To Spencer...

[shanstress70]

Just curious why Grant Palmer is a topic that is not allowed. He is still LDS, and has always been quite involved in the church. Can't we discuss?

[Spencer]

Has nothing to do with that. Send me a pm if you would like to know more.

Spencer

[StrawberryFields]

So sad.

To know what we know, then loose it all.

[shanstress70]

I don't think he has lost anything. I think it he is just trying to be realistic about it in his own mind. He still believes that the BoM was inspired, but just not as literally as some think. He also thinks that the story has been changed some over the years.

[Outshined]

I have yet to see any evidence that his hearing is about his book, or that he is asking to be made such a spectacle. A lot of people sticking their noses into a private matter...

[Snow]

I spoke with him at Sunstone a year and a half ago. Though he remained active it sure seemed to me that he was an apostate. He openly maintained, in essence, that JS was a liar in matters of the restoration. His book had been out for some time and he said that his bishop and stake president hadn't said much of anything to him - like they didn't care much. Seems like something must have changed or maybe he has a new stake president but likely, based on my impression of him, he is becoming more vocal in his criticism of the Church.

Personally I don't think he adds much to an intelligent discussion. His story is that he taught faithfully in the CES for what, 30 years, AND THEN studied some Church History and decided it was bogus??? He has to say that because if he said that he knew said Church History and continued to teach orthodoxy he didn't believe in for all those years while drawing a paycheck from a Church he thought was lying then that would make him a hypocrite and worse.

I looked at one of those defend Grant Palmer websites that lamment that the Church is about to punish one of its own and that's so horrible. Garbage! The ones that raise such a stink are enemies of the Church, exmo's, who are either ex'd themselves or asked their names to be removed. Their motives are far less than honest

[Guest JRodan]

I am in complete agreement with Jeffrey Anderson's letter to the editor. Indeed, no good will come of all this stirring up of trouble.

http://sltrib.com/opinion/ci_2483981

An internal matter

The publicity regarding pending church disciplinary proceedings for Grant Palmer, author of An Insider's View of Mormon Origins, is misdirected. This is an internal matter of the LDS Church, directed in accordance with established bylaws, and need not be the subject of public scrutiny and debate.

The LDS Church has every right to control the speech of its adherents. Parallels to the Roman Catholic Church's discipline of Galileo or Henry VIII's treatment of Sir Thomas More are completely unwarranted, since Brother Palmer is not threatened with jail or beheading. Further, Galileo and Sir Thomas More are generally believed to have exercised their speech in good conscience, stating opinions based on reasoned scholarship rather than a desire to attack their church.

Grant Palmer only claims to have acted in good conscience by presenting publicly available historical documents. This cannot be determined by reading his book, but only by discerning his motives through established disciplinary procedures. As an active LDS member, I hope the media will resist the temptation to treat this case as common censorship or restriction of intellectual freedom.

After all, wouldn't it be better if we all just thought alike instead of stirring up trouble? No good will come of it.

Jeffrey Anderson

Salt Lake City

[Snow]

Well he was justa misfellowshipped:

http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,5951...5111992,00.html

[EmmaLeigh]

That's a kinda scary photo...

Interesting... I'm interested in reading the book, though, and it was the media attention that brought it to my eye...