General Konference Predictions

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2bizE
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General Konference Predictions

Post by 2bizE » Sat Sep 25, 2021 8:38 pm

With GC around the corner, I thought I would continue the tradition of predicting what will occur, be talked about, be changed, etc at GC.
Will the backdrop look like strips of bacon once again? Will the flower arrangement look like a vegetable garden (probably so).
Oaks took last session off from bashing gays, so I think he will tag team back into the gay bashing arena.
Nelson will probably continue is strategy of announcing a bunch of new temples that may likely never be built. I think some other big changes are going to happen. I think RMN wants to make a few more big changes before he dies.
What say ye?
~2bizE

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jfro18
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Re: General Konference Predictions

Post by jfro18 » Sat Sep 25, 2021 9:46 pm

The last GenCon was a complete nothingburger so you'd think this one will have SOMETHING exciting. What that could be is anyone's guess, but I think a lot of people expected it last time too with all of the COVID stuff and it never happened...

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Palerider
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Re: General Konference Predictions

Post by Palerider » Sat Sep 25, 2021 10:51 pm

I'm predicting that 6 old guys social distancing with masks in an improvised television studio is going to continue to reduce the juice these guys exert over the members.

It has a psychological effect to see thousands of people fawning over these guys in their King Noah chairs, waving to the crowd....

The headiness is gone. The "wow" factor is reduced and the occasional attempt at humor falls flat when your audience is a big camera.

For the first time they're being seen more realistically for what they are even though their on tv.
"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."

George Washington

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moksha
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Re: General Konference Predictions

Post by moksha » Sun Sep 26, 2021 8:11 am

I predict MoPag will host a number of threads for each two-hour session of the General Conference, or else we will experience a day, a night, and a day!
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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blazerb
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Re: General Konference Predictions

Post by blazerb » Sun Sep 26, 2021 9:58 am

I'm not expecting anything big. I don't think anything big is possible. They could announce changes in the interpretation of the WoW or make official statements about garment wearing. But each of those would decrease their hold on the members. How much shorter could they make church meetings? They could try to announce some new restriction, but that would turn off more people than they already do. Unless they could announce the beginning of amazing wonders in heaven and earth preceding the 2nd coming, which would demonstrate their lack of divine connection, there isn't much more they can do.

Maybe the world will be told, yet again, that if only people were righteous conference would be a lot better.

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Hagoth
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Re: General Konference Predictions

Post by Hagoth » Sun Sep 26, 2021 10:09 am

I expect a lot of praise for Mr. Holland and, indirectly, for his opus.

ETA: and at the same time lame lip service about how much we love all kinds of deviants and perverts. Oaks: "Oops, did I really say that out loud?!"
“The easy confidence with which I know another man's religion is folly teaches me to suspect that my own is also.” -Mark Twain

Jesus: "The Kingdom of God is within you." The Buddha: "Be your own light."

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jfro18
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Re: General Konference Predictions

Post by jfro18 » Sun Sep 26, 2021 10:33 am

One small prediction that I'll make is that the speakers will put a HEAVY focus on what makes the church "good."

I think that given that the church is facing backlash for its LGBT stance and its massive wealth that they will make an effort to really trumpet their donations and community efforts to tell members how great they are as an organization... it might not be "true," but they I think will continue to focus on telling members how good it is.

It's not really a great prediction though because it's nothing new, but I think it will be a bigger emphasis going forward.

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wtfluff
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Re: General Konference Predictions

Post by wtfluff » Sun Sep 26, 2021 12:00 pm

YAY! Religious Holiday Weekend!!!






Oh, wait... I've been on a religious holiday for years.

I guess I'll just have to be happy for the believers who are skipping the October General Bore-Fest.
Faith does not give you the answers, it just stops you asking the questions. -Frater Ravus

IDKSAF -RubinHighlander

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Reuben
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Re: General Konference Predictions

Post by Reuben » Sun Sep 26, 2021 1:27 pm

jfro18 wrote:
Sun Sep 26, 2021 10:33 am
One small prediction that I'll make is that the speakers will put a HEAVY focus on what makes the church "good."

I think that given that the church is facing backlash for its LGBT stance and its massive wealth that they will make an effort to really trumpet their donations and community efforts to tell members how great they are as an organization... it might not be "true," but they I think will continue to focus on telling members how good it is.

It's not really a great prediction though because it's nothing new, but I think it will be a bigger emphasis going forward.
This sounds plausible. I think it would also be coupled with positive encouragement to get everyone back to church, along with some not-very-subtle, passive-aggressive guilt-tripping. (Unless you're wearing the rose-colored glasses, that is. Then it'll just come across as The Truth.)

At some point soon, getting the KPIs back up will become paramount.
Learn to doubt the stories you tell about yourselves and your adversaries.

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blazerb
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Re: General Konference Predictions

Post by blazerb » Sun Sep 26, 2021 4:50 pm

jfro18 wrote:
Sun Sep 26, 2021 10:33 am
One small prediction that I'll make is that the speakers will put a HEAVY focus on what makes the church "good."

I think that given that the church is facing backlash for its LGBT stance and its massive wealth that they will make an effort to really trumpet their donations and community efforts to tell members how great they are as an organization... it might not be "true," but they I think will continue to focus on telling members how good it is.

It's not really a great prediction though because it's nothing new, but I think it will be a bigger emphasis going forward.
I'm curious to see how the church threads the needle between those who need to see the church doing real good as you describe and those who think Jeffrey's talk was a good first step but need to see some "liberals" fired before they'll believe that BYU Provo is anything but a den of spiritual crocodiles.

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jfro18
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Re: General Konference Predictions

Post by jfro18 » Sun Sep 26, 2021 6:34 pm

blazerb wrote:
Sun Sep 26, 2021 4:50 pm
I'm curious to see how the church threads the needle between those who need to see the church doing real good as you describe and those who think Jeffrey's talk was a good first step but need to see some "liberals" fired before they'll believe that BYU Provo is anything but a den of spiritual crocodiles.
I feel like the last GenCon tried to do that - I saw people both say that the church was rebuking the DezNat crowd while I also saw the DezNat crowd say that they were not bending to the libs.

To a large degree everyone hears what they want to hear with these talks.

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moksha
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Re: General Konference Predictions

Post by moksha » Sun Sep 26, 2021 10:52 pm

wtfluff wrote:
Sun Sep 26, 2021 12:00 pm
I guess I'll just have to be happy for the believers who are skipping the October General Bore-Fest.
At least with the annual Greek Festival in September, we get calamari. There will be no repudiation of Holland's musket fire at this conference.
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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nibbler
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Re: General Konference Predictions

Post by nibbler » Mon Sep 27, 2021 8:21 am

jfro18 wrote:
Sun Sep 26, 2021 10:33 am
One small prediction that I'll make is that the speakers will put a HEAVY focus on what makes the church "good."

I think that given that the church is facing backlash for its LGBT stance and its massive wealth that they will make an effort to really trumpet their donations and community efforts to tell members how great they are as an organization... it might not be "true," but they I think will continue to focus on telling members how good it is.

It's not really a great prediction though because it's nothing new, but I think it will be a bigger emphasis going forward.
There's precedent for this. Nelson gave a talk called "The Second Great Commandment" in October 2019. That was right around the time of the whistleblower leaks about Ensign Peak.
jfro18 wrote:
Sun Sep 26, 2021 6:34 pm
I feel like the last GenCon tried to do that - I saw people both say that the church was rebuking the DezNat crowd while I also saw the DezNat crowd say that they were not bending to the libs.

To a large degree everyone hears what they want to hear with these talks.
IMO they purposely kept their language vague enough so the people in both camps could walk away feeling vindicated. They haven't got the spine to stand up to the ultra-conservative members and they don't have the stomach to support liberal members.

There's not much to predict with conference. It's mostly been the same for the last umpteen years... and I'm including the years where we've seen the recent changes. The net effect of the changes was a few new labels and slightly less of the exact same experience.

If you've watched any conference at all over the last 10 years you've already watched the upcoming conference.

The only thing I can realistically hope for is a change in corporate slogans. "Covenant path" has run its course and outstayed its welcome. I'm sick of hearing it. It's time for a new buzz phrase for the saints. Let him prevail and hear him didn't take off like expected, time to up their game to motivate the saints.

"Quit being a Jack and you'll get some tithing back."

Something like that.
We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.
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Red Ryder
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Re: General Konference Predictions

Post by Red Ryder » Mon Sep 27, 2021 10:41 am

“Nibbler” wrote: If you've watched any conference at all over the last 10 years you've already watched the upcoming conference.
This.

I’ve realized they have this down to a science. The multi day, multi speaker format allows them to broadcast their message across every spectrum of membership in order to be meaningful to everyone.

Accept us marginalized non-believers.

Shame on us for thinking it will ever get better.

Not going to happen.
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“I switched baristas” ~ Lady Gaga

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Yobispo
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Re: General Konference Predictions

Post by Yobispo » Mon Sep 27, 2021 4:05 pm

Someone in the 70 will give a hard-hitting, do-or-die type of talk because he knows this may be his one chance to have all 15 listening to his awesomeness. This talk will use the phrase "covenant path" at least 3 times.

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Not Buying It
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Re: General Konference Predictions

Post by Not Buying It » Tue Sep 28, 2021 5:35 am

Maybe I just didn't see it, but it looks like you maybe all missed the obvious one:

FOLLOW THE PROPHET!!!

There is no way President Nelson is going to tolerate the pushback he got on his mask and vaccine announcement. They will double down hard on following the prophet. The little rebellion we see of people not wearing their masks to Church can't be overlooked, any sign that people are rejecting the counsel of the prophet will be quashed hard. The first law of the Church is obedience, and they know once they lose that, it's all over. The Brethren are like Hopper in "A Bug's Life", they know once the members start standing up to them they've lost control.

Besides, there will plenty of suck-up 70s wanting to kiss President Nelson's butt by talking about we all need to follow his every word, and the Mask Rebellion gives them an excellent chance to do it.

They always talk about following the prophet, sure, but I think they will hit it a lot harder this time around.
"The truth is elegantly simple. The lie needs complex apologia. 4 simple words: Joe made it up. It answers everything with the perfect simplicity of Occam's Razor. Every convoluted excuse withers." - Some guy on Reddit called disposazelph

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Hagoth
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Re: General Konference Predictions

Post by Hagoth » Tue Sep 28, 2021 10:11 am

nibbler wrote:
Mon Sep 27, 2021 8:21 am
IMO they purposely kept their language vague enough so the people in both camps could walk away feeling vindicated.
Yup, their playbook is made up of all of the same things they point out as Satan's tools.
“The easy confidence with which I know another man's religion is folly teaches me to suspect that my own is also.” -Mark Twain

Jesus: "The Kingdom of God is within you." The Buddha: "Be your own light."

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Hagoth
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Re: General Konference Predictions

Post by Hagoth » Tue Sep 28, 2021 10:18 am

Not Buying It wrote:
Tue Sep 28, 2021 5:35 am
FOLLOW THE PROPHET!!!

They always talk about following the prophet, sure, but I think they will hit it a lot harder this time around.
I hope so. Force some people to have painful thoughts about what they really believe. But there is also such a huge impetus for them to feed their egos and try to be loved by everybody. Chastisement is usually reserved for people who actually make the commitment of removing butt from pew and treasure from coffer.

What hilarious pickles these guys put themselves into. Maybe their priesthood power can create for them one more side for their mouths to talk out of.
“The easy confidence with which I know another man's religion is folly teaches me to suspect that my own is also.” -Mark Twain

Jesus: "The Kingdom of God is within you." The Buddha: "Be your own light."

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2bizE
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Re: General Konference Predictions

Post by 2bizE » Tue Sep 28, 2021 11:17 am

I predict there will be some talks on following the prophet (others have said this as well). I think the leaders will harass members about this because they are now losing grasp of the far right members similarly to how they have lost grasp of the left wing members. They are becoming increasingly irrelevant…
~2bizE

Cnsl1
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Re: General Konference Predictions

Post by Cnsl1 » Tue Sep 28, 2021 4:02 pm

Pray, obey, stay, and pay.

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