Seniority as a benefit to the church - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

MikeWaters · 10-05-2015, 12:09 AM

A thought crossed my mind. Imagine if the Bishop and his counselors were the most senior priesthood holders in your ward.

Imagine if the ward council were the most senior persons, male and female, in your ward.

Imagine the same for the stake presidency. And the high council. Appointments for life. A 40 year old called to the stake council would remain until his death.

The reason I say that is because it feels like that there is indeed a bias towards calling younger persons. Giving them the experience of leadership. Taking turns, if you will. There is also the impression that some of these older guys are essentially retired from church service. They were previously bishops, in stake callings, etc. But now they are temple workers. Or they help run the family history center. Or they just sleep in high priest group.

I'll bet if you reflect you will be hard pressed to think of a single really old person in a leadership calling your ward or stake. Especially someone so infirm that they need help walking or getting to church.

Now I think there is an argument that the FP and the Q12 are different and the continuity of senior leadership helps the church from veering off course. That's the party line. But I think we have to admit to ourselves, that this principle wouldn't work at the local level, or could be less than ideal. Or isn't put into practice.

10-05-2015, 12:09 AM	#1
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	Seniority as a benefit to the church A thought crossed my mind. Imagine if the Bishop and his counselors were the most senior priesthood holders in your ward. Imagine if the ward council were the most senior persons, male and female, in your ward. Imagine the same for the stake presidency. And the high council. Appointments for life. A 40 year old called to the stake council would remain until his death. The reason I say that is because it feels like that there is indeed a bias towards calling younger persons. Giving them the experience of leadership. Taking turns, if you will. There is also the impression that some of these older guys are essentially retired from church service. They were previously bishops, in stake callings, etc. But now they are temple workers. Or they help run the family history center. Or they just sleep in high priest group. I'll bet if you reflect you will be hard pressed to think of a single really old person in a leadership calling your ward or stake. Especially someone so infirm that they need help walking or getting to church. Now I think there is an argument that the FP and the Q12 are different and the continuity of senior leadership helps the church from veering off course. That's the party line. But I think we have to admit to ourselves, that this principle wouldn't work at the local level, or could be less than ideal. Or isn't put into practice.