Sunday, December 23, 2012

The General Conference of the LDS Church is happening next weekend and as is often the case with these events there are rumors surrounding it. One website (some guys blog so not the best source) is reporting that Apostle "Russell M. Nelson has announced to a number of Stake Presidents that President Thomas S. Monson has received a revelation that will affect every man, woman, and child in the church. This revelation is supposed to be announced in the upcoming general conference." This would hardly be worth mentioning were it not for others rumors that Monson is suffering from Alzheimer's disease, rumors whose plausibility is bolstered by Monson's unusual public absences in recent months. The Church President did not attend the recent SLC Pioneer Day parade as he usually does, and was absent both from the Buenos Aires temple rededication as well as the Brigham City temple dedication, he has also not be confirmed for the upcoming temple rededication in Boise Idaho. Even more interestingly while Monson did attended his recent 85th birthday bash at the Conference Center, the usually verbose octogenarian did not speak at the event, but rather a pre-recorded thank you from the man was played while he was in the room. Also I am unable to locate anything on the Church website that will confirm he is to speak at conference.

If President Monson is suffering from Alzheimer's the revelation rumors could be related to a possible announcement related to that fact. It may be that First Presidency members Eyring and Uchtdorf are to pick up added responsibilities in the running of the Church much as Gordon B. Hinckley did in the later years of both the Kimball and Benson presidencies. It is also not inconceivable that a President Emeritus position might be in the works, as exists in the former Reorganized LDS Church. This could result in the Packer presidency much feared by church liberals. Then there is the whole Mitt Romney factor. Anyway all this has me more interested in the upcoming conference then I have been in some time, I wonder what's going to happen.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Mormon Chronicle

British Film Council Archive of Short Films

Internet Archive Digital Library

Monday, July 2, 2012

The Mormon Name Generator

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Yep, looks like Romney finally got the long sought nomination, thus fulfilling (in part) the family dream. For a lot of Mormons, and I'm sure some others, this is a pretty significant event. There is in Mormon culture this long standing quest for legitimacy, for recognition, respect, and success from/in the very "world" we are told to be "in but not of". A Mormon President would mean 'they' can't say we're fringe anymore, and that's a driving force for a lot of Mormon yearning for a Romney victory, that and a combination of scripture/tradition/ego that says Mormons are suppose to save the country (and the world).

I myself have some problems with Romney, not least of which would have to be his seeming falseness. He embodies a lot of what people most dislike about Mormonism. He won't be pined down, he's amorphous, seems to be one thing one minute and then something else the next, your sure your not getting the whole story from him, that he's not been entirely straight with you, and that's even compensating for the extent to which you'd normally expect a politician to not be entirely straight with you. He's a weather vain (same thing many Mormon's hated Clinton for). He can say contradictory things with equal conviction, and not understand why you don't believe him. Ohh, there's a lot of thing I could say about Mitt Romney.

There's low enthusiasm for Romney, but there's also a fired up anti-Obama base, so maybe? Solid red Evangelical states he'll carry because there just not going to vote for Obama, though voter turn out may be low. Also remember large Evangelical populations in swing states like Colorado and Nevada are used to voting for Mormons on occasion. Mitt can shift center enough to really compete for some swing states, but the determining factor between now and November is of course the economy. I think that if the economy is reasonably okay 'undecides' will probably prefer to go for Obama, but if it really stinks....

Anyway, a Romney presidency is not something I'd be over enthusiastic about, but I'd give him a chance to win me over.
Oh and by the way, I found this blog entry full of comments from Mormons reminiscing about there experiences with Jehovah's Witnesses, thought you might find it interesting: http://bycommonconsent.com/2010/06/16/studying-with-the-jehovahs-witnesses/