Go find an old Conference issue Ensign and read up. It's the same crap. The same talks just rehashed over and over. It just repeats over and over and over. Chairman Mao once said a lie told often enough becomes the truth. Much like a dictatorship, Mormonism drowns you out with the same lies over and over and social pressure makes you put up with it. Mormonism may have killed less people than Mao but they are more the same than different. Mormonism talks of individual freedom but that's freedom of religion so the church can exist. Other than that, it wants to take all your freedom as an individual. Make no mistake about that.

What does it say about god, when the church he's supposed to be "leading" can't say anything new?

Bednar's Pickle talk
When Nelson admitted that Joseph Smith translated the BoM by sticking his head in a hat
When Holland was caught lying about which BoM was in his hand
BKPs Little Factory talk

but I agree with your main point - lather, rinse, repeat. That's Mormon leadership.

The little factory talk has given me priceless oppurtunities for jokes.

Even as a TBM, I couldn't listen to them repeat everything all the time. Growing up, I couldn't understand how people could go to church and hear the same thing over and over and call it being "spiritually fed". I tried to fit into that mold, but it never worked. All any church talks are anymore is repeating what a current or past leader has already said. Occasionally a scripture gets quoted.

I do remember seeing someone ask a question on Yahoo! Answers at one point, asking about general conference and how they never hear anything new. They wanted to know why they never heard new revelation at conference. Seemed like a good question to me. Another Mo answered that being told they needed to get their food storage ready and get out of debt were revelations. Ha ha ha. So you see, Mos THINK they are hearing something new when they aren't. How terribly sad.

I'm reading "No Man Knows My History"-great book. I read last night that during a 5 year period JS received over 100 revelations. Yet in the next 10 years it was only 12. I guess the lds prophets just aren't inspired anymore. Thus the B-O-R-I-N-G conference talks. I always hated them as well as Stake Conference. Actually I hated all of it.

Dang, I know exactly what you mean! I couldn't stand conference even as a kid. I guess I get bored easily. I think this is a common exmo characteristic.

I have to agree with what the OP said about repeating lies. And I have to agree with those who ask, "WTF do they mean 'spiritually fed' when they hear the same slop 2x a year?"

I guess there are some who need to have their batteries recharged. I think they are the ones who are contemplating leaving, and seeing all the deceived people makes them think they are not crazy after all. It is a logical fallacy to think if a lot of people believe something, it just be true. A lot of people used to believe the world was flat, too.

T-Bone

So when is it this October........

2nd/3rd?

Thanks

Conference and other talks used to be much more *ahem* exciting. Consider this choice quote from Jedediah M. Grant:

"I say, there are men and women that I would advise to go to the Presidency immediately, and ask him to appoint a committee to attend to their case; and then let a place be selected, and let that committee shed their blood. We have those amongst us that are full of all manner of abominations, those who need to have their bloodshed, for water will not do, their sins are too deep a dye (JoD, 4:49-51)."

Holland's talk when he went all crazy over the Spaulding-Rigdon Theory was entertaining. Hopefully, he can get all worked up over about something else. Bednar's talks are just sickening. And then, there's the profit himself. Will he have a new parable for us exmos? Or will it be more Edgar Guest poems and stories about widows?

We had an apostle visit our stake last week and he said two things that stick out:

1. Once the people start obeying the revelations already given, we'll get more. He said specifically, "pay your tithing"

2. Come to General Conference with a question in mind and the Lord will answer it.

So, my questions for this conference: "Why did Joseph use the stone in the hat method and why did he marry 30+ women, many who were already married, many without his wife's approval?".

I guess it gives the ladies some ownership in tscc. For a few hours they can forget they are being told what underwear to wear, how many kids to have......... Whatever works.

It's true. They make the same points every year. My predictions for what they're going to talk about this year:

/////////////
WARNING ADULT
/////////////

General Conference Summary

1. Pay your tithing.
2. Don't look at porn.
3. Don't Masturbate, it makes god cry. Especially don't Masturbate when looking at porn. Or, when looking at pictures of Sister Monson and/or Jesus.
4. Gay marriage is bad. Besides, everybody knows that gay people masturbate.
5. Pay your tithing. What else are you going to spend your money on? Porn?
6. Perform your church callings. We wouldn't want you to have too much free time. You might start masturbating.
7. We are opening more temples. Therefore, the church must be growing. Therefore we are the shiznit. If the church wasn't growing, why would we throw money at new temples? It's not like we have extra money lying around. If we did, we'd spend that money on a giant mall or something.
8. Pay your tithing. If you pay your tithing, you won't have extra money to spend on lube for masturbating.
9. Go to the temple. The time you spend at the temple is time that won't be spent masturbating.
10. Look people, this isn't a fucking charity. PAY YOUR GODDAMN TITHING!!!

LOL!! LIKE!!

Need to let the faithful know that they are getting their asses kick for a reason— they're chosen and God loves them best.

I know watching general conference puts me to sleep prety fast. It also makes me thanful that I do not have to actually be there and sit on those benches. I feel nothing but pitty for the kids who's parents force them to go there. That is just like water torcher!

Thus the song "The Spirit of God" by William Phelps explained the furvor of the early saints.

"The visions and blessings of old are returning:
The angels are coming to visit the earth"

http://www.hymnwiki.org/The_Spirit_of_God

But for quite a few generations since the founding of the church, the well has gone dry. There has been no new revelation. Only the most guillible or most fearful of offending cultural/familiar ties fail to accept the truth. That the visions and blessings of old have stopped,if they had ever begun in the first place. The Mormon church has no more direct connection to revelation from God than any other church in the world, christian or non. The whole thing reminds me of the story below by Joseph Smith contemporary.


The Emperor's New Clothes: by Hans Christian Anderson, 1837

THE PLOT:
An Emperor who cares for nothing but his wardrobe hires two weavers who promise him the finest suit of clothes from a fabric invisible to anyone who is unfit for his position or "just hopelessly stupid". The Emperor cannot see the cloth himself, but pretends that he can for fear of appearing unfit for his position or stupid; his ministers do the same. When the swindlers report that the suit is finished, they dress him in mime and the Emperor then marches in procession before his subjects. A child in the crowd calls out that the Emperor is wearing nothing at all and the cry is taken up by others. The Emperor cringes, suspecting the assertion is true, but holds himself up proudly and continues the procession.

Human nature can be exploited today just as easily as at the founding of the Mormon Church. This General Conference the message will be that those who fall away are "just hoplessly stupid to give up their eternal salvation." And die hard members will continue to march on proudly in support of their leaders who also fear appearing unfit or stupid.

Every week it is the same drivel presented when we were all Sunbeams. If it was only one hour it might be partially tolerable. Three hours a week plus the 10-hours on conference weekend is painful in the extreme.

I was like, wth? It is the same sh*t, different year. There is nothing new, or revelatory, or to make my life better. It is just a guilt and manipulation fest, all fed to the flock in monotone voices.

The only good thing was that we listened to it at home.

twice a year.

http://www.atheist-experience.com/

That weekly fun call-in show gets bumped 2x a year for the likes of Mormon Gen Conf.

Sometimes life is just not fair!

Even a a TBM, I used to suspect that they used drone voices intentionally in the hopes of hypnotizing the masses. The problem was that they were not hypnotists, so they ended up just putting people to sleep.

I am sure that if we take a gander at the Nov. Ensign it will be the same old BS as it ever was.

I wonder if they will have any female ethnic speakers this year? You know, just so the ladies in TSCC can see how progressive the morg is.

I hated Gen Conf when I was TBM. What a snooze. When I was told about it I was pretty excited to see it at first. I just ended up falling asleep. What a great nap!

raptorjesus wrote: "What does it say about god, when the church he's supposed to be "leading" can't say anything new?"

I nearly spewed my drink. That was awesome! you're right! for a church with revelation, nothing seems to get revealed, unless it's about earrings.

good one, raptorjesus! You made me belly laugh. LOL!

Bam! Just when you think nothing new will happen... They are going to say... Go ahead guys, we've reinstated polygamy. Its no longer illegal.

For now the biggest "revelation" I can remember is GBH saying women should only have one piercing in each ear.

But because they are not, God with-holds new revelation and gives us reminders.

Even when I was a TBM I always saw that as a cop-out. In the early days, revelation poured like rain, whether the saints were ready or not.

The real reason I think, is that their words will be written down and they'll have to stick to it, instead of having the liberties they enjoy now.