Bill Reel and RFM will dive into Mormon Gaslighting. They will discuss the psychology of gaslighting, discuss its origin, and then delve into a handful of examples among the hundreds that could be explored and conclude discussing the harm that comes to the one being gaslit.
RESOURCES:
https://mormonismlive.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Gaslighting-Examples.pdf
Movie Gaslight – https://youtu.be/UYmtzaHwCKo?t=828
Elder Ballard not knowing where Baptism invitations after the first discussion came from – https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-and-ministry/2019-06-26/president-ballard-said-missionaries-shouldnt-invite-people-to-be-baptized-without-feeling-the-spirit-heres-why-701
Where Baptism invitations after the first discussion came from – https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/bc/content/shared/content/english/pdf/language-materials/36617_eng.pdf
Mormons not getting their own planet – https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fnews-ca.churchofjesuschrist.org%2Farticle%2Fmormonism-101-faq%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR0V8Q2Ti4xp1oUJ5-xDnOrGE5oBxaP43_fLetCr31Z1Qc5n3Rhm0KlDuds&h=AT3P_IMMUNCvo18LtNAbs3zw8i7Y2LAgJk_b9y80Mw8AyOhEtDsWgZYsVoDVIM1CKJYoiKjPq3FWgcb1yhFOokdzL3D9Nh2brA5WfewMZSXAHX4UFB4loc4s4ob1hdz4XO0
Mormons getting their own planet – https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/broadcasts/article/christmas-devotional/2018/12/four-gifts-that-jesus-christ-offers-to-you?lang=eng
Mormons getting their own planet – https://youtu.be/sd52qp2mxC8?t=941
Mormons getting their own planet – https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/bc/content/shared/content/english/pdf/language-materials/31129_eng.pdf
Ronald Poelman 1984 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qIr30dtCvo
Mormonism has never been racist – https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2000/09/no-more-strangers?lang=eng
Mormonism’s Racism – https://www.mormonstories.org/other/Lowry_Nelson_1st_Presidency_Exchange.pdf
Mormonism’s Racism – https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/answers/Mormonism_and_racial_issues/Blacks_and_the_priesthood/Statements#1949
Mormonism’s Racism – https://missedinsunday.com/memes/race/pure-blood/
Mormonism’s Racism – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_people_and_Mormonism
Elder Oaks laughing about hiding the 1832 account and Elder Ballard saying we never hid anything – https://youtu.be/Uj2VWhuW50w?t=2849
Weird Alma Song Gaslighting – https://weirdalma.bandcamp.com/track/gaslighting
Spencer Kimball Gaslighting about Adam-God Doctrine – https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/answers/Mormonism_and_doctrine/Repudiated_concepts/Adam-God_theory?fbclid=IwAR2v60FTK6jT1Imxro1VKvhPXOx8e2HXftteH2t5iOlk2_TkRbxaxTrbFCE
Bruce R McConkie Gaslighting regarding Adam-God – https://faenrandir.github.io/a_careful_examination/bruce-r-mcconkie-misled-on-adam-god/
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Growing up in Provo across the street from BYU, I’ve come to believe that lying for the Lord is a gospel principle. Although I have multiple experiences to backup my claim, there is one that stands out in my mind.
After my mission in 1982, I came across a master thesis written in on the origins of the Adam God Theory written in 1953. It was on the 4th floor (religion) in the Harold B Lee Library written by Rodney Turner who according to BYU’s website became a religion teacher there in 1956. It caught my eye because SwK gave a talk denouncing Adam God theory and Mark E. Peterson published a book claiming that BY never taught it.
This thesis had so much primary material clearly showing that BY taught Adam God that decided to confront the professor who wrote the thesis. So I looked up Turner’s home address and drove to his house. I first asked Turner if I interpreted his thesis correctly which left zero space for any doubt that BY taught Adam God. Turner assured me that I did. I then asked Turner how Peterson could write such a book in spite of so much counter information, he replied that Peterson must not have or know it.
That day I visited a good friend who had regular contact with Truman Madsen to tell him my experience with Turner. My friend laughed at me. Madsen had assured my friend that the Q15 are not clueless, but rather are quite informed but as needed they lie for the Lord.
A few decades later when Brent Metcalfe was on Mormon Stories, he told of a time when he talked to Peterson about his book. Peterson stopped Brent, admitted that BY taught Adam God, but that he had to lie about it so that members don’t become fundamentalists.
This is just a single example of the Q15 lying for the Lord, read Arrington’s biography to get a taste how normal it is for them.
Great show and important topic on Mormonism Live.
VFanRJ, thanks for sharing that story. “Lying for the Lord” is a quintessential trait of cult behavior wherein defending the standing of “men” in the organization is the highest priority. Of course this priority is argued as being God’s will.
One of the great gaslighters of the Church is Pres. Oaks. Some years ago he gave a talk titled “Where will this lead?” He also gave a talk titled “Good, better, best”. Both talks are used today to justify everything church leaders do as being for the best! They can do no wrong because, as we know from their talks, they are wise and prescient.
You mention BYU and this brings up another example of the willingness to deceive. When BYU officials were asked why they didn’t sell caffeinated soft drinks, remember the answer? It wasn’t because of doctrine. It wasn’t because they don’t want to. It was “there is no demand.”
If an organization is so willing to deceive about inconsequential things, how much are they lying about things of real consequence?