Conference coming up

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PazamaManX
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Conference coming up

Post by PazamaManX »

With conference next weekend, I'm curious if anyone here has anything that they are expecting or hoping for? Since we've still been doing home church, I haven't heard if there might any rumours circling around. Personally, I'm looking forward to playing where in Utah will they announce a temple.
"Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call to her tribunal every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness, even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear." ~ Thomas Jefferson
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nibbler
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Re: Conference coming up

Post by nibbler »

The only rumor I've heard is a nebulous reference to a change to the scriptures. I've heard this interpreted as anything from an overhaul of the chapter/section summaries, tinkering with the presentation of the BoA, or maybe even getting more modern with the official translation we use for the Bible.

It's counterintuitive given recent changes implemented by RMN, but I hear fewer and fewer rumors of change with each passing conference. Maybe it's because there were lots of changes in the beginning and people feel the season for change has passed. Maybe because the changes were mostly rebranding and reducing the quantity of something but the end result was an experience that was almost the exact same as before.

I'll toss out a few on the off chance I get a hit. Then I can look prophetic. 8-)
  • Coffee, tea, and/or tithing removed as qualifiers to join the church and/or obtain a temple recommend.
  • Women can be ordained to the PH and receive a PH office. 100+ women immediately called to join the ranks of the GAs to provide some balance.
  • When is that new hymnbook gonna drop?
But more likely:
  • Focus on the importance of meeting in-person. There will still be language about safety and coming back when you feel safe to do so, but maybe a 10:1 ratio of come back:stay safe.
  • Brief mention of the miracle of having a vaccine so soon, which would be huge IMO. There are a lot of anti-vaxxer members out there, a lot. So much so that I wonder whether I'd ever feel completely safe going back.
  • Announce more temples. I wonder where diminishing returns sets in for temples? Here's a link to a map of 150 operating temples. The map is 4 years out of date.
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Arrakeen
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Re: Conference coming up

Post by Arrakeen »

nibbler wrote: 27 Mar 2021, 17:36 maybe even getting more modern with the official translation we use for the Bible.
This would be huge. But, I don't think it will happen soon, especially since the Book of Mormon uses all the King James language. Maybe a new modern translation of both? And then we could also drop the old school "prayer language" as well...

Personally, I think they're going to have to announce a huge shift in full-time missions in the near future. Hopefully making them more service and humanitarian focused with less proselyting. I think at least in the developed world we've reached a point where missionaries knocking on doors just annoys people and does more harm than good.
Minyan Man
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Re: Conference coming up

Post by Minyan Man »

Arrakeen wrote: 28 Mar 2021, 07:15 Personally, I think they're going to have to announce a huge shift in full-time missions in the near future. Hopefully making them more service and humanitarian focused with less proselyting. I think at least in the developed world we've reached a point where missionaries knocking on doors just annoys people and does more harm than good.
I think this would be a great step forward. There are some members who would be comfortable doing service projects than teaching.
As for temple announcements, there are going to be more temples in Utah & Arizona. Maybe another in Dubai. If you live in Wisconsin,
we can continue to drive round trip to Chicago minimum 3-4 hours no problem.
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DarkJedi
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Re: Conference coming up

Post by DarkJedi »

I'm not expecting much out of conference. I think Nelson made the major changes he wanted to make early/quickly because his days are numbered and he didn't know how long he had.

I think we'll get a "message of hope" that the pandemic is coming to an end, perhaps peppered with something about the miracle of the vaccine. It'd be nice if they encouraged vaccination, but they've done that and likely have said all they're going to say. I agree with Nibbler, there will be an emphasis on getting back to meeting together as quickly as possible with additional emphasis on going to the temple.

The church website bills this as an Easter General Conference. I'm doubting we'll see much more than we have in previous Easter GCs - a few will mention Easter, a couple will talk explicitly about Easter, most will ignore it in favor of the same old same old. I have noted that the church in recent years has made more of a recognition of Holy Week and apparently Pres. Nelson even issued a Palm Sunday statement (I haven't seen it) - but we're still way behind what other Christians do this time of year.

The biggest "dramatic effect" will be the temple announcements. I expect more Corridor temples and them some exotic place like Mongolia for the ooos and ahhhs Nelson claims he doesn't want to hear but I think in reality relishes (noting that many of the greatest of those recently have gone nowhere beyond the announcement - Russia & China).
In the absence of knowledge or faith there is always hope.

Once there was a gentile...who came before Hillel. He said "Convert me on the condition that you teach me the whole Torah while I stand on one foot." Hillel converted him, saying: That which is despicable to you, do not do to your fellow, this is the whole Torah, and the rest is commentary, go and learn it."

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SamBee
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Re: Conference coming up

Post by SamBee »

I really don't think I can stomach a Covid conference. This disease has already done enough harm, not only medically and economically but in letting evil people take advantage in this situation.
DASH1730 "An Area Authority...[was] asked...who...would go to the Telestial kingdom. His answer: "murderers, adulterers and a lot of surprised Mormons!"'
1ST PRES 1978 "[LDS] believe...there is truth in many religions and philosophies...good and great religious leaders... have raised the spiritual, moral, and ethical awareness of their people. When we speak of The [LDS] as the only true church...it is...authorized to administer the ordinances...by Jesus Christ... we do not mean... it is the only teacher of truth."
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On Own Now
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Re: Conference coming up

Post by On Own Now »

nibbler wrote: 27 Mar 2021, 17:36 or maybe even getting more modern with the official translation we use for the Bible.
Yes please. But as a way to show just how hard this is, I note that I will be unhappy if we ever switch to the NIV and its overly-simple language. NRSV for me. Would be OK with the ESV.
Arrakeen wrote: 28 Mar 2021, 07:15 This would be huge. But, I don't think it will happen soon, especially since the Book of Mormon uses all the King James language. Maybe a new modern translation of both? And then we could also drop the old school "prayer language" as well...
I think the biggest hurdle in the past has been the JST which is very tied to the KJV. However, I will point out that the Church has now translated the JST into Spanish. Now that this has happened, and the JST correlates with a non-English and non-KJV bible, I would assume that reworking it to fit with the NRSV would be no different.

The BofM language is much simpler than the KJV, so other than the places where it uses the KJV closely, it wouldn't be a huge deal. Same with the D&C. I like the idea of a modernization of the language of the D&C/BofM as a matter of keeping them current.
DarkJedi wrote: 28 Mar 2021, 13:32 I think we'll get a "message of hope" that the pandemic is coming to an end...

The church website bills this as an Easter General Conference...

It'd be a great opportunity to tie the Easter renewal message with the opening of church buildings and temples and the return to what we have lost.
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“Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.” ― Carl Jung
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"Let us therefore no longer pass judgment on one another, but resolve instead never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of another." ― Romans 14:13
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NoahVail
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Re: Conference coming up

Post by NoahVail »

I'd welcome some instruction about making chapels a sanctuary from politics - that led to meaningfully less politics from the stand.
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DarkJedi
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Re: Conference coming up

Post by DarkJedi »

On Own Now wrote: 29 Mar 2021, 07:45
nibbler wrote: 27 Mar 2021, 17:36 or maybe even getting more modern with the official translation we use for the Bible.
Yes please. But as a way to show just how hard this is, I note that I will be unhappy if we ever switch to the NIV and its overly-simple language. NRSV for me. Would be OK with the ESV.
The occasional GA quotes from other versions (Uchtdorf more than others) but it usually goes unnoticed. If you're paying close enough attention and realize "Hey, that's not KJV language" you pick it up. Footnotes in the text versions also show it.

I agree, my preference is the NRSV. I think the problem that will keep it from happening is that it is nice when everybody is looking at the same thing (although when I do go to SS, I usually have both open). I think other than the idea that the KJV is most accurate (it's not IMO) and it's the choice of conservative Christians (usually literal believers) that having everybody on the same version is the driving force. Most of the millions in the church own the KJV, so short of sending everybody (English speakers anyway) a new Bible it's easier just to stick with what we have. FWIW, we still have some old timers who never bought the "new" church edition of the standard works 40 years ago - I see them in SS and PH.
In the absence of knowledge or faith there is always hope.

Once there was a gentile...who came before Hillel. He said "Convert me on the condition that you teach me the whole Torah while I stand on one foot." Hillel converted him, saying: That which is despicable to you, do not do to your fellow, this is the whole Torah, and the rest is commentary, go and learn it."

My Introduction
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On Own Now
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Re: Conference coming up

Post by On Own Now »

DJ,

I've seen that DFU has quoted from both the NIV and ESV, but haven't seen one yet for the NRSV.

Quick side note for those unfamiliar with these:
- the NIV, popular among Christian churches today, is a modern translation of the best ancient texts we have, and is written at a 7th grade level, so IMO can sound a bit like, "See the boy. See the boy run."
- the NRSV, used extensively among modern ecclesiastical scholars, is a modern translation of the best ancient texts we have, and is at an 11th grade level, so while modern, still has a higher literary sense. See the quote from Romans in my signature line below for an example of the NRSV text.
- the ESV is similar to the NRSV, but a little more conservative as a translation. The ESV stays clear of gender-neutral language now in use in the NIV and NRSV (for example, in the quote from Romans, below, the NRSV says "another" where the ESV would say "a brother").
- the KJV is written in the King's English and probably sounded a bit stuffy even in 1611, since most of its text goes back to many years before even that time. It was a very expertly translated text, accomplished by true craftsmen, but is based on the ancient texts that happened to be available at the time, what we now know to be a pretty poor source, and they translated it into a dead version of English that seemed archaic to our Great-great-grandparents.

Personally.... speaking for myself alone... only my own opinion... I'd love to see the Church shift officially to the NRSV, print new bibles and tell everyone to get on board by 2025. However, there will still be KJV holdouts for the rest of their lives. In practice, I think the Church could simply say, use the KJV, the NRSV, the ESV, or the NRSV... whichever suits you.

Just to pull in an interesting corollary, the Community of Christ has two official versions of the BofM: The Authorized Version and the Revised Authorized Version. Both can be purchased from Harold House Publishing (a sort of cross between LDS Distribution Center and Deseret Book). The AV was first published in 1908. The RAV came out in '66. It modernized some of the grammar. Its most obvious change was to reduce the usage of the BofM's favorite phrase: "And it came to pass". Apparently, 55 years has not been long enough for the membership to adopt the 'new' version. As for the Bible. The CofC doesn't declare any winners. You can buy one of two versions from Harold House: the Inspired Version (JST) or the NRSV.
- - -
“Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.” ― Carl Jung
- - -
"Let us therefore no longer pass judgment on one another, but resolve instead never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of another." ― Romans 14:13
- - -
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