Radio Free Mormon: 233: The Brad Wilcox Imbroglio

Incisive as always RFM. I hope the below makes sense, at least more sense than Brad…

I did some checking and Brad Wilcox’s degrees are:
Bachelor’s (elementary education) and master’s degrees (teaching and learning) from BYU and his doctorate (curriculum and instruction with a focus in literacy) from the University of Wyoming. He then became a professor at BYU, first in the Teacher Education Department, and then in 2016 in the Department of Ancient Scripture. He has no educational credentials to be teaching in the Department of Ancient Scripture, other than he is a popular speaker. This is now the path for BYU Religious Studies faculty. Education and knowledge are not as important as CES credentials and indoctrination abilities. https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fbrightspotcdn.byu.edu%2F29%2Fdb%2F2afa5bbb08a7cde881e03bf4c002%2F679346706-cv-attachment.doc&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK

Based on his talk, I think he fits the mold of the majority of the brethren who are not theologians. They pick and choose nuggets here and there without understanding the entire setting. For example, the happiness letter is regularly mined by the brethren for nuggets without understanding it is a plea to a polygamous wife to “ease his pain” and help JS “go the distance”.

Brad is a popular speaker who has honed his message based on the filtered feedback from repeated presentations. Does he even care if it makes sense? John Bytheway has said and written similar things. The whispered voice is reminiscent of Jim Gaffigan. Here a little, there a little. He is animated and next to the brethren, who pretty much all preach dirges, has a better presentation. No more sensical, but better. The big question is how many of the youth internalize and become indoctrinated? https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/ShowRatings.jsp?tid=607827

Whether Brad is still paid for these appearances as a general officer is unknown. Prior to his call, he was paid for speaking plus expenses. How else does a BYU professor, amass the following (unless this website is “ludicrous speed” wrong and has “gone to plaid”):
https://wikibious.com/brad-wilcox/
Monthly Income/Salary (approx.) $80K – $85k USD
Net Worth (approx.) $4 million- $6 million USD
BYU associate professors are not paid anywhere close to $1 million per year. TSCC is too cheap for that.

First off……the whole idea of “women are so special they don’t even need the priesthood” is not doctrinal, even by LDS standards. It’s a philosophy of a man, no more. I defy anyone to present a scriptural basis to support Brad’s assertion here. Brad is merely satiating women by appealing to their egos.

Second, here’s something that I haven’t seen anyone else comment on:

Older versions of the temple endowment illuminate quite clearly why women can enter the temple without priesthood…..BECAUSE THEY ACCESS GOD AND HIS POWER (aka priesthood) THROUGH THEIR HUSBANDS. The LDS temple endowment has always been replete with evidence for this.

For example, women used to covenant to their husbands, rather than directly to God.

The first time an lds bride passes through the veil, she is quizzed and permitted to enter by her husband-to-be.

RFM, do you have other examples of how the LDS temple covenants force women to access God only through their husbands?

Brad is merely twisting the narrative to provide plausible answers to difficult questions…..and ignoring contrary evidence and bygone teachings.

To sum up his talk “I don’t want to live in a world where I can’t feel superior to others.”