I recently read some comments on a blog where a TBM stated that the cojcolds doesn't keep secrets. Well, we all know that they sure do. They keep their financial records secret, their temple rituals are supposed to be secret (but they aren't anymore), their membership numbers (active members, not dead ones) are secret, and the countless embarrassing doctrines and quotes from past authorities are "behind us" i.e. "let's pretend they don't exist."

What other secrets do they keep?

What they are invested in, business holdings.

They have kept, and continue to keep BIG secrets about the founders of mormonism.

The way they "defend" the "outing" of their secrets is that anyone outside of mormonism couldn't possibly understand the sacredness of what goes on inside the temple by simple reading it, or seeing iton YouTube. :)

The hierarchy certainly keep secrets - granite vault/no financial transparency etc

The members on the other hand do not - personal info on people shared in ward council/bishopric meetings etc

Most of them lie during temple interviews.

A lot of bishops and stake presidents have and are having affairs that are kept under wraps.

Etc.

"The secret of masonry is to keep a secret"
Joseph Smith, Jr., Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, selected by Joseph Fielding Smith, (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1976), 329

see also, DC 45:72 for a revelation to do something secretly before the world finds out and can do nothing to stop it.



"The reason we do not have the secrets of the Lord revealed unto us, is because we do not keep them but reveal them; we do not keep our own secrets, but reveal our difficulties to the world, even to our enemies, then how would we keep the secrets of the Lord? I can keep a secret till Doomsday"

Joseph Smith, Jr., Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, selected by Joseph Fielding Smith, (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1976), 194–195,

They blab about things that they should keep secret. The bishop blabs about your perceived sins to his counselors and to the PEC members, they blab to their wives, it gets blabbed in welfare meeting, and if they have nothing on you they make it up, anyway.

Never tell anything personal to any Mormon, not even your bishop.

In a letter to President John Taylor in 1887, Charles W. Penrose expressed concern that "the endless subterfuges and prevarications which our present condition impose ... threaten to make our rising generation a race of deceivers."

(Solemn Covenant, p. 368)

LDS secrets:

Membership #s
Activity #s
Income
Properties
Expenses
Resignation records
Excommunication records
Internal BYU policies
Corporate jobs held by 1st Prez, Apostles, Q70
History regarding polygamy
MMM history
Some volumes of The Handbook of Instructions
The temple ceremonies
History regarding Carthage jail
Smith's arrest records
The kirtland bank scandal
Some things in the Journal of Discourses
Some genealogy records
Danite activities
The strengthening members committee (or whatever it's called)

And more.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/23/2012 09:39AM by Jesus Smith.

They don't clearly list who has been dead dunked, who submitted the name, or who performed the ordinances.

Heavenly Mother
Contents of the vault of the President
garments
Strengthening the Members committee
Baptism for the dead records are now being shut off from the world

Polygamy was not announced to the members until after they walked to Utah - 1854, I think. They had no idea why BY wanted to take them so far. It wasn't announced to European members until then either. It was lied about repeatedly.

History of the Church, vol. 6, pg. 411 (May 1844)
"What a thing it is for a man to be accused of committing adultery, and having seven wives, when I can only find one."

He had 33 wives by then. There were about 1000 top tier members in polygamy by then - in secret.

Everything contained in the vault of the first presidency

I always found it wierd/cultish that callings were always to be kept hush-hush. "Don't tell anybody about this untill we announce it". If you were the one being called, you felt guilty even telling your spouse. If you were in "leadership" and "in the know"about the inspired (ugh) calling you were to keep it to yourself. I really think part of this culture is so they can spring it on the unsuspecting minion. You know...an ambush. So your reaction is a knee jerk, "sure I'll accept" because that is what you are brainwashed to do, without even thinking about how it will affect your life and family.

OK - my story. When I was a young, 30 something, father, prominent professional in our community. I was ambushed at church by the Stake President (who was my YM leader as a youth) and he took me in a room to call me to the High Council. It really was a bad time in my life. New baby, two others under 4 y.o., new practice, building a house, etc. I turned him down!!! At the time I was doubting after serving for four years as YM President with no advisors the majority of the time. But I used the "time with family excuse". So as I left the room to attend meetings, a few people (who I assumed had been in Ward Council that morning) in the hallway stopped me to congratulate me on my "new calling". I just kind of mumbled. Um-hum and kept on going!!! I think it really was a shock to the SP and Bishop that I didn't take it.

- GA salaries
- Procedures for appointments
- Underwear
- Involvement in fighting gay rights

They will certainly claim it as being sacred, but if there are no secrets, they should be able to tell you the name given to them while they were in the temple as well as the handshakes.