Bednar speaks at the National Press Club, takes questions

[Anonymous]

NPC Headliner Luncheon: Elder David A. Bednar, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAx1LRSB9kU” class=”bbcode_url”>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAx1LRSB9kU

Topics covered:

[Anonymous]

What follows is a list of some of the questions asked (the reason I created this post). Questions start at the [42:30] mark. I’ll try to quote the questions verbatim. I will also link to the video where the question is asked so you can hear the answers given rather than try to paraphrase or quote the entire presser.

I originally wanted to have a link for each question, but there are so many questions (and the questions are so long) that I’m left quoting highlights:

42:37 – “Many locals have toured or will visit the D.C. temple before its rededication. What do you hope they’ll take away from that experience, both after glimpsing sacred spaces and also about how the church balances competing restoration motivations, preserving the past but also modernizing and engaging new tastes and values?”

43:36 – “Would the church have more influence on US culture and politics along the lines of the Catholic church and many Protestant denominations if it maintained the openness it’s demonstrating by inviting the public to visit the D.C. temple?”

44:17 – “The Latter-day Saint church has said it’s one of the fastest growing religions in America but according to the latest reporting by the Salt Lake Tribune, the church outside of Utah has only added 8,000 new members it’s reporting in the US during the past two years. It says Utah’s growth of about 34,000 members represents a majority of the church’s 42,000 member growth in America for the past two years. And for those of us who follow Pew and Gallup survey data, it’s been clear that the church’s replacement rate in the US has been negative for over a decade. Back in 2008 Pew ran a survey that said the replacement rate of the church has dropped to 80% and that means that for every five members that leave the church behind, four new converts join the church. Can you talk about some of those findings and how you can say that the church in America is growing when we’re looking at statistics like this?”

46:23 – Followup questions about growth

47:55 – Followup questions about growth

48:14 – Questions about leaders in the church with business background

[Anonymous]

50:10 – “I’m going to move on to a question from a member who said that they were reporting in Salt Lake City recently and that members’ impression was that the church has handled public statements about the pandemic, particularly masking rather differently from other faiths, and that the divide between conservative and progressive members with respect to covid may be the inverse of many other traditions. Is there a story here, or is it over stating?”

nibbler editorial: I don’t know what wards you’re attending to come away with that impression. In my area the church has followed a very similar pattern as most other churches. We’re only wearing masks because we have to. Goody, we can finally take these damned things off. Another pandemic surge? Masks don’t do anything, full steam ahead. Why does half the ward have covid?

After the dust of the pandemic was half settled we landed right back to where we were before the pandemic, namely there was no divide because the conservative side won out and the progressive side was off pounding sand… again. It’s easy to build unity within a group when you run off anyone that’s different.

Speaking to my local experience of course, not speaking to the organizational church’s response (which was “it’s a local decision”).

[Anonymous]

51:40 – questions about Under the Banner of Heaven (also Sister Wives, BoM musical, Big Love)

53:14 – “With over $100 billion in funds and assets, the LDS church has more capability than any other church in the country to help eliminate poverty. What more could the church do in terms of humanitarian efforts here?”

54:42 – “Can you envision a day when LGBTQ church members can marry and be sealed within the church?”

54:30 – “Will there ever be a female president of the church of Latter-day Saints? Can a woman be a prophet in the lineage of Joseph Smith?”

There were other questions but I’m out of gas with linking these. Other topics:

Abortion

Treatment of trans people

Tithing requirement for poor or after living expenses are paid

Money management

Reporter pitfalls when commenting on the church

The word “Mormon” and “LDS”

How hard is it to put together the temple square Christmas program

Favorite time as missionary in Germany

[Author]

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