Quote:
Originally Posted by Hazzard
Yep. By the late 1960's, it sounds like 14 of 15 (all but Harold B. Lee) were ready to change the doctrine/policy. But then Elder Lee became President Lee, and it took another 10 years to make the change.
Because of the way the church hierarchy is structured (demographic homogeneity, requirement of unanimity in decision-making, etc.), the church will always be 15 - 100 years behind the curve on social issues. The only debate is whether this is a good thing or a bad thing.
|
WARNING: crackpot theory ahead. If you believe I'm apostate, stop now!
My takeaway (or crackpot theory) is that the Lord constrained David O. McKay -- who apparently dearly wanted to change the policy -- and other leaders from changing the policy BECAUSE if they had, Harold B. Lee would have reinstated it (a la Joseph F. Smith with his theories on "the Origin of Man" -- which the church officially disclaimed
both before and after he was President of the Church). If Lee had done so, we would have been much worse off than by just waiting a few more years. Ultimately, the Lord provided a way for the 1978 Revelation.
from wikipedia:
". . . [the] First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (minus Harold B. Lee, who was traveling) voted to rescind the racial exclusion policy; however, that vote was reversed when Lee returned and called for a re-vote, arguing that the policy could not be changed without a revelation. [citing Quinn]
When McKay died in 1970 Joseph Fielding Smith became church president and Lee was called as First Counselor in the First Presidency. He continued to gain practical experience for what was expected to be a long presidency of his own, he being decades younger than Smith.
However, Lee's presidency proved one of the briefest in the history of the church, lasting from Smith's death in July 1972 to Lee's sudden fatal heart attack in December 1973."
If this were the old Testament or Book of Mormon, it would read:
1. In the year 1969, the word of the Lord came to the Prophets, Harold who was among them, hardened his heart against them.
2. In the year 1970, McKay died and was buried.
3. In the year 1972, Joseph Fielding Smith died and was buried.
4. In the year 1972 Lee ascended to Moses' seat and was smitten by the Lord so that he could not lead away his people.
5. In the year 1978, the word of the Lord came to the Prophets again.
(which is not to say that Harold B. Lee wasn't a good man or inspired in many other ways. We are all flawed. So was Joseph. So was Brigham. So was Moses. So was Lehi -- but they all made mistakes too!)