Elder George P. Lee
I found this on Recovery From Mormonism website, I met GPL once when a group of us Lamanite youth went on a weeklong fieldtrip to SaltLakeCity back in mid 1980's.
Sadly, the young people of theLDSchurch don't know what a "Lamanite" is. Honestly, they know it's a BookOfMormon character name, but they really don't know what ONE is.
That's a sad example of how much church policy and Doctrine has changed in over 2 decades.
Rest in Peace GPL
lovs, theSam!!
Samuel L Flyinghorse
------------------------
Subject: Elder George P. Lee
Date: Jul 30 10:37
Author:
Mail Address:
Elder George P. Lee, in life and death
Elder George P. Lee, the first and still only Native American General Authority passed away this week in Provo. He was a man who was both created and destroyed by the changing Mormon doctrine regarding the lineage of the Native American peoples. Once vaunted as the direct lineage of Lehi and Laman, both the doctrine and the outreach to the Native American suffered in the face of scientific discovery, and perhaps even bigotry. It is an oft repeated story.
Lee was a product of his environment. He thrived in Kimball's Indian Placement Program. Spencer W. Kimball had a special place in his heart for Native Americans. Having grown up in Arizona, side by side with the Navajo, his policy and religion was that these people were direct descended from Lehi, father of Nephi and Laman. Hence the term Lamanite. Kimball was convinced that the Book of Mormon was in part a special witness to the Native American people, and programs were created as an outreach to bring them into the fold.
Of course Kimball was wrong on the lineage of these people, and Benson, an Idaho boy, extremely conservative, a John Bircher (today they call them Tea Baggers :)), and by many accounts a bigot, had no such love for the "Lamanite". He discontinued the outreach programs and proceeded to white wash the Church's teachings with regard to the Lamanite lineage. The word Lamanite is barely spoken from the Mormon pulpit these days, and younger generations (today's teens and young adults) are not familiar with the term Lamanite. That's how the Mormon Church rolls when it changes doctrines and contradicts statements of his prophets. It's a multi generational long term approach that simply lets the old philosophies die with the generations that believed in them.
And so, this is the environment in which George P. Lee found himself. Once the beneficiary of a huge and targeted outreach program he thrived. He believed his people had a special place in bringing about the building up of the Kingdom of God on this Earth. He'd been taught his whole life that the Lamanites would become once again a chosen people, and like a Phoenix rise from the ashes to greatness. He was taught and believed that he would have a special role in that ascendancy. All that destroyed by the death of one man (Kimball) and the attitudes of his successor (Benson). Such is the fickle nature of Mormon Doctrine, as fickle as the changing attitudes of the all too human prophet du jour.
Abondoned, his people once again abandoned, Lee understandably became bitter. He could have done more had he remained calm and worked from within. Benson wasn't long for the world and Hinckley was much more media and PR savvy. Hinckley also believed strongly in the Lamanite lineage as evidenced by temple dedicatory prayers he offered in South and Central America which made reference. But Lee was impatient, impetuous, and from being scorned by a bitter senile old man, he became angry. Once again, his people had been abandoned, thrown to the wind, promises broken. Just as had been done to them so many times before. Lee understandably was heartbroken, bitter and forlorn.
May he find peace now as he rests.
Subject: Re: Elder George P. Lee
Date: Jul 30 10:43
Author:
Mail Address:
I suspect the LDS Church realized there was more opportunity for growth among the natives of Latin America than was available among the natives of the U.S. and Canada. When I went to BYU in the early 70s it was the height of the Lamanite craze when people really believed what the Book of Mormon said. Native Americans were easily recognized among the BYU student body. When I went back in 1989, I didn't notice "Lamanites" among the student body at all. It is no wonder George P. Lee became bitter and lost faith in the Mormon Church's leaders. He detested the favoring of rich people in the Mormon Church at the expense of the poor. Did these issues lead him to attempted child abuse? Hard to say.
Subject: "prophet du jour" that's beautiful -- It leads to "Doctrine du jour"
Date: Jul 30 10:52
Author:
Mail Address:
Lamanite doctrine is no longer the "doctrine of the day"! And thus the Book of Mormon is no longer a latter-day witness to the Lamanites (American Indians).
It's suspicious that every time a Prophet dies, God changes His mind. Lee learned that fast.
Subject: Re: "prophet du jour" that's beautiful -- It leads to "Doctrine du jour"
Date: Jul 30 11:32
Author:
Mail Address
Sadly though, this fickle god of theirs destroys lives, blacks, gays, native Americans, women who want equal rights.
Subject: Only met him once at a Stake Conference back when I was a TBM EQP.
Date: Jul 30 12:20
Author:
Mail Address:
He offended lots of people at the SC due to his condemnation of anyone having any 'toys' ie. boat, RV, snowmobiles, etc.
He said that the lord was not pleased with people, no matter their calling or outward appearence, how owned such things. This would have been back in the early '80's.
Subject: TBM's are already patting themselves on the back for their generosity. They say they have opened the doors of a ward in Washington County for his funeral. Why would he want a Mo funeral?
Subject: Re: Elder George P. Lee
Date: Jul 30 13:51
Author:
Mail Address:
Lee married my Navajo son in the temple. He was highly thought of by Native American members of the church. In my lifetime, "Lamanites" have disappeared from the TSCC. It's really strange.
----------------------------
Sadly, the young people of theLDSchurch don't know what a "Lamanite" is. Honestly, they know it's a BookOfMormon character name, but they really don't know what ONE is.
That's a sad example of how much church policy and Doctrine has changed in over 2 decades.
Rest in Peace GPL
lovs, theSam!!
Samuel L Flyinghorse
------------------------
Subject: Elder George P. Lee
Date: Jul 30 10:37
Author:
Mail Address:
Elder George P. Lee, in life and death
Elder George P. Lee, the first and still only Native American General Authority passed away this week in Provo. He was a man who was both created and destroyed by the changing Mormon doctrine regarding the lineage of the Native American peoples. Once vaunted as the direct lineage of Lehi and Laman, both the doctrine and the outreach to the Native American suffered in the face of scientific discovery, and perhaps even bigotry. It is an oft repeated story.
Lee was a product of his environment. He thrived in Kimball's Indian Placement Program. Spencer W. Kimball had a special place in his heart for Native Americans. Having grown up in Arizona, side by side with the Navajo, his policy and religion was that these people were direct descended from Lehi, father of Nephi and Laman. Hence the term Lamanite. Kimball was convinced that the Book of Mormon was in part a special witness to the Native American people, and programs were created as an outreach to bring them into the fold.
Of course Kimball was wrong on the lineage of these people, and Benson, an Idaho boy, extremely conservative, a John Bircher (today they call them Tea Baggers :)), and by many accounts a bigot, had no such love for the "Lamanite". He discontinued the outreach programs and proceeded to white wash the Church's teachings with regard to the Lamanite lineage. The word Lamanite is barely spoken from the Mormon pulpit these days, and younger generations (today's teens and young adults) are not familiar with the term Lamanite. That's how the Mormon Church rolls when it changes doctrines and contradicts statements of his prophets. It's a multi generational long term approach that simply lets the old philosophies die with the generations that believed in them.
And so, this is the environment in which George P. Lee found himself. Once the beneficiary of a huge and targeted outreach program he thrived. He believed his people had a special place in bringing about the building up of the Kingdom of God on this Earth. He'd been taught his whole life that the Lamanites would become once again a chosen people, and like a Phoenix rise from the ashes to greatness. He was taught and believed that he would have a special role in that ascendancy. All that destroyed by the death of one man (Kimball) and the attitudes of his successor (Benson). Such is the fickle nature of Mormon Doctrine, as fickle as the changing attitudes of the all too human prophet du jour.
Abondoned, his people once again abandoned, Lee understandably became bitter. He could have done more had he remained calm and worked from within. Benson wasn't long for the world and Hinckley was much more media and PR savvy. Hinckley also believed strongly in the Lamanite lineage as evidenced by temple dedicatory prayers he offered in South and Central America which made reference. But Lee was impatient, impetuous, and from being scorned by a bitter senile old man, he became angry. Once again, his people had been abandoned, thrown to the wind, promises broken. Just as had been done to them so many times before. Lee understandably was heartbroken, bitter and forlorn.
May he find peace now as he rests.
Subject: Re: Elder George P. Lee
Date: Jul 30 10:43
Author:
Mail Address:
I suspect the LDS Church realized there was more opportunity for growth among the natives of Latin America than was available among the natives of the U.S. and Canada. When I went to BYU in the early 70s it was the height of the Lamanite craze when people really believed what the Book of Mormon said. Native Americans were easily recognized among the BYU student body. When I went back in 1989, I didn't notice "Lamanites" among the student body at all. It is no wonder George P. Lee became bitter and lost faith in the Mormon Church's leaders. He detested the favoring of rich people in the Mormon Church at the expense of the poor. Did these issues lead him to attempted child abuse? Hard to say.
Subject: "prophet du jour" that's beautiful -- It leads to "Doctrine du jour"
Date: Jul 30 10:52
Author:
Mail Address:
Lamanite doctrine is no longer the "doctrine of the day"! And thus the Book of Mormon is no longer a latter-day witness to the Lamanites (American Indians).
It's suspicious that every time a Prophet dies, God changes His mind. Lee learned that fast.
Subject: Re: "prophet du jour" that's beautiful -- It leads to "Doctrine du jour"
Date: Jul 30 11:32
Author:
Mail Address
Sadly though, this fickle god of theirs destroys lives, blacks, gays, native Americans, women who want equal rights.
Subject: Only met him once at a Stake Conference back when I was a TBM EQP.
Date: Jul 30 12:20
Author:
Mail Address:
He offended lots of people at the SC due to his condemnation of anyone having any 'toys' ie. boat, RV, snowmobiles, etc.
He said that the lord was not pleased with people, no matter their calling or outward appearence, how owned such things. This would have been back in the early '80's.
Subject: TBM's are already patting themselves on the back for their generosity. They say they have opened the doors of a ward in Washington County for his funeral. Why would he want a Mo funeral?
Subject: Re: Elder George P. Lee
Date: Jul 30 13:51
Author:
Mail Address:
Lee married my Navajo son in the temple. He was highly thought of by Native American members of the church. In my lifetime, "Lamanites" have disappeared from the TSCC. It's really strange.
----------------------------
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