt, saying that once he realized the Prophets, Seers, and Revelators were just winging it, he figured it was time to listen to the only voice that wasn't just guessing, the one inside himself. Picture this meeting between Ballard and God:


Ballard: Heavenly Father, regarding the LGBTQ brothers and sisters, what’s the move? Do we go with an exclusion policy or do we respect basic human dignity and love thy neighbor?

God: I literally sent my son to clarify that exact point. It’s in a book called the New Testament. You can’t miss it. It's not a riddle.

Ballard: Ah, I see. A parable. Very cryptic. So, just to confirm, I’ll just tell David Archuleta we’re taking a wild guess and hope his tithing checks still keep coming in order to grow our $400 billion investment fund.

God: Dr. Cam was right, you guys really are a cult (walks away in disgust).

[drumdude]

Clarity from Mormon God only comes in very critical instances like convincing Emma that Joseph needed to sleep with other women.

[Philo Sofee]

Clarity from Mormon God only comes in very critical instances like convincing Emma that Joseph needed to sleep with other women.

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

Clarity from Mormon God only comes in very critical instances like convincing Emma that Joseph needed to sleep with other women.

Don’t forget the money!

[Gadianton]

Amateur guessers, not pros. Don't forget they got to where they are by who they know.

[MG 2.0]

Clarity from Mormon God only comes in very critical instances like convincing Emma that Joseph needed to sleep with other women.

Money, power, women. Yep, it always comes down to this.

Moral police. Brown shirts.

Regards,
MG

[canpakes]

Clarity from Mormon God only comes in very critical instances like convincing Emma that Joseph needed to sleep with other women.

This should be engraved in stone and then placed in a highly visible public area somewhere.

[canpakes]

Moral police. Brown shirts.

Regards,
MG

White shirts will do. : D

[MG 2.0]

Clarity from Mormon God only comes in very critical instances like convincing Emma that Joseph needed to sleep with other women.

This should be engraved in stone and then placed in a highly visible public area somewhere.

This list might flesh things out a bit more:

The First Vision.

Revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants (as a whole).

The Book of Mormon.

Continuing revelation through prophets.

In the instance concerning Emma the historical situation was anything but clear. There was a complicated struggle going on between Joseph and Emma, with a revelation written down in the middle of it all.

Latter-day Saints would look at the list I've provided as being actual examples in which God has spoken in a great deal of clarity. But even then, as Joseph himself said, God speaks to mankind in their 'own language' (what does that actually mean?) and according to their "own understanding"...and on top of that, in a "broken" language.

Critics tend to shrink wrap everything into a tidy little package with little or no nuance or wiggle room for understanding. Of course, they will accuse believers of the same.

Regards,
MG

[Philo Sofee]

Money, power, women. Yep, it always comes down to this.

Moral police. Brown shirts.

Regards,
MG

Since it is history, it's worth repeating out loud, otherwise it may be repeated in action.