Leaked videos of meetings with the Q15

[_aussieguy55]

At 37:00 he states that Catholics and evangelicals are unreliable allies. Says that Catholics don't believe their own doctrines and that evangelicals are guilty of priestcraft. He advises to "use then as you can" but not to be so offering with their support. Says the best way to use these groups is as a front to "lower the profile"of the church's political involvement." quoted in John Dehlins Facebook
Video link: https://youtu.be/z4FPVZH8fIg


This is the most disgusting part I read. So hypocritical.

[Guest]

Anyway, does anybody know who this guy is that lectures the apostles and what these meetings are called? And how often these meetings are held?

According to the Trib, he's "LDS general authority Gerrit W. Gong, who is now a member of the presidency of the Seventy."

"The LDS Church said "most of these videos appear to be from briefings received by senior church leaders between 2007 and 2012."

"In these committee meetings, presentations are routinely received from various religious, political and subject matter experts on a variety of topics," church spokesman Eric Hawkins said Sunday afternoon. "The purpose is to understand issues that may face the church, and is in pursuit of the obligation church leaders feel to be informed on and have open discussion about current issues. This is an informational forum, not a decision-making body."

http://www.sltrib.com/lifestyle/faith/4 ... fullpage=1

Other than Senator Smith, I don't recall any including a "subject matter expert" but maybe I missed something?

I also recall one I watched earlier today that touched on climate change via energy availability being considered one of four items of concern. And Elder Gong (I believe) giving climate change the ol' "may be something to it, maybe not" while touching on peak oil, Saudi domination of the industry, and another range of topics that, again, felt like a middle schooler giving a report where they had to use PowerPoint and made it as bland as possible. Judged on PowerPoint skills alone those are some sad presentations. But I can't find it.

[_DoubtingThomas]

Anything said or asked by a General Authority that is pro-Republican?

[_honorentheos]

Anything said or asked by a General Authority that is pro-Republican?

The Gordon Smith video, starting at minute 32.

[_lemuel]

MD&D be all:


r/exmo be all:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8NsZd2CrjU

[_Aoife]

So I get the importance of making sure you're up on what's going on in the world, but who needs to be spoon-fed current events like this? This isn't an intelligence briefing of top-secret information. The gentleman presenting clearly has no special insight beyond what the rest of us also get from reading the NYT or the Washington Post or surfing Google News on a regular basis.

The more I think about it, the more bananas this seems.

[_honorentheos]

So I get the importance of making sure you're up on what's going on in the world, but who needs to be spoon-fed current events like this? This isn't an intelligence briefing of top-secret information. The gentleman presenting clearly has no special insight beyond what the rest of us also get from reading the NYT or the Washington Post or surfing Google News on a regular basis.

The more I think about it, the more bananas this seems.

Exactly.

I've come to another realization from this, though. While reading comments about the videos on other fora it seems to be a common theme among those who are defending the leadership that they're just getting the kinds of briefings one might expect for busy people in charge of a global institution.

Except, anyone listening to regular news programs like on NPR or reading the WSJ as has been pointed out would know much more. Probably have a more well-rounded understanding as well that considers more than one side of a particular argument.

And that was the second big reveal this brings out, in my opinion. There are a lot of low-information Mormons out there that probably don't get just how naïve, poorly informed, and one dimensional these vidoes have exposed the LDS leadership to be.

But I also think there are smart people in that room and that's also crazy. Boyd Packer, Holland, Oaks - they do most of the talking in total between the videos yet their questions and positions are vacuous. I thought much more highly of Elder Hales contributions during the discussion on credit default swaps. But he never really speaks otherwise. Hardly anyone on the back rows say anything, either. Think about the dynamic being revealed by these videos as well.

Poorly informed hierarchical leadership being briefed by the equivalent of a middle school research paper on topics of the day with hints about why the Church should care ("Does a church patriarch who has a stroke and then inappropriately touches a grandchild need church discipline? We all know the devil manipulates science so it can't tell us anything about the brain or how it works and how moral decision making might occur. That's why we have God and you guys...")

Suddenly it makes the content of many GC talks make much more sense.

[_honorentheos]

Nevermind.

[_mentalgymnast]

These videos are absolutely devastating.

What do you think will happen as a result of the release of these videos?

Regards,
MG

[_honorentheos]

These videos are absolutely devastating.

What do you think will happen as a result of the release of these videos?

Regards,
MG

Mormonism is like a four legged stool, where the most firmly seated TBM have: belief in God leading the church, belief in a personal witness of the church being where god wants them, belief the church is trustworthy, and the benefits of family and community being evidence of its goodness.

I think many modern members familiar with church history end up having a leg cut out but making the three legs that remain work. Issues like the recent policy issue over children with LGBT parents kicked another our for some and of those, it seemed many decided it was time to toss the stool for a new one. I think this has the potential to have a similar effect. Some may look at the videos and find themselves questioning the goodness, inspiration, or trustworthiness of the leadership and the balancing needed to keep on the stool no longer worth while.