Quote:
Originally Posted by SeattleUte
Translation: We do not wish to be held accountable for practices and beliefs once vital to mainstream LDS faith and since abandoned by the LDS Church that were appalling even by contemporary norms when those beliefs and practices were vital to mainstream LDS Faith. In that vein, we take the Fifth as to the source, scope, and content of LDS doctrine today, or at any other time in history or the future. At the same time, we wish to reaffirm our self-proclaimed status as God's exclusive mouthpiece possessing an inviolable right to modify, enlarge, or retract LDS doctrine at our whim when we realize any LDS belief will render us pariahs in our larger culture. If you fail to recognize us as such it is because God has not elected you to receive a spiritual witness.
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The press release should have added, "The leadership is always infallible, unless it's wrong."
I know it's a press release, and therefore nothing but spin and/or fluff, but I wish, just once, the LDS church would own its history and say, "Yeah, we screwed up here, here, and here. Sorry. Won't happen again."
Would that really cause the kingdom to fall?
It's very Orwellian. The reader is intended to understand that opinions are one thing, doctrine another, but the language is very carefully phrased to avoid any admission of wrongdoing or inaccuracy. Indeed, the statement implies that
the press is responsible for anything in LDS belief that seems incongruous or abnormal, implying that they haven't given the doctrine enough "thoughtful analysis" or they have taken quotations out of context.
Yeah, that's it. 20th century sanctioned polygamy. Blacks having, then losing, then regaining the priesthood. The contradictions there are all the press's fault.
While I'm sure there are many instances where LDS teachings have been misrepresented, this type of verbal gymnastic only comes off as arrogant, IMO.