Close Topic Options

Changing Mormon Conference Talks

I have long known of this little incident. In October 1984 General Conference, elder Poelman gave a very moving, wonderful talk.

However, the people who listened to it, who thought it was so moving and wonderful, were amazed to find it completely different when they got the "official" tapes of the Conference, as well as when they read it in the Ensign. In fact, it was so different, that the "official" version completely contradicted the live version!

Here is what is so remarkable these days.

Now, it is possible to see, and listen, to the original.
Source 2 (part 1)
Source 8 (part 2)

Then, go back to an official Conference Report, and compare it. If you don't have access to an official report of the talk, I am sure that I can find one and send it to you. I have even seen a file here or there on the internet that compares the two versions of the talk, side-by-side.

What brought this up is that apparently President Packer's talk from this October's General Conference is seeing a similar, though markedly less, transformation. His whole talk contradicts recorded LDS history, but apparently, from the reports I have read, the written version will contradict recorded history even more.

I wonder why Elder Poelman's talk was changed (not really). If you listen to it, you will see why it was changed.

<!-- OFFTOPIC BEGIN -->

Offtopic but, I would have liked to post this on the more public LDS board, but since we have moved all of the "controversial" topics here, and this is extremely controversial, I decided it had better be here. Too bad that there are only 4 of us who will ever see it and discuss it.

<!-- OFFTOPIC END -->

Talks Conference Mormon Changing

It seems like you and I were in the same boat since I was checking this yesterday in youtube Anyhow, I was shocked! particularly for the replacement of words, I wonder who did it and with what purpose? In the beginning I thought there were only changes to make it grammatically correct and smooth for reading but then I realised that someone decided to "play" around with his talk but why?

Changing Mormon Conference Talks Studies Doctrine Mormon

Well, it wasn't just the transcript of the talk that was changed, it was also the recorded portion that went out with the audio tapes that people purchased.

It is very clear, from the changed words, what the purpose of the change was. He specifically stated that the Church's purpose is to help people to attain exaltation, but that the people will eventually grow out of the Church. That is a direct blow at the power and influence of the Church over the members.

Here is one of the examples:

See, we MUSTN'T become less dependent on Church programs, instead, we are supposed to become MORE dependent on them.

I have also read about how Elder Hartman Rector, Jr.'s talk in 1981, on the evils of birth control was edited so that it became a talk on journals.

Lots of things to think about.

Talks Conference Mormon Changing

Yes! The quoted you provided was the most obvious change. I was shocked because I thought the changes would be one or two words but they were actually a totally different meaning from the original talk!

I suppose now with live conference, they cannot do that anymore...that's why I suppose ALL speakers are asked to hand out their talks for "approval" to the First Presidency prior to Conference.

Offtopic but, I wonder what would happen if one day one of the speakers in Conference start saying bad things about the Church, how security is going to handle that and how the Church would handle an scandal of such magnitude?!

Edited: LDS_forever on 12th Oct, 2006 - 1:41pm

Talks Conference Mormon Changing

I disagree with the purpose of the changes. Here are my thoughts. Simply stated, the original talk was for grown-ups and the church is mostly made up of children (spiritually speaking). I don't mean this as an insult to anyone or to suggest I'm more mature spiritually, but I know that many hearing the original talk would misinterpret much of it to mean that they should no longer follow Church council and can decide for themselves what is "right for them". I feel this would be okay if the individual was spiritually mature enough, but many are not. I can understand why the Church would feel these are dangerous sentiments for the general population of the church to hear. What Elder Poelman's says is exactly correct, the Church programs are put in place to assist members to reach exaltation, but if the members hear that they will eventually outgrow the programs, they will be less willing to participate and benefit as they should from those programs. In my opinion, these deeper doctrines come to those who seek them and are ready for them but perhaps shouldn't be spelled out in a conference talk. The Gospel of Jesus Christs is an individual gospel and the church programs are in a great extent for the weaker of the saints, in my opinion.

Changing Mormon Conference Talks

The original talk was for ALL members of the Church. That's why it was given in General Conference and not in any other special meeting.

So you are saying that the Church decided to change this even though it is true just because of fear on how some people may react about it?

Even if that's correct, I would like to know if in the "changed" version there is a note or something that states that some changes have been done to the talk. I doubt it very much.

Changing Mormon Conference Talks

What I mean is that I can picture many members of the Church using the talk as an excuse not to do the things they should be doing. I think many members would misinterpret "we become less dependent on Church programs" to mean "it's not necessary for you to attend your Sunday meetings" or "Family Home Evening is not that important" rather than as a challenge to grow spiritually, independent of the Church. I don't feel it was changed to something completely opposite, only to something that better suits the needs of the saints at the time. I don't feel it was changed to enable to Church to have power and influence over the members, but rather clarify to Church members that the programs of the Church are a wonderful tool to be used to help us grow and strengthen us spiritually.

Changing Mormon Conference Talks Mormon Doctrine Studies

What I find particularly interesting about these changes is that they reflect the changes that have been going on in the Church for the last 116 years. We now teach ONLY the milk - and anyone who seeks the meat of the Gospel is criticized for it. Why should people grow up, spiritually, when they are never, ever challenged to do so? We are given regurgitated, watered down pap.

Just read a few of the talks recorded in the Journal of Discourses. Read some of General Conference reports from the early 1900s. Then compare them to the talks given in October 2006.

They follow the exact same pattern seen in Elder Poelman's talk. He gave a talk that would challenge the people, point out to them that at some time, they should become "adults" and move on, on their own. However, rather than continue the challenge, as Brigham Young would have done, we weaken it. We tell the "children" that it is okay for them to stay that way. They don't need to grow up. The Church will provide for them. They can, for all Eternity, "follow the Prophet" rather than become Prophets on their own.

It takes LIFE to grow. It takes real decisions, suffering real consequences, to grow. But that isn't what we want anymore. We want security in the Church. So, when a General Authority throws out a real challenge, we all breathe a huge sigh of relief that the challenge is deemed too "adult" for us.

Now, I am using the first person plural on purpose here. It wasn't long ago that I would have completely agreed with you. In some ways, I may STILL agree with you.

But I have come to understand that the Church is like a school system. Most religions are like elementary school, teaching people how to advance into the Terrestrial Kingdom. The LDS Church is like High School, teaching us the foundation of entering into the Celestial Kingdom. However, in order to actually progress into, and gain the great blessings of the Celestial Kingdom, we must do it "on our own" (with the help, guidance, and support of the Holy Ghost). We MUST move beyond the Church (and all other mortal influence) in order to gain exaltation. That is the gist of Elder Poelman's talk. That very important information is what was taken out of his talk.

So, we keep the "children" safe. We tell them that one day they will graduate, but we never teach them the vital courses need to graduate. We let them think that the watered-down information in Sunday School is the deep doctrines of the gospel. If anyone brings up the advanced course texts (Journal of Discourses, Lectures on Faith, etc.) then we explain to everyone that these are unreliable, that today's Prophet supersedes the teachings of former Prophets, and that the records of former Prophets are not to be studied without the guidance of today's leaders. That is why, in the introduction for the studies on Brigham Young, Wilford Woodruff, and John Taylor, we are strongly discouraged from studying prime sources. We aren't supposed to know that some of the quotes were taken out of context. Nor are we supposed to discuss the FACTS about their lives.

After all, the adults don't want to discuss adult subjects in front of the children - do they?