When I was 15 years old, during ward conference, a member of the stake presidency taught our Sunday school class. He began by writing “10” in big numbers on the chalkboard.

He said “Ten. Ten years. I don’t see how it can POSSIBLY be more than ten years until the second coming of Christ.”

Of course, it didn’t happen within ten years. In fact, it has been 45 years since that lesson. Of course, he wasn’t teaching “official” doctrine (is there even such as thing as “official” doctrine in TSCC?), but back then, you’d be hard pressed to find a Mormon that would believe that we’d be well past the year 2000 without Jesus showing up for his sequel appearance.

As I understand it, most patriarchal blessings in the 1800s promised the recipients that they’d live to see the second coming. In 1843, Joseph Smith infamously prophesied that there were those of the rising generation that would not taste of death until Christ comes. Throughout the 20th century, youth in the LDS church were told that they were the “special spirits” who were held back until the very end to prepare the world for Christ’s return.

I assume that TSCC has backed off from the “Christ’s return is just around the corner” talk. It was a very effective tactic to scare people into obedience, but hasn’t it (long ago) become a “boy who cried wolf” situation?

I heard many talks, lessons, peoples so called "revelations' on this topic. It was all doom and gloom all of the time. My mother was one of the worst.

I knew people who sold everything they had and moved into communes in the mountains. People who had food, clothing, ammunition, and guns hoarded. It was the norm in the ward I lived in. In fact, if you weren't one of those who bought into this, you were viewed as unrighteous and probably a bit stupid.

It wasn't until I was in my 20's and had left home that I realized how crazy those people were. I wonder whatever happened to most of them. Some got rich selling the fear. Many more became poor for buying into it. Many children suffered and did without while their parents spent all resources on the coming return of Christ.

If Christ is for real, I think he's a gigantic asshole for causing so much unneeded suffering. If he is going to return, why does that have to include worldly devastation? I don't believe a word of it. In my opinion, it was all made up so the rulers could control the ruled. End of story.

And here I thought this would be a Bo Derek thread…

Anyway, yes, the church has backed off the whole 2nd Coming amusement park ride, big time. Now it's two or three generations away:

Boyd K. Packer, October 2011 GC:

"Sometimes you might be tempted to think as I did from time to time in my youth: 'The way things are going, the world's going to be over with. The end of the world is going to come before I get to where I should be.' Not so! You can look forward to doing it right – getting married, having a family, seeing your children and grandchildren, maybe even great-grandchildren."

Also, look at what they're doing with their real estate portfolio. Their planned Florida city (so much for Jackson County) is expected to have half a million inhabitants by 2080. And the City Creek condos are on a 99-year lease. Kind of puts the imminent return of Christ on the back burner, doesn't it?

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/jan/30/from-book-to-boom-how-the-mormons-plan-a-city-for-500000-in-florida

But going back to when the church actually preached about this kind of stuff, even the relatively intellectual mormon leaders got into the act. A century ago, this was taught at GC. Note the "some here present" prophecy. I think we can call this one an epic fail.

James E. Talmage, Conference Report, October 1916, p. 76:

"The [lost ten] tribes shall come; they are not lost unto the Lord; they shall be brought forth as hath been predicted; and I say unto you there are those now living – aye, some here present – who shall live to read the records of the Lost Tribes of Israel, which shall be made one with the record of the Jews, or the Holy Bible, and the record of the Nephites, or the Book of Mormon, even as the Lord hath predicted; and those records, which the tribes lost to man but yet to be found again shall bring, shall tell of the visit of the resurrected Christ to them, after He had manifested Himself to the Nephites upon this continent."

"Those here present" OBVIOUSLY referred to The Three Nephites who were in attendance.

As an example of how this kind of thinking can harm families: In the seventies my father put thousands of dollars into food storage for the apocalypse. The family suffered for the loss of food funds. We ate cheap junk, and the storage food wasn't even used. I noticed that it was sourced from Utah. Once expired, it was thrown out and replaced with more of the same. My father put a lock on the food cupboard in the kitchen.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/25/2017 04:35AM by donbagley.

One of the "GA's",I don't remember which one, once said Do not expect the second coming in the foreseeable future.

I heartily agree with this perception!

Our neighborhood (ward) had a prepper con walk about yesterday. Several houses were preparation stations where you would learn about water storage, food storage, first aid, etc. While it's good to know some of these things because of the possibility of earthquake or unemployment, most of the time these events are held because it's based on fear. And people have been expecting the Second Coming for a couple thousand years now; I figure that when it happens, it happens and there's nothing I can do to stop it so enjoy life and stop being fearful.

Does the church REALLY preach preparedness?

When I was a teen, we were counseled to get in shape so we'd be fit enough to walk back to Missouri. Fitness is great and all, but maybe if they were so concerned about that, they should have been also seeking inspiration on alternative fuel sources. This was either during or after the 'energy crisis'. Or investing in covered wagons or other vehicles that don't run on gas?

I have a friend who once told me she and her husband weren't saving for retirement, since the 2nd coming would come first. Now they are approaching retirement age. I hope they changed their retirement strategy.


And the food storage, of COURSE that's the best way to prepare for disaster. Storing hundreds or thousands of pounds of food that require fuel and water to make it edible seems very useful in a disaster, especially one that destroys your home or knocks out the power. I mean, you can always just chew on wheat if you don't mind a little diarrhea.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/25/2017 01:47PM by imaworkinonit.