FP news conference

[Wonderment]

The biggest thing I noticed is that they really have nothing to offer. At such a point, a change in leadership and a news conference, you would expect them to try and present some sense of vision, a sense of direction, some idea of what they find important and meaningful. A CEO would be prepared with his vision for the company and how he feels they could grow and succeed.

These FP members had nothing. Empty statements. Other than meaningless platitudes, they offered nothing during their scripted statements. They demonstrated no indication of being prepared for the questions. The ones about LGBT people and women should not have been unexpected, if they allowed for open, unscripted questions, yet they didn't appear to have any preparation. They just rambled on about LGBT people without saying anything. They completely missed Peggy's question about women until her follow-up, "What about women?", when they pandered to women in extremely patriarchal fashion. In the age of #MeToo and The Silence Breakers that comes across as very out-of-touch and irrelevant.

This is no way to attract new members, and I think it hastens the church's fade into obscurity. It is not how a robust or vital leadership group would comport themselves, IMO. - Wndr

[LostGirl]

“Young men and young women are stronger when they marry [and are in a relationship] that the Lord ordains,” Oaks said.

Jaw hit the floor at this point

I love the women

Palm hit the face

Out of all of it I think the non-discussion about how to involve women more was the most frustrating part for me.

But I found the whole thing a bit odd.

[slavereeno]

I kept listening for actual answers. Did anyone hear actual answers? They just patronized every group that a question was about and rambled on about stuff.

Q: "What about LGBT issues?"
A: "God loves his children, and uh, also has laws"

Q: "What about the women?"
A: "I have a special place in my heart for you... what was the question? oh yeah, uh... We love the women, they can be great moms"

Q: "What about Brazil"
A: "We love the people of Brazil, they are great..."

[FiveFingerMnemonic]

Their most celebrated accomplishments seem to be that they've lived a long time and had lots of progeny.

Well... Both Nelson and Oaks are celestial polygamists too, so there's that.

'... At first I thought it was telling but as the conference wore on Eyring added unprompted input. ...

Honestly, I thought Eyring looked like he was in La-La-Land for a bunch of the time. When they initially panned over to the "FP table" after the intro, he was literally staring off into space, with his mouth agape for way longer than I was comfortable with. No-one was close enough to elbow him in the ribs to wake him from his stupor of thought, but I wish someone would have...

I also noticed the Eyring mouth agape face! Really strange. I was worried he might be having a stroke.

[Jeffret]

I kept listening for actual answers. Did anyone hear actual answers? They just patronized every group that a question was about and rambled on about stuff.

But it didn't appear like they were trying to avoid the questions they didn't like. They did that to all of the questions, those that were kindly towards them and those that addressed controversial issues where they've been criticized. No matter the question, they didn't have any answers and they just rambled, usually only loosely at best connected to the question.

With Peggy's question about women, they just completely forgot what she had asked after Nelson got done praising Peggy's family. Certainly that's a very patriarchal thing to do. Talk about who the woman is related to, define her that way, and not actually deal with anything she says or does. What is essential is that is not a cognitive thought, that is just the strongly reinforced behavioral pattern that has existed for a long time. But, by the time Nelson was done, they just rambled on about something totally unconnected. It didn't look at like they were trying to avoid the question. When they paused and Peggy shouted out, "What about women?", they did actually say quite a bit about women. All of it was totally out-of-date, tone-deaf, misogynistic, patriarchal, and dismissive of women as fully capable humans, but they rambled on quite a bit.

Of course, Nelson didn't just do that women, he also started of in similar fashion with one of the men. He didn't ramble on it quite as long in that case, so he didn't get as lost and his answer wasn't totally disconnected, though it still went nowhere.

The counselors mostly just paid attention to Nelson and their colleague and not to the questioner.

I'm beginning to think my initial assessment was too kind -- it was worse than a train wreck. It really showed what they are like.

[wtfluff]

Honestly, I thought Eyring looked like he was in La-La-Land for a bunch of the time. When they initially panned over to the "FP table" after the intro, he was literally staring off into space, with his mouth agape for way longer than I was comfortable with. No-one was close enough to elbow him in the ribs to wake him from his stupor of thought, but I wish someone would have...

I also noticed the Eyring mouth agape face! Really strange. I was worried he might be having a stroke.

Folks are stating that Eyring's actions could be a sign of Alzheimer's / Dementia / other nasty, old-age cognitive issues, and unfortunately that makes sense.

I sure hope not. I hate watching the institution continue to parade them around like puppets as their cognitive facilities fade. They should be spending those waning moments with their families, not working for a giant real-estate corporation...

[slavereeno]

Oaks answering about church history: (direct quote)

I think its important when we look back on the history of the church, which I have been reading and studying all of my adult life, uh, its a great comfort to me, to know that I don't have to take the statement or actions of one particular leader as expressive of the doctrine and expectations of the church. We don't believe in infallibility of our leaders. What we believe in, is the organization the church has set in place, with multiple prophets, seers, and revelators, and with a council system. Here sit the quorum of the twelve, we'll be working closely with them in the course of our, of our, responsibilities, and in council. We all in an independent spirit, individually praying for guidance from the Lord, we sit as the Lord's servants, to define the doctrine of the church, and the expectations of the church, under the leadership of the president of the church, we meet in council to determine the direction of the church, and the, what are called, int the world, the policies of the church. Some of those things called policies are doctrine and, some of them are practices, and some of them are temporary directions like the age of missionary service, but they come out of a council. And in addition, I would remind those who worry about the things you've asked about, very appropriately, when it comes to transparency, by the action of this council, we have published the Joseph Smith Papers. On the desk in my office, are those published thus far, and the, they occupy a space approximately uh, a yard and still increasing. If we weren't interested in transparency, we wouldn't be publishing all the papers of the prophet Joseph Smith, and the documents that came out of the founding of this restored church.

so is the message: "anything you don't like was just a foible of man?"

[Jeffret]

so is the message: "anything you don't like was just a foible of man?"

Yup. Same thing I just commented on, though I used more words, over on this thread: New presidency same old church

[Jeffret]

so is the message: "anything you don't like was just a foible of man?"

Yup. Same thing I just commented on, though I used more words, over on this thread: New presidency same old church

Keep in mind, though, that is just his opinion, so we shouldn't take it seriously. It never came out of a council.

[Enough]

I also noticed the Eyring mouth agape face! Really strange. I was worried he might be having a stroke.

I noticed this, too. In my profession, I see a lot of people with neurocognitive disorders, including people with “dementia.” It definitely concerned me...seeing HBE in this condition.. whether medication-induced or otherwise...I do not know. But, it doesn’t look good.

I, too, went to a “pretty good school”. I noticed that something is going on with President Eyring. I feel a lot of compassion for him and his family— especially now when he continues to be forefront in the public’s eye. No one should have to live through this, especially in his/her “Golden Years”. I wish that it was different.

[oliver_denom]

I sure hope not. I hate watching the institution continue to parade them around like puppets as their cognitive facilities fade. They should be spending those waning moments with their families, not working for a giant real-estate corporation...

The whole thing really seems like it has a life of its own. The perpetrators become their own victims. They spend their whole lives obeying, and when they get to the top, they're too incapacitated to be anything except the symbol everyone else uses as a model for obedience. It's one of those weird Buddhist meditations where you realize that there is no self, it's all an illusion.

[Hagoth]

If I call that a train wreck, am I being too kind?

I think it will depend greatly on who is observing. TBM's will bear testimony of the strength they exhibited. To others, they will be remembered as easily distracted and confused.

That's my conclusion too. It was a wonderful outpouring of God's spirit if you listened with your right hand twitching to sustain at the first possible opportunity, and a complete WTF moment with the blinders off.

[Hagoth]

I kept listening for actual answers. Did anyone hear actual answers? They just patronized every group that a question was about and rambled on about stuff.

But it didn't appear like they were trying to avoid the questions they didn't like. They did that to all of the questions, those that were kindly towards them and those that addressed controversial issues where they've been criticized.

If they gave any actual answers they would set a precedent about what an actual answer looks like and people would notice that the rest were dodges. Better to keep the playing field even. What I'm wondering is if this was an actual game plan. Did they mutually agree that they were going to keep it as fluffy and evasive as possible, or are they truly incapable of producing an answer that even passes their own test about what makes a satisfying answer?

[RubinHighlander]

Honestly, I thought Eyring looked like he was in La-La-Land for a bunch of the time. When they initially panned over to the "FP table" after the intro, he was literally staring off into space, with his mouth agape for way longer than I was comfortable with. No-one was close enough to elbow him in the ribs to wake him from his stupor of thought, but I wish someone would have...

I know, right?! It was so weird I thought the video had froze. Nope...just Eyring's brain for a minute.

EyringFace.jpg (63.23 KiB) Viewed 13876 times

I swear that dude (Eyring) was on some drugs or something; I can't get over the look on his face! Then there was that big long awkward pause at the beginning when the moderator turned it over to the FP, like their teleprompters were not working or they were waiting for some kind of a queue from the camera man to tell them it was okay to move. Did anyone else see RMN nearly pick his nose? Thank Joseph it was only a scratch! I felt embarrassed for the church, so many cringe worthy moments, but like many here have said, TBMs didn't perceive it that way.

[slavereeno]

Its odd, this presidency transition... Its the first time I feel truly detached from the President of the church. Its the first time I am thinking that he's just a guy, and not "my prophet"

[Kishkumen]

[wtfluff]

Holy S***!!!

That is all...

[Corsair]

Where will you be when the shrooms kick in?

[Jeffret]

Interesting follow-on story: What was with all the leaning, laughing and touching during the new Mormon leaders’ debut? Body-language experts explain.

[StarbucksMom]

I feel like Dallin Oaks correcting the prophet--who seems pretty capable mentally-is kind of unprecedented. Has anyone seen this before? I've always seen a ton of adoration laden talks and sentiments for the prophets by the other 14. Maybe since Dallin knows he will be taking over soon (and he's power hungry) he just doesn't care?

Personally, I think we should all fasten our seatbelts, because Dallin is going to drive the church further into the ground with both his extreme hate of gays and his pure stupidity. He really just doesn't get it.