Explaining the Dramatic Flip-Flop

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moksha
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Explaining the Dramatic Flip-Flop

Post by moksha » Fri Apr 05, 2019 1:19 pm

https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/05/us/mormo ... index.html

CNN is just being mean and trying to hold the Church's institutional feet to the fire. CNN knows that this former policy of exclusion was not based on any revelation from God, but rather stemmed from the Brethren's fury over the US Supreme Court affirming same-sex marriage. The Brethren wanted vengeance and the policy of exclusion was the result.

The Brethren's enactment of this policy in the Bishops Handbook that was not for public consumption. This same-sex marriage policy was leaked and it became a headline story. Two months later, Elder Russell M. Nelson who hoped to make the policy irrevocable declared it to be from a revelation received by ailing President Thomas S. Monson.

The policy reversal is most likely from membership research indicating that the policy was a contributing factor in younger members leaving the Church. The policy turnaround is designed to staunch the bleeding of members and make the Church look less of an ogre.
Good faith does not require evidence, but it also does not turn a blind eye to that evidence. Otherwise, it becomes misplaced faith.
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Mormon 8
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Re: Explaining the Dramatic Flip-Flop

Post by Mormon 8 » Fri Apr 05, 2019 2:49 pm

Any member of the church who thinks all these policy changes are 'revelation' doesn't understand how things work. The 'church' is a gigantic real estate corporation where business comes first and it has a myriad of lawyers working feverishly to try to not only prevent financial hemorrhaging because of lawsuits but also vision to see down the road where litigation can be prevented. These policy changes are a result of lawyers' work and it is appalling.

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achilles
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Re: Explaining the Dramatic Flip-Flop

Post by achilles » Fri Apr 05, 2019 3:35 pm

moksha wrote:
Fri Apr 05, 2019 1:19 pm
The policy reversal is most likely from membership research indicating that the policy was a contributing factor in younger members leaving the Church. The policy turnaround is designed to staunch the bleeding of members and make the Church look less of an ogre.
I go to school with twenty-year olds. They have a VERY dim view of this policy, and the Church was in a no-win scenario with it. It's still a no-win scenario, because they are going to have to try to explain how it was revelation, then it wasn't. And don't forget how utterly shocking Nov 5, 2015 was. The Policy was pure meanness, and shamelessly contrary to Christ's teachings about personal agency and "not forbidding the little ones to come unto Him"...

There will be gaslightling, for sure. Moving of goal posts, redefinition of words, etc. etc. But don't discount how the whole thing will have planted a niggling seed of doubt in members of the church who are thoughtful. I'm afraid to say that "market research" will not wipe away the view young people have of this policy. It's like the Brethren had absolutely no clue how unacceptable their thinking about LGBT people is. They really misread the young people on this one.
“For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.”

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oliblish
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Re: Explaining the Dramatic Flip-Flop

Post by oliblish » Fri Apr 05, 2019 3:46 pm

I believe it was affecting the missionary effort as well. It is pretty bad when your church is know mainly for being mean to LGBT folk.
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BlackMormon
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Re: Explaining the Dramatic Flip-Flop

Post by BlackMormon » Fri Apr 05, 2019 8:05 pm

Mormon 8 wrote:
Fri Apr 05, 2019 2:49 pm
Any member of the church who thinks all these policy changes are 'revelation' doesn't understand how things work. The 'church' is a gigantic real estate corporation where business comes first and it has a myriad of lawyers working feverishly to try to not only prevent financial hemorrhaging because of lawsuits but also vision to see down the road where litigation can be prevented. These policy changes are a result of lawyers' work and it is appalling.
Pretty much. It's called Risk Management.

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Just This Guy
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Re: Explaining the Dramatic Flip-Flop

Post by Just This Guy » Sun Apr 07, 2019 8:37 am

oliblish wrote:
Fri Apr 05, 2019 3:46 pm
I believe it was affecting the missionary effort as well. It is pretty bad when your church is know mainly for being mean to LGBT folk.

I can't see that that changing it will do anything to help the missionary effort.

1. By issuing the policy in the first place, they have driven off the LGBT community. Once you do that, even if you backtrack, people will be wary of them bring it back or someone other equally hateful policy.
2. The fact that they backtracked so quickly will have investigators questioning how prophetic the leadership really is if they change their mind that fast.

I'm wondering if the backtrack could actually be more damaging for the church in the long run.
Last edited by Just This Guy on Thu Apr 11, 2019 9:22 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Sheamus Moore
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Re: Explaining the Dramatic Flip-Flop

Post by Sheamus Moore » Sun Apr 07, 2019 9:39 am

Appeared in my FB feed yesterday...

meme.jpg
meme.jpg (40.5 KiB) Viewed 9108 times

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Random
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Re: Explaining the Dramatic Flip-Flop

Post by Random » Sun Apr 07, 2019 10:51 am

Sheamus Moore, that picture and your avatar go nicely together.
There are 2 Gods. One who created us. The other you created. The God you made up is just like you-thrives on flattery-makes you live in fear.

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Palerider
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Re: Explaining the Dramatic Flip-Flop

Post by Palerider » Sun Apr 07, 2019 3:20 pm

After watching a good share of conference, I am impressed by how most speakers avoided anything to do with the recent policy flip-flop. There may have been a few oblique references or I possibly missed a talk or two but in general it seemed to be an avoided topic.

And that is understandable. It's a little like someone breaking wind at a formal dinner where polite society doesn't mention it but everyone knows what's going on and bears with the results.

Some might say that talks are prepared well in advance and have already received correlation approval but still, I think anyone in the first presidency would have been free to make comment if they had wanted to.

No.... I think they really want the making of the switch (like the making of sausage) to just go away, while trying to pretend that revelation rules the church.
"There is but one straight course, and that is to seek truth and pursue it steadily."

"Truth will ultimately prevail where there is pains to bring it to light."

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AllieOop
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Re: Explaining the Dramatic Flip-Flop

Post by AllieOop » Sun Apr 07, 2019 4:56 pm

Sheamus Moore wrote:
Sun Apr 07, 2019 9:39 am
Appeared in my FB feed yesterday...


meme.jpg
I don't even understand that meme. Are they saying it's because the change came from Pres. Nelson???
"There came a time when the desire to know the truth about the church became stronger than the desire to know the church was true."

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2bizE
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Re: Explaining the Dramatic Flip-Flop

Post by 2bizE » Mon Apr 08, 2019 1:40 pm

I wonder if the BOM musical will include this flip flop??
I believe that in 2019 god changed his mind about gay people....
~2bizE

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Culper Jr.
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Re: Explaining the Dramatic Flip-Flop

Post by Culper Jr. » Mon Apr 08, 2019 3:33 pm

Sheamus Moore wrote:
Sun Apr 07, 2019 9:39 am
Appeared in my FB feed yesterday...

meme.jpg
LOL is that for real? I seriously can't tell if that is a joke or if there truly is an article where a TBM is using gold medal winning mental gymnastics to explain how policy reversals should indeed strengthen one's testimony.

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jfro18
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Re: Explaining the Dramatic Flip-Flop

Post by jfro18 » Mon Apr 08, 2019 6:31 pm

Culper Jr. wrote:
Mon Apr 08, 2019 3:33 pm
LOL is that for real? I seriously can't tell if that is a joke or if there truly is an article where a TBM is using gold medal winning mental gymnastics to explain how policy reversals should indeed strengthen one's testimony.
I typed the site from that image and it appears to be real and I think applauding that Nelson is willing to change policy while leaving doctrine alone? I just looked for about 3 seconds so not really sure of the context or anything... but it didnt appear to be a parody of an apologist or anything.

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MoPag
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Re: Explaining the Dramatic Flip-Flop

Post by MoPag » Tue Apr 09, 2019 9:31 am

jfro18 wrote:
Mon Apr 08, 2019 6:31 pm
Culper Jr. wrote:
Mon Apr 08, 2019 3:33 pm
LOL is that for real? I seriously can't tell if that is a joke or if there truly is an article where a TBM is using gold medal winning mental gymnastics to explain how policy reversals should indeed strengthen one's testimony.
I typed the site from that image and it appears to be real and I think applauding that Nelson is willing to change policy while leaving doctrine alone? I just looked for about 3 seconds so not really sure of the context or anything... but it didnt appear to be a parody of an apologist or anything.
here it is:
https://mylifebygogogoff.com/2019/04/wh ... #more-9223

To be honest, this would have appealed to a TBM me.
The glaring thing he never addresses is that the policy in question HURTS people. It was designed to deny children and babies blessings. What the actual F--k? People died by suicide because of the policy. And this guy talks about it like some bureaucratic change. So completely heartless and unfeeling. But that's what happens when you worship a financial institution masquerading as a church.
...walked eye-deep in hell
believing in old men’s lies...--Ezra Pound

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FiveFingerMnemonic
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Re: Explaining the Dramatic Flip-Flop

Post by FiveFingerMnemonic » Tue Apr 09, 2019 1:49 pm

I try to troll a bit on Jeremy's page but he never allows my comments to go live. Poor kid, I have charity for him.

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Corsair
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Re: Explaining the Dramatic Flip-Flop

Post by Corsair » Tue Apr 09, 2019 3:07 pm

FiveFingerMnemonic wrote:
Tue Apr 09, 2019 1:49 pm
I try to troll a bit on Jeremy's page but he never allows my comments to go live. Poor kid, I have charity for him.
Let's note that this is a site that has an article that is un-ironically titled How Excommunication Is An Act Of Love. I'm not a person that gets emotionally "triggered." But I can at least detect that many believers and unbelievers will be triggered by the content of this article.

A more accurate description of the policy change is, "being a prophet means never having to say you are sorry."

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moksha
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Re: Explaining the Dramatic Flip-Flop

Post by moksha » Tue Apr 09, 2019 4:41 pm

Corsair wrote:
Tue Apr 09, 2019 3:07 pm
Let's note that this is a site that has an article that is un-ironically titled How Excommunication Is An Act Of Love.
It also features an article called, "Ponderize my Gospel".
Good faith does not require evidence, but it also does not turn a blind eye to that evidence. Otherwise, it becomes misplaced faith.
-- Moksha

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