A Question about the 14 Fundamentals . . .

[Sky]

I never had a problem with the concept that a living prophet is more important to us than a dead one

[cinepro]

Apparently Edward L. Kimball told this to D. Michael Quinn in August 1992. Further, President Kimball's wife Camille described "his displeasure with the speech" to her brother-in-law George T. Boyd, and Boyd told Quinn about it in September 1992. (The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power.)

They say that Pres. Kimball was so upset by Elder Benson's speech that he demanded that he apologize to the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve. Elder Benson's apology didn't seem sincere, so President Kimball made him apologize to the entire body of the General Authorities, too!

Or so I hear...

Honestly, that story would be much easier to believe if the Church hadn't subsequently published the talk in The Liahona. It seems a little odd.

[Duncan]

Honestly, that story would be much easier to believe if the Church hadn't subsequently published the talk in The Liahona. It seems a little odd.

This is what it says in Edward Kimball's recent bio on his father,

"Many people looked for political meessages where none may have been intended. In Feb, 1980, Elder Benson gave a talk at Brigham Young University titled, "Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet". It emphasized that the living prophets' statements take precedence over those of earlier prophets, he also asserted, "Those who would remove prophets from politics would take God out of government" (Footnote) "The talk may have been an impassioned response to a full page anti-Mormon advertisment in the Salt Lake tribune two days, trumpeting inconsistencies between latter-day prophets"

Spencer was concerned about the talk. He wanted to prevent any misconception that the Church espoused ultraconservative poltics and wanted to discourage an unthinking follow the leader menatlity (Footnote) "Camilla speculated that if one of the other apostles had given the same talk there would have been much less reaction" Church spokesman Don Lefevre told the press the day after the speech that it is "simply not true" that the Church President's word is law on all issues including politics" the uproar continued, however, and a week later Pres. Kimball and his counselors issued another statement to "reaffirm that we exercise no constraint on the freedom of individuals to make thier own choices in these matters"

p160-161