If you are interested in the details of the latest battle between various Mormon apostate groups and people, you may find this post worthwhile.
To sum up: John Dehlin has a huge problem with some of the women who were supporters and/or employees at one time. He is accused of underpaying his employees, taking a huge salary for himself and not being honest in his financial disclosures. And apparently now Kate Kelly hates him.
Speaking of priestcraft, you can read more about it here.
Here is an interesting excerpt from the attached post:
One respondent commented, “This situation has been exactly one year in the making. It is LONG overdue. I personally know of at least a dozen women that went to John privately to bring up problematic things that were said or done by him while he was acting as OSF ED towards women in the community. Some were simple (don’t comment on someone else’s body/breasts/dress PERIOD) some were painful (please don’t interrupt or dismiss or play ‘devils advocate’ to women’s sexual/physical abuse experiences) and some were full fledged profiting and taking advantage of women (please pay your women podcasters EQUALLY, as you have your male podcaster for years) — ALL OF THESE WOMEN went to John and close friends first. ALL OF THESE WOMEN hoped that John would learn and apologize and grow because everyone understands that coming from a patriarchal culture takes time to untangle… I personally sat with him and told him that it could be an easy fix if he’s willing to apologize and actually start treating women better by certain actions. He responded by asking for loyalty– it was completely inappropriate and I STILL gave him the benefit of the doubt and hoped he would LEARN.”
A former moderator at the Mormon Stories Podcast Community writes, ” I was just excommunicated from MSPC–fired as a moderator and blocked from the group–for my comments on Kristy’s post. It is every bit as bad as it seems.”
” I just feel bad. I’m sitting here bawling. I didn’t get to tell the group members how much I love and care about them before I left. They were the reason I stayed. Now, I’ve been thrown out like garbage.”
“Yup. I feel terrible about it. I didn’t even get to say goodbye to the group. I really love everyone in that group. I hope they will stay in touch.”
I wonder how much of Dr. Dehlin’s Mormon Stories livelihood is underwritten by the deep pockets of a few wealthy patrons. Given the high value he places on financial transparency, perhaps he would break down Mormon Stories income sources if he were asked.
Well, if you sleep with the Devil you wake up in hell !!!
Is this how John affords front-row Jazz seats? (See “https://youtu.be/jnyv3jGEeB4”.) Or does he get a family discount from the Jazz ticket sales manager?
What a sad, sad event. Sad for them leaving the Church, sad for all the controversy and exposure they have to go through as they navigate their life after leaving the Church, and sad for how difficult any reconciliation will be if hearts are not softened.
I find the several accounts in the Book of Mormon regarding individual and generalized apostasy very enlightening. In Mosiah 26 the key issue was lack of understanding from the rising generation, who “could not understand the word of God” (26:3). These in turn caused members to “commit many sins” (26:6).
In other times, apostasy came from hardship (Alma 62:41). In this same verse, the same event – “the exceedingly great length of the war” – caused some to become hardened while others were softened.
In yet another, apostasy came from within the Church: “because of their iniquity the church had begun to dwindle, and they began to disbelieve in the spirit of prophecy and in the spirit of revelation” (Helaman 4:13).
The above are just a few examples. We have examples of people intentionally deceiving others (Korihor and Nehor), intellectuals challenging the prophet (Sherem), defectors who wanted power (Coriantumr), and adults who rebel but later repent (Alma the Younger, Amulek).
This is a powerful reminder to be ever watchful unto prayer, as Alma taught his son in Alma 34:39.
Another quote from the post:
“I have seen OSF’s work be a force for good in the lives of people I care about, like my dear husband. At the same time, especially in light of recent events (like John’s organizing of luxury retreats in the Bahamas and Australia) and his demand for loyalty and not answering for his behavior when approached privately, I regrettably must do this publicly. If Dr. Dehlin continues to criticize the church saying that it’s not financially transparent, a non-profit that acts like a for-profit, not helping those in need with excess funds that are instead put elsewhere (details unknown), etc., then it’s important that he hold his own non-profit institution to the same standard. When I was deliberating whether or not to stay with OSF last Nov. when issues between John and Kate Kelly unfolded, both John and the OSF board told me that we can’t let John’s reputation risk tarnishing, because if that happens, “the Church wins.” I don’t feel comfortable giving a pass and allowing an institutional culture like that within OSF leadership. Encouragement from the top to give problematic behavior from leaders “a break” sounds too familiar. My only goal is for this open letter to Dr. Dehlin to lead to positive change. I hope it will.”
Umm … I think this is where the kids today say “I just can’t even with this”.
Be careful about participating in gossip. What is available here is fairly one-sided, and much of it appears to come through Kate Kelly.
“What is available here is fairly one-sided, and much of it appears to come through Kate Kelly.”
Now that is the first time I have heard anyone call Kate Kelly one-sided. 😉
As I understand it, the overwhelming majority of the allegations made about Dehlin recently are coming from an Internet poster named Rosebud. Rosebud has stated who she is in real life, and it isn’t Kate Kelly. Rosebud’s accounts of wrong-doing by Dehlin are purportedly firsthand.
Rosebud? Hmmm… I probably watch too many classic films, but do you remember the film “Citizen Kane?” “Rosebud” was a reference to Kane’s last moments of childlike innocence. Kane was a powerful and talented man who built up a sensationalist newspaper empire, who later was trapped in a sexual scandal and the experienced the same type of salacious gossip he had built an empire spreading. He then experienced exile and loneliness. It would be an odd twist of fate if Dehlin ends up being guilty of the allegations coming from this Rosebud.
“JD was talking to his SP on a weekly basis…because JD wanted to catch the SP on the record saying things that would incriminate the church. It was part of his plan all along. ”
If you ever needed more evidence that listening to excommunicated members on issues of the Church is a terrible idea, here it is.
As Joseph Smith said, once you leave neutral ground, you leave it forever.