I will only have time to cover the first talk today on M*. There may be other posts that discuss the FAIRMormon conference.

The first talk is by Michael Otterson.

The title is On the Record.

Michael R. Otterson has been serving as the Managing Director of the Public Affairs Department since 2008, with responsibility for public affairs issues of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints worldwide.

He was educated in England, his birthplace, where he completed his formal journalistic training. For eleven years he worked as a journalist on newspapers in Britain, Australia and Japan.

Since 1976, he has worked in the London, Sydney and Salt Lake City Public Affairs Offices of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In his current role as Managing Director he oversees many contemporary concerns facing the church such as women’s issues, religious freedom and an ever-expanding global church.

Presentation: On The Record

Summary: This presentation will cover the role of Church Public Affairs and how it interacts with the Church and the press. Brother Otterson will also discuss many of the issues and misconceptions he deals with, as well as respond to questions from the audience.

Here is a live summary of his talk:

Personal background: he is a convert to the Church. That is an advantage. Joined at the age of 19 in England. He read everything he could get his hands on before joining the Church. His first hint of controversy: visited the large city library in Liverpool. No, he did not know the Beatles.

Liverpool is known as the landing place of the first missionaries outside of North America. 1837. The city became the publishing center for the first Millennial Star (yay!).

He found many negative information on the Church. He became familiar of the nature and the tone of the critics. But not more persuasive than the BoM itself.

1970. Living in Australia with his wife: patriarch said: “You will be given opportunities to defend the Gospel.” He was sealed a month later. A temple worker came to him in the temple and asked him to listen carefully to the initiatory ordinance.

He then took a call from a mission president in England. How to handle a critical letter? He responded with a letter to the editor and began working for Church public affairs.

What has changed in 40 years? Less than we might think. Same as Liverpool library, same as those raised in Joseph Smith’s day.

But some things have changed. The Joseph Smith papers, insightful work by emerging and young scholars. The environment created by the internet and social media. Challenges and opportunities. The explosion of voices both pro and con have made our work challenging and demanding and exciting.

How does Church public affairs work? Overseen by PA committee, chaired by member of the 12. Other GAs include: Sr. president of the 70. President Bishop. Legal Counsel. Additional 70, serves as exec director. Works closely with me.

Public Affairs does not have its own agenda independent from the Brethren. We talk every day with the Brethren, sometimes several times. We make presentations to the Twelve.

We sometimes have rocks thrown at us as “a rogue department, which would be news to the brethren. News flash: we don’t free lance.”

Perhaps it’s easier to target PA because it is less disrespectful than targeting Church leaders. A thick skin is a prerequisite to PA work.

No member of the PA staff would last long if we issued a statement that had not been approved. The Brethren edit and change statements. The member of the 12 will confer with the first presidency on issues. There is no place for private agendas on the part of staff.

Example of Utah religious and gay rights law. Three apostles attended. Some people questioned because there were only three members of the 12. Were the apostles rogue?

Newsroom are among the primary communications media. These cannot be posted without approval from Church correlation. There is a check and balance system that should give members of the Church a high level of comfort.

We know who runs the Church and have respect for the established processes.

We cannot just play a defensive game defending the Church. We cannot just sound defensive. We do better to explain or promote an idea.

The BoM musical response. We opted for a non-defensive response, which taught a principle. “Read the book.”

A member of the staff came with the draft. Lyman (last name?).

It isn’t easy to avoid sounding defensive with things are belittled. Habitual criticism of the Brethren is one of the most pernicious pastimes.

When in London, a journalist said: “how can you justify leaders of the Church flying transatlantic jets when Jesus used a donkey?” I responded that when a transatlantic donkey was invented, we would use it.

Called to the 12: people are thinking of retirement. But the 12 do not retire. They will work every day of the rest of their lives until they literally drop and their minds and bodies give out. They work six days a week. They face a grueling schedule. When home, they get calls and work all the day and night. Their downtime is peppered with interruptions. Otterson has had to call them at home. They are always kind.

Their time off is end of June to end of July, but they are always thinking about the next Conference. That process weights heavily on them for months. They refine, draft after draft. They bear it with grace and find joy. They would be the first to acknowledge their own faults and failings.

The Gospels and Acts show extraordinary men. You can’t judge Peter on his faults: I see him more in the winter of his life, weathered storms and became a towering figure in history. Paul transformed from persecutor to persecuted.

I see the senior brethren in the same way. They have the mantle to lead the Church. Not me.

I have confidence borne of experience and exposure to their counsels that the Church is in good hands.

Some big questions:

–Gay rights. In past, some language was intemperate, but the fundamentals haven’t changed. Sex outside of marriage and sex with somebody of the same sex is wrong by God’s standards. Our way of addressing this in the Church has changed. Brethren know of the challenges. Elder Cook was a stake president in San Francisco and helped several members of the Church with AIDS. Trying to navigate this issue is difficult. Standards of chastity remain constant, but way of addressing it has changed.

Most of the world has different standards and values, and a strident voice from the Church will not change behavior. www.mormonsandgays.org. The web site in 2012 during Mitt Romney campaign. We thought we would be confronted with misrepresentation that suffered during Prop 8. We encouraged parents to embrace their children while not condoning immoral behavior. Will continue to work on the web site and re-launch early in 2016.

Religious freedom. The Church does not oppose rights that pose no threat to the family. The problem was with attempts to redefine marriage. The Brethren were prescient on religious freedom. This is one of the great social issues of the day. The Human Rights campaign said that all churches must accept gay leaders. Remove accreditation from religious colleges, remove tax exemption from churches. The Church’s response has been a model of restraint. Hasn’t yielded on chastity, but has said LGBT should have access to housing, etc. Balance will be the refrain in the future.

Much internal teaching needs to be done among youth and young adults.

Can members have their own views and still be faithful to the Church? Can a member be a Dem and a good Mormon? Obviously yes. Can I believe in women’s rights and be a good Mormon? Can I think the hymnals need revision?

All I can tell you is how I approach it. I have never found the church to be an intellectual straightjacket. We have a diverse membership. He is British and jokes about the French. They backed the wrong side in the Rev. war. If I am on a plane and sitting next to a French LDS, I feel a bond. I have far more in common than with a non-LDS Brit. We share values and experiences.

I don’t insist that my friend interpret things my way, but if he starts teaching me and tells me about his blogs and protests, then I would fear for his eternal future. Diversity is good, but diversity does not trump unity. If you are not One, you are not Mine.

The First Presidency does not court disciplinary councils. Stake Presidencies are responsible. They are not centrally directed. The is no conspiracy.

In depth essays. Feedback indicates the essays should be more prominent, others think too prominent. Emphasis on study and learning in the home, flexible teaching curriculum. The essays’ content should be in the larger tapestry of learning especially for our youth. Much discussion about the essays. Should be longer articles? The result was somewhere in between longer articles and shorter. Reviewed by the 12 and the First Presidency.

Elder Maxwell (former chairman of the PA committee). The church is in the world but has often been counter-cultural. Jesus talked about sheep but He never acted like one. He confronted the establishment, he associated with people who polite society rejected, the apostles challenged conventions. We need to build relationships in the secular world, while pushing back against secularism. We must follow Jesus Christ in every circumstance. This is our prime directive. What would the Savior do? Avoid polemical, confrontational tactics.

Six principles
–We have faith
–We are strong supports of the family
–We value freedom
–We try to live by strong moral values.
–We serve others
–We believe lives can change

Q and A

How can assure women who feel marginalized? The place of more than half of the members of the Church is of huge concern. Momentum to address what appear to be inequities. Photographs of women’s presidencies, there is no much more going on. Be patient, it will happen.

Do the Brethren consult with women and persons of color? yes.

What do you do with media that misrepresent? In the past, they were entirely dependent on the media. With the internet and social media, the Church can say what it wants and it is visible to everyone. We don’t send out press releases anymore. We publish a statement on Newsroom and wait for the phone to ring. Religion writers follow Newsroom. What we are saying is on the record and clear. Getting it right: reporters who go the extra mile.

Why are the church essays without bylines? Essays are from the Church, not from individual scholars.

How does gay marriage infringe on religious freedom? We are already seeing the rise of cries of curtailing religious freedom, religious colleges, tax exemption. We don’t suggest that pastors will have to perform gay marriages, it is the ancillary issues that are a challenge. The drive for “public accommodations.” This is clashing with religious conscience. Some other churches refuse to budge one inch on LGBT rights. Others want to go the whole way. We are in a middle place: fairness for all. Religious freedom is going to be the next great battle.

PA council needs more women. Now, six women in the meetings, the Brethren try to embrace women’s voices. We have a women’s outreach group. Eight women address some issues. The chairwoman said more men are needed on the group.

Are there ideological factions in the 12? There are no factions among the 12. I have been in the meetings. Unless they are united, the issue does not go forward. They always go for complete unity.