It just occurred to me what G. Bitner Hinckley was probably intending to do when he bought the forged historical documents from Mark Hoffman. It's breathtaking in its cynicism, but fully consistent with everything we know about Hinckley.

He undoubtedly didn't care whether the documents were forged. And of course, he didn't have the slightest "discernment" in the matter. He simply wanted the documents to be convincing to experts, which they were. Hoffman, with his freakish talent for forgery, was a godsend to Hinckley.

Hinckley didn't want to protect the Church from new information by keeping it secret. He wanted to fundamentally transform the church, some would say destroy it, by strategically leaking the information to posthumously destroy his rivals, especially Benson and McConkie. He could also discredit any rising stars in the hierarchy, especially Maxwell and Oaks. In the process he would thoroughly demythologize Joseph Smith and possibly decanonize the Book of Mormon. He would make it, once and for all, the Church of the Living Prophet, with himself at the head.

And he got much of it done anyway, even when the documents were invalidated by law enforcement. Look at what an enduring fool he made of Oaks with the Salamander Letter. Look at how the members practically worshipped him at his elaborate birthday parties.

That's why he was so terrified of dying in 2008. Not because he was afraid of meeting God, in whom his belief was murky at best. It was because after all that work, there would be another living prophet to exercise the power and reap the rewards. And ironically Monson, although he loved the rewards, didn't even want the power.

If Hinckley had fully succeeded, in a timeline where Hoffman never had to kill anyone, things would be much different than they are today. Hinckley would have undoubtedly had a revelation to change policy by picking his own successor. He would now be venerated as second only to Jesus Christ. And the church would be somewhat smaller but far more more militant, because absolute obedience to the living prophet would be the only remaining doctrine of the church.

I need to change my story slightly, although the theory stands. Hinckley didn't leak the Salamander Letter; apparently Hoffman did. But it's an example of how Hinckley could have tied the "defender" types like Oaks in knots by leaking even more information. All part of changing the doctrine and consolidating his control of the church.

... the conspiracies themselves.

Weaponized secrecy is a fact of life these days.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/24/2017 05:03PM by steve benson.

My take on Gordo "The Salamander" Hinckley was that he was pretty dumb. But, perhaps you're correct. I remember when the Hinkster was running the church as President Benson was incapacitated. Hinckles sure like to be worshipped though. Best wishes!
.

I've mentioned more than once here that my daughter-in-laws father (not a relative to me, thankgod) is a Hoffman and a 2nd cousin to Mark. They are about the same age and look very much alike, but I've been told that they weren't that close growing since they didn't go to the same schools. Never mind that they lived about 5 miles apart.

I see him occasionally for grandkids birthdays etc and have such a hard time NOT asking him "So, what's up with that Mark Hoffman deal? How much do you know about what he did?"

I sort of get the impression that wouldn't go over well.

Had I been involved I would have noted the forgeries just as I noted forgeries in my first month of practice as a lawyer. I also had a case in which a police detective altered an FBI report - an alteration I caught and brought out by a subpoena to the FBI for the original. BTW, compare the anthrax mailings with the JonBenet ransom note. Also, did anyone here note the "suicide" of someone connected with the Hoffman fiasco by a combination of .... and the house blowing up?

Where do you practice and what type of law?

Mark Hofmann

NOT

MARC HOFFMAN

NOT

MARK HOFFMAN


Why

Don't confuse stupidity with malice. The evil genius angle is intriguing, but being "not a genius" is a job requirement.

the occassion when Hinckley ended up looking more like an evil dumb ass than an evil genius, as somethings did not turn out the way that the self proclaimed PR genius intended


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhZRPHm3dJQ&t=43s

Nothing surprises me when it comes to Hinckley. He was so busy making a name for himself and basking in the adoration of the masses, that he couldn't be bothered to visit or call his granddaughter who was dying from cancer. His granddaughter lived in the same ward/neighborhood as us. We visit/taught her briefly and my partner asked if she had heard from Wrinkley Hinkely. She was laying there sick in bed and said that no because he is so busy. Yup.