Continuing Revelation Sunday School lesson made no sense

I visited a relative's ward today and sat through a grueling Sunday School.

It was "Lesson 42: Continuing Revelation to Latter-day Prophets"

I tried to prepare myself as best possible. I selected a few quotes from my 'library.' I was ready with things like:

I am more afraid that this people have so much confidence in their leaders that they will not inqure for themselves of God whether they are led by him. I am fearful they settle down in a state of blind self-security, trusting their eternal destiny in the hands of their leaders with a reckless confidence that in itself would thwart the purposes of God in their salvation, and weaken that influence they could give to their leaders, did they know for themselves, by the revelations of Jesus, that they are led in the right way. Let every man and woman know, by the whispering of the Spirit of God to themselves, whether their leaders are walking in the path the Lord dictates, or not. (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourse 9:150)

BRIGHAM YOUNG, made in the Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, January 12, 1862
http://pt.fairmormon.org/Journal_of_Discourses/9/27

And:

“[W]hile all members should respect, support, and heed the teachings of the authorities of the church, no one should accept a statement and base his or her testimony upon it, no matter who makes it, until he or she has, under mature examination, found it to be true and worthwhile; then one’s logical deductions may be confirmed by the spirit of revelation to his or her spirit, because real conversion must come from within.”

President Hugh B. Brown, An Abundant Life:The Memoirs of Hugh B. Brown

The lesson started and the teacher asked about modern revelation. "What are some recent revelation we've had?" The following came up:

- Lowering the mission age for men and women
- Joining the Relief Society and young women meetings into one
- The new program of "Hastening the work"

We're a church based on big-picture foundations such as the "weeping God of Enoch" found in the Book of Moses or the range of ideas in the "King Follet Discourse" or the strength of foundation available from a principle like Alma 32. And yet revelation today boils down to two administrative changes, likely instigated by a research team, and a marketing slogan.

It was ironic therefore that a member stuck up his hand and said, "We're so lucky to have revelation in our church. My friends in other churches don't have revelation. They seem so unfulfilled in their religion."

There were general nods of agreement from the classroom, but I couldn't let that comment go. I put up my hand and said:

"It's really important that we don't become arrogant as members of the church in believing that we're the only people in the world entitled to revelation. Our prophets and scriptures simply don't teach that leaders and members of other faiths do not receive revelation. Elder Uchtdorf once said the following:

"Latter-day Saints believe that all human beings are God’s children and that He loves all of us. He has inspired not only people of the Bible and the Book of Mormon but other people as well to carry out His purposes through all cultures and parts of the world. God inspires not only Latter-day Saints but also founders, teachers, philosophers, and reformers of other Christian and non-Christian religions."

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf
http://rsc.byu.edu/archived/global-mormonism-21st-century/20-church-cross-cultural-world

My voice and hands shook a little as I read it. Nerves, emotion, frustration. Maybe just the welling emotion that I'd had enough. It's frustrating to be sat in a room full of people who don't even believe what their own leaders have taught them. Or maybe I just listen to the wrong leaders. Maybe I cling on to a small minority of 30 quotes, gleaned from combing through nearly 200 years of leadership perspectives, while the majority supports the complete opposite.

Maybe the emotion was the realisation that the Mormon middle-way that I find so appealing is simply not a viable option in a 21st Century world. We're becoming an increasing human family of certainties. I'm right. You're wrong. Shut up. I recognise that my one-in-7billion perspective is almost certainly wrong. It's a simple statistical probability. It's difficult being in a group of people who don't appear to have considered that possibility. Maybe they have. Perhaps deep down they are doubting their faith too. I can't imagine it's possible to be immune to it. But they speak in terms that makes it hard to see that.

Already feeling emotionally battered, the lesson then moved on to the topic of the priesthood being given to black members. I had to just bight my tongue. I didn't want to further embarrass my in-laws in their home-ward. Of all of the issues and problems in church history, the racism and ignorance that lead to the introduction and perpetuation of a ban on black members having the priesthood and attending the temple is one the worst. When an in-law said after the meeting how wonderful the restoration had been back in their day and how President McKay had been praying for it since the 1950s and was told that only a revelation would bring about the change, I replied "It's a shame that there were too many racist apostles back then who were unwilling to allow it to happen decades earlier." My relative looked a little shocked and the conversation topic quickly changed.

Blacks and the priesthood is perhaps the greatest contributor to my lack of confidence in leadership. I will not allow myself to have my thoughts and perspectives on life, humanity and deity shackled, like a lumbering cart, to the back end of a long line of trucks being pulled along a track by a steam engine. I simply don't believe that our leaders receive revelation and guidance in the way we teach our primary children, investigators and new members.

I respect many of our leaders as good teachers. There were several helpful and moving talks in the most recent General Conference. I also appreciate a lot of what Joseph "revealed" or gathered/collated/amalgamated. I like the picture of God and the meaning of life painted by Joseph Smith. I find it satisfying and a good framework. I appreciate the principles of universalism that are buried away in hidden corners of Mormonism. But they are so obscured by the absolutism and fundamentalism of the majority of members that I often question whether there really is a place for me too.

I often use the analogy of the great Mormon ocean liner, that can only be expected to change course by small degrees. Today I feel crowded to the very edge of the ship, half-hanging over the railings. Do I look for the opportunity to jump to the welcome offer of other ships headed for the same port or do I try to wade my way back into the fellow-passenger melee? Can I continue trying to represent the inclusive big-picture messages of universalism, humanism and personalised curriculum that I believe the Mormon passengers need to hear?