In the two years since he was called as President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, President Russell M. Nelson has traveled the world meeting with leaders — including leaders of religious, government, civic and charity groups.
His personalized approach to meeting with leaders and finding common ground with them allows individuals to feel something, explained Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who traveled with President Nelson during his Latin America Ministry in August.
“They leave having felt like they were with a prophet,” Elder Cook said.
“When we are confronted with evidence that challenges our deeply held beliefs we are more likely to reframe the evidence than we are to alter our beliefs. We simply invent new reasons, new justifications, new explanations. Sometimes we ignore the evidence altogether.” (Mathew Syed 'Black Box Thinking')
Perhaps Cook is listening to the MTC missionaries too much or the current apostle in charge of starting new, faithful rumors? When I was at the MTC, I heard that both Reagan and Bush knew the church was true but didn't convert due to political reasons.
"Religion is about providing human community in the guise of solving problems that don’t exist or failing to solve problems that do and seeking to reconcile these contradictions and conceal the failures in bogus explanations otherwise known as theology." - Kishkumen
"Elder Cook do you honestly believe that these leaders were left with the impression that God speaks differently to Elder Nelson than any other religious leader?"
There is a reason GA's won't allow the peanut gallery to question what they say.
"Any over-ritualized religion since the dawn of time can make its priests say yes, we know, it is rotten, and hard luck, but just do as we say, keep at the ritual, stick it out, give us your money and you'll end up with the angels in heaven for evermore."
No, no, no, Mr. Cook is correct. Just like when I am Playing Call of Duty on-line, everyone knows me as General of the Armies Washington with the Rank of Six Stars https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six-star_rank. No one doubts my Rank or Name. To do so would be to question the very foundations of Call of Duty and NO ONE DARES to do that!
So just as I am General of the Armies Washington, Rusty the Tin Man Nelson is Profit of the Mormon Corporation. DUH!
Revelation 2:17 . . give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. Thank Google GOD for her son eBay, you can now have life eternal with laser engraving. . oh, and a seer stone and save 10% of your life's earning as a bonus. See you in Mormon man god Heaven Bitches!!. Bring on the Virgins
Elder Cook wrote:They leave having felt like they were with a prophet.
I bet this was true, for certain values of "prophet".
I think this is the right answer. I remember in high school some kid from some flavor of Christianity spoke of himself as a prophet. At the time, being being a Mormon, and having a specific definition of what a prophet was, I thought to myself “you’re not a prophet silly.”
I wonder if these leaders, hearing about President Nelson being a self proclaimed prophet, think “Good for you. Now please send in the next influential person so that we can pander to each other.”
okay I misread this the first time, thinking it referred to local church leaders, and thought it's doubtful. I have spent small amounts of time with believing members over the years, but enough to think that the aura of prophethood has faded in the eyes of the Saints. Members just don't see them as magical like they used to. Then I reread, and realized it's talking about world leaders. lol.
Lou Midgley 08/20/2020: "...meat wad," and "cockroach" are pithy descriptions of human beings used by gemli? They were not fashioned by Professor Peterson.
LM 11/23/2018: one can explain away the soul of human beings...as...a Meat Unit, to use Professor Peterson's clever derogatory description of gemli's ideology.
Do you see these "leaders" getting baptized?