On the May 17, 2023 episode of Mormonism Live, a listener named Justin called into the show.
Justin identified himself as a believing Mormon. I took the opportunity to ask Justin a series of questions about his beliefs regarding what a prophet could do that would be so bad that Justin would no longer consider him a prophet.
A number of listeners have provided feedback to that segment that was highly critical of the way I conducted myself.
This episode is my response to that listener feedback.
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I heard the criticized podcast. I liked hearing RFM throw logic around like he’s some kind of free thinker.
Firmly in the camp of Counselor in the David O. McKay Presidency, J. Reuben Clark, isn’t he?
“If we have the truth, it cannot be harmed by investigation. If we have not the truth, it ought to be harmed.”
— D. Michael Quinn, “J. Reuben Clark The Church Years”, p 24. Provo (UT): Brigham Young University Press; https://smile.amazon.com/J-Reuben-Clark-Church-Years/dp/0842521372 )
I heard the exchange live while it was happening and thought it was intense but not extreme or inappropriate.
In context, the reference to the Lafferties was taking Justin to the logical conclusion of his position using a real-world example, nothing more. In fact, using the Steven Hassan model you could have also used David Miscavage, David Koresh, or Jim Jones (all of whom have advocated and used violence against dissent members and oppositional outsiders) rather than a Mormon case study and still been well within reasonable boundaries.
I have also noticed that many Ex-Mormons still tend to hold to well-known patterns of Mormon discomfort and opposition to normal confrontation as the culture instills a high regard for Passive Aggression even those they’re out of Mormonism. This was noted well by researcher Michael Stevens:
“I often observe that mainstream LDS Church members along the Wasatch Front have a difficult time confronting any form of disagreement, even when they are clearly uncomfortable or unhappy with what’s being discussed or decided. It’s as if they were conflating all forms of disagreement or conflict with contention. This would be consistent with an overly simplistic reading of 3 Nephi 11:29:
For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.
If all conflict is viewed as the functional equivalent of having the “spirit of contention,” what options are left to a person who disagrees, or sees things differently, or who has goals and interests different from the rest of the community? How can one raise objections or question and challenge others, or raise unpleasant topics, if doing so is tantamount to being in league with Beelzebub? If one’s view of all conflict is that it must be avoided so as to avoid contention, then there is no direct, healthy, constructive strategy available for resolving conflicts and disagreements.”
(Michael J. Stevens, “Passive-aggression among the Latter-day Saints”; Sunstone Magazine, April 2013)
I have dubbed this dynamic “POMI” Mormonism – as in, “Physically Out Mentally In” Mormonism.
So, in the end, RFM, I think that the delayed reaction in the Post-Mormon Community has said more about the hard reality of POMI Mormonism than anything else.
You did well, Counsellor. Keep up the great work!
I loved how you chased Justin, RFM! They were playing the stupid games that people played with me all through my childhood and I it was so cathartic to watch someone get raked over the coals the way I felt when they messed with my young mind with their word salad.
Listening to Justin’s comments again, he says something like “the church is allowed to go astray and God has to bring them back in line.” So the SEC is doing God’s will here on Earth, then, is it? The SEC and the US government are closer to God than the Mormon church is?
It seems like the claims of the church don’t stand up in such an analysis. If they’re the specials who are closest to God, and we’re supposed to give them special treatment because of that, this situation should be IMPOSSIBLE. But it happened. Justin said it happened, so the church’s claims are irrational, ergo, you don’t need rational responses to dismiss them.