A peculiar people thirsting for mainstream acceptance

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sock puppet
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A peculiar people thirsting for mainstream acceptance

Post by sock puppet »

Matthew 5
15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Why do Mormons today violate the Lord's injunctive and hide so much of their "light" rather than let it shine? Just to fit into society or into mainstream Christianity?

Most publicly, we saw Gordon B. Hinckley do the "prophet shuffle" with the King Follet Doctrine.

Heavenly mother as came up in the recent, active thread with video of Oaks running off at the mouth at some LDS meeting?

Gordon B. Hinckley publicly denying that the Mormon church taught that men and women could become Gods by stating, “I don’t know that we teach it. I don’t know that we emphasize it.”

Claiming it an essay that the LDS Church does not know where the notion of denying blacks the priesthood and temple rites originated, when their First Presidency published a Statement on August 17, 1949 that very clearly specified it was a direct commandment from the Lord.

The gaslighting infused into LDS Gospel Topics Essays.

That the Mormon temple endowment for more than a century, and thus including endowed Mitt Romney, took blood oaths in the temple. That was Jeff Holland doing the "apostle dodge-and-weave".

Russell M. Nelson doing his own "prophet shuffle" rescinding the heinous November 2015 LGBTQ Exclusion policy after having in early 2016 claimed it was a revelation from God and had been “motivated by love.”

Elders Ballard and Oaks explicitly denying, in derisive tone, in November of 2017 that Mormon church leaders have ever attempted to hide any troubling history from its members: ”Some are saying that the Church has been hiding the fact that there’s more than one version of the First Vision, which is just not true. The facts are, we don’t study. We don’t go back and search what has been said on the subject. For example, Dr. James B. Allen of BYU, in 1970 he produced an article for the church magazines explaining all about the different versions of the First Vision…But it’s this idea that the Church is hiding something, which we would have to say–as two apostles that have covered the world and know the history of the Church and know the integrity of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve from the beginning of time–there has been no attempt on the part, in any way, of the Church leaders trying to hide anything from anybody. Now we’ve had the Joseph Smith Papers. We didn’t have those where they are in our hands now. And so we’re learning more about the Prophet Joseph…So, just trust us wherever you are in the world. And you share this message with anyone else who raises the question about the Church not being transparent. We’re as transparent as we know how to be in telling the truth. We have to do that. That’s the Lord’s way.” (Ha ha ha.)

Russell M. Nelson broadly proclaimed that Mormons believe that marriage should only be between one man and one woman, all while D&C 132 still teaches polygamy as Mormon doctrine, and Russell M. Nelson himself (as well as Apostle Dallin H. Oaks) are both sealed to multiple women for the eternities.

Ezra Taft Benson attempting to destroy copies of LDS Church-written “The Story of the Latter-day Saints” in 1976 because he was uncomfortable with the candid history and framing.

This brief, incomplete listing brings to mind the Rodgers and Hammerstein lyrics:

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things
"There will come a time when the rich own all the media, and it will be impossible for the public to make an informed opinion." Albert Einstein, ~1949 "It is difficult to free fools from the chains they revere." Voltaire
MG 2.0
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From: A peculiar people thirsting for mainstream acceptance

Post by MG 2.0 »

Here we go again...just getting warmed up, right?

Talk about 'word walls'.

Next one out to the dance floor? :lol:

Regards,
MG
Marcus
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Re: A peculiar people thirsting for mainstream acceptance

Post by Marcus »

Nice post, sock. Very thoughtful. (Too bad our resident troll is so disruptive today.)

I didn't know about the Benson story, do you have any more information on that??
huckelberry
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Re: A peculiar people thirsting for mainstream acceptance

Post by huckelberry »

I am fairly sure that when Jesus spoke of light under a bushel it had absolutely nothing to do with special doctrines or knowledge. I have felt reasonably sure it had to do with care and respect for others.

Perhaps I should ask myself why I think that. Jesus spent little to no time with special knowledge, presented none, but asked people to reflect and share the love of God. Which would be the light not to be hidden.
I Have Questions
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Re: A peculiar people thirsting for mainstream acceptance

Post by I Have Questions »

huckelberry wrote:
Tue Jul 15, 2025 4:48 am
I am fairly sure that when Jesus spoke of light under a bushel it had absolutely nothing to do with special doctrines or knowledge. I have felt reasonably sure it had to do with care and respect for others.

Perhaps I should ask myself why I think that. Jesus spent little to no time with special knowledge, presented none, but asked people to reflect and share the love of God. Which would be the light not to be hidden.
There are various interpretations of the “light under a bushel” parable. My own interpretation is that it’s about being brave enough to set a public example through deeds rather than words.

As another example, the Church has deliberately hid its financial light under a bushel to avoid the public scrutiny of its handling of donations, which is the opposite of what Jesus was teaching. The problem being that the financial “light” that the Church was actively hiding under a bushel of complex shell company schemes, wasn’t a reflection of how Christ would go about utilising donations. They knew it wasn’t faith promoting, so they committed fraud to trade and hide it.

The Church only practices what it preaches when it is forced into a corner and has no other option but to do so.
Premise 1. Eyewitness testimony is notoriously unreliable.
Premise 2. The best evidence for the Book of Mormon is eyewitness testimony.
Conclusion. Therefore, the best evidence for the Book of Mormon is notoriously unreliable.
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sock puppet
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Re: A peculiar people thirsting for mainstream acceptance

Post by sock puppet »

huckelberry wrote:
Tue Jul 15, 2025 4:48 am
I am fairly sure that when Jesus spoke of light under a bushel it had absolutely nothing to do with special doctrines or knowledge. I have felt reasonably sure it had to do with care and respect for others.

Perhaps I should ask myself why I think that. Jesus spent little to no time with special knowledge, presented none, but asked people to reflect and share the love of God. Which would be the light not to be hidden.
Ever wondered if that's because the "special" knowledge is simply man-made and not of or from Jesus?
"There will come a time when the rich own all the media, and it will be impossible for the public to make an informed opinion." Albert Einstein, ~1949 "It is difficult to free fools from the chains they revere." Voltaire
Marcus
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Re: A peculiar people thirsting for mainstream acceptance

Post by Marcus »

sock puppet wrote:
Tue Jul 15, 2025 1:15 pm
huckelberry wrote:
Tue Jul 15, 2025 4:48 am
I am fairly sure that when Jesus spoke of light under a bushel it had absolutely nothing to do with special doctrines or knowledge. I have felt reasonably sure it had to do with care and respect for others.

Perhaps I should ask myself why I think that. Jesus spent little to no time with special knowledge, presented none, but asked people to reflect and share the love of God. Which would be the light not to be hidden.
Ever wondered if that's because the "special" knowledge is simply man-made and not of or from Jesus?
That is an excellent point.
huckelberry
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Re: A peculiar people thirsting for mainstream acceptance

Post by huckelberry »

sock puppet wrote:
Tue Jul 15, 2025 1:15 pm
huckelberry wrote:
Tue Jul 15, 2025 4:48 am
I am fairly sure that when Jesus spoke of light under a bushel it had absolutely nothing to do with special doctrines or knowledge. I have felt reasonably sure it had to do with care and respect for others.

Perhaps I should ask myself why I think that. Jesus spent little to no time with special knowledge, presented none, but asked people to reflect and share the love of God. Which would be the light not to be hidden.
Ever wondered if that's because the "special" knowledge is simply man-made and not of or from Jesus?
This appears likely to me all right.
huckelberry
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Re: A peculiar people thirsting for mainstream acceptance

Post by huckelberry »

I Have Questions wrote:
Tue Jul 15, 2025 11:19 am
huckelberry wrote:
Tue Jul 15, 2025 4:48 am
I am fairly sure that when Jesus spoke of light under a bushel it had absolutely nothing to do with special doctrines or knowledge. I have felt reasonably sure it had to do with care and respect for others.

Perhaps I should ask myself why I think that. Jesus spent little to no time with special knowledge, presented none, but asked people to reflect and share the love of God. Which would be the light not to be hidden.
There are various interpretations of the “light under a bushel” parable. My own interpretation is that it’s about being brave enough to set a public example through deeds rather than words.

As another example, the Church has deliberately hid its financial light under a bushel to avoid the public scrutiny of its handling of donations, which is the opposite of what Jesus was teaching. The problem being that the financial “light” that the Church was actively hiding under a bushel of complex shell company schemes, wasn’t a reflection of how Christ would go about utilising donations. They knew it wasn’t faith promoting, so they committed fraud to trade and hide it.

The Church only practices what it preaches when it is forced into a corner and has no other option but to do so.
Questions, these variations you point out are valuable, helping to fill out the meaning I think.
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