My source is John Dehlin's FB page:

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Letter sent recently to all members of the Cambridge, MA LDS Stake. Perhaps other LDS stakes could be encouraged to follow suit?

"Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In recent years, and particularly in the last few months, some issues have been raised which challenge Church doctrine, policy, and practices. As most of you know, these have been broadly discussed and debated on the web and in social media, in our homes and workplaces, and at times in our own church meetings and classes.

As your stake leaders, we know there are as many views on these topics as there are members of the stake. We want every church member, regardless of his or her perspective, to feel welcome and wanted in the church.

We think there are things that we can do in order to be more welcoming and inclusive to all, as we "meet together" (see 3 Nephi 18:22) to support each other in living the gospel (see Mormon 6:5). Determining what we can do probably begins with developing a clear understanding of the issues and concerns from the members of the stake, relative to these topics. With a clear understanding of the issues, we will then be in a position to solicit input from members of the stake to find ways we can help and support each other, as we work as Latter-day Saints to be of one heart and mind in building Zion (Moses 7:18).

To that end, we are planning that for an open discussion later this month to understand the issues that stake members face as a prelude to a subsequent discussion for developing practical steps our stake and ward leaders and members can take to address the issues in productive ways.

We will send you the date and time for this first open discussion, focused on understanding the issues, as they firm up over the next few days.

Sincerely,

Cambridge Stake Presidency
Cambridge Stake Relief Society Presidency"

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Isn't this inviting trouble from the morg's perspective? Wouldn't they be giving a platform to potential dissenters? Of course, the wording is vague enough that it could be a bait-n-switch operation in which it won't be a "discussion" but instead an event in which the leadership "gives instruction".

If I worked for LDS, Inc. and the mission were to preserve membership I wouldn't go near something like this. I would sidestep any direct addressing of concerns and redirect with some new programs to make church fun. They must be thinking that 2 + 2 = 5 and some how there's an explanation to make it true.

They did this in Sweden.

It was basically an effort to purge the free-thinkers and scare the fence sitters into submission.

This was my first thought.....make easy identification of the problem and then put on the squeeze.

It's a trap to identify the "apostates" that they should keep their eyes on.

...this makes sense, since whatever "answers" are given to address member's questions will likely be half-truths or outright lies. But, on the bright side, there might be members who already know the big issues and can steer the conversation where it needs to be............maybe.

This isn't your typical Utah County ward. But who knows?

Is it really going to be an "open discussion"? From what I've read about the Swedish equivalent, it was a closed meeting with only those who already were questioning in attendance. It was an effort to compartmentalize and kill the cancer before it spread. The ultimatum given was - stay in and shut up or get out.

Aside from that, given this letter and the BoA essay just released... I'm wondering if the morg is falling apart at an exponential rate. I'm surprised how quickly things are developing over just the past few months. When everything is added up together, how can the church remain tenable?

I'd pay money to be at that meeting. Too many universities near Cambridge, hence too many people with critical thinking skills.

When he starts selling the lipstick, everyone in the room is going to know that he knows that LDS Inc is a pig. Glad I am not that SP.

Sounds like the losses are way too big for the leaders to ignore. Good.

Sounds like a trap. See who shows up. Those who don't have issues (ie good members) won't show. Everyone else gets coolaid and cookies.

I too think it's a trap, but I also think that active members will recognize this, and stay away. They don't want to be ID'd. as problem members. This will have the effect of discouraging any questioning among the members. The message is being made clear-questioning is not wanted, and will not be tolerated.

" . . .we know there are as many views on these topics as there are members of the stake."


It sounds the same as when you are arriving at your destination by plane and the head flight attendant says,"Thank you for Flying Acme Skyways with us today. We know you have a variety of choices for air travel and appreciate that you have chosen Acme Air. We look forward to traveling with you in the future."

This letter distilled into one word is: Desperation.

...get ready for more of these "inspired" messages to calm the Saints. Things are getting a bit rough for the "elect."

Why this particular stake?

Has there been an issue there?

It doesn't sound like any issues are going to be discussed.

The discussion is only a "prelude to a subsequent discussion for developing practical steps our stake and ward leaders and members can take to address the issues in productive ways."

It sounds like there will be a discussion, but it's only so the stake leaders can gather information and come up with an action plan.

Like everyone has said, it's more like the Mafia asking if anyone has grievances with the Godfather to let them be known so they can be 'resolved'. lol

make the questioners an offer they can't refuse!

Cambridge - wonder if it is/was Mitt Romney's stake?

According to a Huff Post article, Romney was a bishop in Cambridge (a student ward, I believe) and Belmont, and president of the Boston stake.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/27/romney-mormon-bishop_n_1708387.html

Let's see a scanned copy with the SP signature before going on and on about this matter...

Is they serve koolaid, dont drink it.

This has always been a trouble spot for then church and probably always will be.

A couple of anecdotes to make the point:

Once I went in for a temple recommend interview and the counselor started the conversation by asking, "So, do you still believe in God?"

When I finally admitted to my bishop that I didn't believe in the church anymore, he admitted to me that he didn't either.

Our ward had a female Sunday School president for a brief period before Salt Lake called and put a stop to it.

Sacrament Meeting prayers were sometimes addressed to "Heavenly Father and Mother".


It was a good place to apostatize. I don't think the letter is a trap; it's probably quite sincere.

CZ

Having also lived in that stake and witnessed (and taken part of) similar behavior, I agree with CZ that they are being sincere.

I'll take any odds you provide on a bet ......this is a smoke out!!!!!

I'm taking this bet having never stepped in the state of massholichusetts!!!

He said as we "work together to be of one heart and one mind"...That says it right there. We will convince you to have our mindset, so get with the program.

Curious if this is a top-down directive from the Q-15 or if this particular Stake Presidency is going it alone independently as it is recognizing the hemorrahaging from their own Stake?

Are the Q-15 now authorizing and/or allowing the SP's to give it a shot in an effort to quell the masses of those jumping from the good ship Mormonism?

Are the Q-15 finally at their wits end and are realizing that they have to try something new because what's coming out of SLC sure ain't making any difference?

Whadda you think???

Or so it seems to me...

I think that Stake President has officially announced his candidacy for general authority. That's what I think...

"Open discussion" has a different meaning in the Mormon language. It means nothing more than just another one-sided lecture. The leaders speak, and the followers listen. There is a time-frame set in such meetings, such as, the leader is so important that he has a plane to catch or a bigger meeting to get to. "Sorry, we don't have time for any more questions now, but we'll have a:

"subsequent discussion for developing practical steps our stake and ward leaders and members can take to address the issues in productive ways."

Spouses and friends will have pressure put on them to fill up these discussion groups with the "less actives" and dissidents. Two of the nastiest, pushiest men in our ward were sent to my home, to try to force me to go to their "Gospel essentials" class. They told me that I didn't know enough about the Gospel, and needed to learn. I told them that I'd graduated from Seminary, taken all the required BYU religion classes, plus institute classes at another university, had taught Sunday School for 20 years, and had read the BOM and the Bible seven times. The men said I would have a lot in common with another divorced woman who was attending the class. She had abandoned her husband and children to go live with a man, and they were on drugs, and then she lived on the streets, and then she sold drugs, and then she was in jail for a few years. My son said, "Mom never abandoned us. She is the most honest, moral person there is, and she has nothing in common to a drug pusher. This conversation is over."

Trust me, these questioning types will not take kindly to being condescended to, singled out, and belittled. Strong-arm tactics, and sneaky manipulations will only make people angrier.

Fear is supposed to be a stronger motivator than anything positive. The Mormon church is becoming more and more authoritarian, and less and less fun. The threat of losing your family for eternity, the threat of outer darkness, the threat of God withdrawing His blessings--this is what the Mormons offered to me and my children, when we left. TSCC is not a church of love and fun activities.

Yes, the discussion group is a lie and a trap. That's how TSCC operates.

Here's how it went down for me and my family, from the time we went "semi-inactive"

a) love-bombing

b) general harassment by missionaries, ward presidencies, former Scout and YM/YW leaders, in groups of two and three, knocking on our door after 9:00 at night.

c) blatant threats

d) shunning

Step a and step b haven't worked, so now TSCC is singling out the dissidents, getting ready for step c.

My impression is that the SP might be a genuine caring person.

If he continues along these lines of open communication and discussion of the issues facing all religions, I can easily see those above him will reel him in and make him change his ways.

Otherwise there'll be another excommunication in the works.

All hell may break loose. MIT and Harvard may really open the discussion. Whole wards may defect. Wish I were there.

My daughter lived in that stake for several years and from the stories she tells this does not surprise me. They are a lot more open minded and willing to do thinks different. She is always telling me I would really like that stake.

Many might leave but to many it will probably confirm they were right in doing things different.

I think that stake president is absolutely sincere as far as it goes. I think he's willing to toss out any and every doctrine or practice that anyone doesn't like, in order to keep his attendance numbers up.

I wonder...

I think it could become a trend. The church is finally showing signs of adapting to be more inclusive.

All that crap from history will eventually be acknowledged and no one will care (let's hope it doesn't take 1,000 years!).

This is what most religions eventually do if they want to thrive.

This is an overt attempt to identify and isolate 'free thinkers' and then purge them from the rank and file. If I were a TBM, I would be very wary of such an effort.

D-

"Let a hundred flowers blossom"
Mao Zedong

The meeting will start with prayer and then the Stake President will rise and say 'ever heard of Amway...?"

My boyfriend served a mission there in the early 90's. During that time they had issues in the stake with women standing in the circles for baby blessings & ordinations. The area authority had to put it to an end because the stake leadership didn't see it as a problem. It freaked him out because we were from Utah where women would never get away with that. I think its sincere. They are much more progressive & free thinking out there.