This is getting Masses of attention. At this stage no way to know for 100% sure how correct it is. But Grant Palmer is someone who would move in these circles and so is unlikely to come up with this from nowhere.
The following very interesting memorandum was received on 5th April 2013 from Grant H. Palmer, and is shared here with his permission.
Grant is a renowned LDS historian, and is author of “An Insider’s View of Mormon Origins”, which is referred to in the following memorandum. Further details of that book may be found here:
http://signaturebooks.com/2010/02/an-insiders-view-of-mormon-origins-2/
Three Meetings with a LDS General Authority, 2012- 2013
Grant H. Palmer
In mid-October 2012, a returned LDS Mission President contacted me to arrange a meeting. Several days later, he called again and said that a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy also wished to attend. He said the General Authority would attend on condition that I not name him or repeat any stories that would identify him. He explained that neither of them, including the GA’s wife, believed the founding claims of the restoration were true. He clarified that they…
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I would feel better about believing this info if we had a statement from Grant Palmer. There is a statement from Sandra Tanner and if it is really her saying it, I would believe it – but there is no email address with the comment which makes me question. I would not be surprised if the whole article is the truth – but would like more info proving it is true!
I see that my comment doesn’t show my email either! But, anyone could say their name was Barb Davis – or Sandra Tanner – or Grant Palmer – but how does anyone know for sure that it is who it says it is????
Hey Barb.
Funnily enough the issue of whether Grant Palmer said this or not is the easy part. I am in touch with Sandra Tanner and Chris Ralph who have both through personal contact with Grant Palmer been told this. John Dehlin on facebook who runs the Mormon stories podcast also says he has had this verified by Palmer.
I remember when Palmer did his talk at the ex Mormon Foundation conference last year he said he was in touch with a general authority that does not believe, though he did not tell the rest of the story at that point. It is probably only a matter of time before Palmer personally says something publically about this.
The hard part is understandably the fact that many Mormons will say that Palmer is either heavily mistaken or being deceptive, I do not see the deal breaker for them being whether Palmer said this or not, as in their eyes he is an Anti-Mormon anyway.
This description by Palmer really only scratches the surface. The conspiracy by LDS leaders is much more sinister than most realize:
http://truthaboutmormonz.wordpress.com/
Now that is funny.
Bobby you have a warped sense of humor and for someone who claims to follow Christ, there is a lot lacking in your character.A friendly warning, “Fools mock, but they shall mourn (Ether 12:26. Jeff (still waiting for replies to papers I sent many months ago and also quite recently, so much for your promises)
Hey Jeff did you look at James link? I think it was supposed to be funny, but kind of in a look at how silly this Grant Palmer thing is kind of way.
James is very much an LDS defender in case you didn’t know.
But I guess personal attacks on the people involved with these things seems to be the good old fashioned Mormon way of dealing with criticism of the Church, I wont take it personally.
As for this information given by Grant Palmer, obviously the critic in me wants to see it as true, but I am honestly not sure, while on some level it would make sense, overall Im just struggling to buy into it. Unless anything more concrete comes along I would personally just let this one go away.
Well Bobby I suppose I ought to say if the cap fits…… But I won’t
Why anyone but an avowed anti-mormon would give any credence to anything under the authorship of people who write books, papers etc which are then published by Signature Books is beyond me. People such as Grant H Palmer, our good old friend D Michael Quinn and especially George D Smith, are making a lot of money selling this stuff to a gullible audience.
I am not surprised to be given this information by Steve Bloor, who does seem to be obsessed in attacking the Church he once belonged to, even though he now classes himself as a secular humanist, (not much chance of converting him to Christ).
I think you are wise in reserving judgement. Jeff
By The way I forgot to add, would you think it equally funny to have a picture of the earlier quorum of the 12 (in Christ’s day) portrayed in this way?
It would not worry me too much, it was more the context of it that I found funny. We are from different generations Jeff :) At least it gives you more reason to think I am a horrible Anti-Mormon, enjoy the moment!
Well I wouldn’t say horrible!!!!
Your too kind haha, talk soon mate
I am seeing too many holes in this story for it to be accurate. Here’s one example. The 70 in the story, when asked how he knew these things, referred back to a time when he had more access to the 12 because there was only one quorum of 70. That would mean that he would have been called prior to April of 1989, when the second quorum was formed. No current 70 was called before April of 1989. (Elder Amado was called in 1989 after the 2nd quorum was formed. He lives in Central America–so he probably isn’t dropping by Grant’s home every month.) Even if we are generous and look to current 70s called before the 3rd, 4th and 5th quorums were formed in 1995, that only leaves two other possibilities: Claudio Costa, who was called in 1992 and who lives in Brazil, and John Dickson, who lives in Africa. Again, it would kind of difficult to hold monthly meetings with either of those two at Grant’s home. So, if Grant is the source of this story, it would appear the historian and entered the world of fiction.