Quoting Exed Ga'S

[Duncan]

if you wanted to use a quotation from say Elder Richard R. Lyman or George P. Lee or some other exed or dropped General Authority should you or could you? Now I don't think most members would even know that Elder So and So did or said whatever but some might, what do you think?

Sorry! The title should read GAs!

Edited August 3, 2011 by Duncan

[One Clear Voice]

if you wanted to use a quotation from say Elder Richard R. Lyman or George P. Lee or some other exed or dropped General Authority should you or could you? Now I don't think most members would even know that Elder So and So did or said whatever but some might, what do you think?

Sorry! The title should read GAs!

As long as it is used in a tone of Righteousness, I see no problem. Sometimes they repent and come back and are forgiven.

[kolipoki09]

if you wanted to use a quotation from say Elder Richard R. Lyman or George P. Lee or some other exed or dropped General Authority should you or could you? Now I don't think most members would even know that Elder So and So did or said whatever but some might, what do you think?

Sorry! The title should read GAs!

Lyman repented and had his blessings restored after a 20+ year polygamous relationship. Lee never went apostate until the Church began phasing out the Indian Placement program and hadn't spoken in General Conference in the four years leading up to it.

For the most part, most ex'd GA's seem to have not lost their faith in the restoration, though many came to believe that Joseph Smith or others had become fallen prophets.

[Libs]

For the most part, most ex'd GA's seem to have not lost their faith in the restoration, though many came to believe that Joseph Smith or others had become fallen prophets.

Really? That's interesting.

I didn't even know there had been any GA's excommunicated (at least, not recently).

[David T]

Even though he was one of the most prolific and influential writers and speakers in earliest Mormonism, how often do you hear Sidney Rigdon quoted in Church publications? Or even see him in church-produced movies? (He appears to have been completely left out of the Prophet of the Restoration film).

[kolipoki09]

Even though he was one of the most prolific and influential writers and speakers in earliest Mormonism, how often do you hear Sidney Rigdon quoted in Church publications? Or even see him in church-produced movies? (He appears to have been completely left out of the Prophet of the Restoration film).

Disclaimer: *Pure, unadulterated speculation - offered by a former GA, mission president, and Executive Director of the Church Historical Department*

(Paraphrased): We would likely see more of Sidney Rigdon had he not apostatized. It is possible that the Lectures on Faith, which were written mostly by the hand of Sidney himself, would have retained their status in Latter-day Saint canon.

Of this episode, Thomas Alexander has noted:

... Revision (of the Doctrine and Covenants) continued through July and August 1921, and the Church printed the new edition in late 1921. The committee proposed to delete the "Lectures on Faith" on the grounds that they were "lessons prepared for use in the School of the Elders, conducted in Kirtland, Ohio, during the winter of 1834-35; but they were never presented to nor accepted by the Church as being otherwise than theological lectures or lessons." How the committee came to this conclusion is uncertain. The general conference of the Church in April 1835 had accepted the entire volume, including the Lectures, not simply the portion entitled "Covenants and Commandments," as authoritative and binding upon Church members. What seems certain, however, is that the interpretive exegesis of 1916 based upon the reconstructed doctrine of the Godhead had superseded the Lectures...

[alter idem]

if you wanted to use a quotation from say Elder Richard R. Lyman or George P. Lee or some other exed or dropped General Authority should you or could you? Now I don't think most members would even know that Elder So and So did or said whatever but some might, what do you think?

Sorry! The title should read GAs!

George P. Lee-I wouldn't. With the direction his life has taken, I think it's best to not bring him up at all.

I think in general, I'd avoid them--however, I might use a quote by a general authority who had been excommunicated but had returned. We do sometimes quote people who fell away but returned, like Oliver Cowdery or WW Phelps. I think some who fell away and didn't return can be quoted also, such as David Whitmer, but it really depends on the context and subject.

[rpn]

Corollary question. Can you even FIND George P. Lee's talks (or for that matter Paul H. Dunn's) talks online to quote?

[Duncan]

Corollary question. Can you even FIND George P. Lee's talks (or for that matter Paul H. Dunn's) talks online to quote?

yes! Both Elder Dunn and Elder Lee. Here is what you find for Elder Lee in church publications

http://chperiodicals.lds.org/search~/a?searchtype=a&searcharg=lee%2C+george+p.&SORT=D

[Messenger]

I wouldnt quote them unless they came back to the church, and then I would be careful that the quote I used wasnt during a time when they had issues. There are far too many CREDIBLE sources available now .... why use someone that could be controversial? I have a hard enough time getting members to accept my teaching when I use ACTIVE, HIGH PROFILE general authorities, I cant imagine what would happen if I quited George P Lee! LOL

[kolipoki09]

In the late 90s and early 2000s George P. Lee allegedly started his own church that blended Native American beliefs with Mormonism, though I am unaware of whether the church lasted very long.

[David T]

Disclaimer: *Pure, unadulterated speculation - offered by a former GA, mission president, and Executive Director of the Church Historical Department*

(Paraphrased): We would likely see more of Sidney Rigdon had he not apostatized. It is possible that the Lectures on Faith, which were written mostly by the hand of Sidney himself, would have retained their status in Latter-day Saint canon.

Of this episode, Thomas Alexander has noted:

The Joseph Smith Papers are pretty clear in acknowledging the attribution of the Lectures on Faith to Sidney Rigdon, for what it's worth. Having read much of his material published in the early periodocials, they have Rigdon's logic and style all over them.

Frankly, I think we're better off for it. His logic was rarely solid. Interesting enough, Rigdon was the first in the Church to posit and assert the relationship between Adam and the Ancient of Days. That speculation was retained, but we never hear Rigdon's name in connection with that initial attribution.

[Gillebre]

If the quote you are using is while they were in good standing...why not? It might be controversial to quote a now-excommunicated member, but they were a member once.