Was Cleon Skousen Advised Not to Publish His Final Book?

[ithink]

I really think we need to be careful of evil speaking of the Lord's anointed.

Hear hear. It's okay to be frustrated and question things, but I've encountered some apostate rhetoric on this forum that saddens me. Thus my post on questioning why so many LDS patriots apostatize...

Look folks. Moroni kept some of the plates sealed for a good reason -- to try the faith of the people. But Moroni was the prophet -- Skousen was not. I think that is a distinction that needs to be looked at. Skousen was basically a nothing in terms of leadership and line of authority. I have a hard time seeing how could Skousen be inspired by the spirit to write the book he did certainly under the direction of at least one previous prophet (McKay), and then be told by the living representative that it was all wrong -- either in timing or in content. Can you explain that to me?

So since Skousen was told by President Hinckley to pack it in and he did, I recommend you all, and myself included, all follow his lead and just pack all this stuff in. PACK IT IN! Clearly we're going places we shouldn't. Clearly we are asking for things we shouldn't have. Clearly we are totally wasting our time. Skousen didn't have the support of the leadership for his work, and since nothing has changed, you and I don't either unless you think yourselves a bigger man than Skousen. I guess Reid was right, maybe Benson did lead us astray. And now look at me, I'm being called an apostate for pointing out the obvious.

So close up the shop before it's too late. It's back to the Sunday School manuals for me, I must have missed something along the way. Teslaknew thinks we reach too far, but if so my reaching includes the scriptures and this means I have to discard the underlying theme of the Book of Mormon (according to Benson), I have to pretend I never heard Benson's warning about Section 84, and 1/2 of the rest of the Doctrine and Covenants including 109, 110, 123, and many other I just won't be able to read anymore. What the heck, what's the difference, nobody else ever reads them anyway, and if you don't believe me, go find "many are kept from the truth only because they know not where to find it" in it's true context anywhere in any conference talk at any time.

It has been a pleasure chatting, but have things to do. I need to get a loan, go shopping, invest some money in the markets because "a well managed home does not pay interest, but earns it" (LT Perry, Oct 2008), take a holiday, limit my family size to my income, get an education from an accredited university only, and above all make a list of approved literature and burn the rest. Now that will be one hell of a fire because my substantial collection of this material is clearly taking me way of track, and now I'm staring the gates of hell right in the face.

Now I know why Nibley spent the last few years of his life lying in bed staring at CNN all day long. I guess he finally got the message I'm getting now.

- sigh -

[Darren]

There was a Cd-rom that had all of Skousen's works on them (I lost mine) and it was supposed to have books not even published. Anyone now if it contained 'this' book? I am going to have to figure out where my Cd-rom went.

I just ordered myself a copy.

when it gets here ill look for it

I have a copy of that CD ROM, it does not have the missing book. I talked to Harold Skousen who holds the copyrights for his fathers books, about related information. My opinion is that Harold Skousen will not share the missing book, or any of the related information that we were working with.

I do not know the content of that un-published book. But I do know from Bruce Wydner what was some of the information that Cleon Skousen was coming into that could have found its way into that book.

Cleon Skousen was planning to write The Fifth Thousand Years and The Sixth Thousand Years and asked Bruce Wydner to write his part in those works. Bruce did his part and that is now available on the Internet. In October of 2005 I saw Cleon Skousen get really excited in the prospect of getting his copy of Bruce's manuscript as he asked for it. Was Cleon's unpublished book along those lines, I would guess, yes.

God Bless,
Darren

[creator]

I would not expect "Awakening To Our Awful Situation" by Jack Monnett or Ken Bowers' books to be sold thru Deseret Book stores

Actually I just spoke with Archive Publishers (formely owned back Jack Monnett) they said that Deseret Book will now be carrying Jack's book "Awakening to Our Awful Situation". The only problem is that Jack is down to his last cases of his books and currently isn't planning on doing another printing. I'm told that he is writing another book though.

Additionally, I would like to know how leadership who don't like certain things preached -- or even privately published -- plan on responding when they are asked if they taught the truths or not.

I don't think we have enough details to understand fully what's going in here. Also, Brother Skousen made the decision on his own not to publish the book... he could have published it regardless of what the prophet suggested. I know that the Church asked that some of Ezra Taft Benson's and H. Verlan Andersen's books not be re-printed... I've heard that this has to do with the fact that these guys were prophet and seventy and the Church has to be careful about what people construe as representing the churches official doctrine. Not that their teachings aren't inline with doctrine (I believe they are) but there are reasons for this that we may not fully understand.

On a positive note, while H. Verlan Andersen's family is not going to reprint those books, there are others out there who will be reprinting them.

[straightarrow]

Deseret Book will now be carrying Jack's book "Awakening to Our Awful Situation".

Totally cool! Hope they will carry the new book too.

[Darren]

Additionally, I would like to know how leadership who don't like certain things preached -- or even privately published -- plan on responding when they are asked if they taught the truths or not.

I don't think we have enough details to understand fully what's going in here. Also, Brother Skousen made the decision on his own not to publish the book... he could have published it regardless of what the prophet suggested. I know that the Church asked that some of Ezra Taft Benson's and H. Verlan Andersen's books not be re-printed... I've heard that this has to do with the fact that these guys were prophet and seventy and the Church has to be careful about what people construe as representing the churches official doctrine. Not that their teachings aren't inline with doctrine (I believe they are) but there are reasons for this that we may not fully understand.

On a positive note, while H. Verlan Andersen's family is not going to reprint those books, there are others out there who will be reprinting them.

Brian, I agree with what you said is why those books are not being printed any more by their families. I personally talked to Hans Anderson Jr. about his Father's books. And he told me that he did not care what we did with the digital copies, as he has allowed the copyright to lapse. He also mentioned that he had talked to Reid Benson, that the Church had also asked that he not make any more copies of his Father's books.

Cleon Skousen was told that his efforts would be outside the Church for a reason, but his works were still an assignment from a prophet of God.

PM from reidbump from this thread:

Who is that in your picture?

The Avatar that I have chosen for the last few years on the Forum has been Edward Woodward playing the role of the Ghost of Christmas Present in the made for TV movie A Christmas Carol (1984). The Ghost of Christmas Present is Father Christmas of the English people. In England the Germanic Anglo/Saxons have traditionally had a memory of their version of Weihnachtsmann. Weihnachtsmann translated literally means Dividing Night Man. When Jesus Christ came to the lost tribes of Israel in Saxland and for the rest of Northern Europe he set up a tradition of Weihnnacht, meaning the Dividing Night or Winter Solstice. This was the New Year Celebration of living by the Law, of the United Order followers that the Anglo/Saxons called the Socmen or Freemen.

I really like this Avatar, I think of this event of when Jesus visited our ancestors, 3 Nephi 16:1-3. To me this story of our Father Christmas is most important to tell to our children.

God Bless,
Darren

[ithink]

I would not expect "Awakening To Our Awful Situation" by Jack Monnett or Ken Bowers' books to be sold thru Deseret Book stores

Actually I just spoke with Archive Publishers (formely owned back Jack Monnett) they said that Deseret Book will now be carrying Jack's book "Awakening to Our Awful Situation". The only problem is that Jack is down to his last cases of his books and currently isn't planning on doing another printing. I'm told that he is writing another book though.

Additionally, I would like to know how leadership who don't like certain things preached -- or even privately published -- plan on responding when they are asked if they taught the truths or not.

I don't think we have enough details to understand fully what's going in here. Also, Brother Skousen made the decision on his own not to publish the book... he could have published it regardless of what the prophet suggested. I know that the Church asked that some of Ezra Taft Benson's and H. Verlan Andersen's books not be re-printed... I've heard that this has to do with the fact that these guys were prophet and seventy and the Church has to be careful about what people construe as representing the churches official doctrine. Not that their teachings aren't inline with doctrine (I believe they are) but there are reasons for this that we may not fully understand.

On a positive note, while H. Verlan Andersen's family is not going to reprint those books, there are others out there who will be reprinting them.

I just got back from a game of hockey so I feel a bit better now.

I don't think we have enough details to understand fully what's going in here

That may indeed be true, but I cannot imagine what details there might be. I can't think of anything that might cause book censorship, and I've thought of a lot of things. But don't you think it's about time someone, anyone, threw us a bone -- and not some simile language couched in an analogy?

My position is you meet words with words, not by destroying the press that printed it.

Anyway, where can I get a copy of Anderson's books that are out of print. I'd like to have a look at them and publish them one way or another.

[Darren]

Anyway, where can I get a copy of Anderson's books that are out of print. I'd like to have a look at them and publish them one way or another.

http://ldsfreedomforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=3239

God Bless,
Darren

[lundbaek]

I really appreciate the writings of Ezra Taft Benson, H. Verlan Andersen, and others we speak so well of here. But I think if I were asked by the First Presidency to discontinue publishing a particular book for which I had copyright, I would not OK its publishing by another party. Nor would I consider republishing writings that I knew the Church wanted suppressed. The thought has occurred to me more than once that in asking that certain writings not be republished, the First Presidency was privately hoping the writings would draw more interest, which from my perspective, would be a good thing in that a few more people might be awakened to our "awful situation" and motivated to study the principles of proper government.

[Darren]

I really appreciate the writings of Ezra Taft Benson, H. Verlan Andersen, and others we speak so well of here. But I think if I were asked by the First Presidency to discontinue publishing a particular book for which I had copyright, I would not OK its publishing by another party. Nor would I consider republishing writings that I knew the Church wanted suppressed. The thought has occurred to me more than once that in asking that certain writings not be republished, the First Presidency was privately hoping the writings would draw more interest, which from my perspective, would be a good thing in that a few more people might be awakened to our "awful situation" and motivated to study the principles of proper government.

When I talked to Hans Anderson, Jr. he told me that he had not asked or authorized anyone else to print his father's books that he allowed the copyright to expire. I doubt any claim from anyone that Hans Anderson Jr. gave them permission to copy and distribute those books.

Hans and I exchanged books at his home, he still had some copies of one of his father's books from an earlier printing. He did not know why he had been asked to stop printing his father's books, but his resolve was to obey. He said that many of his family members had digital copies of these books, and that he expected that eventually those digital copies would get out into the public. When that happened he told me that he would not care where those copies went. I told him that I would be looking out for them.

Later, after I finally found copies of his books on the Internet, I called him and he told me again that he did not care where those digital copies went, and that the copyright had expired, and that he nor anyone else he knew had plans to do anything with those books. He was however writing a new book, on another subject.

God Bless,
Darren

[pjbrownie]

The Freeman Institute had become a place for many influential business and political LDS leaders to network for their share Babylonian spoils. A clearing house of sorts to buy favors from Utah elite. They used this prophetically inspired institution to rape and pillage Utah's innovations coming on line in the 1980s. It became part of the Utah Elite's den of thieves. Cleon Skousen upon discovering this, allowed the ring leader, John Harmer, a political wannabe, to shut the institute down. The story of John Harmer is too sick to mention. The parable of the rich man entering the kingdom of God applies to rich LDS in Utah, in more ways than I want to mention.

Very interesting. Where can I learn more about this history?

I have my notes from several interviews. I dare not publish it all, as I have the safety of my family to consider.

One interview I had with my friend Bruce Wydner was most reveling. He was a victim of some the escapades of some of these Utah elite. Christopher Bentley conducted a similar interview with Bruce on behalf of the JBS, he apparently decided not to publish the information he collected. As it would not have profited the purposes of the JBS. One of the JBS writers I know well here in Missouri also interviewed Bruce, and took notes about John Harmer. This negative information will probably never be published.

I personally wish to be most positive, and indulge myself upon the positive message, my purposes are not to see heads roll, judgment is the Lords.

If you really want more info, I do doubt that it will be of much value to you, but I have books full of it. You could start by reading the Life history of F. Carlyle Harmon. and then I have a book published by the European Union and one from London that mentions the mess Utah was in in the 1980s.

God Bless,
Darren

Darren, you are indeed a true resource for truth-seekers on this board. Wish there were more of you.

[Rob]

Additionally, I would like to know how leadership who don't like certain things preached -- or even privately published -- plan on responding when they are asked if they taught the truths or not. The scriptures are replete with examples of prophets getting the blood off their skirts by sounding the warning bell, but what about those leaders that stuff kleenex up inside the bell?

I really think we need to be careful of evil speaking of the Lord's anointed.

How was she not being careful? Or were you tossing out random truisms? That being the case...
Don't eat yellow snow.
Go the distance.
Ease his pain.

[creator]

I can't think of anything that might cause book censorship, and I've thought of a lot of things. But don't you think it's about time someone, anyone, threw us a bone -- and not some simile language couched in an analogy?

ithink, It's not really censorship. These people are still free to publish these books, they simple chose not to. Regarding the H. Verlan Andersen books I know people that have agreements to be able to print the books, one is Archive publishers: http://www.archivepublishers.com - Sunrise publishing as well. Unfortunately some of these books may never be reprinted because there is not enough demand for them to make it worth printing thousands more.

[ithink]

I can't think of anything that might cause book censorship, and I've thought of a lot of things. But don't you think it's about time someone, anyone, threw us a bone -- and not some simile language couched in an analogy?

ithink, It's not really censorship. These people are still free to publish these books, they simple chose not to. Regarding the H. Verlan Andersen books I know people that have agreements to be able to print the books, one is Archive publishers: http://www.archivepublishers.com - Sunrise publishing as well. Unfortunately some of these books may never be reprinted because there is not enough demand for them to make it worth printing thousands more.

OK, I can agree that this is not "censorship", but because of church culture, it has censored itself. You know the church culture -- "'when the prophet speaks, the thinking is done." (June 1945 Improvement Era) This famous phrase actually appeared in that magazine, but was retracted by President Smith in a response to a letter written by Dr. J. Raymond Cope of the First Unitarian Society. Dr. Cope said that this statement was "doing inestimable harm to many who have no other reason to question the integrity of the Church leaders... this cannot be the position of the true leaders." This is my position. I'm asking questions not because I'm apostate (which some here think I am), but because I ask questions when some things the leaders say and do don't make sense, and for that I am a bull in a china shop, that much is clear.

I submit that this might be one of those cases but church culture prevents us from asking the right questions and getting the right answers. Note carefully that it was a non member, a leader of another faith, who called this erroneous statement into question and enabled President Smith to publish a retraction of that false statement. I wonder what would have happened if Dr. Cope never wrote a letter. Does anyone think the church would have published a retraction on their own?

President Smith went on in his letter to quote Joseph Smith, saying "I want liberty of thinking and believing as I please." President Smith then continued: "This liberty he and his successors in the leadership of the Church have granted to every other member thereof." He went on to say further, that "On one occasion in answer to the question by a prominent visitor how he governed his people, the Prophet answered: "I teach them correct principles, and they govern themselves.' Again, as recorded in the History of the Church (Volume 5, page 498 [499] Joseph Smith said further: 'If I esteem mankind to be in error, shall I bear them down? No. I will lift them up, and in their own way too, if I cannot persuade them my way is better; and I will not seek to compel any man to believe as I do, only by the force of reasoning, for truth will cut its own way.'"

I think the prevailing attitude in the church, whether we like it or not, is that when the prophet speaks, the thinking has been done, but from our own horses mouth, that is not correct -- yet it is the prevailing theme!

That is just one of the problems. The other problem is that if the prophet asks things not to be published, then how can anyone be exposed to the information that is available and to let "truth cut it's own way"!

What we need is Dr. Cope to write a new letter, asking why certain books have been asked to be taken out of print, as perhaps this wasn't correct in the first place, or perhaps policies have changed and with the advent of the internet, there is no point in asking anyone not to publish anything since it just causes problems for a personality like mine when they do.

Thanks for your notes Brian, they are well received.

And let this be a heads up to all. Just because it appears in a church publication does not mean it is correct. Errors do creep in. Mistakes are made. I'm not here to judge and hang anyone, but I am here to judge and hang the errors, if the discussion is allowed to continue long enough to find out what the error is.

[FTC]

I heard a faith-building rumor...

It has been made clear that some of the brethren insist that some things remain secret because they believe if they were made known these things would destroy the faith of the members. Well I'm a member, and it doesn't help my faith or the faith of my wife and kids, and others near me, when we hear of yet another pre-emptive book burning of this "secret book of knowledge" on my behalf. I can tell you that this in no way helps my faith, and in fact, it damages it.

Welcome to mormonism! Hey now, there's nothing to worry about, really. You just need some patience. Give it 50 some-odd years and most everything of significance that Gordon said will be dismissed as nothing more than "speaking as a man". Its happened with every single prophet and apostle since Joseph Smith. Just take a look at the Journal of Discourses. What I would really like to do is take all the prophets of the Latter-Days and put them all in a room to hammer things out. Talk about bringing in the Spirit of Contention!! So, yea, just give it 50 years. Then all will be well.

[ithink]

I heard a faith-building rumor...

It has been made clear that some of the brethren insist that some things remain secret because they believe if they were made known these things would destroy the faith of the members. Well I'm a member, and it doesn't help my faith or the faith of my wife and kids, and others near me, when we hear of yet another pre-emptive book burning of this "secret book of knowledge" on my behalf. I can tell you that this in no way helps my faith, and in fact, it damages it.

Welcome to mormonism! Hey now, there's nothing to worry about, really. You just need some patience. Give it 50 some-odd years and most everything of significance that Gordon said will be dismissed as nothing more than "speaking as a man". Its happened with every single prophet and apostle since Joseph Smith. Just take a look at the Journal of Discourses. What I would really like to do is take all the prophets of the Latter-Days and put them all in a room to hammer things out. Talk about bringing in the Spirit of Contention!! So, yea, just give it 50 years. Then all will be well.

Do I detect a bit of sarcasm there FTC?

[lundbaek]

Why wait for Dr. Cope to write a new letter, asking why certain books have been asked to be taken out of print? I'm still waiting for a reply on another closely related issue.

[ithink]

Why wait for Dr. Cope to write a new letter, asking why certain books have been asked to be taken out of print? I'm still waiting for a reply on another closely related issue.

Well why stop at one lundbaek?

[ithink]

Why wait for Dr. Cope to write a new letter, asking why certain books have been asked to be taken out of print? I'm still waiting for a reply on another closely related issue.

Maybe we should craft a letter, pass it around the forum asking for signatures, then send it. Would you be afraid of being X-d for doing that?

[lundbaek]

The proper and appropriate way to question the Church's muzzling is for each person to write a seperate, private letter countersigned by their bishop. Been there, done that.

[truthseeker]

After reading this thread, went to read scriptures, came across the following:

2 Nephi 15:13
13 Therefore, my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge; and their honorable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst.

Hosea 4: 6.
6 ¶ My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

and then

2 Nephi 15:18-19
18 Wo unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope;
19 That say: Let him make speed, hasten his work, that we may see it; and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it.

19a
Jer. 17: 15.
15 ¶ Behold, they say unto me, Where is the word of the Lord? let it come now.
b
TG Haste.
c
TG Sign Seekers.

[reidbump]

After reading this thread, went to read scriptures...

Care to give us your interpretation, especially of the Jeremiah verse?

[bobhenstra]

Speaking about books that various authorities have ask or demanded not be published has been interesting to me, I can relate. I’m a searcher, I search the scripture and words of the prophets daily.

Several years ago I finished a book on Salvation that I was going to publish, but my wife had come down with ovarian cancer, and she was more important then worrying about my book. At first the book was about three hundred pages long, but during her sickness, while she was recovering from treatments and asleep I was able to remove everything I considered redundancy and ended up with a book of just 35 pages.

I had shared everything I had written with my local church authorities, not wanting to get on the wrong side of their knowledge, as I had earlier had a very knowledgeable friend advise me to never demonstrate more knowledge them my current Stake President,---- very good advice indeed!

A few years ago I was ask by my local authorities not to publish my book about Salvation, or even continue to share it with others. That upset me, but I did what they ask. However, through the years before I was ask not to publish and share the book, I had shared it with a good many friends, fellow searchers, like some on this site, bouncing my approaches to salvation off them to see how it might be received. But some of them shared it with others, and on,-- and on--- to, I don’t know how many people. It had my email address in it and I spent a lot of time answering questions from many fellow searchers, many of whom I have never met, but who I now consider very good friends, I have learned much from them.

Later after my JoAnn passed away from cancer I mentioned to my local authorities that I wished to publish my book in an attempt to pay off my wife's cancer bills that our insurance had not covered. They didn’t seem happy about it, but they thought it over and decided if I put a disclaimer at the beginning then I could publish it. The thing is the book had a disclaimer, but they didn't recognize it as such. It was quite a confusing time for me, it seemed to me they wanted me to discredit the scriptures and quotes of the prophets that I had compiled “before” I published it. So I have held off publishing the book, because discrediting what I had compiled in my mind, just didn’t seem right.

Since then I have become more interested in the reasons why they so feared my small book, it was simply a little over 30 pages of quotes from the scripture and our prophets, with a few added comments of my own. I found their fears of understanding salvation more interesting then publishing the book. Even though I had given them copies of every revision of the book for over seven years and they had said pretty much nothing about it. Then, all of as sudden, right out of the blue (it seemed to me), it become an issue with them, and I certainly did not understand their reasons why, after so long a time of not say much at all.

A few weeks ago I talked it over with my Stake President, I "think" now, if I wish, I’m going to be allowed to publish the book, it seemed to be ok with him, but to be honest, I’m still not sure. I still do not understand the initial objections, but it seems some in my ward and stake who questioned the premise of the book had been asking my leaders questions they couldn’t answer. The thing is, I had given copies to only a few in my stake, and among them were my stake and ward leaders. So I wondered who they shared the book with?

I put the book on a web site for a short time before the objections started, but I took it down after I had decided I might need to publish it in book form. I had a retired English Professor correct my grammar and syntax errors, and even though it had been off the website for over a year I still get emails asking questions, and why they can’t see it any longer.

I’ll tell you, information like what the book is about gets around very fast! But what I learned about church members was very interesting. I was misquoted by ward members who had not read the book, just heard about it, but when I attempted to set the record straight, I was called in and told not to talk about the things in my book, it didn’t matter to my leaders that I was simply correcting misquotes.

It’s all very confusing, I think I can publish the book, if I discredit it first, and still I’m not allowed to talk about or share it within my stake boundaries, ----“I think!”

I have found that; “What many members don’t know, no matter how sweet the message, is considered more dangerous, then what they don’t know!”--- If that makes sense?

Bob

[WYp8riot]

Sounds like you learned a bit about the nature of people, including members. Human nature and the natural man is the arm of flesh and full of downfalls.


D&C 123 :12

[truthseeker]

After reading this thread, went to read scriptures...

Care to give us your interpretation, especially of the Jeremiah verse?

I put the confusion icons at the end because these verses appear somewhat contradictory.

The first set talks about the Lord's people perishing for lack of knowledge. The second set seems to condemn those who are seeking for more. (vanity, haste, sign seekers)

Both sets made me think of the tone of this thread. There is a thirst for the knowledge one believes would be found in Cleon's book and there is frustration for it being held back.

Perhaps that contradiction is resolved with the idea that when we are ready as people, more will come, until then, the Prophet must hold back, even if it upsets those who are asking for more.

Another thought, that which is given to the people generally is based on the readiness and ability to live that which has already been given. I think the scriptures also show that when individuals are living by that which has been given (think Nephi) those individuals can be given more knowledge provided that they can be trusted to not give out that which is not given out generally.

Alma 12:9
9 And now Alma began to expound these things unto him, saying: It is given unto many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless they are laid under a strict command that they shall not impart only according to the portion of his word which he doth grant unto the children of men, according to the heed and diligence which they give unto him.

So to summarize, if you are seeking more knowledge: First make sure you are living by that which has already been given. Next, don't complain against the prophet if he is not providing it to you. Finally, seek it from the true source of knowledge - not second hand sources.

1 Nephi 15:8-10
8 And I said unto them: Have ye inquired of the Lord?
9 And they said unto me: We have not; for the Lord maketh no such thing known unto us.
10 Behold, I said unto them: How is it that ye do not keep the commandments of the Lord? How is it that ye will perish, because of the hardness of your hearts?

[FTC]

Bob wrote about church leaders afraid of his writings ...

Bob, I'm gonna surmise that this is nothing more than a typical issue of pride. Church leaders are supposed to know. How can they be considered leaders if they don't? After they've been at it for long enough time, it gets to them and boy do they get grumpy when they are presented with something they don't know and don't have an answer to! I would think that, if they were sufficiently humble enough, they would be eager to study what you have written in hopes that they may be able to provide helpful answers for questions that they will undoubtedly be presented with by members.
Anyways, the whole premise of the Church is that it is supposed to give us the answers that other churches don't. That was Joseph Smith's grand "quest": to get his questions answered. Well, he did that just fine. However, upon that happening and continuing, the Restored Church brought up its own collection of questions that answers can't be found for. Don'tcha just love that irony!! The real problem kicks in when one realizes that even the Restored Church doesn't have all the answers. Right off the bat, we are still lacking 2/3 of the Book of Mormon. In addition to other Lost Tribes' Books of "Mormon". The Bible is still incomplete. So on and so forth. God is the original author of the Book of Mormon, thus he has all the knowledge contained therein. From what you write, it would seem that He might have imparted some of that knowledge to you. From this thread, it would seem that He might have imparted other portions to Cleon. Granted, most likely not all, but some significant portions. In the end, it is God that has the final say. He is the one that has authority over bishops, stake presidents and even the prophet. Take the matter up with Him. From what I can tell, you're not trying to publish something to speak in the name of the church; you're publishing your thoughts and ponderings on Salvation. If the Lord directs you in a way contrary to what your local leadership is "counseling", instruct them to take the matter up with the Lord, and you proceed to do what the Lord instructed you. Just be careful, though, that you don't let any pride take root.