There is a rumor I found on another forum and on another web site. There is claim that says that Former Oklahoma Temple President Henry J. Chesney who served in that position from 2000 to 2005 asked his name along with the name of his wife to be removed from the Church records due to a doctrinal issue. The claim is that he had some questions and was told to "Ignore them". What are your thoughts? I do not know particularly this case, but I find it to be quiet interesting considering that the guy has a long membership in the Church and served in different leadership positions...how come an issue of doctrine comes up now? What are your thoughts?
Edited: JB on 23rd Aug, 2012 - 1:01pm
The general trend of thought on this subject is that he was seduced by anti-Mormon literature.
While that is possible, it is only one of the possibilities.
For example, if he came to a testimony of either plural marriage or Adam-God, then he would have had to either give them up, or leave the Church.
Without his own words on what his doctrinal difference is, I completely reserve judgement on the subject. (Unlike some people on that other forum )
Yes, I read what they wrote. I am just surprised that the theory of anti-mormon literature comes to play simply because the guy have been in the Church for a long time, after all, not "everybody" becomes a Temple President. If he did in fact had a doctrinal issue that was not addressed as expected, must have been a VERY strong issue in order for him and his wife to ask their names to be removed!
Well, in all fairness, I should point out that most members of the Church consider anything written by a "fundamentalist" or polygamist to be, in fact, anti-Mormon.
So, whether he embraced anti-Mormon teachings, or teachings from the 19th Century that are now considered heretical, he would be considered apostate.
So far what I am getting is that he had questions and they were brush off...asked basically to forget about it. Nobody leaves the Church and ask removal of names for that only reason. There is more in this story that we do not know about.
QUOTE (tortdog @ 28-Aug 07, 2:17 PM) |
He might very well have felt that the Church's attitude in refusing to respond to his questions was disquieting, causing him to desire to disassociate from the Church. |
From what I read, it had nothing to do with anti-Mormon literature. Reportedly, it is because he felt there was deceit from the Church leadership. Reading between the lines, it appears that it may have been linked to his view that the Church had manufactured its history to look good, and he felt that the dots were not being connected.
https://www.postmormon.org/exp_e/index.php/...ead/2640/#37249