"This is the only true and living church upon the face of the whole Earth which I, the Lord, am pleased." Now, where does that leave other churches? We believe that all churches do great good. We believe in the virtue in the lives of other people in other churches. We acknowledge the tremendous accomplishments of other churches. Our position is simply this, we say, you bring all the good that you have, wherever you have acquired it, and see if we may add to it."

"there's no injury done to anybody"

"Now we are at war. Great forces have been mobilized and will continue to be. Political alliances are being forged. We do not know how long this conflict will last. We do not know what it will cost in lives and treasure. We do not know the manner in which it will be carried out. It could impact the work of the Church in various ways."

"No one knows how long it will last. No one knows precisely where it will be fought. No one knows what it may entail before it is over. We have launched an undertaking the size and nature of which we cannot see at this time."

"I do not know what the future holds. I do not wish to sound negative, but I wish to remind you of the warnings of scripture and the teachings of the prophets which we have had constantly before us."

"Now, I do not wish to be an alarmist. I do not wish to be a prophet of doom. I am optimistic. I do not believe the time is here when an all-consuming calamity will overtake us. I earnestly pray that it may not. There is so much of the Lord’s work yet to be done. We, and our children after us, must do it. I can assure you that we who are responsible for the management of the affairs of the Church will be prudent and careful as we have tried to be in the past. The tithes of the Church are sacred."

Q: You are the president, prophet, seer and revelator of the Mormon Church?

A: I am so sustained, yes. (Laughter)

Q: Now, how would that compare to the Catholic Church? Do you see yourself as Catholics would see the pope?

A: Oh, I think in that we're both seen as the head officer of the church, yes.

Q: And this belief in contemporary revelation and prophecy? As the prophet, tell us how that works. How do you receive divine revelation? What does it feel like?

A: Let me say first that we have a great body of revelation, the vast majority of which came from the prophet Joseph Smith. We don't need much revelation. We need to pay more attention to the revelation we've already received.

Now, if a problem should arise on which we don't have an answer, we pray about it, we may fast about it, and it comes. Quietly. Usually no voice of any kind, but just a perception in the mind. I liken it to Elijah's experience. When he sought the Lord, there was a great wind, and the Lord was not in the wind. And there was an earthquake, and the Lord was not in the earthquake. And a fire, and the Lord was not in the fire. But in a still, small voice. Now that's the way it works.

Does Gordon B. Hinckley always tell the truth?

Gordon B Hinckley is president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Most of the time he speaks in vague generalities like "be good" or "isn't it wonderful?" or "I don't know." But sometimes he says specific things, and when you look closely they are often not true. Here are some examples of Gordon B. Hinckley statements that are not true.

previous, longer version of this page

1. Does the church teach that a man can progress to become a god? 1994: yes. 1997: no.

Gordon B. Hinckley in 1994, repeating perhaps the best known teachings in all Mormonism:

"On the other hand, the whole design of the gospel is to lead us onward and upward to greater achievement, even, eventually, to godhood. This great possibility was enunciated by the Prophet Joseph Smith in the King Follet sermon (see Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 342-62) and emphasized by President Lorenzo Snow. It is this grand and incomparable concept: As God now is, man may become! (See The Teachings of Lorenzo Snow, comp. Clyde J. Williams, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1984, p. 1) Our enemies have criticized us for believing in this. Our reply is that this lofty concept in no way diminishes God the Eternal Father. He is the Almighty. He is the Creator and Governor of the universe. He is the greatest of all and will always be so. But just as any earthly father wishes for his sons and daughters every success in life, so I believe our Father in Heaven wishes for his children that they might approach him in stature and stand beside him resplendent in godly strength and wisdom." (Gordon B. Hinckley, Conference Report, Oct. 1994, reprinted in Ensign, Nov. 1994, p. 46)

Gordon B. Hinckley three years later, speaking to the press in 1997:

Don Lattin (San Francisco Chronicle religion editor, interviewing Gordon B. Hinckley, April 13, 1997, p 3/Z1): "There are some significant differences in your beliefs [from other Christian churches]. For instance, don't Mormons believe that God was once a man?"
Hinckley: "I wouldn't say that. There was a little couplet coined, "As man is, God once was. As God is, man may become." Now that's more of a couplet than anything else. That gets into some pretty deep theology that we don't know very much about."

Quoted in Time Magazine, Aug 4, 1997: "On whether his church still holds that God the Father was once a man, [Hinckley] sounded uncertain, `I don't know that we teach it. I don't know that we emphasize it... I understand the philosophical background behind it, but I don't know a lot about it, and I don't think others know a lot about it.'"

Hinckley claimed he was misquoted:

"I personally have been much quoted, and in a few instances misquoted and misunderstood. I think that's to be expected. None of you need worry because you read something that was incompletely reported. You need not worry that I do not understand some matters of doctrine. I think I understand them thoroughly, and it is unfortunate that the reporting may not make this clear. I hope you will never look to the public press as the authority on the doctrines of the Church. (1997 October General Conference)"

But you can check the quotes for yourself - even on the original video. And he said the same things on more than one occasion. See www.lds-mormon.com/hwtd.shtml or www.lds-mormon.com/lkl_00.shtml for details. The first quotation, where Hinckley says he does know and believe the doctrine, is from a conference talk called "Don't Drop The Ball." Did he drop the ball when he was faced with non-Mormon questions and forgot to stand for what he believed? You decide.

2. Does the church publish its budgets for its members to see? Hinckley says yes.

Every other major church makes its accounts public. Every one. They consider it a question of honesty and openness. Yet the Mormon church keeps its accounts secret. Before the Salt Lake Olympics, a German reporter asked Hinckley about this and other things. A transcript of the full interview is here.

Reporter: "In my country, the…we say the people's churches, the Protestants, the Catholics, they publish all their budgets, to all the public.
Hinckley: [agrees]
Reporter: "Why is it impossible for your church?
Hinckley: "Well, we simply think that the…that information belongs to those who made the contribution, and not to the world. That's the only thing. Yes."

This is a very strange thing to say, because no church member ever gets to see the church budgets or accounts. Ever. Most people would say his answer was highly misleading to the German reporter.

3. Is the DNA evidence against Lamanites in North America unproven? Hinckley says it is.

[ From the German reporter's interview:]

Reporter: "Now, Mr. President, one of…one question which is a little bit complicated for me to understand, but I heard it and one colleague asked me to ask it. What will be your position when DNA analysis will show that in the history never have been an immigration from Israel to the North…to North America? It could be that the scientists will find out…"

Hinckley: "Well, it hasn't happened. That hasn't been determined yet. All I can say is that's speculated. No one really knows the answer to that, not at this point."

This is a very strange thing to say because Hinckley has spent most his life in church public relations of some sort, so he should be aware of the facts. He was specifically asked about North America. The reporter was being kind, as if the question had not yet been proven. Yet the DNA evidence against North America as the Book of Mormon location is devastating. Even the apologists, FARMS, have accepted that, and they will not try to defend a North American setting for the Book of Mormon.

Even if we allow the FARMS theory that the Lamanites were hiding in some remote corner of Central America, the DNA evidence is not "speculated" as Hinckley said. It has been established beyond reasonable doubt by the highest standards of scientific enquiry in peer-reviewed journals. DNA destroys the Book of Mormon as a historical record. To say that the issue "hasn't been determined" is like saying the earth is still flat because a few people still believe it.

4. When did polygamy start in the church? Hinckley says it was after 1847.

On Larry King Live (September 8, 1998, after Hinckley was asked about polygamy): "When our people came west they permitted it [polygamy] on a restricted scale."

This is very strange, because polygamy began much earlier than "when our people came west." It was practiced secretly by Joseph Smith since about 1833, when he "married" his first "plural wife," sixteen year old Fanny Alger. Alger is listed by official Mormon sources as Joseph Smith's first plural wife. By 1844 it was practiced by many LDS leaders. It is very strange that Gordon B. Hinckley does not remember this.

5. How many Mormons were "involved in polygamy"? Hinckley says just 2 to 5 percent.

Again from Larry King Live, September 8, 1998: "The figures I have are from -- between two percent and five percent of our people were involved in it [polygamy]. It was a very limited practice"

This is very strange, because before moving to Utah, of the leaders who knew about polygamy, 75 percent practiced it. See D. Michael Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: [Volume 1] Origins of Powers, Appendix 6, and the discussion by Packam. After moving to Utah, church elders urged ALL good Mormons to practice it. Numerous sermons say it was essential to salvation. Every president of the church was polygamous until George Albert Smith, who became president in 1945. It is very strange that Gordon B. Hinckley presents it as a very limited practice.]

6. Do we oppose other churches? Hinckley says no.

Speaking on Larry King Live, September 8, 1998: "I say this to other people: you develop all the good you can. We have no animosity toward any other church. We do not oppose other churches. We never speak negatively of other churches."

In last General Conference (October 2005, quoting a poem): " 'I would not sit in the scorner's seat, Or hurl the cynic's ban; / Let me live in a house by the side of the road / And be a friend to man.' That is the way I feel. [I wish] that men might live together in peace without war and contention, argument and conflict."

This is a strange thing to say since Hinckley leads a church that says that no non-Mormon will go to heaven. He divides people from the world intot he rightous (Mormons and those who will one day become Mormons) and the unrighteous (everyone else).

This was the very first thing "revealed from God" in the "First Vision": "the personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in His sight: that those professors were all corrupt." (Joseph Smith - History 1:18-19) The whole reason for a restoration was that every other church was so corrupt that it was beyond any hope of reformation.

1 Nephi 14:10 says "And he [God] said unto me: Behold there are save two churches only; the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the church of the devil; wherefore, whoso belongeth not to the church of the Lamb of God belongeth to that great church, which is the mother of abominations; and she is the whore of all the earth." (See also 1 Nephi 13:6, 14:3, 9; Alma 5:39.)

Until 1990, the temple ceremony included a non-Mormon minister, a representative of all other churches, and he was being paid by Satan.

Mormons say they "never speaking negatively of other churches" but say that other churches are corrupt and inspired by Satan. Things that make you go "hmmm..."

7. Is the church run by only men? Hinckley says no.

Mike Wallace ('Sixty Minutes' TV interview): ''Why must only men run the Church?''
Hinckley: '' 'Only men' do not run the Church. Men have their place in the Church. Men hold priesthood offices of the Church. But women have a tremendous place in this church. They have their own organization. It was started in 1842 by the Prophet Joseph Smith, called the Relief Society, because its initial purpose was to administer help to those in need. It has grown to be, I think, the largest women's organization in the world with a membership of more than three million. They have their own offices, their own presidency, their own board. That reaches down to the smallest unit of the Church everywhere in the world.''
Wallace: ''But they don't have the power.''
Hinckley: ''They have office. They have responsibility. They have control of their organization.''
Wallace: ''But you run it. The men run it. Look, I'm not being . . . ''
Hinckley: ''The men hold the priesthood, yes. But my wife is my companion. In this Church the man neither walks ahead of his wife nor behind his wife but at her side. They are co-equals in this life in a great enterprise.''

This is very strange because clearly men do run the church. It is true that women run some parts of the church, but only if they get permission from the men to do so.

8. Does the church get involved in politics? Hinckley says no.

From an interview broadcast on Compass in Australia, November 9th 1997

DR: "Finally, in Australia as in the US, I understand you ??? government on social issues. Especially in the name of protecting the family. What sort of things would you like to change as far as Australian society is concerned?"

Gordon B. Hinckley: "I don’t know much about er your social structure here. I’m only... I only come as a visitor and so I can’t say very much, but I was sorry to read that the great emphasis being put on gambling down in er ..Victoria? Victoria, yes. Institutionally the Church speaks out on moral issues. Other than that we draw a strict line of separation of Church and State. The Church institutionally does not get involved in politics. Does not endorse candidates, does not endorse parties. We encourage our people as citizens of the land to exercise their franchises individuals. And to be active in these things, but as an institution the Church maintains a strict line of separation of Church and State speaking out only when there is a moral question at issue."

Those who remember the Equal Right Amendment Act, or follow the millions being spent attacking gay marriage proposals, or all the other examples where the church gets involved in politics, will know that this "strict line of separation between church and state" is not the case. D.Michael Quinn's book "Extensions of Power" goes into great detail about the church's political work.

9. Do the church's doctrines change? Hinckley says no.

From the same Australian interview:

President Gordon B. Hinckley: "Yes, sir. We are. We have fundamental, basic doctrines which have held fast through more than a 150 years of time. We don’t bend with every wind of doctrine that comes along. Our doctrine is stable, it’s secure. Programmes change, we make adaptation according to the circumstances. But the basic doctrine remains the same and that becomes a solid unshifting foundation to which people can cling in this world of instability and drifting values."

Those who have followed the Adam-God doctrine, or the role of polygamy, or blood atonement, or blacks in the pre-existence, will know that the doctrine is anything but stable. In my own time, the church has shifted significantly. Hinckley's own statements on this page show that the doctrine regarding the doctrine of the purpose of life (to become like God) is still changing.

10. Does Hinckley accept the scriptures as they stand, or twist them to mislead us?

Finally, Gordon B. Hinckley often quotes from scripture. Some of these scriptures make dramatic claims. If he accepts them as they stand, they are simply not true. But if he has some symbolic meaning in mind, is it not dishonest not to say so? The first example, if literally true, is contradicted by mountains of scientific evidence. The second example, though more easily taken as symbolic, does not apply to the Mormon church unless you twist its meaning violently. Here is the first example:

"There was the great Flood, when waters covered the earth and when, as Peter says, only "eight souls were saved" (1 Peter 3:20)." (A quote from October 2005 conference.)

Discover after discovery has proven that this cannot have happened as the Bible describes. As prophet, Hinckley claims the right to reveal new truths about scripture, but shouldn't he tell us? Many of his listeners wil come away believing in a literal global flood, and that would be highly misleading.

Here is the second example. Since the days of Joseph Smith, church leaders have identified the church with the "stone cut without hands" from Daniel 2. Hinckley is no exception.

"The little stone which was cut out of the mountain without hands is rolling forth to fill the earth (see Dan. 2:31–45; D&C 65:2)." (Gordon B. Hinckley, “The State of the Church,” Ensign, Nov. 2003, 4)

This comes from Daniel 2:21-45 which says, in part:.

"Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold [the nations of the world], broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. ... And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever." (Daniel 2: 34,35, 44)

Hinckley knows enough about church history to know that the church is not fulfilling this prophecy. First, it does not break in pieces other nations. Whenever the nations of the world have confronted the church (most famously in the troubles in Nauvoo or the Utah war or the polygamy issue) the church has either run away or lost. Today the church tries very hard to be friends with all governments - it shows no interest in breaking them in pieces. Second, church growth is slowing. While it grew at a reasonable pace up until the mid 1980s, for the past twenty years growth has been slowing. Even before the 1980s it was not like a stone rolling down and gathering speed. After 150 years it was still largely insignificant to non-Mormons. The context of Hinckley's talk shows he means "filling the earth" in the sense of having a peaceful presence in every country. So it is highly misleading for him to use Daniel 2, which speaks of the church growing to a huge size and breaking the other nations into pieces.

And so it goes on. These are just ten examples of Gordon B. Hinckley's teachings. Does he say things that aren't true? Did he just make a poor choice of words? Is he ill-informed? Does he accidentally forget things? Are these all innocent mistakes? You decide.

"Now I speak to you single mothers whose burdens are heavy because you have been abandoned or have been widowed. Yours is a terrible load. Bear it well. Seek the blessings of the Lord. Be grateful for any assistance that may come out of the quorums of the priesthood to help you in your home or with other matters. Pray silently in your closet, and let the tears flow if they must come. But put a smile on your face whenever you are before your children or others." President Gordon B. Hinckley, Mormon Prophet, Seer and Revelator "To the Women of the Church" From an address given at the Relief Society Session of LDS General Conference, October, 2003

Hinckster took his act on the road to Chile this weekend, and frankly, it was a bomb.

From the Salt Lake Tribune coverage (click here):

A surprisingly spry Gordon B. Hinckley walked on his own into a stadium filled with 45,000 adoring Latter-day Saints on Saturday night.

The stadium holds 50,000; the church blacked out broadcast of the event to all stake centers within 50 miles of Santiago. With a claimed church membership of 500K+ most of which is concentrated in Santiago, they should have had the stadium packed.  The photo that accompanies the article shows clearly that there are lots of empty seats. 

I've gone over their lying about church membership before, but as a quick reminder only some 100K people called themselves Mormon in the 2002 census.  Most of those are concentrated in Santiago, so their 45K was about as good as they could hope for.

 Hinckley recalled being in Chile on the day in 1973 when socialist Salvador Allende was elected. Allende was deposed in a military coup. 
"That was a troubled time for Chile," Hinckley said. "There was an unsettling feeling."

Big no-no there, Gordon.  First, Allende was elected in 1970.  Second, yesterday was the day that Michelle Bachelet was being sworn in as Chile's new president.  Chileans of all political stripes want to put those days behind them, and your bringing it up and mentioning the strife of the 1970s was just dumb.  As my TBM wife said when I read the above quotes to her, "doesn't he have anyone that tells him about these things?"

In the 45 years the Mormon leader has been visiting this country, he has seen steady growth in the LDS population. At first, they taught the faith to schoolchildren in a shed, a dark little building. 

"Now we have 75 stakes [like a diocese], 25 districts and nine missions," he said. 
Hinckley predicted that growth would continue.  "Where we now have thousands, we'll have tens of thousands," he said. "I believe that will happen."

He's either senile or lying, or maybe both.  He himself stood in a meeting in Chile in 1999 and lamented the horrible retention rate among baptisms there.  He's well aware of the 12 stakes they closed in 2002.  He knows damn well the growth hasn't been steady.  He should know that nothing has changed in missionary predatory tactics:  they still dunk minor children without their parents, they still baptize teenage girls, they still bring too many nutcases onto the rolls.  All things they were supposed to have stopped years ago, but never did. 

After an hour break, the cultural celebration continued; Hinckley did not return, but he reportedly watched the festivities on a monitor at his hotel. In his absence, his two sons, Richard and Clark Hinckley, presided over the exuberant, boisterous display of Chilean and Mormon history. 
It began when an army of Mormon missionaries in their white shirts and ties marched in waving Chilean flags and singing the church anthem, "Called to Serve."

Oh brother, now we know where Kim Il Sung's choreographer went.  Also, with L Tom Perry in attendance, shouldn't he have presided rather than Hinckster's two dimwits? 

Red-and-gold-clad performers danced the mournful tale of the Spanish conquest of Indians. Mormon teens acted out folk tales of roosters pursuing hens or two groups of devils fighting for dominance. 

At the end of the performance, the teens all poured onto the field and sang ''God Be With You 'Til We Meet Again'' to Hinckley.

Of course this whole thing didn't even make any of the major Chilean newspapers. 

"I remind you that no man who makes disparaging remarks concerning those of another race can consider himself a true disciple of Christ.

"How can any man holding the Melchizedek Priesthood arrogantly assume that he is eligible for the priesthood whereas another who lives a righteous life but whose skin is of a different color, is ineligible?"

"With that in mind, we can account in no other way for the birth of some of the children of God in darkest Africa, or in flood-ridden China, or among the starving hordes of India, while some of the rest of us are born in the United States? We cannot escape the conclusion that because of performance in our pre-existence some of us are born as Chinese, some as Japanese, some as Indians, some as Negroes, some as Americans, some as Latter-day Saints. There are rewards and punishments, fully in harmony with His established policy in dealing with sinners and saints, regarding all according to their deeds."

"Now let's talk segregation again for a few minutes. Was segregation a wrong principle? When the Lord chose the nations to which the spirits were to come, determining that some would be Japanese and some would be Chinese and some Negroes and some Americans, He engaged in an act of segregation."

"Who placed the Negroes originally in darkest Africa? Was it some man, or was it God? And when He placed them there, He segregated them. Who placed the Chinese in China? The Lord did. It was an act of segregation. When He placed only some of His chosen people in the tribe of Judah, the royal tribe, wasn't that an act cf segregation?

And when He gave the birthright only to Ephraim, wasn't that an act of segregation?"

"Now what is our policy in regard to intermarriage? As to the Negro, of course, there is only one possible answer. We must not intermarry with the Negro. Why? If I were to marry a Negro woman and have children by her, my children would all be cursed as to the priesthood. Do I want my children cursed as to the priesthood? If there is one drop of Negro blood in my children, as I have read to you, they receive the curse. There isn't any argument, therefore, as to inter-marriage with the Negro, is there? There are 50 million Negroes in the United States. If they were to achieve complete absorption with the white race, think what that would do. With 50 million Negroes inter-married with us, where would the priesthood be? who could hold it, in all America? Think what that would do to the work of the Church!"

"Now we are generous with the Negro. We are willing that the Negro have the highest kind of education. I would be willing to let every Negro drive a Cadillac if they could afford it. I would be willing that they have all the advantages they can get out of life in the world, but let them enjoy these things among themselves. I think the Lord segregated the Negro and who is man to change that segregation?"

"Where were you when I needed you?
Where, .... ere, .... ere?"

"IOWA CITY, Iowa – Becoming acquainted with God in their most desperate hours on the Mormon Trail, the handcart pioneers who trudged 1,300 miles to the Salt Lake Valley in the 1850s provide an example of faith and courage that Latter-day Saints must never forget, LDS Church leaders said Sunday.

President Gordon B. Hinckley told nearly 2,500 gathered in Hancher Auditorium at the University of Iowa – and thousands more via satellite and cable – that 'there is no chronicle of greater suffering and terrible experience than this chronicle. God bless their memories to those of us who live in comfort and ease.'"

"I call your attention to another matter that gives me great concern. In revelation the Lord has mandated that this people get all the education they can. He has been very clear about this. But there is a troubling trend taking place. Elder Rolfe Kerr, Commissioner of Church Education, advises me that in the United States nearly 73 percent of young women graduate from high school, compared to 65 percent of young men. Young men are more likely to drop out of school than young women.

Approximately 61 percent of young men enroll in college immediately following high school, compared to 72 percent for young women.

In 1950, 70 percent of those enrolled in college were males, and 30 percent were females; by 2010 projections estimate 40 percent will be males, and 60 percent will be females.

Women have earned more bachelor's degrees than men every year since 1982 and more master's degrees since 1986.

It is plainly evident from these statistics that young women are exceeding young men in pursuing educational programs. And so I say to you young men, rise up and discipline yourself to take advantage of educational opportunities. Do you wish to marry a girl whose education has been far superior to your own? We speak of being "equally yoked." That applies, I think, to the matter of education."

"The church is undertaking a huge redevelopment project in the interest of protecting the environment of Temple Square"

"While the costs will be great, it will not involve the expenditure of tithing funds"