False Doctrine in GC?

[BYU71]

Originally Posted by ERCougar

People keep alluding to statements made by prophets that are "obviously" wrong. The example continually cited is the "man on the moon" comment by JFS. I have yet to see this quote, but I'll assume it's out there somewhere. Anyway, does anyone have examples of this occurring in GC? I think it's difficult to draw the line between personal opinion and divine revelation, but it seems like GC would be a forum which one could assume to be divinely directed.

I don't know if the "man on the moon quote" was given anywhere else, but it was given at a Stake Conference in Centerville. I have family members and friends who told me they were personally there and heard the quote.

None of them indicated it was a "thus saith the Lord" moment though.

A more personal example of where President JFS was wrong. When I got married a great uncle of us was going to marry us. He was an ex Temple President. When he went to the church office building he bumped into JFS who was a friend. President Smith asked why he was there and he told him. President Smith said, you have my permission, sure you can marry them.

When President Smith walked away my Uncle was told he would still have to go through the proper channels and get approval.

[Sleeping in EQ]

What I'd like is more talks that actually address doctrine (or theology--I'll do a post on this distinction sometime). Too many talks are just institutional chest thumping or cultural reassertion. The scriptures aren't filled with testimonies to organizations (Doth Lady Macbeth protest too much?). I'll take somebody erring in doctrine over the absence of it.

[Indy Coug]

Originally Posted by Sleeping in EQ

What I'd like is more talks that actually address doctrine (or theology--I'll do a post on this distinction sometime). Too many talks are just institutional chest thumping or cultural reassertion. The scriptures aren't filled with testimonies to organizations (Doth Lady Macbeth, protest?). I'll take somebody erring in doctrine over the absence of it.

Which is why Holland's talk was the highlight of GC.

[Sleeping in EQ]

Originally Posted by Indy Coug

Which is why Holland's talk was the highlight of GC.

There is plenty in Holland's talk to like. I didn't care for some of the defensiveness concerning the Trinity, but still, a highlight of GC.

If Indy and I both liked it, it had to be good!

[ERCougar]

Originally Posted by non sequitur

Here's something that SWK said in conference that I hope isn't doctrine:

“The day of the Lamanites is nigh. For years they have been growing delightsome, and they are now becoming white and delightsome. In this picture of the twenty Lamanite missionaries, fifteen of the twenty were as light as Anglos; five were darker but equally delightsome. The children in the home placement program in Utah* are often lighter than their brothers and sisters in the hogans on the reservation.”At one meeting a father and mother and their sixteen-year-old daughter were present, the little member girl–sixteen–sitting between the dark father and mother, and it was evident she was several shades lighter than her parents–on the same reservation, in the same hogan, subject to the same sun and wind and weather. There was a doctor in a Utah city who for two years had had an Indian boy in his home who stated that he was some shades lighter than the younger brother just coming into the program from the reservation. These young members of the Church are changing to whiteness and to delightsomeness.” (Conference Report, October 1960, p. 34 [Infobases Collectors Library ‘97])

Yeah, that's a little troubling...

To be fair, he wasn't the prophet at the time, but still--troubling.

I'm wondering, what on earth was the context of this?

[non sequitur]

Not sure if Brigham Young counts, since he's been pretty much disavowed, but here's a doozy from him:

"You see some classes of the human family that are black, uncouth, uncomely, disagreeable and low in their habits, wild, and seemingly deprived of nearly all the blessings of the intelligence that is generally bestowed upon mankind. The first man that committed the odious crime of killing one of his brethren will be cursed the longest of any one of the children of Adam. Cain slew his brother. Cain might have been killed, and that would have put a termination to that line of human beings. This was not to be, and the Lord put a mark upon him, which is the flat nose and black skin. Trace mankind down to after the flood, and then another curse is pronounced upon the same race - that they should be the 'servant of servants;' and they will be, until that curse is removed; and the Abolitionists cannot help it, nor in the least alter that decree"
-- Brigham Young, General Conference address, October 9, 1859

[Jeff Lebowski]

Originally Posted by non sequitur

Here's something that SWK said in conference that I hope isn't doctrine:

“The day of the Lamanites is nigh. For years they have been growing delightsome, and they are now becoming white and delightsome. In this picture of the twenty Lamanite missionaries, fifteen of the twenty were as light as Anglos; five were darker but equally delightsome. The children in the home placement program in Utah* are often lighter than their brothers and sisters in the hogans on the reservation.”At one meeting a father and mother and their sixteen-year-old daughter were present, the little member girl–sixteen–sitting between the dark father and mother, and it was evident she was several shades lighter than her parents–on the same reservation, in the same hogan, subject to the same sun and wind and weather. There was a doctor in a Utah city who for two years had had an Indian boy in his home who stated that he was some shades lighter than the younger brother just coming into the program from the reservation. These young members of the Church are changing to whiteness and to delightsomeness.” (Conference Report, October 1960, p. 34 [Infobases Collectors Library ‘97])

Yikes.

[ERCougar]

Originally Posted by Sleeping in EQ

What I'd like is more talks that actually address doctrine (or theology--I'll do a post on this distinction sometime). Too many talks are just institutional chest thumping or cultural reassertion. The scriptures aren't filled with testimonies to organizations (Doth Lady Macbeth protest too much?). I'll take somebody erring in doctrine over the absence of it.

Yeah, I suspect that is the reason for the lack of outright false doctrine in GC examples. They don't seem to spend much time on doctrine--or theology, as you put it (a proper distinction--doctrine almost certainly includes the faith, love, hope, cultural stuff that dominates conference addresses).

[ERCougar]

Originally Posted by non sequitur

Not sure if Brigham Young counts, since he's been pretty much disavowed, but here's doozy from him:

"You see some classes of the human family that are black, uncouth, uncomely, disagreeable and low in their habits, wild, and seemingly deprived of nearly all the blessings of the intelligence that is generally bestowed upon mankind. The first man that committed the odious crime of killing one of his brethren will be cursed the longest of any one of the children of Adam. Cain slew his brother. Cain might have been killed, and that would have put a termination to that line of human beings. This was not to be, and the Lord put a mark upon him, which is the flat nose and black skin. Trace mankind down to after the flood, and then another curse is pronounced upon the same race - that they should be the 'servant of servants;' and they will be, until that curse is removed; and the Abolitionists cannot help it, nor in the least alter that decree"
-- Brigham Young, General Conference address, October 9, 1859

OK...I stand corrected.

Thank you for introducing one more crisis of faith to my life.

[ERCougar]

Originally Posted by Sleeping in EQ

There is plenty in Holland's talk to like. I didn't care for some of the defensiveness concerning the Trinity, but still, a highlight of GC.

If Indy and I both liked it, it had to be good!

I don't think I've ever seen a GA bible-bashing (or something like it) in conference. It was kind of fun.