Dieter Uchtdorf was replaced as a member of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Among other possible factors, there was “electricity” between Latter-day Saint leader Dieter Uchtdorf and former President Barack Obama, said Gregory Prince, whose daughter interned in the Obama administration. Obama was a Democrat and the highest percentage of a religious body that is Republican is LDS. That’s sad, and there was something worse — and I say this despite having cried about Uchtdorf being out: Dallin Oaks is now a member of the Latter-day Saint (ex-Mormon) church’s highest governing body, considering his remarks with a suicide problem in the church.

Oaks, despite himself saying “I will be accountable to higher authority” on his administration regarding the church’s gay policy, reaffirmed in his last talk among the ones he gives twice per year that the church still opposes gay marriage. He also said that the church’s opposition to gay marriage will never change.

The problem with the Mormon church’s recent First Presidency change? That this man was the replacement of Dieter Uchtdorf. (LDS.org)

What Oaks has said on gays — and he’s said more against them, many of which have been faithful members of Oaks’ church — are perhaps the most polarizing and most damaging remarks that he has made. (A suicide count is high enough that some don’t want it said.) Yet, that’s still aside from remarks that have stood in stark contrast to some of Uchtdorf’s.

For instance:

Oaks said “the church doesn’t seek apologies and we don’t give them” (as part of a discussion on LGBTQ+ issues, actually).

Uchtdorf?

“Members or leaders in the church have simply made mistakes.”

Perhaps new Mormon prophet Russell Nelson didn’t like that Uchtdorf’s comments on falling short was reported in media outlets headlined by The New York Times (as opposed to Oaks’ talk on the church forever remaining opposed to gay marriage meriting stories in the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune and Newsweek).

There are other examples of times in which Uchtdorf has been “(LDS Mormonism’s) Pope Francis,” as Mormons said five years ago, even before incidents including those mentioned in this column occurred. And examples of when Oaks has been … something different.

I don’t know where Mormons go from here, other than to hope that the death of older generations will result in change. But then the changes wouldn’t come from God, and Mormonism, as believed as “the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth,” is predicated upon being run by God.

And run entirely by God, without Uchtdorf’s comment.

And there’s the very paradox — and if growth matters (it’s essential in LDS Mormon doctrine), the very problem the church created for itself.

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Even if you no longer affiliate with the church but enjoy sociality with family and friends as before, you can still find social settings organized by the Utah Valley PostMormons. There, you can find your people. And of course, if you don’t enjoy those relationships like before, the many UVPM events that happen each week can be even life-saving.

Led by wonderful people like Kirsten Barksdale and Larissa Norman, UVPM is also for folks who just are struggling with it or are “never Mormons” seeking a break from the predominant culture. Find their events on Facebook and Meetup.

This piece was originally seen in The Good Men Project.

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