LDS General Authority Don R. Clarke and LDS church historian Dr. Matthew J. Grow were recorded on audio giving apologetic responses to questioning TBM.
At the end of the day it was the usual FAIR BS responses. Shows how LDS GA's (called of Gawd the great creator of the universe and life) have to hide behind mere men who can't speak for the church. lol
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/28/2017 03:30AM by Zeezromp.
I saw it all. John kept questioning how ethical it was to be playing a recording that the G.A. and the Historian were unaware of, and after consulting with friends he decided to take it down. Maybe there was also a fear of legal action?
The cult itself is very unethical when it alters, distorts, whitewashes and cuts out aspects of it's own history when selling it to potential recruits and it's own 'born in' members.
A young man, early 20s, who did some work for the church. He read the CES letter, approached his superiors, and was granted an audience with a GA and what passes in the church for a historian. The young man told Dehlin of his disaffection, then shared his recording of the interview. This was followed by a panel discussion.
I listened to the whole set. The ethical question did arise; it may not have been a good idea to stoop to the church's level. Dehlin hasn't acted dishonorably in his Mormonstories episodes so far, so I do think it appropriate to think this through carefully.
That said, the interview wasn't that impressive--it was just what one would expect. The Seventy sat silent throughout most of the discussion, lending his authority to the proceedings while avoiding anything approaching a commitment to a substantive position. The apologist scurried about, repeating in an ingratiating tone the nonsense we've heard so many times before and using interjections like "you know?" to elicit agreement. It was so predictably manipulative.
I guess I found the interview mildly distasteful. There was nothing earth-shattering about the conversation and the surreptitious recording did make the doubting TBM look a bit slimy. With hindsight Dehlin didn't come off entirely clean either. If I were he, I'd probably not put it back up.
Personally, I thought that guy absolutely Schooled the historian and the general Authority. He was also far more congenial and conciliatory than I would have been. In those situations I tend to get very combative and passionate which probably would have made that kind of conversation less constructive, and that guy said very blunt things in just the right way in able to elicit at least a somewhat constructive conversation, at least on his part. I don't know how many people could get away with saying 'I started to hate and Joseph Smith' and still have a constructive conversation with a General Authority.
I agreed that nothing was said that was earth-shattering or that I didn't already know comma I thought it was kind of sad help or a job those people didn't defending the points that the guy brought up. I wish he had brought up earlier the church's lack of charity work around the world, and the fact that they spend billions of dollars building meeting houses and temples instead of soup kitchens and health clinics and hospitals. No excuse, unless you want to funnel your money into worthless marble structures that only people who agree to pay 10% of their income can go into, I guess.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/28/2017 08:48AM by midwestanon.